No poo for 5 days.......help!

[snowchick1977]

Hi

My daughter was ebf until 2 days ago when we started to introduce 1 bottle of formula each day, to get her used to taking a bottle if needed.

She is 9 weeks old.

Up until she was 6 weeks old she pood each day as normal, she then started to go days without pooing. The last 2 poos have built up over a four day period, and boy when it comes, it comes! Up her back and down to her toes :(

Im a bit concerned about this but i have heard that it is normal. However, now i have introduced a formula bottle i am even more worried that she hasnt pood....its been 5 days now. Her farts smell like she needs to poo.

She seems to get a bit more distressed as each day passes, until the final day when she poos and the she is back to being chilled out.

Could she be constipated? Is there anything i can give her to help?

TIA x

From about 11-15 weeks my DS went through phase of only pooing every 5 days or so, although he only had BM. His farts could have set your eyebrows alight! And when he did pooh he was practically swimming in it... Since about 15 weeks he's back to pooing daily. I miss those easy nappy days! Sorry can't be more help.

..Oh! DH just reminded me! Sometimes "pedalling" his legs while he lay on his back seemed to move things along a bit.

I have exactly the same problem with DD who will be 8 weeks tomorrow. Will watch with interest...

Formula tends to be more constipating than breastmilk. However some BF babies will go long periods between poos as well, up to 10 days not unusual.

At the moment, I would try to leave off the bottles if you can, stick to the BF. You can offer some small amounts of cooled boiled water if you wish but I would wait another couple of days yet as it sounds like there is definitely something going on in the bowels, it just hasn't erupted yet. Technically known as a poonami.

It is only really classed as constipation if they are straining and passing firm/hard stools. I expect it won't be a hard poo, just a mudslide

Warm bath, gently massaging/stroking the tummy round and round might help. Failing that, put on your best clothes, pale dry clean only stuff then pop out for a couple of hours with no changing bag - almost guarantees a giant poo. Good luck.

That's funny. When I have a dc that age with constipation I use a good old fashioned method of cbw with brown sugar in bottle. Works every time. No teeth yet so no real worries- and it works!! Just make sure dc IS actually constipated . Half teaspoon in about 4 oz water/ should look like tea. Good luck!

Err you shouldn't give water to a baby this young even if they are being FF and espicaly if BF.

BM is very easily digested and doesn't produce much waste so babies can go days without pooing. But formula can cause problems to so as OP suggested you may want to lay off the formula if you think it's causeing a problem.

Gosh- HV told me I could give cooled boiled water in small amounts between feeds if needed when ff??? Esp for constipation!! But I do agree- if I were op I wud just bf for a while

I'd stop the formula for now too - an ebf baby won't be constipated.

Still no poo, its been 8 days now?

She seems ok but increasingly fussy with each day that passes and her gas smells so so bad today, honestly its the worst thing i have ever smelt.

She isnt sick after the formula feed and is feeding fine.

Any advice?

Snowchick it is perfectly normal in an EBF baby to not pass much and they can go upto 2 weeks without pooing. How much formula is she having? if it is only a small amount it may take a while to build up enough to poo. If you are really worried a little plain cooled boiled water after a formula feed will do no harm. Please don't try and add anything to the water as it is not good for babies.

My only advice is to stop the formula in case that is what's making her constipated. You can always wait til she starts pooing again on breastmilk and then try formula again to see if that is the issue.