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Parenting

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Original poster

Colic/dyschezia/reflux - help!

11 replies

Nellie2710 · 15/12/2022 13:31

I am a FTM to a nearly 5 week old baby. Just looking for some advice

Until about week 3 she was doing really well, no problems and settling well. She then started having real troubles going for a poo. She is exclusively breast fed and it looked like she was really straining and screaming out trying to go. This lasted for about 30 minutes each time before she was able to go. She is not constipated so that's not the problem. I did a bit of research and came to the conclusion she probably had dyschezia. I read a few posts that said they had babies with similar problems and Infacol worked. We tried Infacol and within a day she was pooing without any pain and I thought we'd solved the problem. However she then started getting worser reflux, sicking up a lot and being congested which was then affecting her sleep. So we stopped Infacol and the reflux got a bit better but the straining to poo started again. When she hit 1 month we decided to try gripe water instead. However being breastfed and having to give 5ml after feeding doesn't work for us as it's too much to give by syringe, she spits it out and then she wakes up and cries and I end up having to feed her again.

So my question is, is there anything out there to treat trapped wind that doesn't make reflux worse? I feel stuck between choosing which problem is worse, the reflux or the pooing!

Or do you think I should just leave it and let her body manage it itself?

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SweetLemon123 · 15/12/2022 13:37

Do you burp her after each feed? I am sometimes lazy and don’t do it - that could makE wind worse.

I would say the less interference the better. Also, breastfed babies can not poo up to a week, so the fact she is pooing is good. Babies generally poo for longer etc - doesn’t necessarily mean she is constipated - it’s just harder for them. Is the poo hard? Or harder than normal?

pzyck · 15/12/2022 13:44

Seriously consider CMPA. Try going dairy free and see if that resolves it, this sounds exactly like our DD was still at 10 weeks old and it stopped overnight after cutting out dairy.

Original poster

Nellie2710 · 15/12/2022 14:40

@SweetLemon123 I do try to wind her after every feed but she rarely brings anything up. I'm not too worried if she doesn't poo it's more that when she tries she looks like she's in a lot of pain! Poo is normal each time, not hard or anything.

@pzyck thank you, I did consider this at one point but couldn't be sure. How religiously did you cut dairy out? I'm not a massive dairy eater as it is but consume foods with dairy in it, mainly chocolate at the moment! So did you cut out the main groups, or did you cut out all foods containing any hint of dairy?

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pzyck · 15/12/2022 15:16

Dairy is dairy, you have to eliminate it completely else the proteins will remain in your bloodstream. I can't even eat a small bag of crisps that have a tiny amount of powdered milk for the seasoning without it causing issues.

Original poster

Nellie2710 · 16/12/2022 11:11

Thanks @pzyck her nappy this morning seems more mucousy and stringy, so feeling like it could be CMPA so will start cutting out today

OP posts:

SamanthaVimes · 16/12/2022 11:34

My DS had trouble pooing after a few weeks. I took him to a cranial osteopath and it helped immediately (went from really struggling and only going every other day / every third day to 3 poos the day of treatment and at least one a day since)

I’m sure it would have got better on its own in time but he was miserable so I was happy to get it sorted.

FrizzledFrazzle · 16/12/2022 19:15

Isn't dyschezia a developmental phase?

Right after being born babies basically poop after/during every feed. Then they get a bit bigger and start to coordinate the pooping muscles themselves. They need to learn to relax the bum muscle but tighten the muscles that squeeze the poop out (sorry to be graphic). Dyschezia happens when they squeeze both muscles. And make all kinds of odd grunting noises because they can't work out why they aren't pooping.

My DS did this for about 2 weeks or so and then got it figured out.

Original poster

Nellie2710 · 17/12/2022 13:38

Thanks @SamanthaVimes I will look into this :)

@FrizzledFrazzle you are right, I just hate seeing her in so much discomfort I thought there might be something we could do! She does seem to be much better now though and we stopped the Infacol so hopefully she is learning

OP posts:

Feedingnightmare · 23/12/2022 00:25

OP I could write this post myself!!! I also have a 5 week old and literally have the same things going on. Only difference is I cut out dairy at week 2 as my eldest also had CMPA. It helped at the time but now as I said... she's pretty much back to screaming her head off before every fart or poo. I started her on Colief but don't think it's doing much...perhaps it is just a waiting game! Please do keep us posted on how she progresses...I need some hope!

QUANTUMGRAPE · 20/02/2023 21:02

Hi Feedingnightmare just wondering how yours resolved? I have a LG who is constantly struggling. Have been doing colief and cut out dairy (only on day 6) but little seems to help her.

Feedingnightmare · 21/02/2023 11:24

@QUANTUMGRAPE still struggling I'm afraid. She seemed to improve gradually with probiotics but ever since she had her 12 week jabs it seems we're back to square one. Sorry I don't have any solutions for you! :(

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