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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Straining and uncomfortable

51 replies

podlet · 21/01/2007 10:02

HIi,
I am new to Mumsnet and wondered if anyone
could help with a question about my baby is who 7 weeks old. I breast fed him for the first 4 weeks (expressed because he wouldn't latch on) and over the last 3 weeks I have gradually introduced formula. He has been soley on formula (Cow & Gate) now for just over a week.The problem is that he has been straining going red and crying throughout the day and finally does a poo at about 3 oclock. I am worried because he looks uncomfortable and in pain most of the time straining for just one poo! The poo is not solid just the usual mustard type.
On the breast milk he used to go about 4 times a day.

Thank you for your help

OP posts:
wools · 21/01/2007 14:33

Hi Podlet, I'm no expert but I think after about 6 weeks babies don't poo as frequently as in the early days(something to do with the colostrum in the milk no longer being present.) Do you think it could be wind which is causing him to strain. The poos you describe sound okay. I remember a hv telling me that Cow & Gate (green box) and Aptamil were better for babies who were constipated as they contained pre-biotics which make the stools softer.

ClareBos · 21/01/2007 16:47

Hi Podlet

I just saw your message after posting one of my own on exactly the same subject in the Health thread. My ds is 8 weeks old, with the same feeding history as you describe and exactly the same straining symptoms that he's had since we introduced the formula.

The hv told me that some babies just strain and that he'll grow out of it. But obviously, if I'm asking for help here then I'm not convinced!

Does your baby strain in his sleep - sometimes without waking up?

Original poster
podlet · 21/01/2007 17:04

Hi ClareBos,

Yes he does strain in his sleep too.

I wasn't sure if I should change his formula or if I should leave it a bit longer to see if he stops straining over the next few days.
What formula do you use? I use Cow & gate Premium (green box)

I have started giving him about 1oz cooled boiled water between feeds too so hopefully this will help. In the mean time it's horrible to see him in pain. I worry that if he strains so hard he will hurt himself.

OP posts:
Original poster
podlet · 21/01/2007 17:10

Hi Clarebos,

I have just read your message in the health section and see that you use Aptamil.

Your description is exactly the same as my babies problem. It is horrible to watch.

OP posts:
ClareBos · 21/01/2007 17:23

A ha! We are definitely talking about the same symptoms. I suppose it's good that neither of us is alone. Let?s make a pact that if we get any useful information, we?ll share .

We are using Aptamil (stage 1), so that could mean that changing milk brands won?t help! Or it could mean that they haven?t been drinking it long enough to get accustomed. Who knows?! No one knows! I did do a search on Mums net about this and found some indication that it was the diet change itself that causes the straining, so I got the feeling that it was better to stick with the same brand if possible.

Has he only been straining for the last week or for as long as you?ve been feeding him any formula?

Original poster
podlet · 21/01/2007 18:20

He has only been straining since he has been on just formula. Before that he was still having a couple of expressed breast milk feeds per day along with the formula.

Yes will let you know if I find anything out.
I'm seeing the hv tomorrow so will ask her too.

Will not change the milk then for now. Don't want to make it worse.

OP posts:
ClareBos · 21/01/2007 18:55

Hum, my little guy started straining as soon as the formula was introduced. However, I just got a reply to my Health thread post from someone who's dd strained till she was 4 months old despite being exclusively bf.

I'm quite paranoid about my failure to bf for as long as I wanted to, blaming the formula for his straining is probably my way of blaming myself. But then I have just been diagnosed PND (not completely crazy or medicated - just a bit sad really).

But it doesn't look good for a quick fix cure, I guess we just have to wait it out.

Original poster
podlet · 21/01/2007 21:20

That is interesting that a breast fed baby had the same thing.

Makes me feel better because I also feel guilty about bf failure! I feel like my baby is not as happy since he has been on formula with all the straining and grizzling.

Sorry to hear about the PND, I hope that you make a speedy recovery!

