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Original poster

Please help - newborn constipation

23 replies

djt87 · 23/08/2021 20:27

Hello, baby is 11 days old and formula fed. Since being born he has poo'd every two/three days and we haven't had a big poo as expected. All have been pretty small and the last two have been rock solid. Since Saturday night he has been tensing and screaming in pain and going so red as if he's trying to push so hard but nothing is coming out. I've tried absolutely everything, tummy massage, bicycle legs, warm bath even infacol. He is having enough wet nappies and is being winded fine(gas coming out from either end). I don't know what else to do. Has anyone else had this? And if so when does it get better? Seeing him hurting and screaming is making me sob so much. I feel a failure because I cannot help him feel better. I've also spoken to the midwife and she said she hasn't got cause for concern because he's having wet nappies, winding fine etc and that it's perfectly normal for babies to be constipated which is fine but doesn't make me feel any better seeing him in such pain 😢😢😢

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Wagglerock · 23/08/2021 20:29

Are you using powder formula? If so, try a bottle of ready made, that usually helps.

Original poster

djt87 · 23/08/2021 20:32

@Wagglerock
Hi, yes powdered at the moment and funnily enough he had a ready made earlier as we were out. Hoping that helps him then. I'm struggling seeing him scream in such bad pain. Thank you for your advice.

OP posts:

ThePlantsitter · 23/08/2021 20:37

Health visitor told me a drop of freshly squeezed (by you, from an orange, not out of a bottle) orange juice in a bottle of water would help and it did the trick for us.

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dementedpixie · 23/08/2021 20:40

Which formula is it?
Maybe they need to try a different one

dementedpixie · 23/08/2021 20:40

And dont give a newborn orange juice

ThePlantsitter · 23/08/2021 20:53

The orange juice advice - one drop in a bottle- was from a health visitor, which is why I said it.

Original poster

djt87 · 23/08/2021 21:12

@dementedpixie we give him cow and gate

OP posts:

PeasPeasPeasAreGoodForYou · 23/08/2021 21:18

You are not a failure
My LO was also constipated at that age.
I remember asking my HV too and she wasn't concerned either.
We just continued the bicycle legs, legs up to belly, massages in bath and it did come, it was afew days.
Keep doing what your doing and it'll come but be prepared for a messy one!

Letty3011 · 28/09/2021 15:23

I'm having the same problem with my baby hes on cow and gate and is almost 5 weeks old we assumed he was just adjusting to the formula but what your saying seems to be the same problem with our Son if you give him 100ml of cooled boiled water once or twice a day it seems to help a bit but were having to keep doing this otherwise he goes back to struggling to poo or not able to go for a couple of days I was considering changing formula and seeing how he got on but not sure if it will make him worse as he's been on cow and gate since he was born can anyone let me know if they have changed formula at this age and if it helped please?

DoItAfraid · 28/09/2021 15:26

Warm baths and continue with the massage. It will come.

FTEngineerM · 28/09/2021 15:45

@Letty3011 have you spoken to you HV/gp about giving that much water? Sometimes giving 200ml seems quite a lot for a baby of that age.

Letty3011 · 29/09/2021 12:08

Oh sorry didn't notice that my phones changed that part for some weird reason 30ML of water it's supposed to say😬 yeah I would agree 100ml could be too much, I had to give him 30ml of water yesterday just before dinner time and before midnight last night he had poo'd so we had a happy baby😊 we have had three different health visitors two said they aren't concerned and common for formula babies to be constipated but at the end of the day it's not them that's going through it and seems unfair for the babies to be getting in that bad a way for a poo another was an older woman and she recommended the boiled water, freshly squeezed drop of orange in water, tummy massages, exercise but said never to use prune juice or diluted orange the boiled water trick seems to be doing the job and hes still putting on weight etc so seems to be harmless☺️ but was considering changing his milk from cow and gate to see how he gets on as I don't think we should be having to give him boiled water not sure if it will do more damage than good though🤷🏻‍♀️

Mrsmch123 · 30/09/2021 03:34

My little one was constipated and we got told to give 5ml of water after each feed for one day only. If it didn't work then the gp said she would give us something. Thankfully after 2 lots of 5ml he was able to go. He was only 10 days old at the time.hope your little one is ok now

Willthewashingeverend · 30/09/2021 03:39

Im a midwife... constipation like this is normal but I appreciate it isn't nice. Please please do not give your baby orange juice or plain water....30ml is the totally daily amount of water a 6 month old should be having. If you want to give water then a teaspoon amount is the msx you should be giving. You could try a different formula to see if that helps but otherwise keep cycling legs, tummy massage, warm bath etc.

MrFlibblesEyes · 30/09/2021 09:31

Have you tried the cow and gate comfort formula? We switched our constipated ds to it and it was fantastic!

bubblebath62636 · 30/09/2021 14:50

We had this with DD, doctor advised us to switch to Aptamil (we buy the Aldi version) as its gentler on their tummies.

Harrysmummy246 · 30/09/2021 19:06

MW is wrong. That is not normal and is a concern.

Pickle2021 · 30/09/2021 19:58

Sound weird buy my Dr's advice and has worked for us - cold baby wipe and a gentle finger on the anus and gently rub in circular movements - I'm not saying stick your finger or anything up there 😂 it can stimulate a bowel movement apparently 🤷🏼‍♀️

LittleBearPad · 30/09/2021 20:02

@bubblebath62636

We had this with DD, doctor advised us to switch to Aptamil (we buy the Aldi version) as its gentler on their tummies.

Formula is formula. The same company makes C&G and Aptamil. It’s just a branding difference.

Yummymummy2020 · 30/09/2021 20:34

My gp told us to add 10 ml extra of water to her next few bottles. We did it and it worked just fine. Funnily enough, it didn’t happen again. She said it’s really common with formula fed babies and not to worry. I know how horrible it is watching them struggle!!!

bubblebath62636 · 30/09/2021 20:41

Formula is formula. The same company makes C&G and Aptamil. It’s just a branding difference.

There is slight differences between them in regards to actual ingredients.

Yes I'm aware they're made by the same company.

lynntheyresexpeople · 03/10/2021 01:51

Please don't give a newborn water or juice! God that's such bad advice

ohthestruggles · 03/10/2021 08:56

It is okay to give a newborn an oz of cooled boiled water for constipation. My LO had dyschezia..I think that's what it's called anyway. Where he hated the sensation and feeling of needing to poo and would wriggle/cry/strain etc. But it would always come eventually and he was never constipated. Common in babies at about 6 weeks apparently and resolved spontaneously.

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