5 month old with constipation: Lactulose or orange juice?

[lilone1234]

My DD is 5 months old and has been suffering on and off with constipation for the last couple of weeks. By constipation I mean the passing of smaller, harder stools. The GP has said to try and get her to drink some water between feeds but has also suggested fresh orange juice in water and has prescribed lactulose.

She hasn't started weaning yet and I am reluctant to give orange juice for that reason, and also reluctant to give the lactulose as she is so young. I wanted to ask other MNetters experience of giving babies under 6 months lactulose, orange juice or anything else for constipation?

Is she FF fed? If so could you try another brand? I worked with a little boy who got constipated on his formula after a couple of months and they changed it to a different one and it solved the issue. Their HV also recommended adding an extra oz of water to the formula (5 oz water but only 4oz worth of formula) when they made it up but I don't think it is recommended.

Given the choice of oj or lactulose I would go with lactulose as citrus is incredibly irritating and won't actually solve the issue but rather just give your baby tummy ache.

Are you formula feeding, one of the mums at baby group was giving her DS hungry baby formula and it gave him terrible constipation. Instead she fed him regular formula little and often and it did the trick.

She's formula fed - she's on Aptamil. I switched from SMA to Aptamil originally when she was only a couple of weeks old because the SMA seemed to give her constipation. Has always got on fine with Aptamil until now! I'm switching to ready made for a few days as it seems more watery than the powder...did the same a couple of weeks ago when the same thing happened and she was passing more normal stools again a few days later but had since moved back to the powder and the problem is back. Don't know whether it's a coincidence or not!