DS is nearly 24 weeks, and is mix fed (1 small bottle of formula a day). He poos once/twice a week, and is always hugely uncomfortable for about 24 hours before he goes.
He has been constipated virtually since birth (not just infrequent poos, but often quite solid, even when he was EBF - it's not true that breastfed babies don't ever get constipated apparently!)
Docs have been very sympathetic, but basically said there was nothing they could do while he was tiny - he's had suppositories, but they just gave us a few days' relief, then back to normal.
We've tried cutting out the formula, giving different brands of formula, nothing really makes a difference. Watering down the formula a huge amount, or offering another very dilute bottle of formula (equating to an extra 3-5oz of water on top of the 5oz he has to go with the 5 scoops of powder, iykwim), helps a bit, but I can't believe this is terribly good for him - all that extra water. The day after we do a major watering down (on doc's advice) his poo is incredibly explosive, liquid, smelly etc, and he is quite uncomfortable while everything's clearing out.
The doc has basically said there's not a lot of point doing more investigation until he's weaned, as it may well sort itself out when there's more bulk going through. The only other thing he can offer is a small dose of lactulose (I think, or maybe movicol, can't remember which one he said in the end), but I kind of feel if he's having something other than BM/formula, it may as well be something 'proper' like fruit, which might help him go, rather than forcing the issue with something like lactulose, which might make him a bit uncomfortable.
So, I'm not in any way sugggesting that any of you lot replace doc's advice (he is happy to either try weaning or lactulose, I think he thinks I'm mad for not having weaned already!) but what would you do? Wean 2 weeks early, struggle of for 2 weeks more watching your DC in discomfort, or try lactulose and risk making him more uncomfortable, but possibly improving it?