Can breastfed babies get constipated?

[noopy]

I think my poor little 8 week old is constipated... i'm sure its only the beginning but she hasn't pooed in about 20 hours. she usually poos about 7 out of the 8 or so nappies a day.

shes now has this high pitched squeal every time she tries to poo but nothing comes out - not even a fart. she seems to be in a bit of pain (but the baby bjorn settles her and bending her little legs up when she's on the change table).

i read somewhere that breastfed babies don't get contipated. is this true?

if not, then what else could be the problem? if she is constipated, then what can i do to make her feel better, and/or even prevent it from happening again???

TIA

[Nex]

They can hang onto poo for up to a week at times, ...but then watch out!

And it's normal.

If she's trying to go and not succeeding. Try 30 ml of warm water with 1/4 tsp brown sugar. Give this to her a few times a day. The extra liquid helps and the brown sugar is a very gentle laxative.

Also a warm bath and a belly massage in a clockwise direction can help too.

With my DD while she was obviously getting plenty of nutrition from my milk she would do rabbit pellet poos that were a huge effort to pass. I found that giving her a bit of extra water was all that was needed. Build up in small amounts, AFTER feeds, until you works out how much she needs. It was about 100ml per day for my DD. The brown sugar isn't necessary unless she is constipated.

[pookiesossige]

Maybe extra feeds is required? Honestly... I'm a bit iffy about giving such tiny babies sugar and water. I don't believe that their system can cope with it, and it can have an impact on their intake of breastmilk despite only offering it after a feed.

Extra feeds are essential in hot weather- I'd be making sure that you're not leaving the usual time between feeds and are getting a few extra ones in every day. Maybe that will make a difference :)

[MrsTwith3]

Both my boys would go anywhere up to 14days without doing a poo. They were both exclusively b/f. By around 8-10days they would do the most horrific smelling farts that would stick in your clothes and when they finally went it would be HUGE! It was never solid/firm more like soft serve ice cream consistency.
As PP said I would offer the breast more to encourage more fluids if bub seems to be uncomfortable.
If bub becomes increasingly unsettled and in pain then please take them to see a doctor as it may not be constipation. (sorry not trying to scare you but better to be safe then sorry)

[c38]

It is unusual for a BF baby to get constipated. And I would be reluctant to offer water to such a young bub and be more inclined as Pookiesossage suggested to offer more frequent feeds for a day or so first..
Around 6-10 weeks the gut matures a bit and a lot of Bf babies change from frequent poos (ie with every feed) to often only going once a day to once a week-10+days or so. DS used to only go about every 5-7 days (until he started solids...now its daily again:() Often around this time a lot of mum's in my mums group (me included) commented that they pass a lot of really smelly wind..this also settles and you find they only do it close to when they are building up to a poop. Its normal as they digest the milk so well there is hardly any waste generated...

[reAllytee]

I agree with everyone else ... Again also with the water, it isnt necessary.

Anyways its normal for ANY baby b/f or ff to get windy & uncomfortable etc their systems are little they are trying to grow & that involves lots of drinking of milk which means belly pains.

Make her comfortable by massaging, baths etc ... Sadly its just one of those things.

[traseal]

ds just went through this. He is 7 weeks tomorrow and a few days ago he didnt do a poo for two and half days...today he did ALOT and some real FULL ones too. He does them little squeels also but i find when he tries to push there is never anything but he can be asleep and out of no where it all rains down. I just kept thinking it might be a sensation they get for hen there poos are solid to build them muscles??
Anyway all normal....watch out when it rains though ahaha

[misskittyfantastico]

Tis normal:yes:. DS would poo every 10 days...leading up to the pooplosion he would be very grumpy and sad. Belly rubbing helped.

[Miss_Vicki]

seams abnormal to me , but then mines pooes 5 or more times a day its rediculuse , i demand feed, maybe bubs needs more feeds ?

[noopy]

thanks everyone for your replies but i guess my LO wasnt constipated after all! about 30 mins after i posted that she pooed!!!! i was sooooooo relieved. and it was normal poo too - not pellet like or anything. and has been going many times again since too!

and just for the record, i was giving her belly rubs a lot (did seem to calm her down), nice warm (38 degrees) deep baths covering her belly, and was feeding her 2-3 hourly instead too (as opposed to 3-4 hourly). i had googled it tho and i kept reading that they usually poo when feeding cos they are relaxed so i got her as relaxed as i could and then VOLIA!!!!! ;)

[Pax]

I have been pondering the same dilemma myself with my baby.

i have had 5 babies now and this is the first one to do 'solidish' poo's when breastfed so young.

the other kids poo's were very soft, this one has firmer poos, still soft but firmer. and OMG the grunting she goes on with.

poor bub :(

[reAllytee]

As long as they are soft its all good .... Constipation is something thats diagnosed by having consistant pellets as each bowel movement or not going at all which then leads to compaction.

Just keep on feeding !