Newborn with constipation. Tips please

[anonny55]

My 4 week old has been formula fed since birth and been fine so far until the last few days. He screams in pain while pushing too poo, when he finally goes it’s a tiny amount compared to usual and dry/hard pebbles. He’s going 1-2times a day compared to the usual 5 times roughly.

I called mat ward to ask if there’s any tips they could give (tried bicycle legs and massaging) but they said it’s a gp matter which I now can’t contact until tomorrow as they don’t take bookings after 12pm. Is there anything I can give him that will help or is he too young? Anything else I can try? Thanks!

try gripe water it helps with gas and thus gets the gut moving

you may also need to try another formula ,it may not be agreeing with him

thers goat milk formula
theres kendimil
theres comfort formula
theres lots of different ones but try each for a few weeks .If still no improvement it maybe a dairy sensitivity

yes i second @rosydreams comment! gripe water 💯% only thing we have ever used for constipation!

Look up baby massage - Dorset nhs have good videos on YouTube including one in stomach.

a teaspoon of cooled boiled water is the common first advice.

Bicycle legs.
Bath.
clockwise knees to stomach massage (like you’re squeezing it out).
windy sticks help some people.

But if you’re at the pellets stage then it’s likely to need medication.

(mum to child who had a lot of constipation problems when a baby).

Thank you all! I thought he was too young for gripe water, I already had some in that I bought when I was pregnant as I heard it was good..he’s 4 weeks today and the box says you can use from 4 weeks😀he’s farting away already!

@ScaryM0nster did you have to end up changing your baby’s milk? He seems otherwise happy on his milk, no reflux , barely sick , content after a feed

@anonny55 glad to hear of it. gives off a funny smell doesn't it when they fart 😆 works wonders that stuff, always swear by it! x

every baby is different & if he's content then you know its not the milk! just simply constiaption, as formula fed babies are prone to be constipated when theirs more stuff in formula than breast milk.. so id say stick with the milk he's on :-)

it maybe worth trying another milk just for until the tin your trying runs out see if it helps. Baby poo should not be pebbles meaning his constipation really uncomfortable .Comfort milk like this one designed for this sort of problem

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/316064112

Lactulose was the only thing that helped my LB from the GP

I’d go to the Dr a 4 week old baby shouldn’t be constipated.

Me too, I'd get some recommendations from the GP with your baby being so young.

Change the brand for formula. Cow and Gate gave my baby terrible constipation. I switched to Hipp Organic which solved the issue.

@Ohthatsabitshit I did think I should but called the HV this morning to ask advice and she said as he’s still having bowl movement every day the GP won’t be interested at this point😅I gave him 2.5ml gripe water and 2.5ml cool boiled water yesterday and he poo’d pain free and usual consistency (and a lot of it!) we didn’t have any wailing in pain last night. HV said to try warm baths etc and if he persists to be in pain when pooping or stops going then to call Gp

@roses2my baby is having SMA. He seems otherwise fine apart from the few days of constipation so I’m reluctant to change his milk yet. I’m going to explore other avenues first then switch to sma comfort if need be

If it happens again I would go to the GP. HVs are a good sounding board but they aren’t Drs. Hopefully you won’t need to and all will go smoothly but you shouldn’t be expecting a formed poo till the baby is much much older and eating some solids.