Please help! Baby rarely poos, struggles.

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Hi, 8 week old DS rarely poos (between every 4-9 days), we're on day 6 this time round. The longer it gets, the more he starts being sick, straining, struggling and every single person (including HVs, Drs etc) has said he stinks and he really does.

His farts are so fowl that I need to hold my breath most of the time when he does it.

He was prescribed colief, which did help, he fed a lot less, seemed happier, slept normally and he pood and was okay for a couple of days afterwards, we ran out and he went back to his usual but I don't know if this was coincidence.

We have just been prescribed gaviscon for him as my GP thinks reflux may be a problem but I see this causes constipation? He isn't sick for a day or so when he has had a BM.

Can someone please help me get to the bottom of this?

How is he fed?

He's EBF and gets expressed milk some feeds. I have also tried to give him the occasional bottle of formula to see if he was any better on it (I gave him comfort milk) and it didn't help at all.

I know it's normal for BF babies to poo little of the time but I don't think it's normal for DS2.

Is his tummy hard?

If the colief worked I' go back to that rather than using gaviscon.

I was more or less the same with my Dd! She was formula fed tho and the only thing that worked for us was her vibrating chair!
Without fail once i sat her in that and turned vibrate on if she hadnt been for a couple of days, within a few minutes she had done one!
She still isnt very regular now and is nearly 7 years old.
I know how stressful it can make you feel.

His tummy doesn't feel hard and a Dr felt his stomach as well. We've started back on the colief yesterday but it doesn't seem to be working, he's going red faced and struggling still and had crumbs of poo around his bum last night but still no BM...

Poppy I am going to try that, I haven't got one yet so will buy one tomorrow. I've tried massaging and cycling legs, water between feeds, fennel tea etc. Nothing is working. :(

It's so unusual for ebf babies to get constipated, I think I'd be asking for a referral to someone else to look into the causes.

Was his first meconium passed in a timely manner?

I would be asking for a referral to a gastro. It's really so out of the norm for BF babies to be so distressed that it needs to be checked out. The smell is also odd as are the crumbs of poo.

I've had a constipated fully bf baby and believe me I wish someone had taken us seriously back in the day.

He was also a bit early (35 weeker) I don't know if that woul make a difference?

Yes, loads of meconium all came fine.

I wish someone would take it more seriously here too. The advice is normally just "give water" It's so frustrating!

Did you ever find out the cause?

I wouldn't think giving water to an 8 week old baby is a very good idea either! Sounds like you have exhausted your GP/HVs knowledge on this.

Maja HV was wanting me to give 4oz of water between feeds until I asked how that would affect sodium levels. I think everyone is a bit stumped as to what to do.

Considering just rocking up at Paed A+E if he hasn't gone by tomorrow.

We have a retrospective diagnosis of congenital megacolon but everyone we see who hears the story are all but why weren't you taken seriously? I dunno, you tell me, you're the doctor!

I would push for a referral. And keep him BF! Not being a bfing zealot but if there is something going on, BF is really the best thing for his gut. Usually formula will only make it worse.

Passing meconium is a good thing.

Skelt I completely agree, it's the HV who was a bit too encouraging about giving him a bottle when I got quite low that meant he has ended up with a couple but once I seen he just threw the lot up I decided it wasn't right for him.

Luckily my GPs are very very encouraging of BF plus I have spent too much on pumps, covers and everything else to give up :o

4oz of water after every feed could easily be more water than he is having milk That advice sounds downright dangerous.

It is, he would rarely take that in EBM... I didn't do it, I think she just got confused by amounts tbh.

I came on to suggest pear juice but then I saw his age. He's very young, there must be something to it. You must get someone to look into it. Your GP needs to refer and if they won't then I think I'd be going to the hospital. Your poor baby in such discomfort. How awful for all of you. I had terrible trouble with my dd but not until she started weaning, so much older.

Is he gaining weight?

It's quite normal for EBF babies to go 10 days between poos but he shouldn't be struggling like this when he does go.

The amounts of water they're telling you to give sounds enormous. When DS began mix feeding and got bunged up I was giving him apple juice mixed with water but teaspoons full at a time not loads like that!

I also think you've exhausted your HV/GP's knowledge and should be requesting a referral. Would agree with sticking strictly to EBF if you can too as it will be the easiest thing for him to digest if he is having problems and will help to soothe and line his gut.

Yes that length of time is perfectly normal, it's the distress and the pellets you describe which need looking at.

This baby is only 8 weeks Woolfey.

No it really isn't worth giving a BF 8 week old baby orange juice.

My DS would go for up to a couple of weeks without a poo but he wasn't in any discomfort or struggling to poo. It just sort of came when it came.

It really does sound like you've been trying an awful lot of different solutions in 8 short weeks, without them helping, so I think it would be worth while pushing for a referral.

My dd didn't poo for 2 weeks at a similar age. Ebf too. GP said as dd didnt seem distressed and no other symptoms then to give a couple of teaspoons of orange juice. That did the trick! It was a worry. I just didn't know what to do.