Breastfed baby with constipation....Can anyone help us????

[Dawnus]

DD aged 6 weeks....belly really giving her grief for last couple of days.
Breastfeeding on demand...and I didn't think breastfed babies got constipated?!
She has managed only 2 poo's today, both very thick and stodgy, accompanied with lots of groaning pushy noises, screaming and generally not looking very happy
I had no sleep last night, and am already anxious about tonight.
Tried some warm boiled water in a bottle last night but she wouldn't take it, she doesn't take a dummy either (they say this helps relax their intestines through the sucking motion)....so now i'm stuck with what to do next, knackered and close to tears!!!!
Please help...arghhhhh!

We had this when DS was a similar age. HV suggested I drink orange juice as it will filter through into your breast milk and help ease the baby's constipation.

Also, have you tried a spoon or syringe to give the water?

If she's breastfed only, Dawnus, it's prob not constipation....and the fact the poo is thick and stodgy confirms it. Sometimes, even bf babies seem to make heavy weather of pooing. But if she is screaming in apparent pain, then would this not be something to see the doctor about, I wonder?

i would imagine she probably isnt consipated. my eldest dd only did a poo once every few days so twice in one day is quite reasonable! if you are worried eat grapes and oranges. worked for me when dd2 was constipated when she turned 6 months and i started to wean her- she was still having lots of breastmilk and it did work. but i really wouldnt worry they do push quite hard which i always found surprosing when it wasnt even solids....wouldnt bother with the water to be honest.

Funny you should say that Devon, I had a big glass of OJ today. Am thinking that I will try another method to give her some water tho.

Tiktok, she is breastfed only...thinking it's constipation because of the effort and length of time it's taking her to eventually go..?

DAwnus - I agree that its prob not constipation but in case it IS, why don't you try to gently massage her tummy?

Go in small circles with the tips of index and middle finger, from (your)left side of her tummy button, over the top and down the other side. Be gentle. If you have any grapeseed oil, use that to "lube" her skin. Or just rub in circular motions in a around her belly button (ie round and round) to try to help things along

Both of my BF babies had a change in their pooing pattern around the six weeks mark and went from pooing up to ten times a day, to pooing every other day.....and those poos seemed like such hard work to get out. My DS2 who is 22 weeks has made particularly hard work of pooing from the get go, and docs can't find anything wrong.

Worth taking him to the docs just to get him checked out if he is real discomfort (a friends baby had what appeared to be constipation but turned out to be a too tight sphincter), but in the meantime ou could try massage and drinking OJ. BF babies souldn't need any additional water

oops, her to the docs sorry

Dawnus - eat some soft fruit - DS was like this for six months - blooming nightmare. When he got really bad, I'd down a bowl of apricots and two hours later he'd feed, turn bright red and produce the largest poo I've ever seen come out of a person under two feet tall!

The GP prescribed lactulose but we didn't bother and just stuck to the soft fruit thing and he grew out of it.

You could also try a warm bath. DS used to enjoy dropping a big stinker after a bath (sometimes in it too )

Mine also had a couple of strange, greenish poos around 8wks, then went back to their normal (BF) orange liquid poos. I read at the time that it had something to do with the development of their intestines. Have also heard OJ good (for the mother).

But if it makes you less anxious, take her to see the doc, if only to set your mind at rest.

Hope things get easier soon.

Thanks for all the suggestions...will give em a go. Feel a bit less edgy knowing that you have had similar experiences

Baby girl much better...OJ or dried/ fresh fruit seems to have done the trick...she's much happier now that she's not bunged up = happier mummy
Cheers all