Anxiety and Breastfeeding? HELP! 8 month old bf baby badly constipated, sunken fontanel but won't drink from bottle or cup

[Luise85]

Okay, I know it's almost impossible 'not to have enough milk' but I feel like something is wrong. My 8 months old boy who is bf is eating 2 or 3 meals a day (mixed with fruit)but is badly constipated and has a sunken fontanel many times of the day although he is still bf every 2 to 3 hours. I think I am well informed when it comes to breastfeeding and I seem to remember that bf babies wouldn't need to drink water in the first year and that the milk supply regulates itself.
However, when I try to feed him he doesn't seem to swallow anything and my breast 'look' empty. (I have small breast and always could feel if my breast were full. I know it settles down after a couple of months, but they appaer quite drained.) I am anxious about returning to work next month (will be working at night, but still looking after ds during most of day, no idea when to sleep). Could this have an effect on my milk supply?

It sounds stupid, reading the post again, but I am really getting worried...

The HV and GP are not really of help with bf issues.

how does he seem in himself?

are his nappies wet?

My BF daughter always had 'slow' bowels - still does. She seems to thrive on it. Even if the rest of us have to put up with some pretty smelly farting from time to time. SO long as he is otherwise well, I wouldn't worry too much about his bowels. I'm not a HP so can't comment on the sunken fontanelle. Does this suggest he is de-hydrated? Have you contacted the la leche league or NCT's helpline?

Good luck.

Hmm, okay Ijust put him to put. He normally tends to have a bigger bf at around 7pm, there is definitely some milk, but not all that much compared to previous weeks. His nappies are wet in the night and morning (he drinks every two hours at night) but after lunch they don't seem to be wet anymore.
The GP and HV only recommended some drops of orange juice in water for him to drink (but he would't take anything from cup or bottle) to ease his bowel movements. He is under pain whenever he mananges to get something out. Last time was two days ago just after his bath time, he was so exhausted (took 15 mins) from pushing and screaming that he fell asleep while I dressed him for the night.

He seems ok for most of the day, but is not all that smiley like he used to be.

will look for the la leche laegue number, thank you!

will he eat fruit? pear is very good

Oh poor little chap. A warm bath is often a good way to get bowel movements going. HC is right pear is good, also the other obvious things - prunes etc. Rice is also much easier to digest than wheat, don't know what you're giving him for carbs... Can't he just eat an orange if the HV thinks that will get his bowels going?

Thank you for the suggestions, however he won't eat anything apart from his purees (which always have either pear or apple in them as well). I have gone back to stage 1 purees of veg and fruit as they are not as thick (easier to digest?), babyrice in the morning and I offer him pieces of pear or other fruit between meals but he wouldn't eat them.

he has a warm bath every night (loves his bath time),but nothing so far in the last two days . we have some stuff from the GP in case of an emergency but I have read you shouldn't use those in the first year.

Is it possible that he is selfweaning as he just doesn't want to bf unless he is sleepy or at night? He had double his usual portion of puree yesterday for dinner and rejected my breast after eating. Only very small bf for his bedtime, good feed at night, followed by small bf in the morning, 3oz of ebm in babyrice for breakfast and very small bf just now. I guess I will continue to offer him fluids and fruits to make up for it and hopefully he will eventually accept them!

Am wearing a real bra for the first time in a year today, there are definetely some changes going on!

My DD had the problem of constipation from about 7 months until about 10. She was BLW and breastfed on demand. I never really knew why she had it as she had lots of wet nappies. (you can get a description of different types of poo here if it helps en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Stool_Scale) sometimes it would be over a week and it would cause her pain when she went the loo . I did try lactulose but you have to be careful when you give this. I tried weetabix or bite size shredded wheat (no sugar option) for fibre. My DD ate lots of fruit too. I also tried tummy massage and bicycling her legs to get things moving ! She did grow out of it but it was a big worry at the time. Oh and I used to give her tinned prunes in apple juice (sorbitol in them helps apparently)with the weetabix every morning- that usually worked a trick ! - they were sweet so she loved them. All I can say about the BF is keep offering when you think he wants it - if you are still BF at night too I doubt very much there is a problem with your supply, although they can feel like there is nothing there when they get older and start with solids more - my dd is 19 mths and still BF - my boobs no longer feel full at any time !