Bub is only pooing every cpl of days, help?

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if I need to give bub anything. 2 weeks ago we introduced a formula top up & now bub seems to be struggling to poo. Her poo 3 days ago was a thicker consistency than she usually has. She was pooing 6ish times a day and now it's every few days she will do a poo. She was pushing & straining & crying yesterday but still hasn't done one. We have infant coloxyl but I'm apprehensive, should I give her some? I've tried warm baths, massaging, cycling legs, holding her knees up but She is still pushing & crying but nothing :(

Poor little thing.
When you say the poo is thicker, is it formed at all?
could you drop or cut back on the formula? I'd definitely try to avoid using chemical laxatives if possible.
Sometimes wiping their anus with a wet cloth helps. More breastmilk is often the answer.

I add about 10mls of extra water in DD's bottles as her poo's are very thick otherwise. And she went through a phase of not pooing everyday. And now its 4 times a day.

She only has about 2 top ups a day, usually in the morn & one at night. Sometimes an arvo one if she's still hungry but most of the time day and night she is satisfied with just the breast. The poo she did on sat was like a sludge, not formed but alot denser than BF poo. She strained a whole day just to get it out and it really wasn't alot of poo for 2 whole days. She has plenty of breast feeds. Poor bub I want her to be comfortable & she doesn't seem to be, I can tell she just wants to push it out. But she hasn't done any pebble type poos either so not sure.

ok, no pebbles is good. It might be that her guts need a little more time to get used to the different milk.

Don't water down the formula - you should always mix it as per instructions otherwise baby is not getting what they should.

KaileysMummy: Thats a good idea, she's getting most of what she needs from me as they're only top ups, 50mls and sometimes she doesn't finish it so I'll try that for a cpl days & see how she goes.

Madb: thanks yea I think you're right her body needs time to adjust :)

Hi babyluv

Please don't water down the formula. I know that it sounds like it should be fine but you should mix formula to the exact instructions or babies have trouble digesting it. If you water it down it travels through their system too fast and she won't get the nutrition from it. Formula is mixed to be a very specific consistency so that it is digested as easily as possible.

My MAHC Nurse said that if you are worried about it offer her a little water in a bottle (only about 20mls) after her feed. If she needs the water she will take it. But given that she is mainly breast fed she shouldn't even need this.

As Madb says - is does take a while to adjust to having formula as well.

maybe I'll call the mchn 24hr line, thanks ladies :)

My 2 were the same and I was told by my paed to give them a little bit of warm water with a very small pinch of caster sugar (you dont need to add much at all). It worked wonders for us.
I agree with the others, I wouldnt be watering down the formula, she just needs time to adjust.

Hope she's doing better soon!

I haven't had any problems with adding any extra water. I found that she was having tummy pains if i followed exactly. I don't do it with every bottle just every few and she seems to be doing better.