kezz_howland
mummy to one and ttc
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I haven't slept all night due to my LO's grunting, pushing and straining. I have read that it is normal looking at random posts on the internet, and I also found this (feel free to not read it all, but just to give anyone else with same problem an idea):
Grunting Baby Syndrome
It may be the bane of my professional existence but it isnt found in the major pediatric textbooks. Its the source of stress and confusion for so many young parents. And too often its misunderstood if not mismanaged. Its grunting baby syndrome.
The baby with grunting baby syndrome will push, squeeze, grunt, change color and carry on only to produce a soft bowel movement. Parents will report that their baby is constipated and seek help. Very often were lead down the down the primrose path searching for a solution. But there is no problem. The grunting babys problem is one of primitive incoordination. While we all take for granted our understanding of the need for simultaneous relaxation of the pelvic floor and abdominal pressure to poop, not all babies have this figured out. And its this lack of coordination that makes us believe that our babies are in trouble.
A common trap for parents and even pediatricians is to stimulate the GBS baby with a thermometer or a cotton swab. When the anus is stimulated, babies exhibit whats referred to as an anal wink. When this happens the bottom relaxes ever so briefly but just enough to allow rectal contents to be eliminated.
The reason this is a trap is that it actually works. And because it works so well we do it again and again. But as the baby becomes accustomed to pooping with stimulation it comes to be that the baby can only poop when stimulated (thus the trap).
The baby with grunting baby syndrome is best left to work out her issues on her own. The simple timing of elimination is something that we all sort out early on and we shouldnt interfere. As difficult as it may be to watch, the short-term relief of rectal stimulation is never a good long-term solution. Parents of babies with GBS will often look for help after weeks of continuous bottom tweaking and failure of a baby to poop on her own. After a thorough history, physical, and exclusion of other causes I educate the family on GBS and suggest a slow withdrawal of stimulation with the understanding that baby will figure it out.
But up until now it's usually been for a few hours in the night and he mostly sleeps soundly during the day. However, last night it started at 2am, and has carried on through the entire night, with almost no breaks. He woke himself up once and has been really grumpy all morning. He wouldn't sleep and when I finally got him down for a nap this morning (after a 20 min walk in the pram) he fell asleep, but has been grunting all the way through it. He pood last night and again this morning, perfectly normal poo. He also has a lot of gas and seems to strain to pass that too.
He is 4 weeks old tomorrow and is fed aptimil formula. Does anyone have the same problem this extreme? I can cope with lack of sleep etc, but seeing him like this I can't help thinking he's in pain or uncomfortable, or that he's gonna give himself a bloomin hernia, even though he sleeps through it mostly. It breaks my heart and when he does it for ages and ages (especially when I'm tired) it makes me cry watching him.
Grunting Baby Syndrome
It may be the bane of my professional existence but it isnt found in the major pediatric textbooks. Its the source of stress and confusion for so many young parents. And too often its misunderstood if not mismanaged. Its grunting baby syndrome.
The baby with grunting baby syndrome will push, squeeze, grunt, change color and carry on only to produce a soft bowel movement. Parents will report that their baby is constipated and seek help. Very often were lead down the down the primrose path searching for a solution. But there is no problem. The grunting babys problem is one of primitive incoordination. While we all take for granted our understanding of the need for simultaneous relaxation of the pelvic floor and abdominal pressure to poop, not all babies have this figured out. And its this lack of coordination that makes us believe that our babies are in trouble.
A common trap for parents and even pediatricians is to stimulate the GBS baby with a thermometer or a cotton swab. When the anus is stimulated, babies exhibit whats referred to as an anal wink. When this happens the bottom relaxes ever so briefly but just enough to allow rectal contents to be eliminated.
The reason this is a trap is that it actually works. And because it works so well we do it again and again. But as the baby becomes accustomed to pooping with stimulation it comes to be that the baby can only poop when stimulated (thus the trap).
The baby with grunting baby syndrome is best left to work out her issues on her own. The simple timing of elimination is something that we all sort out early on and we shouldnt interfere. As difficult as it may be to watch, the short-term relief of rectal stimulation is never a good long-term solution. Parents of babies with GBS will often look for help after weeks of continuous bottom tweaking and failure of a baby to poop on her own. After a thorough history, physical, and exclusion of other causes I educate the family on GBS and suggest a slow withdrawal of stimulation with the understanding that baby will figure it out.
But up until now it's usually been for a few hours in the night and he mostly sleeps soundly during the day. However, last night it started at 2am, and has carried on through the entire night, with almost no breaks. He woke himself up once and has been really grumpy all morning. He wouldn't sleep and when I finally got him down for a nap this morning (after a 20 min walk in the pram) he fell asleep, but has been grunting all the way through it. He pood last night and again this morning, perfectly normal poo. He also has a lot of gas and seems to strain to pass that too.
He is 4 weeks old tomorrow and is fed aptimil formula. Does anyone have the same problem this extreme? I can cope with lack of sleep etc, but seeing him like this I can't help thinking he's in pain or uncomfortable, or that he's gonna give himself a bloomin hernia, even though he sleeps through it mostly. It breaks my heart and when he does it for ages and ages (especially when I'm tired) it makes me cry watching him.
xxx
xxx
