Is it normal for a breastfed baby not to have frequent bowel movements?

We have a 7-week-old baby girl who seems to have problems with her bowel movements. Since birth I believe that she has only evacuated three times on her own. The doctor recommended that we give her half a teaspoon of corn syrup if she had not had a movement for two days, and if that did not help her, to use half a paediatric suppository on the third day. He now has us using baby lax on the fourth day. Is this normal for a breastfed baby? Is there anything we can do to help her evacuate on her own?

There's a wide range of what's normal for a breastfed baby, so your daughter's pattern could be in the range of normal. Breast milk is so well absorbed that there may be little for her to push out. The important things to observe are whether her tummy is distended, whether she strains to have a bowel movement but can't, and whether her weight gain and general development are not moving as expected. These things would make me take a more careful look at the situation. A breastfed baby's stools are generally soft, yellow, sweet-smelling, and, in some children, even loose and liquid. If your daughter's stools are hard and dry or appear unusual in colour or smell, then I would be more concerned. Your daughter shouldn't need regular laxatives, but I might try gently moving her legs in a bicycle fashion when you notice her having difficulty with a movement. If things aren't sorted out in a few days, I'd ask your GP to take another look. Ask for a referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist if there are additional concerns like the ones I described above. You can help a lot by bringing in a sample bowel movement for examination and making written notes and observations of her behaviour at home.