Is my GP quite mad?

[Lisa78]

I posted yesterday cos my 7 week old breastfed DS has not had a dirty nappy for 36 hours now, and he usually goes every feed. Replies told me there was nothing to worry about (apart from cleaning him up when he does go ) but have been for our post natal check up today and when I mentioned it to the GP, he said to give him some fresh orange juice!?
OJ? Is the man mad?

Well I've never heard of that before. I was told to give it to a 2 yr old before but 7 weeks is a bit young I would of thought. Have you got to dilute it ??

It will work as a laxitive, however bf babies often go every 2 - 3 days.

Breastfed babies can happily go a week or more without pooing - provided the nappies are wet I don't think there's anything to worry about. And babies patterns do change. Personally I wouldn't give your baby anything other than breastmilk at this stage. Obviously if he's unwell you would need to think again, but 36 hours is not very long.

I have heard of OJ for constipation before - but not sure about for a 7 week old baby. Can you call your Health Visitor to ask her opinion ?

I was told to do that with DS2, but he was a couple of months old not 7 weeks!

Yes Lisa, your GP is mad

Lisa78, my sis took her baby to the gp cause he couldn't go a while back. I think it was when he was a few months old, her G.P told her to put Washing up liquid up his bum! (HONESTLY). She complained!

Washing-up liquid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Surely he is certifiable?!

Lisa, I was told to give a tsp pure orange juice in about 6 tsps pre-boiled water for dd when she was about 6 week old and it worked a treat.

God, are there any g.ps that aren't raving loonatics ??? My g.p tried to perscribe my dd1 antibiotics over the phone on the basis that she had a high temp and he'd seen a couple of kids that morning with tonnsilitis

When my DD1 was a newborn breastfed baby, she suffered with constipation occasionally.

My GP recommended cooled boiled water with some brown sugar added - DD1 was 8 weeks old at the time.

Yeah I was told to put sugar in cooled boiled water but I don't thnk it worked though. I think the problem just cleared itself after a couple of days.

oh god my mother is always going on about brown sugar......

Mad mad mad.

Yep, bonkers and utterly crazy.

just some warm water and a gentle massage on his belly might work too

Orange juice has certainly got a laxative effect.
It is normal for breast-fed babies not to poo for several days. My baby son used to go every 9 days or so and there would be an almighty explosion to deal with. I used to dread it!!

We were told this too! Also the GP recommended sitting dd on the potty at age 3 months!!

Re the sugar water there is an element of sanity behind it, but it's a long way behind it If you raise the amount of sugar in the bowel, you will raise the numbers of bacteria. Dead bacteria make up between 30-50% of your poo. The more bacteria you have, the softer the poo is. Lactulose works in this way. It does work, becuase we can't break down the sugars in it, but the bacteria can, so it gets through to the large intestimne where it gets to work. Ordinary sugar water wouldn't work, because we digest and absorb the sugars.

So the old wives tale has a grain of truth behind it!

But you wouldn't recommend I give DS sugar in water then?
Poor little mite, I can see him straining, and farting his bum off, but he's producing nothing - I find myself pushing down with him, most alarming

I don't see how it would help, but I'm not a medic! I would have thought that the sugar would be broken down and absorbed before it would do any good.

Ditto!
But no need, he has just filled his nappy - sounded like a volcano erupting (not that I've ever heard one!!!) DH has been really worried, so he seems to think it was a christmas present so in the spirit of sacrifice, I let him clean DS up!!

I'm so glad! Dd suffered from chronic constipation from the age of 2 to 3 and a half....it was horrid, so I do sympathise with you and your little one.

Believe it or not, I have heard this before, but still think it's mad and didn't try it.

Yeah giving citrus to a 7 week old would be a wonderful idea - if you were looking to set up allergies. Mad, Mad, Mad.

my dd was tube fed and on direutics so at times was terribly constipated.

Paediatric community nurse suggested both methods.... small amount of o.j - watered down with cooled boiled water and the very watered down - brown sugar - non refined with cooled boiled water....

both worked well and she does not have any food allergies...........

she would have been aged between four and eight weeks old.