Baby with constipation; HELP! | ExpatWoman.com
 

Baby with constipation; HELP!

108
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 11:39

My little boy is just turning 2 months and seems to have a very sensitive tummy. He initially had colic but we got some infacol for that and he seems to be getting better. Now, for the past week or so, he seems to be seriously constipated (he's mainly on breast milk with a little bit of formula when we go out or on a few nights when he seems very hungry). The doctor had told me to add some water in his diet so I give him a little bit in the course of the day. I'm not sure why he's constipated, but he's really struggling to get it out and is in a lot of pain as he strains to push yet nothing is coming out. The other night I went to the pharmacy and got a suppository to help. It all came out (its amazing how much poop can come out of those little bodies) and he was fine for a day but we seem to be back to the same problem.

Any advise on what I can do?

671
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 13:07
A helpful page on baby poo: http://www.mother-2-mother.com/normal.htm#NormalStools
671
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EW GURU
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 13:02
Straining hard and getting redfaced is completely normal Yes. "Lack of a daily bowel movement and straining at stooling do not indicate constipation in the infant, but rather are normal aspects of toileting." [i'>Counseling the nursing mother: a lactation consultant's guide[/i'> p.307. If however you are at all concerned, then do see your baby's doctor.
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 13:01
and the sorbotol in raisins, prunes etc can give extra gas, which is sounds like you don't need.
2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:59
I don't think the prune juice will help, it will soften the stool but its already soft so that isn't the issue. Also its effectively giving your baby solids so you risk gastro infections etc. I wouldn't recommend it, definitely don't give your breastfed baby 120 ml of water, thats just dangerous. The safest thing to do is the suppositories, I'm not sure you need them though.
108
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:47
also another thing that can help is giving the baby water from soaked raisins... soak raisins 2-3 overnight in lukewarm water.give the baby this water in the morning...this really works!! prune juice etc will def relieve hard poo but doesn't sound like yours needs a stool softener and is also too young to be given these sorts of things. cycling the legs and tummy massage are good too, especially for gas, as is lots of tummy time. His stool is not hard when it comes out, he just has a problem getting it out. Assuming I were to try prune juice, how would I measure this?
108
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:46
also try doing simple exercises with the baby... cycling motion of the legs... lifting legs up and down and towards the tummy... all this helps stimulate motion which will eventually help ease the poo... hope it helps... also another thing that can help is giving the baby water from soaked raisins... soak raisins 2-3 overnight in lukewarm water.give the baby this water in the morning...this really works!! I have tried the cycling motion, which he loves, but all he does is pass wind, the poop still doesn't seem to come out. How much water would this be? Can I fill the 120ml bottles with this? I'm assuming it would still have to be warm when I give it to him. Is that the case?
2782
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:30
also another thing that can help is giving the baby water from soaked raisins... soak raisins 2-3 overnight in lukewarm water.give the baby this water in the morning...this really works!! prune juice etc will def relieve hard poo but doesn't sound like yours needs a stool softener and is also too young to be given these sorts of things. cycling the legs and tummy massage are good too, especially for gas, as is lots of tummy time.
2782
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:27
Straining hard and getting redfaced is completely normal (and sometimes nothing will come out) but if he is crying when pooing it is not, if it doesn't resolve when you take away the formula (and try moving the colic meds too) then def see a Dr.
1109
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:25
also try doing simple exercises with the baby... cycling motion of the legs... lifting legs up and down and towards the tummy... all this helps stimulate motion which will eventually help ease the poo... hope it helps... also another thing that can help is giving the baby water from soaked raisins... soak raisins 2-3 overnight in lukewarm water.give the baby this water in the morning...this really works!!
108
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:18
Actually it is medically very rare for EBF babies to get constipated, but it is common that they might only poo once per week as they digest BM so efficiently. DS was a once a weeker from about age 2 months until he started solids. They can get very red faced when they poo but should not be crying or distressed and the poo should be yoghurty in consistency. Try removing all formula for a couple of weeks as it is the most likely culprit. EBF babies should not be given water but FF babies might need a little. Are you still giving colic meds?, an EBF baby that is actually constipated (as in the poo is hard) actually warrants medical investigation. You could remove dairy from your diet but here is no point in doing this while you are still giving formula. Yes, I'm still giving him the colic meds. His poo is not hard, its the normal consistency, when it eventually comes out, but he's in a lot of pain trying to get it out and it still doesn't come out even after he struggles so long. Now it's even interfering with his sleep.
2782
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:09
Actually it is medically very rare for EBF babies to get constipated, but it is common that they might only poo once per week as they digest BM so efficiently. DS was a once a weeker from about age 2 months until he started solids. They can get very red faced when they poo but should not be crying or distressed and the poo should be yoghurty in consistency. Try removing all formula for a couple of weeks as it is the most likely culprit. EBF babies should not be given water but FF babies might need a little. Are you still giving colic meds?, an EBF baby that is actually constipated (as in the poo is hard) actually warrants medical investigation. You could remove dairy from your diet but here is no point in doing this while you are still giving formula.
63
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 12:03
My DD is 7 and a half weeks now and she had the same problem. We gave her some medication twice a day to help ease the gas, which it did, but we also gave her an enema for 4 days in a row. Babies this age don't always have muscles that are developed enough to push, so sometimes they need a bit of help. Now she is pooing perfectly well, after a bit of training with the aid of the enema! We have a much happier baby too because her tummy isn't hurting anymore.
108
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 11:51
The problem is that he seems to be in so much pain when he's trying to push it out. Need to take him to the doctor but she's fully booked the next 2 days. I honestly wish I knew what it is I could be eating that may be causing this. Can infants develop hemorrhoids?
213
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 June 2011 - 11:42
Hi, My daughter went through the same thing when she was about 2 months and BF. She would be constipated for a week and then do one huge poo. I was really worried about it but the doctor told me that BF babies are more prone to constipation then bottle fed ones. Also be casreful what you eat as this can pass through the milk. Stay away from constipating foods. Hope it passes soon <em>edited by SwissGirl on 20/06/2011</em>
 
 

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