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Constipated baby

18 replies

hiviolet · 10/03/2012 18:02

My daughter is 25 weeks old and formula fed. I would say she has spent more of her life constipated than not. Generally though, despite settling into a less than ideal pattern of going once every six days, when she finally did go, there would be a LOT.

We've started weaning a week and a half ago, and I so hoped that having something other than formula in her system would make a difference, but in fact it's worse than ever. Today she strained like mad for a tiny, hard poo Sad

I've been making a point of giving her a good 6-7 oz of very diluted orange juice (I struggle to get her to drink water) to the detriment of her milk feeds, as there just aren't enough hours in the day to get five milk feeds, two small purée feeds and one bottle of "juice". This past week she's been having four milk feeds instead of five.

But I digress, despite a little sugar water yesterday, having a prune based purée for dinner AND breakfast AND a little diluted prune juice, she's as constipated as hell.

I'm really worried because I suffered horribly with constipation all through my childhood and beyond, and read plenty of horror stories on here about children with faecal impaction and all sorts of nasty bowel problems. It seems worryingly common and I don't want her to suffer like I did.

I have some Lactulose upstairs (leftover from the postnatal period, ahem) so would it be worth starting her on the baby dose of 2.5ml 2x a day? I REALLY want to nip this in the bud, so any advice re. progressing with weaning would be great.

I prepared an ice cube tray with prune purée for future breakfasts (book). Luckily she seems happy to eat pretty much anything, so guess I'll start with that!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
hiviolet · 10/03/2012 18:06

Ha, I meant "boak" not "book". Stupid autocorrect.

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 10/03/2012 18:19

I would probably try and speak to a doctor before giving her the lactulose there may be something else they would prefer to give given ur history and any medical history they may have of ur dd. Baby massage may be worth a try too after she's had a nice bath and is all relaxed. As far as weaning I would avoid banana as that can make them constipated as can bread iirc. Sticking to fruit like prunes apple blueberries etc is a good idea. Sometimes formula xan make them constipTed too I tried three brands with dd1 before I found one that sat right. There are comfort formulas for colic and constipation . :)

Seona1973 · 10/03/2012 18:28

what formula do you use as some are more constipating than others. Baby rice and bananas can both be constipating so you could cut down/avoid them

hiviolet · 10/03/2012 18:41

Haven't bothered with baby rice, and I know banana can be constipating so have consciously avoided them! She's on Aptamil.

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 10/03/2012 18:52

Aptimil do the comfort one too :) bicycle legs and massage really help too and it's a controversial suggestion but perhaps a bit of Vaseline around the anus.. Sounds like you are doing mOst of what you can without medication and if she is still constipated I would suspect it's either the formula or there is an underlying cause so definately speak to your doctor :)

hiviolet · 10/03/2012 18:56

I'm pretty sure it's the formula, which is why I was so hoping that some fruit and veg would help. Also do bicycle legs, but thanks for your advice Smile I really have tried everything!

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 10/03/2012 18:59

Apparently the stuff in cartons is supposed to have something in it that makes them poo easier don't know it works but it sometimes does. :)

hiviolet · 10/03/2012 20:21

The ready made cartons? She's exclusively fed on those - dread to think how much we've spent! Hmm, we really are in a pickle aren't we?

Will take her to GP next week, here's hoping I don't get the dismissive one who holds the door open for me to leave before I've so much as got my coat on...

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 10/03/2012 20:27

Hope the gp can help. Really can't see there's much more you can do you seem to have every base covered :) it's horrible to see ur dv so uncomfortable and fingers crossed it's easily sorted op good luck at doctors :)

RVF400 · 11/03/2012 17:45

Sorry, no advice but watching with interest as DD 32wks has been constipated pretty much ever since we started weaning, Tried everything you have, as well as lactulose. Luckily DD loves prunes, as she's eating them A LOT, not that it seems to be helping. Sad
I hope the GP gives you some useful suggestions, OP. I'll be going back to ours next week too.
DD also on Aptamil, combined with bf. She was ebf up to weaning and never had any problems then, so I'm starting to suspect the formula. Might give the "comfort" formula a try.

hiviolet · 11/03/2012 17:53

Ended up taking her to the out of hours GP this morning as she was straining so much and the poo was rock hard, she needed suppositories and it couldn't wait until tomorrow. Think that's cleared the worst of the blockage, but I'm sure there's still quite a backlog to pass yet!

Will take her to the GP this week to discuss a more long term course of action. I hope there's something out there that will work, poor baby. She's definitely a number one on the Bristol Stool Chart at the moment!

OP posts:
RVF400 · 11/03/2012 18:03

Oh sorry to hear that OP Sad
well maybe that will make pooing easier for your DD now. I have the same fear as you do about long term constipation problems.
Let us know how it goes over the next few days.

RVF400 · 12/03/2012 17:59

Just been to the GP, who has recommended I stop giving DD formula. I am still bfing so this is possible if a bit inconvenient. I'll try it for a few days and let you know how it goes.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 12/03/2012 18:06

Hope she improves op Good luck :)

hiviolet · 12/03/2012 20:05

Well, the suppositories definitely eased the immediate blockage but last night I was a little concerned that the, er, backlog hadn't arrived. Let's just say she pooed five times this morning, and her pot belly is a shadow of its former self. I've never been so happy to change so many yucky nappies.

Need to keep an eye on things though, I hope she can maintain a bit of regularity from now on, but realistically she probably won't. Decided NOT to give her prune purée today GrinEnvy

OP posts:
RVF400 · 13/03/2012 11:45

good news, op. I bet you are both feeling better now.
Do you think it was all down to the suppository? I wondering if we should try that. Are you planning on changing her formula?

porcamiseria · 13/03/2012 12:02

definately speak to doctors, as you dont want to get her over reliant on lactlose

not that there is any bad thing with it, but medical advice first

have just seen she poood!

My advice would be the get her on the high fibre solids when you can, as the formula may well be linked

I really hope that once the solids increase, so will the poo

RVF400 · 31/03/2012 11:50

Update for anyone who's having similar problems: DD's constipation stopped a few days after we stopped giving her formula. She has now been on just solids & breastfeeds for more than 2 weeks and is pooing fine. I am 100% convinced it was the formula as all the other changes we made to her diet had no effect whatsoever, even the prunes!

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