Should I give some water to mix fed DS? Gross poo question, sorry

[Hopefully]

DS is 18 weeks, and has always had a fairly useless gut - only pooing about once every 2-4 days from birth, always uncomfortable for about 24 hours beforehand.
However, it was always a fairly normal consistency, even when we introduced a bottle of formula at 9 weeks.

He still has one bottle of formula a day (5-6oz), and has just gone through evil 4 month growth spurt, throughout which I manfully resisted offering more formula!
However, for the past 3 weeks, he has only been pooing once a week (Sunday is pooday in this household!), and is incredibly uncomfortable from about friday afternoon until sunday, farting and straining every few hours. For all of this time, his poo has been thick, dark greeny brown and tar like, and is showing no signs of improving.

Would you offer some cooled boiled water, or some other solution? I just hate seeing him fart, strain and groan for 3 days a week!
In all other respects, DS is happy, easy (except for the night wakings caused by straining!) and active.

Have you seen your GP or HV about this.

I know that bf babies often go a few days, but not usually from birth

It is absolutely nothing to worry about. Babies at this age take a lot more goodness from the milk and so there is not so much left over. it is not unusual for a baby to go days without pooing, then doing an almighty big one when you're least expecting it!! My breastfeeding boss (I'm a peer supporter) says she's heard of babies going for 2 weeks without a poo! As long as baby's putting on weight and having lots of wet nappies, there's nothing to worry about!

We spoke to doc about it when he was doing it in the early days (who thought it might have been due to me taking antibiotics after birth), but since it continued, we just stopped worrying about it and assumed it was just how he worked.

It's more the discomfort that accompanies it that vaguely concerns me - just don't like to see him uncomfortable so regularly, but not sure how to improve it!

Weight gain is reasonable - he has been slipping down the percentiles (98th at birth, now 25th), but as he seems otherwise alert and happy and is gaining overall, I haven't been too concerned about that side of things. Despite HV telling me and me entire mum and baby group that our babies are ready to be weaned at 4 months as weight gain has slowed...

sounds a lot like my DS, who is 25 weeks. He is also BF with one FF a day. At most he goes once every 2-3 days, and sometimes once a week. It used to be very watery but more recently went thickish. I was attributing it to the formula, as we usually use "hungry baby" type. (not that this buys us any sleep - he is up 2 hours after a 9oz formula feed.)

It's terrible isn't it to see them so uncomfortable? It can also make BFing difficult when DS is straining and pulling off the breast.

Sorry I don't have advice but you've got me thinking maybe some water could help!

we've just started a little baby rice and i only hope his poor tummy can handle it.

kathryn - I am happy to be told I am wrong - but I thought the only pooing evey few days was on solely bf babies, and certainly not from birth.

Could be wrong

hey ho

We need wise tiktok to come and tell us! I want to know if my baby is a medical miracle!

bumping to see if anyone else has any ideas...

i'm in nearly the exact same position. my ds is 3 months and gets one bottle of formula at night. we have 'poo fridays' and the day before he is uncomfortable and smelly! his poo is also thicker than it used to be. i asked my gp and she said to offer him 2oz of cooled boiled water. we'll see how it goes. i doubt i'll give him the full 2oz but will defo try it out in between feeds.

having said all that, i do think it's pretty normal for some babies to go days even a week or so without a poo. it is, as you said, the discomfort that precedes the event.

Ha, I tried to give DS a teensy weensy bit of water today, figuring a tiny amount wouldn't harm and might help a little bit. He couldn't have been less interested. As soon as he figured out it wasn't formula coming out of the bottle, he turned his nose up at it entirely!
Guess I just have to hope it improves when he's taking a more varied diet and extra water when he weans. only 8 weeks to go!

that's too bad - i gave my DS some water yesterday out of a little cup and he loved it!