Month old baby not pooping. What to do? Should I worry?

[JennyC520]

Starting on the 17th Jan, she stopped having bowel movements and her stomach was like a balloon. so after a couple days I called the hospital and was advised to give her water and wait 4 days to see if she poos. I didn't give her water but she did a massive poop explosion in the early morning on 20th Jan. I thought things would be normal again but she hasn't pooped since then. she is sleeping normal and feeding A LOT more (which makes me think maybe its a growth spurt and she's just retaining all the nutrients so not pooping?) and she is weeing as normal and she farts a lot. Her stomach doesn't look as ballooned as before though.

Is she constipated? What should I do? Is this normal?
I will call the hospital tomorrow as it would be 4 day without pooping but thought i'd ask here, see if I can avoid unnecessary trip to A+E if it's nothing.
She's breastfed.

Have you given her water yet like the hospital originally advised?

I wouldn't worry too much. Some breastfed babies ( not mine sadly) can go aaaaaages between poos. Is she having plenty of wet nappies, feeding well, alert and not showing signs of pain?

And I'm pretty sure you shouldn't need to give her water. You might get really good advice in feeding actually.

My breastfed baby did not produce anything for 6 weeks at one point - and there was plenty going in/plenty of wees.

We had to see a haematologist during that time, twice. He was lovely, you could tell he absolutely adored babies. I remember him singing to her and cycling her legs.

He told me not to worry, she was simply absorbing everything. Good in a way as we had cloth nappies!

I am not suggesting you don't get her checked if you are worried, just that my situation was deemed normal.

Should add that she was a similar age past due date (but born v early).

3 weeks, I am typing on my phone!

Breastfed babies can go a week or more without pooping without them being constipated. I wouldn't give water, just breastfeed instead

Breastfed babies can go a full week between bm's (because breastmilk is so well digested - so little needs to come out) xx

Pretty sure that current advice is that water will not help constipation in babies. If baby is bunged up the constipation has already happened and water won't budge it. If they are constipated then they need to be seen by a GP who if he thinks they are prescribe Movicol . Some breast fed babies can go a week + with no poop. Also an explosion not usually constipation - that's round hard pellets .

I gave her an ounce of water yesterday and just tried to give her some now but she wouldn't take it. I also wasn't sure to give her water or not as midwives and websites say breast milk is enough.
shes feeding, sleeping, peeing, behaving as normal.. maybe a tad more fussy but she doesnt seem in pain. sometimes her face looks like she's straining but i dont know if im seeing that just cos i think its constipation.
I read that swirling a q-tip up her bum does the trick, again, not sure to follow that or not.
Gah, sorry, i'm a new mum, cautious, doubting and worrying about everything!!

Don't stick anything up her bum ! Leave her be and give breastfeeds rather than water. Maybe a bit of gentle massage on her tummy can help or bicycle her legs

Lots of babies breast and bottle fed look like they are constipated , straining going red faced making noises , but they are not . If she is passing hard pellets , then I would take her to docs. Also be aware of what you have eaten as some things can make baby a bit more uncomfortable . Not true for all , but some . She doesn't need water. Breast milk is much better !!

Breastfeeding peer supporter here, a healthy breastfed baby can go up to a week between poos. You do not need to give a breastfed baby water, that is for FF babies. Even in hot weather your milk will adjust to be more thirst quenching.

Unless your baby has had neonatal jaundice and is still being monitored it is nothing to be concerned about.

After a couple of weeks a breasted baby will find their natural rhythm.

My son went once a week, and when he went it was like an explosion and he may have been a bit wriggly the day before.

But on the other hand a baby may go more frequently.

hth

She is still a tad jaundiced but the health visitor said not to worry as Chinese people naturally have more jaundice causing.. stuff.. in their breast milk.
She was so fussy last night and today, hoping it's a sign of poop explosion later. Never looked forward to seeing poop so much!

In my area If any baby ff or FB is over 14 days and still jaundiced H/V should have you recommended you take her to GP anyway for check up / blood tests .
Hope you get a result tonight !

BF not FB !!

If she is jaundiced all the more reason to keep bf and not give water

I also have a non-pooing baby! He is almost 6 weeks and since birth has gone 5/6 days between poos. Yes BF babies often go along time between poos, but it is my understanding that it is less common in babies under 6 weeks and so may be of concern as it could point to other problems. I'm now trailing a dairy and soy free diet tot try and eliminate a possible allergy. For the last couple of weeks my baby often has a tight tummy and struggles with wind.
We haven't been to be GP yet as I figure they'll just tell me to do what I'm doing by tribally the non-dairy diet. I'd love to be told otherwise though if anyone here ca offer advice? Sorry to jump on your thread, but the advice about BF babies being fine to go so long between poos I have been told is not so true at quite so young still.

Kellymom website says this:

After 4 – 6 weeks, some babies stool less frequently, with stools as infrequent as one every 7-10 days. As long as baby is gaining well, this is normal.

Do you have any breast feeding support groups near you, perhaps at a children's centre? The people who run them have more training than most HVs and midwives when it comes to BF.

I wouldn't worry or give her anything.

I have a 6 month old, in her first few weeks she did several dirty nappies a day this reduced down and by about 6 weeks she did maybe 2 dirty nappies a week. Then it went down to around one a week. They were always soft/liquid poos (usually bypassed nappy). She has now been on solids for a fortnight and the dirty nappies are now twice a day again - and stink!! (Compared with pre-solids!). Those months with one dirty nappy a week were great in retrospect.

17 days with no pooing was my daughters record, when it arrived it was amazing!

4 days is normal. A week is normal. Don't worry about it :)