hello everybody, my 5 1/2month old son has started passing very hard stools. initially it was like a lump, now a days its like small grapes & very hard. he is on formula milk & has nestle rice with fruits( banana or papaya, yet to introduce other fruits) but he drinks very less milk, maybe about 7 oz in a day. mornign he drinks about 4 oz milk. mid morning rice cereal with papaya. afternoon 3 oz milk & a banana. late evening rice cereal with papaya. night milk if he feels like. otherwise he is gaining weight well & active also & doesn't have any discomfort. my mother inlaw said u can givehoney mixed in warm water. at this age can we give him honey? I live in Brunie & medical facilities are not so good here. some pls giude me. thanks in advance. Rebecca replied. I feel I need to add a few more comments in response to Varundeeps rather harsh reaction. Yes, the current wisdom is \";Breast is Best\"; but we all need to respect each woman's choice in feeding her baby. Many women have to use formula either because they need to supplement low supply, supplement a poor feeder, switch to formula because of severe nipple complications, or the complications pumping and working (and believe me, it's not easy) make breastfeeding a serious challenge. Formula is NOT poison! Savitha, the fact that you even posted on this site is testament to the fact that you are a LOVING and CARING mother looking out for the best interest of your child. These forums should be sources of constructive support and information for mothers (and fathers) where questions and concerns can be posted without fear of harsh judgment. OK, stepping off my pedestal... Rebecca Hetal replied. savitha, rebecca has given you the exact answer, so i dont need to add in anything !
just want to add couple lines.
its true that in india we start solids before 6months, but you are a mother, watch your baby cues to it. at 51/2 months you are givin him solids twice or more ! which is for 6/7months old babies,dpending on apetite.
since you have observed that your son is having this problem, i would strongly recommend you to shut down solids and try to give him formula milk or if your supply is up, give him bm only !
honey is not recommended in US below 1 year,however application of it for the purpose of teething probs is ok as you are just touching baby gums with it, and with care that baby will not choke it.but like you mentioned honey mixed with water is a laxative remedy for adults and not for babies ! or even kids...please avoid to do it.
also, while your baby is passing bowels, make sure he isnt crying or feeling uncomfortable,if so, talk to your at once,,first of all, stop solids or reduce the solid intake.
good luck and take care. varundeep replied. Breast feed him properly. before six months you should not have given him formula milk at all. not even water. stop everything immediately and breast feed himas much as you can. it will develop his digestion and mental acceptability of food intake. do not repeat this blunder. minka replied. I think you should give only one solid feed, give water ( preferably warm ) and try to increase milk intake Rebecca replied. Dear Savitha,

I have a couple of suggestions. First, you should know that babies' digestive systems do not handle solids well until about 6 months. International guidelines now recommend not introducing solids until 6 months. Many mothers still do introduce solids earlier, as you have. Even with solids, your babies primary source of nutrition is still milk (in this case your formula). Your baby should be drinking about 32 oz of formula a day (a day = 24 hours)(less is probably OK, but 7 oz isn't sufficient). For babies under 6 months one feeding of solid foods is sufficient. Your baby may still be gaining weight but may not be getting the nutrients he/she needs. I would recommend cutting back on the solids. Your baby will likely respond by taking more milk (formula). The increase in formula and decrease in solids will probably also help your baby's digestive system work better. If the problem persists or your baby seems unwell - cranky, crying a lot...consult your pediatrician immediately.

Also Honey, honey is not OK for babies under 1 year of age as it can contain spores of bacteria that can cause botulism in babies whose digestive systems are not developed enough to resist the bacteria. If you HAVE to feed your baby honey, it should be cooked first, but it is NOT recommended. Good Luck, Rebecca swapna replied. Doctors in US don't recommend honey for babies.. But, here, in india, in some cultures (like mine), we give some ayurvedic herb mixed with honey to newborns (of course, little quantity).. I was against it, but, my mother and mil, both insisted that we give, so, i gave in.. Till now, that didn't cause any problem...
Any case,please don't give honey now, as far as i know, is not a laxative, and, wouldn't help softening the stools.. Try giving rasin water with little sugar.. That helped for my baby, so, should be fine with urs too.. Also, you may have to give him some warm water every now and then, as he is over 5 months age.. Poonam replied. Hi
Honey is not recommended for babies less than one year. I think you should give him more milk.