Author Topic: Breastfeeding and Pooping  (Read 2662 times)

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Offline Mia and Lily's Mom

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Breastfeeding and Pooping
« on: August 02, 2005, 15:28:04 pm »
Not sure if this is the place to post this but we need some help :-)
Dd is almost 3 weeks old now and we had some issues with the digestive system from the start.  Once we got home from the hospital, she didn't poop for 3 days so I took her to the pediatrician and she proceeded to do the hugest poopy in their office :-).  Pooping then went fine for about a week but now she hasn't pooped again since Friday.  She is peeing a lot and is very gassy (and they are very smelly).  We went back to the Dr. for her 2 week check up and they thought that maybe her muscles back there are a little too tight and proceeded to try to help her out (she was not appreciative of that effort :-)).  She pooped a little there and the Dr. said that this should get things going, well it hasn't.  She has not pooped since they "helped" her and she didn't poop much then either.  She was super uncomfortable last night and passing gas and grunting and crying most of the night.   I am not sure what to do.  She is exclusively breastfeed and is feeding fine.  She is gaining weight fine as well and peeing a lot just no poopy.  With dd#1 she used to poop after each feeding so this is freaking me out a little bit.

Anybody have something similar happen and is there something else I can do, maybe something I can eat or drink, to help her out.

Thanks



Offline elfin

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Breastfeeding and Pooping
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2005, 16:37:14 pm »
My ds was very sensitive to what I ate while breastfeeding.  He never really had the poop problems, but would become very gassy.  I eliminated alot from my diet like caffeine, brocoli, onions, peppers, dairy, garlic, citrus, etc.., and that made a huge difference for him.  I also found that giving him Ovol drops helped when he was gassy.

Carrie
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Offline dkjokisch

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Breastfeeding and Pooping
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2005, 19:30:11 pm »
We had the exact same problem!  Dd was so uncomfortable the first few weeks she cried all the time.  We talked to our ped about it.  He said that some babies have problems coordinating movement of their bowel muscles and their bum muscles.  Our dd would push and push while clenching her bum tight!  She also had lots of issues with gas pains.

What worked for us... First I eliminated all known gas-inducing foods from my diet - everything that Carrie listed plus beans, cabbage, and cauliflower, and on the advice of our ped, nuts (including peanuts) and shellfish.  Eliminating dairy was key.  We also gave her a dose of gas drops with each feeding (Mylicon is the brand name but generic works just as well and is much cheaper - we use Target brand). 

We kept up my dietary restrictions until 3mos, at which time we started reintroducing things one by one.  I still avoid nuts and shellfish.  We continued the gas drops with every feeding until about 4mos.  We tapered her down slowly - now at 6-1/2mos, she gets them twice a day.

Breastfed babies can go alot longer without poo.  Dd has gone as long as ten days.  I don't worry about her until she gets uncomfortable.  Then we try warm baths and gentle belly massage.  Our ped also rec'd taking a rectal temp to move things along, but that never really worked for us.  Until she was about 4mos, though, she pretty much only pooed while eating - that was when she was most relaxed.

Definitely try the diet changes and the gas drops.  If that doesn't work, our ped also rec'd Baby's Bliss Gripe Water.  It is available online and at most natural foods stores. 

Post back and let us know if things get better.
Deborah
#3 EDD 07/18/09
B 04/14/07 (ds)
M 01/13/05 (dd)

Offline Mia and Lily's Mom

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Breastfeeding and Pooping
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2005, 18:35:08 pm »
Thanks for all your replies.
Well, she was super uncomfortable last night and in a lot of pain so I broke down and "helped" out like the pediatrician had done on Monday.  This produced poop but it was the consistency of toothpaste (sorry, TMI I know).  She pooped as long as I stimulated but stopped immediately after and since then only pee, but at least she slept more comfortably last night having gotten some of it out of her system.
Not sure where to go from here, I certainly don't want to be bugging her every night but she is eating fine so I know things are getting backed up in there.  Somebody suggested a baby enema, but I guess I will wait a little bit longer and consult with the pediatrician before doing something like that.  I think I will try a warm bath with the belly massage tonight, see if that helps any.  Thanks and keep the suggestions coming, I am ready to try almost anything :-)



Offline GG

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Breastfeeding and Pooping
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2005, 03:23:37 am »
Deborah's post was pretty concise.  Breastfed babies can go even a week or 10 days without pooping, and that is normal.  That said, I have heard of babies that have been constipated even though they were BF (case in point, a friend of mine whose first child had no problem but second one had a prob with constipation, though they were both BF).

If your doctor didn't think there was a problem, I wouldn't worry about it for now.  It's possible that it's the gas (or something else) that's bothering your DC.  (not that this is any comfort, but maybe that's 1 thing to rule out.)   :?

You're not alone, though.  My DS didn't have a BM for a day and a half and it freaked me out (he usually pooped several times a day).  I 'helped him along' by taking his temp.   :oops:  Turns out there was nothing to worry about.

Try Deborah's suggestions and see what happens.
Georgia, mom to 3 sweet babes: touchy Foti, spirited Lena & not-so-tiny Joanna