Hi All
Long time reader, first time poster
I registered just to give info after seeing queries about constipation.
My first baby is now 7 weeks old and has gone through hell with the constipation. It was so terrible that for five weeks she had a three day cycle of exhaustion from finally pooing after having alsorts of concoctions to get her bowels emptied, day two semi tired and grizzly and day three screaming in agony because she couldn't go.
We went through hospital midwifes, and plunket and now doctors and hospital referrals.
As I am on heavy medications for complications and have been very ill we are bottle feeding.
The first formula Karicare Immune Gold is known for causing the constipation, we didn't know and that started the problems. Two weeks later we changed to Nurture Gold Starter 1, was slightly better however still constipated. We have now changed to Novalak formula for constipated babies and it has made a 90% difference! The baby now poos however still needs other help to keep the motions soft.
When the poo is dark green and slimy it is due to too much iron in the system. The poo will bank up in the body until it explodes with help of laxatives etc. To get our baby to poo regularly which has only started to happen the last few days we do the following:
Only use Novalak for Constipated Babies - it has less iron in it and is made in France. I am in New Zealand and don't see why it wouldn't be available anywhere else. It is available in the supermarket. We went from one poo every three days with the doctor and other medication help to three poos a day with some crying and pushing.
The doctor has prescribed lactalose baby laxative syrup, we use this when she is having troubles.
Daily give 100mls of water warmed with half a teaspoon of brown sugar. If the baby will take the water without sugar that is best as the sugar and keep them awake, also some medical professionals don't agree with giving sugar daily.
Prune Juice - Put four pitted prunes from the packet into a cup with 3/4 cold water. Microwave for two minutes - strain the juice into a bowl make sure there aren't any bits baby will choke on. Give 20mls in a bottle warmed every one or two days.
The prune juice will last two days you need to remake. I keep a small bottle in the fridge and replace every two days.
All the massage and warm bath ideas help, also cycling their legs gently helps to loosen their muscles.
The baby still cries at the moment when she is straining to push the motions out however not screaming like she was. We are waiting to be seen by the hospital doctors next.
I hope this helps anyone with the same problems as it as awful to go through and all the nurses and professionals had different advice and didn't agree with each other. In the end we do abit of everything do what works for the baby.
Long time reader, first time poster
I registered just to give info after seeing queries about constipation. My first baby is now 7 weeks old and has gone through hell with the constipation. It was so terrible that for five weeks she had a three day cycle of exhaustion from finally pooing after having alsorts of concoctions to get her bowels emptied, day two semi tired and grizzly and day three screaming in agony because she couldn't go.
We went through hospital midwifes, and plunket and now doctors and hospital referrals.
As I am on heavy medications for complications and have been very ill we are bottle feeding.
The first formula Karicare Immune Gold is known for causing the constipation, we didn't know and that started the problems. Two weeks later we changed to Nurture Gold Starter 1, was slightly better however still constipated. We have now changed to Novalak formula for constipated babies and it has made a 90% difference! The baby now poos however still needs other help to keep the motions soft.
When the poo is dark green and slimy it is due to too much iron in the system. The poo will bank up in the body until it explodes with help of laxatives etc. To get our baby to poo regularly which has only started to happen the last few days we do the following:
Only use Novalak for Constipated Babies - it has less iron in it and is made in France. I am in New Zealand and don't see why it wouldn't be available anywhere else. It is available in the supermarket. We went from one poo every three days with the doctor and other medication help to three poos a day with some crying and pushing.
The doctor has prescribed lactalose baby laxative syrup, we use this when she is having troubles.
Daily give 100mls of water warmed with half a teaspoon of brown sugar. If the baby will take the water without sugar that is best as the sugar and keep them awake, also some medical professionals don't agree with giving sugar daily.
Prune Juice - Put four pitted prunes from the packet into a cup with 3/4 cold water. Microwave for two minutes - strain the juice into a bowl make sure there aren't any bits baby will choke on. Give 20mls in a bottle warmed every one or two days.
The prune juice will last two days you need to remake. I keep a small bottle in the fridge and replace every two days.
All the massage and warm bath ideas help, also cycling their legs gently helps to loosen their muscles.
The baby still cries at the moment when she is straining to push the motions out however not screaming like she was. We are waiting to be seen by the hospital doctors next.
I hope this helps anyone with the same problems as it as awful to go through and all the nurses and professionals had different advice and didn't agree with each other. In the end we do abit of everything do what works for the baby.