OP posts:
MummyMellie · 21/01/2007 23:36

Aaagh, me too! My ds has been straining for eleven weeks! He is now 13 weeks, and just like you I was feeding expressed bm. It has now got to the point where he is totally unable to poo and really struggles to even pass wind. He strains and strains and often wakes himself up trying to go and being unable to. No-one seems to have much idea what is going on. Anal stenosis has been mentioned, this is when the muscle is too tight to allow them to poo, but it doesn't seem a likely cause as he was absoloutely fine for the first two weeks. Have seen a peadatrician who didn't seem to worried (probably cos she isn't living with a baby in agony - he gave himself a hernia in his stomach straining so much) and we are due to see her again soon. Am feeding Cow&Gate Comfort. If either of you find out anything I would love to hear, although I have spent a lot of time on the internet trying to get some info without any success. Sorry I can't tell you anything particularly helpful, but its great to finally find out that I'm not totally alone.
PS - was told to stop bf as it was possible that medication I take for my ME was causing the prob. Am devastated / feeling v guilty at having given up, and it doesn't seem to have caused any improvement yet either!

ClareBos · 22/01/2007 04:30

Oh MummyMellie, that sounds horrible and not good news for Podlet and I either. At least our babies are still managing to poo.

OK - let's keep in touch and if anyone gets any improvement or finds out any miracle cures we'll share.

Good luck!

ClareBos · 22/01/2007 07:56

I just had a thought.

Cranial Osteopathy is supposed to be good for babies with digestive problems. I doubt the NHS would refer the straining only babies, but maybe MummyMellie could suggest it to her paediatrician?

Also MummyMellie when you say your lo is totally unable to poo - how long has it been since he had a poo?

Meanwhile my ds has done the 2 hours of straining whilst asleep again this morning, even though he did a poo at 2am! In fact there were 4 poos in the last 24 hours - definitely not constipated.

FioFio · 22/01/2007 07:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MummyMellie · 22/01/2007 23:35

Have been seeing a cranial osteopathist for ages who is absoloutely brilliant (though hideously expensive!) After we have been ds is able to do one poo on his own, but other than that we have to help the poor wee man by holding his bottom muscle open with a tiny tube. Amazingly he doesn't seem to mind at all, in fact its usually his smiliest time - probably cos he is so relieved! (Fortunately for ds we breed horses & this sometimes happens with new foals so I knew how to help him).
Before I decided that I had to help him, ds went for six days without a poo - hence terrible hernia, he was straining so hard that his tummy button was leaking clear fluid through the skin, gp said is normal for babies to strain like this and go without a poo for so long - gp is a prat!
Just for those joining the thread, none of these babies are constipated, my ds actually had dihorea (sp?) for a week and was still totally unable to go without help. Nevertheless, he does have water in between feeds, but it makes no difference.
Seeing osteopath again on thurs, then pead again on 14th Feb.
So sorry your poor lo is still straining so much, fingers crossed you have a good night. Keep me posted if you find out anything hopeful.

ClareBos · 23/01/2007 11:44

There's been a new development here, yesterday was almost a strain free day - he strained a little but was easily distracted from it by a rattle/playmat.

However, this morning he's back to his normal straining self. Maybe he overheard dh last night saying that we didn't need the osteopath after all!

The only change we've made to feeding him in the last few days was changing to number 2 teat size on his bottles. I'm pretty sure that's made no difference at all, but just thought I'd mention it.

And he's just woken himself up again...

saf1 · 23/01/2007 13:25

Hi there, my dd2 did this for ages and used to wake me up in the night with the amount of straining that she did..she in the mean time stayed asleep

I went to see a cranial osteopath, Mctimony chiropractor and in the end my lovely and wonderful homeopath...which worked!! within a matter of days the straining had stopped.

Oh one other point is that I exclusivly breastfed as she had such terrible exzema.My dd2 is nearly 2 now but I remember the anxiety that it causes and pray that the next one doesn't have any of it.

Good luck I hope you find something that helps

ClareBos · 23/01/2007 20:28

I met another MoS (Mum of Strainer) today, although her son only did it for a few weeks. Once again he was a breastfed baby, so I don't think it makes much difference what we put into our babies as to how much effort it takes them to get it out.

