BF baby not pooing !!

[Diamondgal]

I feel a bit of a wally but my BF DD has not pooed in 11 days. My HV says that constipation and BFing do not go together, but I'm getting worried. There are lots of smells and noises but no action. She also told me to eat a hot chilli or curry which I did yesterday but still nothing. Am I worring for no reason? How long should I wait before going to the docs? My DD is 100% BF so should I give her anything else to help shift her poo?

[uberalice]

How old is she?

[Diamondgal]

Sorry she is 16 wks

[margoandjerry]

They told me that too but my bf daughter used to save it all up for 10 days or so!

[Diamondgal]

Sorry again its been a very long day she is 12wks old - Great mother I am !!

[uberalice]

If she's otherwise OK, and gaining weight I'd not worry too much. this page states that BF babies can go for 10-12 days without a dirty nappy, so it sounds like it's fairly normal.

[Diamondgal]

She is gaining weight, with lots of wet nappies and is a happy little mite! I will check out your link, but I do feel a bit more reassured. Thanks

[biggerfeetsmallerboobs]

I had same with my dd at similar age - she once went 14 days with no poo - on this occasion HV advised cooled boiled water (had to give in syringe as she would not take bottle) and then to try water mixed with fresh squeezed OJ (very diluted - approx 1 part juice to 9 parts water). When this didn't work we went to doc who prescribed lactulose which did work after about 3 days. Also, baby massage on their tummy can help. Does LO seem uncomfortable?

[Diamondgal]

She is generally not uncomfortable and smiles all day. Her tummy is soft and it is only this evening that she has had a crying session and seemed really upset and was farting (sorry - only word for it) but she has fallen asleep now as she was also very tired - 9pm is bedtime

[tiktok]

Sounds normal.

Am amazed* at your HV thinking you eating a curry would make any difference - how's that work, then??

• not really

[LoonyLyraLovegood]

DS2 once went two weeks without dong a poo and, like you, we were worried. When it finally came out, it was normal yellow runny bf poo, so he can't have been constipated. The HV said he was probably just using up everything I fed him and there was very little waste.
Don't worry, your DD is fine.

[Hattie05]

My dd did this! My hv told me a wonderful reason why breastfed babies don't poo much because the milk is so perfectly formed for them that there is no wastage . Not sure if true but sounds good!

My dd went like clockwork every 14 days between about 3mths and 6mths. Then we started babyledweaning and she does several poos a day!

I asked the advise of several professionals and they all said the same thing - as long as baby is happy, gaining weight and weeing regularly there is nothing to worry about.

[Diamondgal]

Wasn't too sure about the curry/chilli either but thought I'd give it a go. It did have the desired effect on me though. I do think that my HV is amazed that i'm still BFing. Every time she sees my she says "good for you babe, well done". But doesn't really help with the advice.

[Hattie05]

there ya go! Looney got the same advice as me! must be true!

[amidaiwish]

DD1 often went 3 weeks
i was crazy with worry (hadn't found MN)
i even saw a specialist thinking she must have some kind of bowel disease (i didn't believe MW or HV)
but she was fine...
it is normal with bf babies. however when mine did, well i just had to hope to be at home as it was such an explosion (she even sprayed my friend's wall once when i took off her nappy mid-poo). all normal apparently!

a spoonful of orange juice does work, but isn't necessary
massage her tummy (anti-clockwise i think) and move her legs like she is cycling mid-air (IYKWIM) but if she isn't distressed, then don't worry about it.

[Diamondgal]

Thanks ladies I should have asked you guys first! I feel a lot better and will wait for the explosion! I bottle fed my first daughter (9yrs old now) so feel a bit out of my depth but I'm loving BFing.

[Hattie05]

Ooooooh yes forgot to warn you about the explosions!

I'm not normally one to waste things, but i just had to throw away whatever vest dd was wearing when she did finally poo. She was so very regular, that on day 14 i would put her in a tatty old vest and babygrow and then bin it because the poo would literally be up to her neck if she were laying down when she did it

Apologies to those eating dinner!

[LoonyLyraLovegood]

I wish I'd had MN when it first happened to me. I worried unnecessarily. We were in Majorca at the time so there was no-one to ask and we phoned the HV.
Be prepared for that poo to be HUGE.

[Diamondgal]

Thanks hattie05 my hubbue has just put down his choc ice cream!! LOL

[sazzybee]

I can't remember the last time my DS pooed and I was starting to get a little anxious. Today he finally pooed - up his back, down his legs and somehow round the front of his nappy. Well it's one way of getting a bath I suppose

He's 17 weeks

[bilblio]

I'm a few days off having a baby to be able to speak from experience, but the MW at our antenatal classes did warn us of this and said not to worry. Breastmilk is much more easily digested than formula so there's less waste.

I can say from experience that if she were constipated she'd be unhappy, and her stomach would be hard. She sounds fine.

[Hattie05]

Sorry diamondgal's dh

[supertrouper]

That lack of poo thing happened with my DS when he was a similar age. He went about 10 days. Midwife recommended cooled boiled water for him to drink. He was also having cranial osteopathy at the time so the osteopath (otherwise known as God) worked on his tummy too and cured both colic and poo problems!