Need help with constipation-What Can be done???

[sl]

Hi,
I have a 3 week old and he is experiencing some constipation.  When he passes gas they have a very potent odour.  Can I give him some water?  Or does anyone have any other remedies??
Any help is needed.

Thanks
Lori

[Lana]

Is he breast or bottle fed?

[sl]

He is on formula

[Layla]

I gave water to my lo from about 1 month onwards. She was Bf thou but when she went onto formula (about 2-3 weeks ago), I was told by a nurse to give her diluted prune juice. Its worked really well so far. Not sure if prune juice is ok with a 3 week old but I am sure water does not do any damage.

[Lana]

Are you using formula with Iron?  It can be constipating.  I am not sure if you can do this at 3 weeks but I gave my son water with brown sugar dissolved in it and that helped but he was older.

I hope you get it worked out.

[*Kimberly*]

Hello.  My lo is 9 months and he has always been constipated.  When he was little the doc suggested getting him to drink more water.  When he got a bit older she suggested adding Karo syrup to his bottle or giving him some prune juice (I just put it in his bottle by substituting the water with prune juice).  If he went more than a couple days we would give him a baby suppository.  Now he gets baby laxative every day that he does not have a bowel movement and if it goes for more than two or three days he gets a baby suppository.  The doctor said that this is just the way he is going to be.  I also have bowel problems and she said he probably got it from me.  (poor kid)

We have also found that bicycling his legs helps and he also does better when he is in an upright position.

I have heard some people say that changing their formula has helped.  That was never a suggestion by our doctor so we have just stuck with the same formula.

I would definitely talk to your doctor about it.

Hope that helps.

Kimberly

[angelina and andrew's mum]

my lo is 14wks and has also suffered from constipation-reflux meds, teething meds-u name it all give her constipation. we ended up changing her milk from cow and gate to farleys and it worked a treat. tummy massage once or twice a day is good-massage the tummy in a clockwise circular motion for 20mins at a time. offering ur lo cooled boiled water(this put my lo off her feeds so a doc sugested adding an extra oz of water to her feeds-maybe only one or two of these a day for a short time(not reccomened by everyone though). the bicicyle mentioned by tink is a good 1 2 and if u phave ur lo lying on a mat push the legs in towards the tummy(bend their knees and firmly do it) that can also help releive wind. what also mite help is putting ur lo over ur knee(tummy on knees) and rubbing their back or gently patting their bum can help with wind. hth