FF 9 week old not pooing! Help!

[simbaandblue]

Hi ladies, I'm looking for some advice and hopefully someone can help. My 9 week old is formula fed and hasn't pooed for 3 days now. He is clearly trying and is very very uncomfortable but can't go for some reason. Does anyone know how to help him? When he's gone 2 days before he's been very uncomfortable and the hv has said that it isn't constipation if the poo isn't hard when it comes out!! He has been 3 days now and he won't take a full feed because of how clogged up he is!! And he screams so much because he needs to go and he tries so hard
Please can someone help?! Thanks!!!

Don't tell any health visitors because they will have me arrested, but I gave my then 7 week old an ounce of cooled, but warm, boiled water with a teaspoon of gripe water added. Don't do it just before or after a feed though, as it will dilute the formula which isn't good. Worked a treat and it also worked for my other 3. He's now 9 weeks, so lived to tell the tale. Good luck!

Thank you!! We will try first thing in the morning fingers crossed!!! X

Hope it works for your little one! Warm water is key. I did read somewhere on here earlier today about Cow and Gate Constipation remedy, could be worth a Google?

Spellcheck. There's nothing wrong with giving water to a ff baby and gripe water can be given from one month.
So no worries about being arrested.

This is very very common around the 9-10 week mark. It seems to be like a developmental stage for their guts. My fellow suddenly didn't go for 4 days (after usually going twice a day) and seemed to be straining all the time but was still eating well. I spoke to my GP and she said its the most common mistake/reason her new mums come in and is rarely rarely constipation. He finally went after 4 days, then didn't go again for another 4 days twice more and now seems to have settled into a pace of once every 2-3 days. The GP said that anything between twice a day and twice a week is perfectly normal. if baby is still eating and not seeming in proper pain (they are all a bit whingy, farty, straining and roaring at times but that's normal) then not to worry about anything up to 10 days. If the poo is normal and soft when it comes out, rather than hard pellets, your baby was not constipated and there is nothing to worry about.

A remedy I have heard of, used and works, but is more for the mum to stop worrying than because baby needs it, is brown sugar (half a teaspoon) melted in 2oz or so of boiled water. Baby only needs a bit of it but it is a good laxative. Another one I heard (from a GP friend who confirmed the brown sugar in water too) is a small bit of pear juice in boiled water.

Ps. When it finally does come....holy god, have the bath ready.

Thanks for all the advice!! We have my ds 1 oz of water this morning and we've just had a poo he is much happier and calmer. Big thanks for all the advice!!

I read on hear before to give pear. I just peeled a pear and gave it to 7 mo DC3. I can report that it definitelyworks!!