To ignore mum and sisters advice on water for baby

[Element4056]

Hello.
My baby boy is nearly 6 weeks old and I am exclusively breastfeeding. I am also a first time mum.
My baby has recently suffered with constipation which is ongoing. He also suffers really badly with trapped wind. I have been giving him infacol for trapped wind which actually isn't helping. I've started him on lactulose for the constipation prescribed by my GP.
I am feeling quite pressured by my mum to offer him small sips of water (boiled and cooled) as she has said this is why he is suffering with constipation and that it would help. My sister agrees with my mum and has said she offered water to her two kids with no issues.
I mentioned to her my son is suffering with awful trapped wind and she has said this is why I should be giving him water. I feel so guilty and like an awful mum. I feel like I've caused his constipation and trapped wind. I'm reluctant to give him water as on the NHS website it does state babies exclusively breastfed do not need additional water as Breast milk is sufficient.
I feel so awful and conflicted. Please can any offer any comments on whether they have indeed offered their baby under two months any water and if this is beneficial.
I feel reluctant to offer him any.

if my baby was constipated and unhappy I’d try it.
Except 90% of people responding, including me, don't think the baby is constipated so randomly introducing some entirely unnecessary water isn't advisable.

OP why not tell them you have given him some, to get them off your back.
And for the next thing, I find "medical advice has changed since you had your babies" (perhaps accompanied by a tinkly little laugh) can help.
Of course, mothers can offer great advice at times, but they also need to know when to back off.

Hey, if you can afford it then please see an IBCLC. We had this for months with GPS telling me all sorts. I got a private consultant (£75) and she found DSs tongue tie in minutes. I felt like you, a shit mum. I landed my diet, my latch, all sorts. You will be told diet loads but diet is actually quite rare. We also tried gripe water, infacol, colief and Dentinox - all bollocks. Get your latch checked.l, get your child checked and look at your diet with someone who knows what they’re doing - GPs aren’t experts. Good luck. It’s NOT your fault. You are a great mum. I understand exactly how you’re feeling. Xxxx

OP do you know what EBF 6 week old baby poo should look like!? Babycentre.co.uk has a visual guide to baby poo, gross but could be helpful!!
Only heard my grandma suggesting water for tiny babies, very outdated advice.

With my second I gavea syringe of cooled boiled water a few time to help with wind at that point and it didn't really help. Wouldn't of dared go against guidance with my first. You could try windeeze which I found really helped (it's not for everyone as you are basically giving the baby an enigma but it did really help here) but to be honest at 6 weeks (in my limited experience of 2 EBF kids), it is normal that they struggle to fart, they are not really moving and have no solids so not that unexpected except not many folk talk about it so comes as a shock. Some find infacol/gripe water/colief work but for me none of that did for me...bicycle legs/tummy massage and know that this will pass!!! Also I found some weird way of winding with vibrating leg and also moving whole body in circles did help - there are YouTube videos if interested. Good luck!

I agree with PP especially such a young baby, all sounds normal to me.
When both of mine were a bit older if I ever thought they might be a bit constipated I used to drink some orange juice before I fed them, which probably did nothing but they did seem to go ok after that!
Having said that I think both of mine went through stages of no poo for 3-4 days at this age.

Your instinct not to give water sounds right, trust it.

Heartening to see such great advice on here. Mumsnet is a godsend.

@Element4056

Hello. My baby boy is nearly 6 weeks old and I am exclusively breastfeeding. I am also a first time mum. My baby has recently suffered with constipation which is ongoing. He also suffers really badly with trapped wind. I have been giving him infacol for trapped wind which actually isn't helping. I've started him on lactulose for the constipation prescribed by my GP. I am feeling quite pressured by my mum to offer him small sips of water (boiled and cooled) as she has said this is why he is suffering with constipation and that it would help. My sister agrees with my mum and has said she offered water to her two kids with no issues. I mentioned to her my son is suffering with awful trapped wind and she has said this is why I should be giving him water. I feel so guilty and like an awful mum. I feel like I've caused his constipation and trapped wind. I'm reluctant to give him water as on the NHS website it does state babies exclusively breastfed do not need additional water as Breast milk is sufficient. I feel so awful and conflicted. Please can any offer any comments on whether they have indeed offered their baby under two months any water and if this is beneficial. I feel reluctant to offer him any.

Breastfed babies don't get constipated. Why do you think he has trapped wind?

Breast milk is about 80% water anyway, so you don't need to give any more. Also there is no real evidence that infacol works for anything. Try a bit of baby massage like tummy rubs and bicycle legs for wind.

I'm writing this first paragraph without reading the OP but am answering in principle. If anyone gives you advice about your D.C. that feels wrong you should not take it. Do your research online including asking on here, read books/magazines, maybe ask your doctor or health visitor and then make your decision.

I've just gone back and read the OP and I stand by that first paragraph.

My MIL suggested cooled boiled water with half a teaspoon of sugar. I did offer this to my baby and it did help, however this was 22 years ago and is unlikely to be recommended advice now!

If your baby is struggling with wind (very normal) have you tried different burping positions? www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/breastfeeding/how-to-breastfeed/burping-your-baby/

I was told newborns can take up to three months to properly work out how to use their digestive system. My breastfed daughter was exactly the same as yours, always straining, long gaps between poos (record was a week and a half I think!) and looked very uncomfortable. Lots of burping (it's a myth that breastfed babies don't need burped), bicycle legs and just waiting for it to pass! (No pun intended...).

@Tumbleweed101

My MIL suggested cooled boiled water with half a teaspoon of sugar. I did offer this to my baby and it did help, however this was 22 years ago and is unlikely to be recommended advice now!

I doubt that it was recommended 22yrs ago!

That sounds fairly normal for an exclusively breastfeed small baby. It can range from poo with every feed to one or two poos a day from my experience. It should be very soft too.

I always thought that bf babies didn’t need burping until I had DS who was a very windy baby! DD never needed burping.

I always had to burp him mid feed and after as he was so windy. Is baby gulping at the breast. I had a fast let down so often fed lying back or lying down to make the flow slower and DS was less windy.

He was mega farty as well and often had sharts!

Everything sorted itself out by 12 weeks.

He doesn't actually sound constipated from what you've described here. You're doing a good job. Have faith in yourself.

I was once told that we're obsessed with burping babies in the UK and that other countries have never heard of it.

Lactulose has bloating and wind as a side effect so perhaps his tummy will improve when you can stop it.

I totally understand why you thought to take it as it’s so hard watching them strain away, going beetroot red! Focus on the wind with burping, fennel tea (for you) and tummy time. My third DC was the same and now at 6 months is doing it again with weaning...

Definitely not constipated - he's learning how to poo and pump. Babys automatic reflex is to clench the muscles which is why they grunt and are very noisy. They are born knowing nothing,not even how to use their poo muscles.

Haha @Bilgepumper, I used to think the same of my mum: always banging on about burping and looking so pleased when she managed to get any air up from my babies! After this 3rd child I am a convert, however...

My DD is 8 months and water was a god send but she only ever needed a teaspoon or two every so often but she is formula fed so It may be different for BF babies

My little one is 11 weeks old and he literally poos once a week and has done since he was 3 weeks old. We actually christened it Poo Day because without fail it is always on a Monday, 7 days after the last one. It's quite a sight to behold mind you... the health visitor said it's normal- breasy milk is perfectly tailored for them, hence there isn't really any waste.

Babies poo should be liquid - all they have is liquid going in! It can be lots in a nappy a few times a day, once a say, a few days without any pooing, a very small amount, all that is normal. Try cutting down the infacol, this can make babies struggle a bit to poo.