Breastfed baby constipated (10 weeks old)

[Angelico]

Hi all, looking for advice! Our DD is EBF and always pooed every 2 days like clockwork.

She pooped last Wed so was due to poo on Fri. She didn't - and became a screaming, wind-wracked wreck on Fri night. Had to swaddle her to sleep. She slept so long on Sat (hard to wake all day) that we started to worry and phoned OOH doc for advice. Finally she pooped on Sat afternoon and was fine.

Fast forward to today - due to poo again. Instead she is letting out toxic wind and sleeping non-stop since this afternoon, very hard to wake again.

Advice we got on Sat was:
a) from MW at OOH - give her cooled boiled water with a few drops of prune juice.
b) from pharmacist - give her 2.5 ml lactulose twice a day.

We're trying to avoid either unless necessary but did any of you try these? Any other tips? She was at baby yoga / massage this morning so if anything thought poops would be flowing freely - maybe it's let enough wind out that she isn't screamy (or maybe that's in store for later... )

[LaCiccolina]

Yep tried, works like charms. Stand well clear! Also teaspoons of warm water/brown sugar works wonders!!!

One to give to dh tbh. Can be explosive. I did, he didn't duck. Never seen anything so funny as baby fart exploding on his chest from nappy table....

[StarOfLightMcKings3]

How often is she feeding and what is her weight gain like?

[LaCiccolina]

Boiled water obvs

[Angelico]

LaCiccolina did you add prune juice? Or just the boiled water?

Star she feeds every 2-3 hrs apart from longer ON stretch of about 5-6hrs. Weight gain good - my back is certainly feeling it!

[Angelico]

And LaCiccolina how much water did you give? Was it 1oz? More? Less?

[Loislane78]

is her poop actually 'hard' when it arrives or its just not as frequent?"

[Angelico]

No Lois it wasn't hard - totally normal and runny (but not too runny IYSWIM) which is why I was reluctant to introduce lactulose etc. It just seemed to take longer to get through her than usual and she was obviously getting agonising windpains :( She hasn't been as screamy and windy today but her gas is truly hazardous...

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

I give 5 ml of fresh orange juice with no bits twice a day after day two and always get a poo next day

[Angelico]

Fish is that safe? Sorry if that sounds stupid but she's so young I'm not sure if she's supposed to get citrus stuff.

[EauRouge]

Good god, don't give a 10 week old sugary water or fruit juice! It's normal for a breastfed baby to go a while without pooping. If the poo is not hard then it's not constipation. If your baby seems uncomfortable or windy then chat to a GP and a BF counsellor. Sorry, can't do links as am on phone but look up NCT or LLL.

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

Was on advice from HV and midwife, they said once absolutely no bits.i also mentioned it in passing to GP who nodded along so I'm assuming it's fine

[Angelico]

EauRouge it was MW who suggested the cooled water with a few drops of prune juice. I didn't know if this was 'old school' advice. It seems to be more slow transit than actual constipation. I was on ABs for 5 days last week so wondering if that might be the culprit. If so, how do I build up DD's 'good' bacteria again?

[Angelico]

Thanks Fish - how old was your wee one at the time? Were they as young as 10 weeks?

[armedtotheteeth]

If the poo is runny she isn't actually constipated and in any case i wouldn't personally give fruit juice to such a young baby.

No advice on how to solve the pain though sorry!

[armedtotheteeth]

Sorry x-posted massively!

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

Younger, 6 weeks now and was a couple of weeks ago

[Angelico]

Thanks Fish :) Will see how we get on ON and might get some prune juice in at least... The poop, when it finally arrived on Sat, filled nappy and exploded down leg of babygrow, requiring a complete bath to clean up!

[EauRouge]

Yes it is old school advice and contradicts NHS guidance. I would seek a second opinion, HCPs should not be giving out advice like that for such a young baby.

[Loislane78]

She's obviously in some discomfort but doesn't sound like constipation and infrequent poops totes normal. Could well be the abs....

Would question the juice advice tbh and water usually for ff babies when constipated

[MimsyBorogroves]

It sounds more like the ABs than constipation to me. My DS reacted in much the same way when I was on them too.

DS2 once went 15 days without a poo when he was a couple of months old. He was sitting in the car seat when he finally went. I actually saw some burst through the neck of his top.

[EauRouge]

Oh, I miised the bit about ABs- quite common for babies to react. The best thing you can give her is breastmilk, it's the perfect thing for babies Fruit juice is just as likely to make her worse.

[Angelico]

Well happily after waking her up and her taking a huge feed the poops liberated themselves without any extra help. Thanks for all the answers and advice - will remember it for next time, if there is one...!

And Mimsy PMSL at poo erupting from neck - an unforgettable moment to treasure... :o

[ThreeWheelsGood]

We're having this problem. My midwife recommended I drink a glass of orange juice a day, apparently the acidity should pass through my breastmilk.

She also recommended baby massage, baths, and squeezing her big toes (reflexology?!).