Constipation in a newborn

[MammaMia]

I have a lovely friend who has just welcomed a wonderful little boy into her life.

At 12 days old, he seems to be constipated. It has been 5 days since he did a poo. SHe has been to the GP and he has suggested massaging his tummy - she has done this and no result.

Anyone had a similar experience or have any suggestions?

Signed
Yours in poo

[tickle]

Yours in poo,
Is the baby breast or formula fed? My DS would easily go 7 - 10 days with no poo when he was a newborn.

[~Danni~]

we had this prob with DD although it was only bout three days, we rang the hospital midwives and were told to rub a little olive oil around her anus:eek: poor thing but it did work (along with the tummy massage)

[MammaMia]

Baby is breastfed, but has had a couple of comp bottles.

I knew that breastfed babies could go a while without pooing, but thought this was when they were a little older.

All hints gratefully received and being read by my lurking dear friend.

[Pixie]

yep circular tummy massage clockwise, I alsoo gave Eliza som cooled down boiled water which helped.

[Ange&Seth]

Might seem like a drastic measure, but we used Microlax Micro Enemas on medical advice, when DS was only a few weeks old because he did a poo that was rock hard and there was a little blood as well. The enemas are fantastic and work within 5 mins to give instant relief to bubby. We always have one or two in the medicine cabinet 'just in case' DS gets that badly contipated again.

You can get them from the chemist without a prescription, I think a box of 4 will cost about $6 or $7.

DP is just telling me that the chemist he first bought them from kept trying to deter him from buying them saying 'have you tried this, have you tried that' so tell your friend that if this happens, to stand her ground and let it be known she has tried tummy massage etc. Even if she doesn't use them, it might be handy to have a backup IYKWIM.

Good luck to your friend and I hope bubby feels better soon :fingerscrossed:

[gillianf]

A tip that worked for us with Matthew (cos he was comp fed as well) was some cooled boiled water (about 50ml) with a teaspoon of *brown* sugar. Worked like a um...bomb. :D

[Ange&Seth]

just thought I'd better add that we tried the brown sugar thing too, before the enemas but it didn't work :( But I'd still try that before the enemas.

[veve]

hey :)

- sorry that a new mum is having such a stressful time... nothing worse than a sick or uncomfortable bubba!! :hugs:

- I'd try the massage... and maybe hopping INTO a nice warm bath with bubs (maybe with the heater on in the bathroom.. since it is winter) - if Jack went a day without a poo a long warm bath with me usually fixed it (lovely boy .. at least waited till we were out of the bath :smiliedance: :laughing: ) - put on some music and take some bathtoys in .. I know that baby is newborn.. but at least talking to bubs about the toys can break the monotony for mum!!! lol

- Jack also loved his bottle of cool boiled water .. and at one point I considered adding 5 mls of prune juice.. (he must have see me buy the bottle immediately freaked... cause within 1/2 an hour.. voila he had gone!! I didn't have a chance to offer the juice!! )

- definately leave the enemas till the absolute last option - and I'd see a gp first...
and they should only EVER be used as a one off.. as the body can become dependent on them really quite quickly ..

- I too had heard about the brown sugar.. but CHNs FREAK if you mention it .. lol .. it is up to you though... bfed babies can apparently go AGES without a poo .. despite the stress it is obviously causing mum!

good luck dear lurker
(any friend of Mmia is a friend of mine!!)

xx
Jen

[draught]

I was always told that breastfed babies could go up to 12 days without a poo - DD2 certainly went 3 - 4 days for a few weeks at one time and after DD1 who went almost hourly it was a shock! A friend in mother's group had a baby that went once a week only, from very early on. So it is quite normal.

My question - is the baby unsettled? I worry about introducing things like prune juice, enemas and sugar to a baby that young if it is not actually in discomfort. I would persist with the tummy massage and the warm bath option - and keep pumping that breastmilk into him - and be prepared that when it does come out - oh boy will it be voluminous!!

[TwoBlue]

When DS Samuel was a baby he went just over 2 weeks without a poo !!! My Gp told me they dont worry about breastfed babes until its been 3 weeks !!
The maternal health line confirmed that also..

so my questions are

* by comp fed just how much is breast and how much bottle?
* as Theresa also said... is baby unsettled? If baby is quite happy, sleeping, feeding etc.. then i wouldnt worry about it just yet

[MrsTwith3]

My DS was like a few others on here. He went a whole 2 weeks without doing a poo as a newborn. If the baby is being comp fed it can interfere with the way the body is digesting its feeds by going from a very easily absorbed food(breastmilk) to a very hard and fatty food (formula) to digest.
Goodluck to your friends little bub. They will poo eventually.

[Me]

My dd went 13 days without movement. After 3 trips to the gp, trying every 'trick' in the book inc coloxyl drops we were up at the hospital with her and 5 mins before we got to see the paed she went. It turned out that she wasn't actually constipated she wasn't getting enough breastmilk despite being demand fed. the dr told me to feed at least once every 3 hrs whether it is demanded or not - day and night... if baby is unsettled just ensure that it is definately constipation rather than than the lack of feeding that I unfortunately experienced.

[iamstephyc]

My children all seem to have this problem off and on, since birth. My doctor said to try a very warm bath. It relaxes their muscles and makes it eaiser to go.
You start with a regular bath temp and keep adding a little hot at a time, (obviously being careful not to get too hot) and let them soak in it for a while.
Hope this helps.