Constipated baby?

[ebbyniko1108]

Hello everyone, my baby is 11 weeks old and is being mixed fed breastfeeding plus top up of formula. She is having problems pooing and really needs help to go and even vomits her milk when she is straining so hard. She was on aptamil organic but I thought it might be the formula and changed to hipp organic however there is no change.

I spoke to the gp again today to a doctor and explained the situation. The doctor asked me to stop breastfeeding for 3-4 days? I told her I wont stop because my milk supply might reduce and I don't understand why I should stop? Then she told me to stop the formula but my baby is hungry then and wont settle. She said she will call back after talking to a colleague and called after 1 hour to say that theres nothing they can do.

I dont know what to do because my baby is struggling! :(

How is the poo when it arrives? Is it hard or soft?

Can you increase breastmilk and reduce formula? Did they not suggest something like lactulose?

I did something called baby massage on my babies tummies. Don't just do it, go to a class as you have to do it in certain directions to work as it needs to follow the flow, and you need to be gentle but some pressure too. Worked for both my children albeit my DD still has issues at 13 so use lactulose from time to time

Both of mine had to use lactulose for a few days every so often at that age, just to get things moving again.

GP advice is awful! Bm is a natural laxative, if anything I would cut down on the formula but like @dementedpixie what is the consistency like when she poos?

My son got constipated at the age too. I used to lie him on his back, hold onto his legs and gently move them around in circles like he was riding a bike backwards. It gets everything moving. Make sure he's lying on an open nappy though!

Sorry just realised your baby is a girl. Apologies for saying "he".

Don't stop breastfeeding! That is terrible advice!!! You might not get the feeding going again if you switch to 100% formula, and it may also cause problems for you - mastitis, milk fever etc and your supply might start to dry up. At the very least you'll have painful, engorged boobs (unless you pump).

Breast milk is more likely to keep the poo soft in my opinion. Can you increase your supply by feeding more and cutting down a bit on formula? Might make a difference if it's the formula which is creating the constipation.

Try warm baths, leg cycling and circling, tummy massage before anything else. Good luck 🤞

My baby didn't poo for 2 weeks around this age, gp could feel the poo in her bowel and monitored every few days- we eventually were given a glucose suppository for her. She was cleared out within 10minutes.

I was exclusively breastfeeding btw

It is not as runny as it used to be. It comes out more shaped than liquid. But it is not too hard. She just struggles tho

Thank you for the advice! I wonder where I can find such classes?

The Gp advices they cant give any lactulose due to her age

I always first breastfeed. If she seems ok I leave the formula but if she is still unsettled and hungry then I top up with formula. So I always breastfeed and topping up is just if she is still hungry

I try cycling her legs as well but it doesnt really help☹️☹️

Hey! Thanks for your advice! I always breastfeed her and only top up with a bit of formula if my baby seems unsettled and still hungry. So I always breastfeed the most

The GP said they wont give anything because of her being so small

Are you happy combi feeding? I would try going ebf to see if that makes a difference.

Try cycling her legs or putting some wet cotton wool on her bum might help We used to put a few granules of brown sugar in cooled boiled water when mine were constipated..the latter is obviously outdated advice but it did work.

Wow terrible advice from your GP.

We had a similar issue, we started baby on Kendamil organic and the constipation cleared up.

Kendamil tastes sweeter than other formulas and I wonder if this acts as a laxative in the same way that lactulose works.

Babies are also allowed 1oz(30ml) max of extra water per day, if constipated and as hot as it has been I would try that too. Just not all the time.

Gove her 10 mls of cooled boiled water . It works wonders

YouTube for the constipation massage. Like a clockwise massage on their tummy. Mine are 10 and 13 so definitely check this first as my memory may not be serving me correctly.

I had 2 terribly constipated babies, I used to do warm bath, an ounce of cooled boiled water and the massage and it would often get them going.

They were prescribed movicol too (I can't remember what age) and that also helped.

Only thing that helped my DD was good quality probiotics!