HELP.... Constipated baby!

[Jasa1911]

Hi all...

Hope you and your LO's are all well:

My daughter 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 ti hand back my hospital grade breast pump my milk has started to slow down quite a lot (She wont latch on, she will only take feeds from a bottle - although she is trying harder to latch these days she still doesnt 'get' it and has tantrums until i get a bottle.) So I have had to substitute with formula - Im 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 - its like she trumps and just gets a bit of colour in her nappy. She has had a coupe of bowel movements though.

Its the pushing that concerning me, today its got to the point that she wakes herself up pushing and cries until she cant 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? Shes 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 dont see the pain she seems to be in...

Any ideas, im getting so upset for her xx

 

[Divinebeauty]

First off congrats on your little miracle.

Sorry to hear your LO is constipated. It really is no fun!!! I can't really give too much advice as am not BF my LO, and she was also much older when she got constipated. I would maybe check in the preemie boards for exact amount of water to give to your LO.

I do know that formula can be constipating until the baby gets used to it, this should ease up by some boiling water, I know there are other methods for constipation but I think it all depends on the babies age.

One thing that worked for us when Ava was a newborn, was gripe water, everytime we have her gripe water, she would have the biggest poop!!!

Hope you can get things sorted out for her soon, sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[holl1109]

Have u tried the comfort milk? X

 

[Jasa1911]

Have u tried the comfort milk? X

Not yet .... I have bought a ton of Ready Made cartons of the Firts stuff as she was doing ok on that!! Ill pop out and try some of it... would changing formula make her worse before it gets better?

She does have at least two EBM feeds a day... I was hoping that would help.... eek, its so difficult 'being mummy' and knowing whats right lol !!

I will ask on the prem board too!! thanks Ladies xx

 

[Supermaiden]

I gave my LO cooled boiled water, then I added 5ml apple juice to a 30ml bottle and gave before each feed for the night and he went. I dunno if it would help but my LO seems to poop when he has a slightly warmer bottle

 

[holl1109]

Have u tried the comfort milk? X

Not yet .... I have bought a ton of Ready Made cartons of the Firts stuff as she was doing ok on that!! Ill pop out and try some of it... would changing formula make her worse before it gets better?

She does have at least two EBM feeds a day... I was hoping that would help.... eek, its so difficult 'being mummy' and knowing whats right lol !!

I will ask on the prem board too!! thanks Ladies xx

I'm not sure tbh.

I give vinnie water too because he gets constipated. I noticed he improved straight away doing that. Hope u get it sorted it's so horrible seeing them in Pain xx

 

[IrishGirl]

Congrats on your LO hun

When our DD was born she suffered REALLY badThe only thing that worked for her was 2 tea spoons of organic brown suger in 3 onz of warm water.Does the trick everytime

 

[Loui1001]

it's awful when they're constipated

My LO had a few bad weeks at the beginning, baby massage for constipation helped him loads though. If you do a google search you'll find infor on what techniques to use.

HTH x

 

[Lau88]

My 4 week old is exactly the same. Boiled water n diluted orange haven't done much but I changed her milk to cow n gate comfort. She's not 100% yet but a lot better than she was n only been on it few days.

 

[daddiesgift]

You may need to switch formula. We were on soy and he strained soo bad when he pooped and it was barely any poop at all. We switched formula and now he has a movement every day and its nice and soft! He barely flinches when he poops now when before he would turn all red and cry also I was told to give him a little diluted prune juice to get things flowing.

 

[Jasa1911]

Thanks all!! I went to the pharmacy and they gave me lactulose! Fingers crossed this helps! If not I will try all of your tips!!
Thanks again xx

 

[miss h]

We got this with our LO because she was on infant gaviscon for her reflux. What we found worked was swapping to ready-made cartons for 24-48 hours. It was suggested by our health visitor and worked wonders. Because it is long-life the formulation is slightly different and something about it makes your LO poop easier. I swear by it! We used sma gold cartons but I am sure it is the same with aptimil.

 

[Jasa1911]

We got this with our LO because she was on infant gaviscon for her reflux. What we found worked was swapping to ready-made cartons for 24-48 hours. It was suggested by our health visitor and worked wonders. Because it is long-life the formulation is slightly different and something about it makes your LO poop easier. I swear by it! We used sma gold cartons but I am sure it is the same with aptimil.

I am currently using the cartons - doh! Maybe I have used them for too long?! Perhaps if I do it the other way and make a bottle from scratch it might help! I will try and see! Thanks xx

 

[Chezzer1]

Hi Jasa

I have just started a new thread with constipation info from our 7 week ordeal that will hopefully help you as we tried everything and found a product called Novalak for constipated babies that helps. The thread is called Constipation info. Good luck. Terrible time when they are in so much pain and scary. Mine was so bad last week she went white and limp like a rag doll was very scary!