help five month old constipated cries when trying to pass a stool

[donnacb]

Anyone got ant suggestions. dd has been on solids for a month and been fine. but he is now pooing every other day and crying really sobbing because it hurts. He will not take a bottle and have been trying with a cup( which he thinks is a great teething toy) but doesnt take any water from it. I feel so awful. have been giving him apple and banana for past two days as i thought they might be easier to digest. Also tried bending his legs up , massaging belly and tickling his bottom as someone suggested but too no avail. poor boy is miserable because of it. oh also tried to reduce amount being given as he scoffs alot but he woke up at 1.00 instead of his normal 04.00. he was also two months early and weighs 12lb 13oz. dont know if that helps. any way any advice greatfully received. thanks donna

when my DD had this problem i found holding her in a warm bath for 5 minutes helped her open her bowels. fill the bath quite alot and dont sit her on her bum, just hold her so her bottom is in the water.

orange juice and water together is aslo good.

dd had a bath tonight but nothing happened maybe need the bath a bit warmer. thanks for the tip ill give it a go inthe am again if nothing appears tonight

sorry should have said, put her in the bath while she is trying to go.

Have you phoned NHS Direct?

a drop of orange juice in her water

I hear rubbing oil on his anus will work....

unfortunately cant get to take water as will not take a bottle. Will try oil and bath and see if it works. our bath takes ages to fill though maybe get baby bath out again. thanks guys

you could try usng a syringe to get water and orange juice into her

havent tried nhs direct not sure what hey would do. whenever i have rung in the past always say to go to a and e. but if gets worse maybe ill give em a go. anything to help the poor little man ps what exactly does dd and ds stand for assumed dd is male and ds is female but have i got it wrong

dear son
dear dayghter... so you have a DS!

Try the oil on anus, many people swear by it!

Cheers pupuce makes sense now. will give the oil a go. Is it any particular oil do you know

Well some do it with J&J but I would not because it is scented but you can use olive oil or another vegetable oil.

Olive oil or another vegetable oil... I know some do it with J&J but it is scented... so I wouldn't.

being really thick whats j and j

oops - thought it hadn't posted !!!

Johnson and Johnson

a ha think your right i will stick to natural oils. well better go have a feeling maybe up a few times in the night if he is trying to go. thanks for all your help will post a message if oil is successful. wish us luck. have a good night

had success over night although went on his own with one huge cry. also went this am and still trying for more. will try method when i can catch him. still lots of tears poor thing. thought you might want to know for your early am waking
cheers donna

have you tried prunes. i used to use a tin of asda's prunes in pear juice. remove seeds and heat a pan, then put through a mouli,potato ricer or small holed seive. still use for dd1 now 2

This really sounds like your little one has a tear just inside the botty.

Do his legs straighten and he tense up a bit as he cries and poos? If so, almost certainly that.

It mends on it's own, but in the meantime, just try all the suggestions in keeping poo soft, water, fruit, orange juice, currants etc. so the poo slips past the tear as easily as poss.

Can you mix a little orange or prune juice in with very watery stewed apple puree. Also I found that stewed dried fruit in general helped -apricot for example - which you could mix in with apple. Banana can aggravate constipation so perhaps best avoided for now. Would he sip water off a teaspoon or out of an ordinary cup if you held it ?

you could use vaseline instead of oil and that would also help to smooth the passage. I also advise to avoid bananas - try diluted fresh apple juice and giving prunes to help him to 'go' in the first place. Have you offered drinks out of your own cup? My dd always likes to have a swig out of mine when I am having juice.

Orange juice with brown sugar dissolved in it should definitely do the trick

Hi everyone thanks for the help. oops been giving the boy lots of bananas thought it had roughage in it. will stop now. Do you buy special prune juice for babies. Will buy fresh orange tomorrow yes j does straighten his legs when trying. to go. he goes so bright redin the face and crys so loud. Tried the bath thing in time of him trying and it worked. although still yelled. will try vaseline to. feel so horrible i cant help. Can babies get piles because im sure hes going to give himself them if he carries on. Thanks for all your help ill keep you posted. If he has got a tear how long will it take to heal and should i take him to the docs

hiya, my baby was exactly the same when we started solids once he was on 3 meals a day. He would be absolutely stinking and wouldnt go for days. And then when he finally did he would cry in pain. The hv just said its just his digestive system trying to get used to it. I decided not to give him too much to eat at tea time and to give him is breast milk instead as he wudnt drink ne water.Eventually things sorted themselves out and now when he goes you can see the sign of relief on his face and it absolutely stinks to high heaven.