Newborn Bowel Problem URGENT ADVICE NEEDED

[rosinaboudicca]

Need some advice re my 8 week old granddaughter. She was born healthy 9lb baby and was passing stools normally until around 3 weeks old. She is breastfed and feeds well.Then, suddenly, around 4 weeks old she has stopped passing stools regularly and, for past 4 weeks, has only been passing stools every 6-7 days. She is gaining weight handsomely and appears healthy. But she is continually fretting and frantic whilst awake and desperately trying to pass stools and red-faced, crying and generally unhappy. It is affecting her sleep too as she is passing foul stenching gas. When she does pass a stool, it is literally everywhere. It's as though it has all built up and blasted out everywhere. We have taken her to GP 2-3 times now and they are not in the least bit concerned. But mum is seriously concerned because her feeding is now deteriorating also because when she does feed, it all triggers her bowel and so the cycle begins again. Screaming, shallow breathing, red face, drawing up knees and unable to feed well. Mum is becoming agitated and concerned all is not well, but we have been sent home from the doctors yet again yesterday with some powder form laxative. Doctor seems to think baby is constipated, but her stools are not hard, they are normal consistency when they do appear.

We are at a loss at what to do. Anyone else experienced this?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

soya milk would not be a good sub.

the proteins are very similar so many who react to dairy also react to soya.

recommend koko coconut milk.

[Boomingmarvellous]

I cut out all dairy in my breastfeeding diet and my second baby didn't have the ongoing screaming and straining that my first had. He sounded very similar to your baby gd.

Soya milk, check labels carefully, no cheese and it might be the issue.

It doesn't sound like a blockage more like colic. If it stops on the dot of 3 months that is what it was.

[oldjacksscrote]

It's quite normal for bf baby to go days without pooping, mine used to go once a week or even 10 days, he'd get more uncomfortable as it got nearer the end of the week. He also suffered with colic. Silent reflux could be something worth looking into.

We were once advices to give one ounce of water before bed to help move things along, but I wouldn't do anything without having more advice from health care professionals.

[charlotteswigwam]

Oh - and the only foolproof way to make a baby poo is to dress it in white and set of to a cafe/wedding/christening without a nappy bag or change of clothes... ABsolutely guaranteed

[charlotteswigwam]

And I should also have added that there were lots of things we did to ease the colic and these did help:

• bicycling the babys legs
  
• warm baths
  
• burping the baby for a looooong time to get all the air out
  

feeding sitting up with the baby paralel to the body so they are upright too. Quite hard to describe this but it worked

• me drinking lots and lots and lots of camomile tea (same idea as the fennel tea others described)
  
• lying them tummy down across my arm or leg and patting the back. The preassure on the back seemed to help.
  
• Lots of Breastfeeding - it stimulates the bowel to start working so that might explain the discomfort straight after but longer term has a soothing effect and, because its stimulating the bowel, will help with pooing
  
• Feeding them on one side for a longer time before switching over. Apparently too much foremilk (the milk that comes first) and not enough hind milk causes colicy swymptoms
  
• check the latch to make sure the baby doesnt swallow air down as he drinks

[charlotteswigwam]

I had the EXACT same issue with mine. In his case the upset tummy, colicky behaviour sorted itself out by about 12 weeks but the pooing once a week (literally it was like clockwork) lasted until he was 6 months (basically as soon as we weaned him). For this reason I now think they were two seperate issues and the once a week pooing was just how he is. Incidentally I did find out when we weaned him that he was allergic to cows milk. I don't like milk myself so can only assume that past the first few months (when I was forcing it down for the good of the baby) I wasn't drinking enough for it to come through in my milk that much. Others have said lactose intollerence/allergy (where the problem is the sugars in milk) is very rare and lactose is extremely difficult to avoid. That is true. However cows milk PROTEIN allergy is more common (what my son had) and easier to fix - if it is that then mum cutting out cows milk for 2 weeks would help. It might not mke him more regular, but it might make his tummy more comfortable. If he is allergic then the only time you are likely to get definitive proof is when you wean him when allergies become much more obvious. If it is helpful I can list all the things that were suggested for me to get oour son pooing again, none of them were that effective in our case - probably because he wasnt really constipated iyswim but they might help yours:

