What will help her go??

150 request

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 1:07 pm

My five week old has a hard time with her bowel movements - she goes about once a week - and only a drop. Shes extremelly fussy and gassy and I can tell shes in pain. Her doc said I should gve her warm water with brown sugar - I did a few times and it didnt help - he says her hole is small and its to hard for her to push -shes not constipated though cus when she does make its liquidy.
He also said to help her make we should stick our finger up there with some vaseline - when my hubby tried that she screamed so loud I felt soo bad!!
Im looking for a more humane approach - before I have to resort back to that!

onlyme

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 1:15 pm

I had/have this with both of my kids.

First of all, instead of a finger, try a thermometer with vaseline. It's thinner and probably less uncomfortable. Move it in and out several times until you get those muscles moving.
Our pediatrician told me it's ok to use a glycerin suppository (make sure to get the pediatric/infant ones). You put that in and it should make her go within the hour but that may be uncomfortable, even painful, for her. I found the thermometer method to be much more effective and comfortable for the baby. (and it helps get the gas out like nothing else.)
Please try it and let me know how it went. If you need more tips, please feel free to ask me (here or via pm).

ETA: If you're nursing, try drinking some prune juice before a feeding. That may help too.

WastingTime

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 1:22 pm

poor baby!
ive had this with 2 kids
one outgrew it when he started on a basically regular diet of solids (I think) and the other (who's almost 3!!!!!)
still has it....its really terrible....and I know I don't do enough to help the poor thing
but with babies I dont know, my doctor told me not to do the thermometer bc its dangerous bc it could break inside (yikes)
he also told me, like many other ppl that nursing babies cannot be constipated and if it comes out soft its not constipation.....well call it what you will but a baby going once a week and screaming in between grunting and trying to go is definitely not what we want for our children!
you could try prune juice, if shes nursing maybe something in your diet (there are plenty of natural types that help with these things)
but someone told me she had a kid that nothing helped him either, and he was also until 3 she tried evertyhing under the sun, until she did reflexology and it worked.
lots of hatzlacha, but try to get in under control now bc although most kids grow out of it, you dont want a 3 yr old who only goes once every 4-5 days, its so sad!l

onlyme

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 1:32 pm

4sons wrote:

but with babies I dont know, my doctor told me not to do the thermometer bc its dangerous bc it could break inside (yikes)

What's this supposed to mean? Where else are you supposed to put a rectal thermometer?
My mother did this to all her children and grandchildren who had gas issues as babies (and there were many bli ayin hara) with no problems. Don't stick it all the way in, just a little bit, as you would when taking her temperature.

aidelmaidel

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 2:25 pm

PLEASE DO NOT USE A THERMOMETER OR ANY OTHER OBJECT IN YOUR CHILD'S RECTUM.

It is very easy to perforate a rectum, which is extremely dangerous.

You can get OTC drops that have senecal in them which will help. Apple Juice seems to help, or any other high fiber fruit juice.

But really a five week old may not be getting enough nutrition if there are only once a week movements. A solely breastfed baby might be getting all she needs with only a once a week movement, but I would double check with your doctor, and a lactation consultant.

newmommy1

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 2:52 pm

My son also had this but outgrew as he got a little older...it's very hard for parents to have to watch them go through it! Our dr. also told us it's normal for breastfed babies to go once a week.

Bicycling the legs may help, or holding the baby vertically in a frog position (with his legs tucked into his chest).

We gave our baby gripe water. When he was a bit older, maybe a few months, we gave him chamomile tea.

Be"H, he'll outgrow it soon!

MommytoB

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 3:14 pm

In addition to above, try soaking her in a warm bath and massaging her belly firmly in circles starting at her belly button and moving out. Do the same thing on the changing table and hold her knees/legs back to give her something to push against.

150 request

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 3:44 pm

For all those that asked - yes I am only breastfeeding - no change in diet and shes gaining nicely so Im assuming shes getting enough nutrition.

I will try the prune juice and see how it goes - Ill try the thermometer as a last resort - I really dont feel comftorbale sticking something up her

PinkFridge

Mon, Nov 22 2010, 3:52 pm

150 request wrote:

Is she your first?
Even if not, babies are different. Maybe you need to be eating more of some foods, less of others.

BeershevaBubby

Tue, Nov 23 2010, 12:10 am

Going once a week for a breastfed baby is completely natural. However being in pain because of it isn't.

While there may not be any change in your diet, it is highly likely that it simply took a few weeks for her to start reacting to whatever it is you're eating.

So now begins the elimination diet. First, cut out all dairy from your diet for at least two weeks and see how things go. If things don't improve, the next usual suspect is wheat.

Giving your baby laxative type therapies may help her in the short term, but finding out what's causing theproblem will help her in the long term.

150 request

Tue, Nov 23 2010, 1:49 am

I massaged her stomache and pushed her feet toward her stomacheat the same time and she made! Big time! More then she has in the past five weeks!
But its less than 5 minutes later and shes back to grunting - why would that b??

Gerbera

Tue, Nov 23 2010, 8:45 am

To one of the posters above (4sons) - my daughter has the same issue from about the age of 8 months till recently (almost 3) what has worked WONDERS is giving her a tablespoon of mineral oil every day (I put it in her milk in the morning). The doctor explained to me that once a child is in so much pain to go and has such bad associations with going they are then holding it in out of fear - it becomes psychological the issue and you need to help them get over the fear of going to the washroom. The mineral oil basically coats the bowel movement in oil and makes it slide right out...my daughter now tells us when she needs to go and goes without the screaming and yelling and hysterics we had for close to 2 years. I would check with your doctor, of course first - you maybe could even start with a smaller amount first - anyways, just a suggestion!

elmos

Tue, Nov 23 2010, 1:56 pm

my son is 8 months old we went thru this my dr. finally said give him 1oz prune juice 1oz water it worked he needed it twice a day even now on food I try to give it to him at least once a day with it he goes more frequent and less fussiness imbetween but I also discontinued dairy and soy from my diet when he was about 5 months old and he became such a happybaby. Once I changed my diet he never had a problem going even if I forgot to give him the juice. Please find out he may be intollerant to something you are eating.