Karo Syrup and my Constipated 2 Month old.?

Question

My daughter has been constipated for 3 -4 days now, its really bad, some days she doesn't go, other days its just once and its a couple small hard pellet. We've tried Glycerin Suppositories, and that didn't help, because once we use it, she push a little out and it comes out, there is no keeping it in for it dissolve.. We already use Gripe water, for the colic, but thats not seeming to bother her since we went to soy...We Use gas drops, a prescribed one and thats not helping at al really... We asked the DOC and they said just give her water each day before we actually feed her, the water is not helping...

so we want to try the Karo Syrup, Now my question is, does it matter if its dark or light, because my grand mother said light, some people on here say dark and light, so which one is best, and how much each day??

Thanks very much

Answer 1

Water is the answer. no juices. every one gets constipated when they don't drink enough water. How old is she? are you still nursing?

Is she bottle / formula fed?  if she is eating solids. I suggest add more water to the food and see that she is getting more fibre. then a little A & D ointment on her a**s so it won't hurt so much when she pushes out.

Fibre and water are very important in her diet. I suggest a book called "Foods that fight Disease" to learn about foods. and the best book ever written on Child nutrition is call "Feeding your Child" by Louise Lambert Lagasie (spelling iffy) you will find it on line, second hand as it in unfortunately out of print. I raise a total of ten kids in day care and never had a constipated child.  re baby foods the rule is what ever you are eating  (starting with Vegetables) put one vegetable at a time, till you have gone through all of them, in the blender, don't mix them till you know she is not allergic to each one.  only AFTER you have introduced all the vegetables and meat, then you can introduce the fruit. if you do the reverse you will have a problem getting your child to eat vegetables. hope this helps.

Answer 2

I used both dark and light I couldn't tell the difference between them. It work great for both my kids. I put 1 tsp in a 4oz bottle which usually always worked.Whatever you do don't but it in every bottle or the poor little thing will be in even more pain it's like a baby ex-lax.Good Luck!

Answer 3

we use the light for our granddaugther and it seems to work quiet well. We even add it to one of her bottles of formula each day.  If one bottle doesn't work, try two bottles till she thinghs start moving, Since our granddaughter has  started on fruits, vegetables and juices, we don't have to depend on the karo syrup any more.

some doctors would suggest you don't use anything, but they are not the ones having to watch your baby suffer, this method has been used for generation and it has worked well. I would start off using maybe a half teaspoon, and graduate up from there till you see results.

Answer 4

i tried the dark karo and it did nothin for my 2 month old i tried everything you could imagine and the other day he dr told me to use prune juice and boy did that work he said to put 5mls in every 2 onces of formula and to do that about 3 times aday shes went yesterday for the 1st time on her own in over a month she would p**p but only if i stimulated it with a rectal thermometer so good luck hope that helps  

Answer 5

I heard it is not a great idea to use the Karo.  With my son, I went and bought the 4 pack Gerber apple/prune juice.  Did a half juice half water mix, and give it a day and that relived him.  You should try that before the Karo.  Good luck!

Answer 6

I used both with my baby-they both worked.  Also, if you have your baby on a high iron formula-that could be the cause of the constipation.  Good luck.  

Answer 7

As to the syrup - I've never used, I'd heard it could cause botulism in babies and decided I couldn't take the risk.  But anyway...I've never even heard of dark karo - light karo is what they usually recommend.

As to the suppositories - when she pushes them out you have to hold them in with your finger for 5 minutes.  Not pleasant but if it empties her bowels rapidly, with no side effects, it's worth it.

Answer 8

If she's constipated, why ar eyou giving her gas drops.  These can be used way too much w/ infants.

As far as the Karo goes, yes, it does matter.  It's dark kayro syrup.  Just put about a Tsp in the first bottle of the morning.  I did this from the time my daughter was about 3 months to 6 months.  Never had to use any kind of medication on her.  She's 15 months now an poos like a pro:o)

Answer 9

I don't know so much about karo syrup, because I never tried it with my kids, but here's some othr tips that may work to relieve the constipation.