• giving a tiny bit of diluted apple juice/fresh orange juice to the baby (although I couldnt actually get mine to take any. He was too keen on milk :)
  
• Mum eating foods that get her moving - although in my case that only had an effect on me not the baby
  
• massaging the tummy in a clockwise motion - didnt actually make him more regular but it did seem to ease his colic
  
• we were prescribed lactulose but tbh this made his tummy much more painful and didnt have any effect on his pooing
  
• Taking his temperature the old fashioned way. :/ It sounds really strange but this was the only thing that had any real effect. It only worked when he was already overdue a poo (so 8 days without one) when it seemed to have the effect of hurrying things along iyswim.
  

In hindsight I wish I hadn't spent so much time fixating on his pooing since I think it is what was natural to him but its soo hard when they're in pain :( I would have chopped my own arm of it would have helped but you feel so helpless :(

[ArriettyMatilda]

Could you hold baby in a squat position (back supported against you, and knees higher than bottom, holding under thighs) to help open her bowels? Try this when she is seemingly straining and do it over a nappy or pot so there is less chance of it exploding out of the nappy. Google "ec newborn position" for tips. It just might help her go, but if you try a few times and it doesn't work then I'm sure pp have some good advice re allergies etc. Be prepared for her to possibly wee when you do this too!

Love that most people's experience of bf baby is less nappy changes, until dd started solids and way after actually she'd go several times a day!

[Sleepdream]

Look up silent reflux, my son displayed similar symptoms and we too thought it was down to constipation at first.

[mrsnec]

Not read the entire thread but if it's not lactose intolerance and she doesn't mind ff one bottle a day could she try comfort formula?

It helped both mine. With the pooing and the crying. I use a foreign one but Aptamil and Hipp are similar formulation according to our paediatrician. I've also given them fennel tea as well although I'm not sure it did anything.

Apparently, aptamil and Hipp comfort have reduced lactose in them and a natural fibre that's the difference.

[Witchend]

Dd2 used to go every 8 days, but when she did it was massive. I used to hold her over the toilet.

She would be unsettled the day before going, but other than that it was not a problem though.

[43percentburnt]

Sorry for the quantity of posts! One final suggestion, before going back to doctor or seeing lactation consultant etc, film baby to show them if possible.

I'm really surprised laxatives were given when breast milk has a Laxative effect

Be aware there are nhs staff who forcefully 'encourage' mothers to not breastfeed, i encountered some this year, if she is determined to continue she needs to be aware of this.

[JenniferYellowShat]

OP lactose intolerance and allergy are totally different things.

You can inherit an allergy. But you can't inherit an allergy from someone who has a lactose intolerance.

[JenniferYellowShat]

Sounds like colic to me.

[43percentburnt]

Btw If it's cow milk allergy mum needs to cut out dairy for 2 weeks before a difference will be noticed.

[43percentburnt]

Op you asked 'what is tongue tie?' It is when the bit of skin under the tongue is very tight and the tongue cannot lap correctly. It can mean baby doesn't feed well or doesn't get enough hind milk (I am aware that people often don't call it hind milk anymore). My dd had severe tongue tie, she fed lots but kept losing weight, she definitely took in some milk. When you looked at her tongue you could see a little vertical line on the tip. It can affect speech later on if not resolved. Be aware not all hp 'believe' in tongue tie! A nurse at The hospital that snipped dd said another local hospital would not have done it as they don't believe in it (she worked in both).

My first dd only pooed weekly, she often had poonamis. My other DC have pooed daily in the main - all breastfed babies.

Could it be cow milk allergy? Unfortunately I am very aware of how little health care profs know about breastfeeding.
Check out kellymom website, it's great.
Is there is LLL meeting near you? Maybe check Facebook?

Constipation is unusual in breastfed babies.

Have you tried baby massage for colic? I think the Huggies Australia website has some great demonstrations on it.

[curren]

The baby sounds like me. I was like this until I was 23 and got diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Haven't had an issue since. But it took a long time to get someone to actually do something. My doctor put me on permanent laxatives and when that one stopped working they put me on another. At 21 I had been on most of them and they weren't working.

