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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

11 week old bf - really unsettled and constipated??

22 replies

becks5109 · 15/04/2007 20:53

Can anyone help? My 11 week old has been really unsettled for the last week or so. I was giving him the odd bit of formula but a week ago decided to exclusively breast feed to see if that would help as he seemed really unsettled and wasn't pooing very regularly. He also had extremely smelly wind. So he now hasn't done a poo for 3 days (which I know can be normal) but seems to be really unhappy and unsettled in himself - he keeps trashing and tummy griping with some farts but no poo - could he be constipated? For the past 2 - 3 days he has taken sugar with brown water as Dr said this might help. I am worried he's hungry and have tried to offer formula but he's not interested - not sure if this is cos he doesn't like the taste or the bottle or because he's not really hungry? I managed to get him to sleep a few times today but within about 10 mins he would wake up again crying and to me he seems to be in pain. He brings his burps up okay most of the time.

Really not sure what to do/think. Have been determined to keep up the bf'ding this time as with DD1 stopped at about 15 weeks and really regretted it. My boobs feel soft and am not sure if he's getting enough milk from me. Will take him to be weighed on Tuesday to see if he's gained weight in the last 2 weeks or not.

Any ideas - I feel sorry for him as he seems so discontented alot of the time.

p.s. sorry to ramble on!

OP posts:

calvemjoe · 15/04/2007 21:28

Something similar happened with my dd and it turned out be low milk supply, but she pounced on formula as though she hadn't eaten in a week. Hope someone can come along soon to help you out.

mears · 15/04/2007 21:33

I would just exclusively breastfeed - brown sugar in water is an old fashioned remedy that can actually make constipation worse and is no longer recommended. His bowels will move again in the next few days. The more he feeds, the more milk you will make. Try not to worry as your anxiety can pass to your baby. Your milk supply will not just disappear. Softer breasts are normal at this stage in the game - your body is just getting more efficient at milk production and not over producing like the early days. HTH.

foxybrown · 15/04/2007 21:34

Whats "sugar with brown water"? Is that me being thick?

I've given mine a bottle of boiled cooled (but still warm) water when constipated, it usually worked. Is he having any gripe water or Infacol or anything - just wondering if there's anything else which might cause it.

If I were worried about how much, I'd probably express a boob-full and see how much he was getting.

I hope that helps - its just what I've done with my 3. Good luck with it.

foxybrown · 15/04/2007 21:35

That's what I thought, sorry I wasn't sure

pickledpear · 15/04/2007 22:35

my midwife and hv confirmed it that breastfed babies can go 3-4 days easy without a bowel movement it is usual in some cases so go to clinic or docs in morning but dont panic just get a peace of mind for yourself then if you relax baby will too its true what they say i am so laid back my friends dont believe it i used to be so uptight..lol

Original poster

becks5109 · 16/04/2007 09:18

will stop the sugar water today and try just boiled water intead. He slept well last night so seems a bit happier today. Maybe he was just completely overly tired yesterday. I do give him gripe water most days too. Its clinic day tomorrow so i will take him to be weighed to put my mind at rest! Thanks for the support though, its great being able to post any time night or day and know someone will reply.

OP posts:

mears · 16/04/2007 11:51

becks - he does not need water at all. Breastfed babies only need breastmilk. Formula fed babies need water to prevent constipation

pansypants · 16/04/2007 12:10

i too had this problem,,,agree that you dont need water, as long as he has lots of wet nappies try not to worry,
btw i have benefited greatly from mears and tiktoks suggestions and they always seem to work. Also try not to get hung up on the weight thing - difficult i know, remeber bf babys' dont put weight on the same way as ff.

good luck

belgo · 16/04/2007 12:13

try gently massaging his belly in a clockwise direction.

Agree he doesn't need anything except breastfeeding.

Original poster

becks5109 · 16/04/2007 17:55

he's been much better today as i've made a real effort on the winding front and it seems to have helped alot which in turn has meant he's napped better - still no poo though and I worked out it'll be a week tomorrow since he's been! Not so worried now though and thanks for all the advice.

OP posts:

foxybrown · 16/04/2007 20:58

I agree with the baby massage on his tummy, but i found that the warm water definately helped with constipation. Nutritionally and hydrationally (if that's a word) I agree that bf babies don't need water, but my bf classes told me they don't get constipated either! (They also told me you can't get pregnany whilst breastfeeding ) It works for me is all I'm saying.

plibble · 16/04/2007 21:08

Beck -as I understand it,b/f babies very rarely become truly constipated. Their poos naturally become less frequent, but this is nothing to worry about and you should not need to give them anything extra. My DD's record on the pooing front was 15 days, she was just very efficient...

BandofMothers · 16/04/2007 21:12

If you give him water at all, which he doesn't need as your bm should quench thirst, then he will not take as much bm and it will slow your supply. You need to stop all other things except bm if you want to build it up again. Any thing else apart from bm that you introduce to his diet, like sugar water can cause tummy upset as his bowel is simply not used to it, so trying lots of dif remedies will make it worse. Latch him on at every opportunity as even if he's just suckling but not really eating it will stimulate milk production.

BandofMothers · 16/04/2007 21:13

BF babies as plibble said sometimes don't poo cos they use all the milk, and there is just nothing left over.

Hilllary · 16/04/2007 21:16

I always found a dose of calpol sorted all this out, eased the wind/cramp pain, and made a good poo. My dd was terrible for it.

BandofMothers · 16/04/2007 21:20

I always burped or at least kept upright for at least 20 mins after a feed at this age. Even in the night. Less puking and wind that way. DD2 has terrible wind sometimes. The sounds that her little bum makes are very

foxybrown · 17/04/2007 15:11

One last thing that occured to me, I found that chocolate gave nearly all of mine wind. For DC1 I cut it out altogether, by DC3 3 years later I relaxed a whole lot more about breastfeeding and discovered Infacol. A friend of mine swears Champagne gave hers wind (obviously impossible to cut that out! ), but OJ is a common cause too.

Hope you go well at the HV. Do whatever you think will help the discomfort, you're still doing really well.

BandofMothers · 17/04/2007 23:37

Yes to all those things that you eat causing wind. I ate about 7-8 brussel sprouts when dd2 was little and boy did she suffer the next day. I felt so bad.

danae · 17/04/2007 23:46

Message withdrawn

danae · 17/04/2007 23:46

Message withdrawn

Original poster

becks5109 · 18/04/2007 15:58

thanks everyone - he did finally poo yesterday just before we went to clinic - sods law eh! . HV was pretty useless to be honest - she was more interested in telling me about her hayfever! She also claimed that things such as gripe water cause constipation (not sure i believe that) but said i could give him diluted prune juice. But i feel much more relaxed as he has gained weight in 2 weeks so my bf must be doing some good and I feel more confident with it now. Thanks for all the advice. Poor little fella is chewing his hands like mad so I hope its not teething! DD1 didn't get a tooth until she was 14 months old!

OP posts:

foxybrown · 18/04/2007 18:02

good news about the weightgain! always helps to ease your stress.

good for you!

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