3.5 week old, No poo for 4 days...remind me again...

[Faithful Mumma]

My beautiful little DD baby is 3.5 weeks old.

We were expressing and doing EBM with two bottles of formula per 24 hours (my supply couldn't keep up with the expressing) up until Sunday....from Monday she has been feeding off me (after overcoming a Posterior Tongue Tie, High Palate & Mastitis!!), and as my supply has increased she went to one bottle of formula in 24hours, to NONE AT ALL now.

I thought she was starting to get a bit blocked up when I was still expressing, and wondered if it was the formula, but she went to the Osteo on Monday, and whatever he did made her do the BIGGEST POO you have ever seen, and she did the same again on Tuesday (which had some chunky bits in it)...but she hasn't pooed since, so thats 4 days today.

I think (If I remember correctly from my older dd and my ds) that breastfed babies can go up to 10 days without pooing??? But I am just a bit concerned because she has had formula in her system up till 24 hours ago, that this is what is causing her not to poo??

Thoughts??? She is farting like a trooper and has LOADS of wet nappies.
She doesn't seem uncomfortable, but her tummy is really hard and tight.

Is there anything I can do? I have tried some gentle downward massage on her lower belly (my gp showed me how to do this with my first dd).

Thanks in advance!

[Faithful Mumma]

bump

[onthefly]

Hi!
Lots of wet nappies is good. Usually, in the first 2 months or so, we would expect poo every day (often several times a day) for a fully breastfed baby. Once they get older they can go weeks without pooing as their digestive systems get more efficient.
There are always exceptions though, so it is best to look at the whole picture. Ie, number of wet nappies, weight gains, settledness, alertness, etc...
The best thing you can do right now is feed, feed, feed
REmember you can always call the ABA for these sorts of questions if you need a quick reply - 1800-686-2-686

[Sagres]

Thats a tough one to answer because of the formula and BM that would be in her system. But yes, a fully BF baby can go heaps longer without a poop. If she seems comfortable and farting OK I would tend to think things were OK?

[Amity]

My fully BF bub (although with some formula top ups) went for 21 days without a poo.

Yes you read it right. Twenty-one.

I ended up washing the baby, the cot, the sheets, the walls, and the curtains.... of course it was 4am as well!

Try not to stress to much. The MCHN and dr will only get concerned after 3 weeks. Well that was what I was told...

[Faithful Mumma]

Lol Divvy! Haha, thats funny! I remember having to carry the car seat in once and literally pour the poo down the toilet once with my DD1!

Think I will wait it out a few days. It wouldn't worry me so much if she was a bit older, and hadn't had the formula.
She did seem a bit uncomfortable before, but after some mega big farts, that are sooo smelly she was okay again.
Have been feeding lots today to see if that helps.

Thanks so much again!

[crumpet]

my DD is formula fed BUT at mothers group the other day they were talking about BF bubs and pooh and i did hear something about it being normal for a BF bub to not poop for 7-10days....

HTH..

[Beach Mama]

If she is farting and wee'ing I would just give it time - does she seem in any pain with the firm tummy? Massaging is really good, and a warm bath might help things get moving. My DS once went 12 days and I was told 14 was normal in b'fed babies although he was a bit older and hadn't had any formula. If you are concerned can you call your MCHN or the ABA and see what they say?? Now that she is only having breastfeeds I would think she will go again soon. xoxox