Help! Baby struggling to pass stool since birth

[Saraha291]

We are literally at our wits end with this. My poor boy has had trouble passing stool since I stopped breast feeding when he was 2 weeks. He's now 3 months. We've had various trips to the dr with no help realy at all. We've changed his milk a few times and now on nutrimigen which he doesn't like the taste of but still after 2 weeks on the new formula no change and he doesn't poo without our help. We have to use windies and suppositories to help him go. The pain he gets in straining is awful to watch. I just don't know what else to try so any advice or if anyone has had the same problem please let me know.

I would try and film him straining and go back to the GP. Although if you’re in the UK you might want to go to the GP today anyway and it will be shut for 4 days after today.

Some watered down baby apple juice. I know he's a baby but he's 3 months now. Not ideal but if you try it once and it doesn't help, you can stop.

Please only do this if advised by a Doctor. It is very ld fashioned advise and the current NHS guidelines are milk only till 6 months.

I really would recommend seeing the GP OP. It does sound as though the reason they are struggling needs investigating rather than just going for a temporary fix.

Are the stools soft or hard when he does go?

Something I didn't know about at all for DC2 was infant dyschezia. Basically in order to poo you've got to apply pressure and relax the sphincter at the same time. Newborns don't necessarily know this so they can get a bit uncoordinated and be pushing and pushing but not have coordinated that with the relax bit.

If the stool is soft when it arrives then it's probably this, rather than constipation. If it's hard then it is constipation and you could try changing the milk.

If it's infant dyschezia it's not pain you're seeing, it's frustration and sheer effort. Try doing whatever you would usually do to relax and soothe him and push his legs up and down like he's riding a bicycle.

It helped me a lot to understand this. I'm not sure but I've heard that using the windi in that scenario is not so good as it doesn't help them learn to coordinate both reflexes themselves.

TBH DS2 is still a highly strung stress head and he's 6 now. 😆

Worked for my 6 year old who was born overseas. Not standard UK advice, but given that some 4 month olds start having 'food' such as tastes of puree or fruit pacifiers (again, against standard advice, but mums do start then) isn't that left field.

He has no problems with pooing or diet now.

The midwives told me to give boiled cooled water and brown sugar (eldest is only 7) did work though.

What happens if you put him on a potty or a toilet? Does he go easier? If I see mine straining it’s much quicker and easier if I just pop them on a potty as then they are in a great position to go

A warm bath used to help my DD go.

It is unlikely as it’s rare, but if you have no joy you may want to ask for him to be investigated for Hirschprung’s Disease.

I’ve been going through the same issue with my son, did you get any answers?