Lactulose, Movicol, or glycerine suppositories for constipated 7 mo?

[Help2025]

We started weaning four or so weeks ago and almost immediately, DS became very constipated. Eventually he passed a couple of plasticine-like poos.

Long story short, DS has not had any ‘food’ for about a fortnight now because he is still so very constipated. All he has had is BM and prune pouches (and water).

He is only pooing every 3-6 days and that only happens following a prune pouch and a drive in the car seat. More recent poos are pasty, a bit wet.

Last night was the worst. He is crying and squealing in pain every hour. I’m starting to think that while he has been doing some poos, he is blocked up by a piece of ‘plasticine’ poo, which isn’t shifting.

Currently, he hasn’t pooed since Thursday. We have tried:

cooled boiled water
orange juice
nappy free time
massage - plenty
bicycle kicks - plenty
prunes
stimulating the bottom gently
a drive

Nothing has worked. Health visitor says we should keep feeding him solids - but he is blocked up, why should we make it worse!

None of us has got any sleep. Where do we go from here and what do I need to ask for?

Sorry to hear about how uncomfortable he is. Mine had Lactulose liquid and Laxido powder prescribed. We only ever used the laxido once which I think may be the same as the Movicol you mention as the lactulose did the trick combined with the bicycle kicks/stretches etc.

Thank you, I’ll try to get some from the pharmacy today.

The pharmacy wouldn’t give me anything without a GP prescription. Today we have tried, more prunes/water, massage, brown sugar in water, a warm bath, bicycle kicks, floor time etc. Nothing is working and he is in such pain, he’s squealing. It’s awful but we don’t know what else to try. I feel there’s probably a solid pebble poo that’s blocking the exit of the rest of the poo. If tonight is like last night was then I’m dreading it.

I wish we had never started weaning. It’s been nothing but bother for him. The poor thing is currently screaming in DH’s arms and there’s absolutely nothing we can do to help.

Sorry to hear that you're struggling. Constipation is the worst. My DD suffered from it from birth. In the country we live in (mainland Europe), glycerin suppositories are very normal and can be bought over the counter (even in the local supermarket!) and they were a godsend to us when she was in a lot of distress. Can you order some online?
Later on when she was properly weaned we switched to oral laxatives but when she was very little the suppository was infinitely easier to administer and much faster and more efficient.

Oh, poor you! That sounds so stressful.

Movicol worked well for my little one, though the issue started a bit later (maybe 10/11 months?) We started with half a sachet of movicol a day; now down to every other day and thinking of stopping entirely in a week. The GP prescribing it said once the baby is walking then gravity helps the digestive system. That feels very true for us though a bit far off for you.

I can see why you’re stressed, but I would push on with weaning - you’re going to have to introduce food at some point, and this is just part of your baby learning to deal with food.

I meant to say, maybe try some other high fibre weaning foods like wheetabix, veg, brown rice? The GP gave me this list: https://www.wsh.nhs.uk/CMS-Documents/Patient-leaflets/NutritionandDieteticService/5806-1HighFibreDietforChildren.pdf

I’ve been in your shoes and feel your stress levels.

When we eventually saw a really good paediatrician, her verdict was laxido (Movicol is the same stuff).

You can’t buy it over the counter for children. You can for adults, and if it’s of interest to you the only difference between adult and child doses is the child sachet is half the size of the adult one. It’s designed to rehydrate the dried out poo. 6-12 month old dose is 0.5-1 child sachet a day initially.

You also need the ERIC website in your life. It’s got really good info on it, and is recognised to be the best reference resource.

Consider whether dairy is part of the problem. It’s a common cause of constipation.

On the massage front, firmer may help. Particularly the knees up to chest together and clockwise circling with them. Literally helping to squeeze it out. Having applied some Vaseline to the exit point first.

And you’re right with needing to get things properly cleared and moving.

Did the pharmacy not advise you to call 111 for an out of hours GP appointment? If your baby is in that much distress then you definitely should and they should prescribe you some laxido that you could get either first thing tomorrow when the pharmacies open.

My dd always gets constipated when teething we use Melilax to clear the initial blockage then add psyllium husk to her yoghurt/ purées thereafter to keep things moving as a natural alternative.

We have been given Movicol and told to use 0.5 of a (paediatric) sachet daily until he produces two runny poos.

I have never heard him quite so distressed as he was last night. I’ve had barely any sleep. Still nothing in his nappy this morning but something was definitely hurting him very much. I feel so much for him, it’s awful to see him in such distress.

I wouldn't be giving a 7 month old high fibre foods. They set like concrete. After months of only milk, high fibre is only going to bung them up.
Pureed fruit and small quantities of cooked veg with small amounts of baby rice or mashed potato plus their milk was all we were advised to give before 1 year.

That sounds like a good start, but it sounds like the ‘if it doesn’t work to get things moving then come back’ bit was missed in the advice.

movicol is helpful, but may need more or a different approach to get the blockage cleared.

I gave him his second dose this morning, 1.5 hours later we were in the car, and… you have never seen anything like it! 😳 I am so pleased for him but also so sorry that he has been carrying that around with him. His tummy feels so much softer and less hard. We will keep on with it as directed until his poos are more watery.

Thank you everyone for the advice and moral support, it’s been a horrible few days!

Yay!

Do keep it up, theres probably more to come.

And keep an eye for reoccurrence, and potential links to food.

So glad to hear that it worked and hope little one feels much more comfortable now!

Does anyone know about when to stop a disimpaction regime in a baby/infant? The guidance of waiting for ‘brown water’ seemingly doesn’t apply as baby’s stools aren’t brown - and he is breastfed so there are lumps of fat in them.

Reason for asking is that I think the Movicol side effects have started to make him distressed - for the past 24 hours he is crying with wind and farts - but I know there’s no blockage any more so can only presume it’s a side effect?

Just don’t know what to do for the best

Also, is it true he now needs to be on this for years??!

He has pooed every day since Tuesday. Yesterday’s one was watery and some of it escaped the nappy and ran down his legs. This morning was smaller and fully absorbed by his nappy so guessing it was watery?

Please get some medical advice.

No, unless directed by a doctor you shouldn’t be medicating your child for years. Part of weaning is supporting the child to have more solid poos, I don’t know why you are wanting him to have liquid poos once no longer fully BF.

It was the GP who has “medicated my child,” @Dodgethis, due to impacted faecal matter. I think you have misunderstood what I ‘want.’

Fair enough. I was answering your question about whether the child needed to stay on it indefinitely.

I see - the reason I’m worried about that is I’ve looked on old threads etc and it seems that once on Movicol, children very rarely seem to come off it and are on a ‘maintenance dose’ for years - something that wasn’t explained to me / I’m not keen on the sound of…

I think it depends on the reason they need to be on it. A local child I know has a bowel abnormality and will be on low dose movicol for life, or at least long term. Surely that is better than the pain and distress of repeated impaction? I think it is entirely possible that a number of children who develop impaction do have long term conditions that need to be managed.

People with chronic constipation issues use macro gel laxatives long term.

People with a one off issue don’t.

People who have a dairy / soya issue and like banning food off other children use them for about ten days after each time they eat something they shouldn’t have. And then can go months without needing them.

My general tactic was to wait til reached point of two sloppy ones and then wind the dose down over a couple of days and keep a close eye that things stayed ok. And if started having issues get back on it fast, as much easier to resolve as that point.

If you find reocurrent issues then can highly recommend keeping a food and poo diary.