4 Days without a poo.... Is this normal?

[JetLiHallsWithBoughsOfHolly]

Hi - I need some reassurance I guess. DD is 5 months old. She has always poo'd once every day, like clockwork, up until last weekend. We're on day 4 now of no poo. I know that BF babies can go a few days without pooing, and DD is exclusively breastfed, but is it normal that a long spell of no poo can come out of the blue? I sort of thought that if it happened, she would gradually lengthen the time between poo's rather than just completely stop all of a sudden?

I suppose I'm getting a bit panicked with Christmas around the corner. She seems fine in herself, feeding regularly and I'm getting plenty of wet nappies.

In my experience - yes (both DSs were like this. And then when it comes it is quite a poonami. Keep bfing her - try raising her legs up towards her tummy (knees bent) while she's on her back if you see her straining - and it will come (though may be a bit claylike to start off with)...

Poonami - love it .

Mine both had phases when they only poo'd once a week or so - and it was worrying for me at the time, but didn't seemt o actually cause them much of a problem.

Thanks for the swift responses drinkystink and piprobin. I'll try the knee raising thing at change time.

I'll start carrying a couple of changes of clothes with me then in prearation for the poonami! With any luck, DP will cop for it

dd is nearly 6 months old and at about 4.5 months old, started pooing once weekly as opposed to every day/every other day. Am told it's normal. Also when the poo does come it's not particularly large - just normal. Little waste with bm.

Thanks ver much ladylush - that's reassuring to hear. It's the sudden onset of this irregular poo-ing that's making me nervous

IKWYM - I was nervous too but now an seeing the benefits

am

DD (4 months) didn't poo for a few days and then pooed all weekend!! Pretty much in every nappy, leaked everywhere and we were away from home so relying on host's washing machine too.

Get prepared

Its very normal for breastfed babies - well thats what I was told when DD went 10 days without a poo - this was about 5 months old as she was getting ready to wean to solids, was told it was because breast milk is 'nutritionally efficient, therefore less waste'!

JetLiHallsWithBoughsOfHol... has the poo arrived yet? My DD's record was 12 days while DS seemed to poo with every feed, day and night.

You might want to put her in some clothes that you don't mind getting ruined. When DD went after 12 days we just had to put her clothes in the bin.

Consulted my HV after 6 days, she said to give her fresh orange , good job I found MN.

I gave DD a little brown sugar in water when she hadn't pooed for days and we were about to do a 24hr flight. Worked a treat.

Exactly the same here, JetLi. 5 months old, regular poos every day and now a no-poo-zone. She's fine in herself, lots of wet nappies and feeding normally. She has done this once before though so I'm not going to panic about it. (honest!)

Hi all - the poo has landed

Twas like a little festive love-gift

I caught it just as she'd finished. It wasn't particularly profuse or unusual but didn't get chance to do a full poo-mortem as I was in company and I guess it wouldn't do to be sniffing and poking around in a dirty nappy in front of guests

Thank you all for your help, and Merry Christmas

Sounds like Christmas came a little early for you this year .

And another poo today - sort of thought she might go 4 days again!