Constipated Prem Baby :-(

[Jasa1911]

Hi ladies, I hope you don’t mind me jumping in on your board, but I could do with some advice from any one that might know.

I know my LO isn’t classed as severely Prem, she is 4 weeks old tomorrow, she was born at 34 weeks and I have only had her home a week and a half as she was in NICU for two and a half weeks.

Anyway since she has been home and I had to hand back my hospital grade breast pump my milk has started to slow down quite a lot (She won’t latch on, she will only take feeds from a bottle - although she is trying harder to latch these days she still doesn’t 'get' it and has tantrums until i get a bottle.) So I have had to substitute with formula - I’m using Aptimel first baby milk.
The last few days she has been going bright red when pushing and her nappies only have a small bit of poo in - it’s like she trumps and just gets a bit of colour in her nappy. She has had a couple of bowel movements though.

It’s the pushing that concerning me, today it’s got to the point that she wakes herself up pushing and cries until she can’t push anymore. Then she settles again - but no poop?!

I have tried the boiled water but she spits it back up - Also with her being so young, how much should I even try and give her? She’s not even supposed to be here yet lol!

Is there anything else anyone can recommend? I have spoken to the Neonatal nurses and the HV but they all say as long as she is having at least one bowel movement a day then not to worry - But they don’t see the pain she seems to be in...

Any ideas, I’m getting so upset for her xx

 

[Josephs_Daddy]

Hi! (although, I'm not a lady, I hope I can help!)

My son was 13 weeks early, and is now just over 2 years old. He still takes Lactulose which he was on even whilst still in SCU.

Joseph used to get to the point where he'd push so much he would scream and cry in terror and pain. He even split his little bum and bled very often.

He's been up to Newcastle a few times as doctors initially thought they'd have to make a small incision in his bum to ease the strain.

He suffered badly. So it's not uncommon but I would suggest visiting your GP or your consultant, it might be worth mentioning Lactulose. My son also used Movicol for a small period of time but it had completely the OPPOSITE effwect, and well, without too much detail, made him go TOO easily

Hope this helps!

 

[Marleysgirl]

My little boy was put onto Lactulose about six months ago, and switched to Movicol three months ago - we've just about balanced the dosage against effect now. However he is much older than your littl'un ...

When he was much younger, we would give A some extremely diluted orange juice. Only a tiny bit of juice, diluted in some boiled water, and he'd only have a few sips ... but it would work, it loosened him up.

 

[Jasa1911]

Thanks both

The pharmacist gave me some lactulose this afternoon... I have given her 1ml as she's so small the 2.5ml seemed like so much!! I'll up the dosage if this doesn't work in a few days!

Thanks again... Sounds like you have been through a lot with ur little miracles , hope they are both doing great xx

 

[AP]

Good luck ! We found it really helped!