At the moment I'm going through a phase of thinking it might be psychological (which is completely crazy). But when ds is distracted he sometimes forgets to strain. This afternoon I took him to the health clinic and he strained whilst he was sleeping, but when he woke up and saw all the other babies, heard all the noise etc, the straining stopped, he started again the second I put him in his pram to take him home.

Here's another theory offered by a hv I saw today. My ds eats a lot and often, in fact for the last 2 weeks he's been gaining 1lb per week. This is fine as he was small and pre-term so he has a lot of catching up to do. The hv suggested that this might be the cause of the tummy ache/straining - just that he's processing so much food. Does this have any similarity to anyone elses experiences?

MummyMellie · 23/01/2007 23:08

Wierd, my ds was pre-term too, born at 35 weeks, and I have just realised that we all have boys that are struggling, wonder if this is significant?
Think that with the distraction thing it is pretty much like adults (or me at least) if I'm desperate for the loo but then somehting else comes up I can forget about it for a while or put it to the back of my mind, then as soon as the distraction is over I am desperate again - have noticed this pattern with my lo.
Saf1, are you still watching this? I would love to know what your homeopath prescribed if you have any idea. Was your dd constipated when she eventually managed to go, or was it pretty normal?
In the meantime, ds and I are getting so little sleep cos the por wee man keeps waking up in pain - I can't bear to see him suffering like this!!!!

MummyMellie · 23/01/2007 23:10

Forgot to add that my ds is now actually eating less than he should be (luckily he is still a chunky chappie) I think it is because he is so uncomfortable and he associates this with feeding.

bewilderbeast · 23/01/2007 23:23

DS (born at 34 weeks) had this problem up until about 9 weeks really really badly (fully ebm fed at that point), screaming in sleep etc, was pooing every nappy but went bright red and strained with every poo, even farting made him scream even when fast asleep. Then it seemed to get a little better for a week when we introduced a vibrating chair until at 10 1/2 weeks we had to introduce formula, started on the cow and gate green stuff which was a nightmare it made the straining worse, aptamil was a bit better but the best so far seems to be hipp organic combined with a few b-milk feeds.

MummyMellie · 24/01/2007 22:43

Hi Bewilderbeast, is your lo still struggling or has he grown out of it?

ClareBos · 25/01/2007 16:30

ds is straining a lot today, he strained so hard he made himself sick and that really upset him.

Everytime I think it might be improving it just gets worse again.

bewilderbeast · 25/01/2007 23:11

MummyMellie, he still struggles sometimes but for the most part he is pretty good now (he will be 14 weeks on sunday) he certainly doesn't strain during his sleep anymore so that's a major relief. But I do make sure I put him in his vibrating chair after every feed during the day it really does seem to soothe him.

theUrbanDryad · 26/01/2007 09:26

hi, my lo is 3 weeks old, and has been really straining for a couple of days. i exclusively bf, so i was wondering if it could be because i've not been eating enough fibre? but simce you describe similar symptoms with ff babies i guess not. btw mine is a boy too......

anyone had any luck discovering what causes it??

ClareBos · 26/01/2007 09:47

Hi Urban!

Welcome to the MoS (Mother of Strainers) club. It's not fun, but at least we're not alone.

None of us are any the wiser as to causes it but we have found a lot of pre-term boy babies have this problem. Which at least alleviates the guilt that it might be something we're doing wrong.

I'm pretty sure that all our little guys will grow out of it and as long as they're all still eating, sleeping, pooing and weeing no NHS medical professional is going to think it's serious enough to offer assistance.

All possible helpful tips we've discovered so far are in this thread and I've got another one!

ds was in a terrible state with his straining yesterday and he hasn't done a poo for 38 hours now, which is a long time for him. dh was massaging his tummy in a clockwise direction yesterday before bedtime and again this morning when ds woke up screaming mid-strain. It seemed to relieve the pain a little, although he's so relieved now that he's fast asleep and skipped his breakfast feed. Not clever as we have to go out in half an hour - someone is going to be very very hungry.

theUrbanDryad · 26/01/2007 17:18

well ds was either 38 weeks or bang on time, depending on which dates we go by!! confused? i was!! it was a traumatic delivery though, for all concerned, maybe that has something to do with it?

the tummy massage is something my mum suggested for colic, so it could well help with this too....