If you're breastfeeding, cut out veggies, dairy products and any whole grains that you are eating (you might need to eliminae fruits too if this alone does't help with relieving the constipation.)

If you're formula feeding, speak to the pediatrician about changing the formula to something that will be softer on the stools.

Answer 10

Why in the world are you not breastfeeding..this is one less problem that you would deal with if you were feeding your baby human milk. Anything besides human milk will constantly constipate your baby. Karo Syrup is made from corn and corn is a common allergen therefore it shouldn't be given to a young child.

Answer 11

I had to give my son at 2 months the same thing. My Pediatrician said the DARK kyro syrup. 2 teaspoons per 2oz 2 times a day until she is fine. It helped!  There are a lot of people who say not to use it though... but my doctor said it so i dont think they would do anything to hurt my son!

Answer 12

My daughter had to be on a hypoallergenic formula because of a milk allergy, and it caused her to be very constipated. I was told that Karo Syrup worked wonders for that type of thing....and it does.

The doctor said that Dark Karo syrup tends to work better than the light. I added 1 tablespoon to her morning bottle, and that usually did the trick. However, my doctor said that you can safely use a tablespoon for every ounce you have in the bottle. For example, if it's a 4oz bottle, then you can add 4 tablespoon of syrup. I, personally, felt like that was a lot, but it's something to keep in mind.

Answer 13

ack!  so much bad advice!  karo syrup is NOT good for a 2 month old.  you don't correct a digestive problem by adding more irritants!

you absolutely shouldn't do it without the advice of your doctor.

your baby probably needs a formula without iron.  iron can be very constipating.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/karo-sy...

"Giving infants corn (Karo) syrup for constipation isn't recommended.

It is true that corn syrup draws more fluid into the intestine, which makes stool less hard. But in excess, corn syrup can cause diarrhea in infants, resulting in water and electrolyte losses.

In the past, concern has been raised about whether corn syrup is a source of bacterial spores that produce Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These bacteria are typically harmless to older children and adults. But when ingested by an infant, these bacteria make a toxin that can cause infant botulism.

According to a 2006 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, manufacturers of corn syrups can't guarantee that their products are free of these bacterial spores. However, there have never been any cases of infant botulism directly linked to corn syrup. Still, corn syrup isn't intended or recommended as a treatment for infant constipation.

Treatment of infant constipation varies by age. For infants 2 months or younger, call your baby's doctor for advice on treatment. For infants older than 2 months, give them 2 to 4 ounces of water twice a day in addition to their usual fluid intake. If constipation doesn't improve, give them 2 to 4 ounces of fruit juice twice a day. For infants older than 4 months who are already eating solid foods, give them baby food that's high in fiber — such as peas, beans, apricots, prunes, peaches or pears — twice a day until constipation improves. You may also apply a small amount of water-based lubricant to your baby's a**s to ease stool passage.

If constipation persists despite trying these measures, consult your baby's doctor. "

if you do give fruit juice, i would recommend pear juice because it's the least allergenic of the readily available juices.

Answer 14

I have done the Karo Syrup any time my little one is constipated.  I used the Light Karo Syrup.  This is what I did, and others may disagree, but it's been proven to work in many families that I know that have babies so to each their own.  I take 4 cups of water, boil it and then put one Chamomile Tea Bag in the water after it boils.  I let it seep for about 1 minute.  Then I gave her anywhere from 2-4 ounces of the tea along with a bit of Syrup and it helped her very quickly.  No diarrhea or anything harsh, she just had a normal bowel movement.  For 4 ounces I would put a tablespoon of syrup.  She is now 10 months old and LOVES her tea, even without the syrup.  But I remember, I did this with her when she was about your baby's age.  Good luck!