HELP constipated baby

[jacko18]

Hi,

This is my first time posting and I’m pretty desperate for advise.

My daughter is 10 weeks old, was on aptimal profurta and at 6 week check up doctor advised she was constipated due to not going for a poo for 5 days at a time and screaming in pain when she went to the point of wheezing and losing her breath while straining. The HV said this was normal (I knew in my heart it wasn’t was was pleased when the doctor said) the doctor advised me to use comfort milk - so changed 3/4 weeks ago to aptimal comfort. The baby is pooing every 2/3 days but is crying still (not as horrific as before but still in some pain) while pooing. The poo is dark green with a thick consistency! I’m now not sure if I should try a different brand of comfort milk or if she could be have a intolerance to the formula.

Any advise or suggestions would be appreciated breaks my heart to see her in pain thanks for reading x

My middle one was constipated on aptamil, we cycled his legs and rubbed his tummy, laid him over our laps to help him. I think the profuta does it. Water and juice can help but in a baby that little you might not want to give juice, and only a little water. Warm bath can help but with this weather it’s hard. Good luck.

I was told by the HV to put a couple of drops of freshly squeezed orange juice in a bottle of water. Worked a treat on DD when she was tiny.

Comfort milk causes green poo. Is it soft now even though it is thicker?

Have you tried baby massage? My baby generally goes daily but had a period of 9 days where he didn't. I was at my wits end as was giving him prescribed laxtulose twice daily with no impact whatsoever. the health visitor taught me how to do baby massage for constipation and it worked an absolute treat, about an hour later we had a very full nappy.
Now if he's starting to strain and struggling a bit, I loosen his nappy and do the massage and generally within 10 minutes he's sorted.

Thank you will try giving her some water.

Thank you will try anything, so will give it ago tomorrow.

Yes is soft which is good to see, just the colour which the HV said was a real issue it being so green! I never ever thought I’d think about poo so much in all my life haha thanks xx

Yes we only did a class last week so fairly recent. I have been doing the massage as part of her bedtime. Did you do it more than once a day to get things moving? Thank you x

Might be a bit dehydrated in the heat? I had my babies in hot countries. Always gave them a bit if cooled boiled with half a teaspoon of sugar. ( or just under half a teaspoon for about 4/5 oz water).
I know this will be frowned upon by many but just thought I'd out it out there.
It's very normal in hot countries to give infants a bit of water, often in the afternoon. Especially if formula fed.

Also one of mine suffered constipation similar to yours and I cut out dairy from my diet which was only thing that worked. She is not dairy intolerant now but I've read that it's not unusual for dairy to cause constipation in infants. Not sure if you can try dairy free formula though maybe you need doctors advice for that.

My 10 week old hadn't gone for 6 days. Took them to the doctor who recommended cooled boiled water before each bottle. She also said one spoon of fresh orange juice from an orange (just ones not before each feed) She's now gone every day for a week.

I'd keep an eye on the green poo though!

From aptamil website:

It is completely normal for your baby’s stools to change when you switch to Aptamil Comfort. You may find they are softer, looser, lighter, or sometimes even green while their digestive system adjusts to the new formula.

I used brown sugar dissolved in boiled cooled water, it was either a midwife or health visitor who suggested it.

Diluted orange juice (1oz juice to 4oz water) works a treat.

@jacko18 i did the massage around 4 times a day the initial poop explosion to make sure he was back to regular. Now I tend to do it once or twice a day, it only takes a few minutes and he really enjoys it too. She showed me some moves specifically for constipation so I don't know many moves but they definitely work.

I wouldn't give orange juice to a baby that age. Citrus juices are linked to eczema so if you want to give extra fluids I would stick to cool boiled water

Thank you all ❤️

Will try the cooled boiled water tomorrow with the orange juice.

Thanks for the info from aptimal site my small concern is that she has always had green poo - since she has been on formula.

Massage the soles of the feet as well as tummy. My DS was a really constipated baby. I used to do cycling legs, tummy massage and then apply quite a lot of pressure. Worked every time (after around 10 mins)

Rub feet this way, I swear I’m not woo or alternative or anything, I was desperate like you

www.greenyway.com/en/cms/article/sumXjj/

May I also recommend HIPP Organis milk I teas as DS’ poops STANK on aptamil

excuse my terrible typing

Thank you 2manysweets

I’ll have a look at the video, i would quite happily become a hippy praying to the poo gods to help her go at this moment in time. I can’t cope with the smell of it as it’s awful and her trumps could put a hole in the carpet haha but I’m just glad she is going! Did your baby go more regularly once on Hipp? X

I can also recommend the leg cycling massage and also the foot massage and sips of boiled, cooled water. My little one once had constipation for 5 days, around the same age as yours and our health visitor suggested laying baby unclothed and without a nappy on a towel. I was sceptical but within about 15 mins the blockage was well and truly clear! Apparently fresh air helps. Also, I used Hipp Organic first milk and this seemed to be gentle on her tummy so stuck with it.

I remember the official advice in the summer of 1976 was thst all bottle fed babies should be given extra water due to the risk of dehydration, constipation and hypernatremia.
We were told to make up all bottles with an extra half ounce of water.
The advice fir constipation eas a weak solution of brown sugar in cooled boiled water.
We all need extra water in this weather.

Extra cooled boiled water: yes
Brown sugar on the water: hell no

I agree with changing to HIPP organic. My DS was constipated until I changed.

Ladies shall I try the comfort HIPP or the regular HIPP? Thanks for the advise x