I moved area and the doctor was appalled that no one had looked into it further and told me a life of laxatives could damage my bowels in later life. He sorted it all out. And I have been fine for over 10 years

[Ditsy4]

Sorry I was tired.
Should have said if mum stops dairy products for a couple of weeks it helps you to work out if it is dairy. Should have put paragraphs in! It took us quite a while to sort out.
The eldest wasn't sorted out but by number three baby I was more informed and older and more confident about speaking up. Baby one had a bad start from birth and later on my GP told me they didn't expect him to survive. He is a fit , strapping man now but was small and weedy till 16.
I felt that I had little support but by baby three I had read a lot and a little book called " Breast is Best" was very helpful.
It may not be an allergy to dairy but it is worth checking out. Toby's suggestion is a good one too. Future also thinks dairy. It is more common than people realise and some grow out of it.
I hope you get to the bottom of it. Sorry.

[eurochick]

My first thought was a cows milk protein or lactose intolerance.

[StUmbrageinSkelt]

It's not the frequency of pooing that diagnoses constipation at this age with a fully BF baby, it is the consistency of the stool. If the stool is soft, it's not constipation--a PP described encopresis further up the thread. I don't think this is at all likely at this age.

Food intolerances or allergies are more likely with what you describe.

[Newmanwannabe]

Try to get in to see an IBCLC (a lactation consultant with certified qualifications- any one can call themselves a LC but not be suitably qualified/experirnced ).

It could be anything, but would be a real shame to start giving lots of medications and or supplementing with formula or weaning from the breast. Breast milk is a natural laxative so it sounds a little unlikely to be constipation... But I think a review one on one is a good idea- not an Internet diagnosis.

In the meantime your daughter could try not having any dairy for a while... Say a week and see if that makes a difference, And having baby in an upright fabric wrap sling will help settle him.

[FirstTimeMummy25]

My breastfed DS has gone nearly 2 weeks now without a poop, he usually a goes a week at least and then will go constantly for a few days then stop again but his time it's for longer so I'm onto the docs tomorrow. However I was told it's not uncommon for breastfed babies to go 7-10 days without a bowel movement apparently breast milk is a laxative?
Hope your stuff from the docs works and they start feeling better soon! Fingers cross my DS gets
Some help tomorrow bless him x

[meffhead]

I would ask mum to stop her dairy intake for a few weeks and see if things improve!!!!
This sounds like my DD who screamed red faced constant.. She had a dairy intolerance but as soon as I took it out if my diet she was fine !!!

[Ruralretreating]

I found this thread really useful - I made a list of suggestions and worked my way through them www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/a713896-Toddler-with-trapped-wind-at-night. Me drinking fennel tea with fennel seeds in it (try Pukka Three Fennel) twice a day seems to help. I'm also avoiding onions, leek, garlic which seems to help but is very restrictive on top of avoiding all the diagnosed allergens for DS2.

[Ruralretreating]

Meant to say that if excluding dairy from Mum's diet, exclude soy too as often a baby can be allergic to both. It takes several weeks to clear cow's milk protein from both Mum and baby's systems though you may see an improvement before that Mum will need a calcium supplement. Sorry for essays - I've learned a lot in the last 4 years of baby tummy troubles! Most importantly, be persistent.

[Ruralretreating]

If you have the means to do so, consider seeing a paediatrician privately. I've had a much better outcome doing this for similar issues for DS2 than for DS1. If Mum/Dad have private healthcare cover see if baby can be added on. Both my DS have had similar problems. With DS1 it was treated as constipation with Movicol which never fully resolved it. DS2 was diagnosed early with cow's milk protein intolerance and other food allergies (by specialist paediatric allergist) whilst still has some straining, trapped wind etc is not as bad as DS1 was. It seems to be worse the more he eats (he's weaning now). I really feel for you and your daughter - it's hard when doctors are unconcerned even though you know baby is not right. Does baby have any signs of reflux? Just asking as both my DC had it along with tongue-tie and the osteopath we saw recently said he often sees a reflux/tongue tie/colic combination. Ask the osteopath to check baby's neck muscles are not tight as this is what the osteopath I saw recently for DS2 thought was part of the problem.