Constipation and comfort formula

[Misfitmum1]

hi, my baby will be 7 weeks old on Sunday. He’s had constipation on and off for about 3 weeks now. He’s not currently been for almost 4 days and is straining and crying.

I spoke to the health visitor advice line last week and was advised to try giving him pre made formula. This worked after a day of so and flushed him out.but then he didn’t go again so it stopped working… and we’re using the aptamil advanced (tried aptamil 1 and he just kept throwing it up and cried a lot on it) and the pre made stuff is almost impossible to get hold of here. My fiancé literally went to every shop in out town and managed to buy about 6 small bottles… anyway- we can’t afford for him to permanently be on premade either 😭.

a while ago, we bought some of the comfort, but he couldn’t even have one bottle… he’s already on mam size 2 teats but the comfort was so thick that he couldn’t get any out… we bought the size 3 teat (mam doesn’t do vary flow and he never liked tommee tippee bottles) and the milk poured out so he looked like he was drowning.. one extreme to the other.

so anyway- he’s crying in pain with constipation now and I just done know what else to do. We’ve done massages, given him cool boiled water.. we even tried small amounts of fruit juice (please don’t judge me- he’s desperate). Thank you in advance zz

Perhaps he has a lactose intolerance maybe try a lactose free formula? Aptamil do one. I think you can also get him tested for this but the lactose free formula may give you that answer without needing to test.

Also try probiotic drops to help with his digestions.

If neither of these help I would speak to a qualified nutritionist, I found that GPs and health visitors are generally not well versed in nutrition and intolerances.

Don't bother with a lactose free formula. If he has a problem with something in the milk (which is a fairly big if) it will be with the cows milk protein in the milk, not the sugar. There are prescription formulas where the protein is hydrolysed/broken down (or amino acid based - protein fully broken down to the building blocks) but if the only symptom is constipation, unlikely to need these. The hydrolysed formulas are worth trying if as well as the constipation there are also other signs, like reflux, or rashes.

Probiotic drops might, indeed, help.

Hi thank you for your reply, could you tell me what formula is hydrolysed x

You can't generally buy them. They're on prescription if your health care professionals think they're needed.

Hi wondering whether you managed to sort out your little man? Came across this chat when searching for some help. My little girl is 8 weeks - combi fed and is on aptamil advanced, if she has more then the usual amount of formula ( normally 2 bottles) she is constipated and is in pain and cries.. did you try probiotic drops? Thanks in advance x

Hi, to be honest I think we carried on using the advanced formula. At the time he struggled to get the comfort out of the bottle as it was so thick, we gave him some cooled boiled water.. his constipation was on and off and now he’s 5 months old and he will sometimes still doesn’t go for up to three days and then clears out lol. I would say, I wish I hadn’t spent so much time stressing but I know that’s easier said than done. Baby will eventually go, and if they’re really struggling, dr can prescribe lactulose I think. Xx

Yes people keep saying that they’re digestive system is immature and it’s normal but yes agree, it’s easier said than done not to stress. Glad to hear this. I think we’re not going to change formula as don’t want to put more strain on her digestive system. Thanks for replying! Xx