brown sugar/orange juice - quantities for constipation help please

[madgirl]

yes i know parenting police will get me but my formula fed (and breast feeding police for that matter) 2 wk old ds2 is constipated, cool boiled water is not getting rid of it, poor little mite is really uncomfortable. i used brown sugar in water for ds1 and it worked, and a mate of mine has suggested a little bit of OJ but can anyone tell me how much of either in how much water? THANKS

Really would not give a 2 week old OJ personally. Far too acidic and citrus fruits are generally not recommended until well after weaning has started.

I would stick with the brown sugar and water - also recommended to me by my GP - sorry can't remember the quantities (it was 8.5 years ago )

yes i feel that about OJ - does anyone know the quanties for brown sugar?? i can remember half a tea spoon but can't remember how many ounces of water..........don't want to take him to the other extreme!

we used about half teaspoon in about 2 oz water...but baby was much older! maybe try 1/4 teaspoon first and see how it goes?

sorry madgirl, but neither is recommended for a 2 week old baby. Brown water and sugar went out a long time ago because it can actually make constipation worse! Keep going with the water. Are you using a 1st whey based formula? Casein based for hungry babies can cause constipation.

despite my earlier reply I kinda agree with mears that 2 weeks is kinda young. on the other hand i also think brown sugar (esp if unrefined natural sugar, not processed sugar) is possibaly better than a laxative from the chemist1
definatly wouldnt used OJ with a baby.

mears how much water do you recommend i give, and how often? still no sign of soft stools.....

Just a very small quarter teaspoon of the soft dark brown sugar in the formula used to work with mine, but then they were a bit older. My ds actually got a liking for prune juice but I would not try it with one so young. Have you thought about adding a bit more water to the feeds as well as giving boiled water because my instinct (which is not very good) tells me more water should help or you need to see the doc if it is really bad and recurs.
Good luck.
My HV also told me to put a little bit of KY gel or vaseline around the inside of the anus, as this can help, but I don't know if that is still acceptable advice as this was 19 years ago!!!!