thread: Constipated screaming baby

  1. #1
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    Add Butterfly Dawn on Facebook

    Aug 2008
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    Unhappy Constipated screaming baby

    This is the 2nd day for her like this in the evening.
    We have just changed formula from Nurture to Karicare we did it slowly over about 10 days she has been on karicare for about 4 days and this is the result.
    She has a small amout of food- last few days it has been very liquid farex, before that was puree apple. I am cooking up some pear for her right now in the hope that it will get things moving for her.
    Yesterday I tried to give her some watered down prune juice but she spat it out- cant blame her its pretty gross. She is offered water during the day but hardly drinks any.
    She has managed alittle poop, its a good color but very sticky and thick.
    Help us please- she is 5 mths and we havent had this problem before with her.
    Last edited by Butterfly Dawn; November 18th, 2011 at 07:44 PM. : formula name

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    Springvale South, Melbourne
    2,826

    It sounds horrible.... big hugs x o
    Seems youve tried most things that I would... or are about to. I would probably go to the chemist and get some glyserine infant suppositories. Id rather give them that than something orally (medicine) for constipation. Helps lube everything up. Lots of water. Good luck!

  3. #3
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    Jan 2010
    504

    We used Colyxl is for constipation stuff for infants and it works a treat. It's in a dropper and bubs doesn't seem to mind the taste of it. Hardly had to use it and it helped quickly.

  4. #4
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    Nov 2007
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    Coloxal drops are awesome - they taste like choccolate! Or put some brown sugar in some water and give on a spoon... both worked well on my 2 bubs.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Apr 2006
    Perth
    4,203

    I'd second the suppositories. My DD had terrible constipation and while the coloxyl is great for helping things keep moving, if she is already blocked up she needs to be cleaned out from the bottom end first. If you try the coloxyl or anything else orally then she could end up with horrible stomach pains when things get pushed through from the top, but there is still a blockage further down.

    If you can get her moving again, pear juice is great for keeping her a bit regular until she's back to normal. Also brown sugar dissolved in warm water can help too.

    Good luck. Poor little love. I hope she's feeling better soon.

  6. #6
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    Is it the formula? or maybe the intro of food? She loves her food, really just has a few spoons but loves it. the nuture made her poop dark green but never had any problems with it- except its hard to get. Wondering if I should change or just wait- DH says just wait a few more days but I hate to see her like this

  7. #7
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    Jan 2009
    807

    My DD had lots of trouble with constipation, I give her weetbix everyday (1 kid one, softened with water) and its made the world of difference. No more screaming, no more blood, no more nights awake with tummy aches. I started her on weetbix at around 4 or 5 months I think. You can get pure pear juice in tins too, I water that down like cordial for get too.

  8. #8
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    Nov 2009
    Scottish expat living in Geelong
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    it could be the food is a little too hard for her gut just yet. I would be tempted to stop the solids for a few days and try giving her some cool boiled water in addition to her formula and see if that helps. I'm assuming you know all the massage techniques that can help her so I won't repeat them all here, except to say the one I found most helpful when my son was constipated was massaging around the outside of his anus in a circular motion (feel free to wear gloves, it can start a poo-splosion).

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Melbourne
    3,244

    i was going to suggest giving the food a break for a few days as well - esp if her tummy is getting used to a new formula as well. i think (but just from reading on here!) that most people say you should finish a tin of formula before changing - not sure

    it's been a couple of days since you posted - how's she going? hope she's had some relief

  10. #10
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    Thank you all. Some really great ideas.
    Yesterday for breakfast she gobbled down the puree pear I had made and did a very small poop in the afternoon. It was the proper mustard color and consistancy, havent seen that color since I stoppped BFing. Last night she was stil unhappy but not screaming like she had been so thats an improvment.
    In tomorrow I will offer her weetbix with formula for breakfast (I know it has made the boys regular ) today we will stick with the pear.
    Im really at a loss what to do about her formula. The Heinz made dark green poop but she liked it. Karicare gives her normal poop but not great for her reflux. Guess I can just buy more bibs- I can get these great 1s that are like mini aprons and tie round her tummy- awsome for fluxy babys.

    We were really carefull changing her formula. Stared with 1 scoop new and 2.5 old then over 2 weeks changed the ratio til she was all new.
    Oh, Im also giving her extra probiotics at night in her 11pm formula might give her some in her 11am bottle too

  11. #11
    2014 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    Feb 2010
    Gold Coast
    2,117

    My DS also has reflux, we use the Karicare AR formula. (not sure if you're using the anti reflux type or just the regular.) was great for his reflux, but made him constipated. Some things which have always worked for us: Pear puree, water + half a teaspoon of brown sugar, or a normal bottle + a whole teaspoon of brown sugar. I would cut down or cease solids for a couple of days. If I'm ever unsure, watermelon is a great hydrating food, which won't clog him up in the meantime.

    HTH.

  12. #12
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    Aug 2006
    Springvale South, Melbourne
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    just a question as Im unclear... why did you change formula? was it because of the reflux or because you were concerned about the colour of her poo? If she liked the Nuture and could keep it down, then I wouldnt be worried about the colour of her poo... how is she now? I wouldnt give coloxyl or any oral laxative as they can promote lazy bowels and also give tummy pains (but thats just me). Suppositories are not a laxative just soften the stools ... good luck

  13. #13
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    We have held off giving her anything chemical.
    We had to change formula because the only person selling the nuture 1, is out of stock. I have said to DH to buy some nuture 2 and we'll mix with the karicare until we have finshed, then she'll be 6 moths and can just move on, nuture 2 is much easier to get.
    No poop yesterday but I also gave no food- which she was cranky about had to eat while she slept because she kept grabbing my plate and making loud sucking noises then whinging, funny girl. This morning I will make a small amout of weetbix up and see how that goes.
    Dh reminded me that DS2 once went 11 days no poop, so dr gave us medicine for him to take and told us to give baby a bath 10 mins after. Well, the med sure worked! DS2 did this huge snake poop that filled up his bath! Couldnt figure out where it all came from cause hes a small boy

  14. #14
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    Well, last night we were back to square 1, screaming, pushing, grunting baby with very sticky thick poop.
    She has pretty well gone off food so im just offering not pushing, she had a few licks of pear purree this morning.
    She is waking every 2 hours at night for a feed stil, but not having whole bottles, so tonight I will give her a bottle of warm water at the 4 am feed, see if we can get rid of that 1 to start.
    So, Im thinking its the formula?

  15. #15
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    Aug 2006
    Springvale South, Melbourne
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    It sounds like the formula.... its a pitty you cant get any more of the one you were origanally using. I hope things sort themselves out soon.

  16. #16
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    She is almost 6 months and we can get the 6mth hienz. If we mix it with whats left of the karicare, would that be okay? not too much of what ever is different between level 1 and 2?

  17. #17
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    Aug 2006
    Springvale South, Melbourne
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    it shouldnt be too much of an issue seeing she just shy of six months.... good luck and let us know how she goes x o