Sunday, February 17, 2013

Baby not pooping for days

Hope this post wil benefit someone. So, I gave birth to my second girl recently and had started to breast feed her, just like I did to her elder sister. She was pooping very often and regularly. Until 1 day when she was 6 weeks old she went poop-less for the entire day. Then she poop the next day, she did a large 1 time poop. I thought she was going to start pooping once a day now, just like a big baby. The next day she was back to 3-5 poop a day. Then it was poop-less for 4 days. Although the websites said breastfed babies tend to be so and there is nothing to worry about... I did. I remembered my elder girl had such too but I can't remember fully the even only that I told my hubby it's normal. Science explains that the guts are in the process of maturing thus the disruption in those popping episodes. And since breast milk is easy to digest fully there aren't much 'residue' to poop anyway, unlike formula milk. As long as the baby pee normal with at least 8 wet nappies, she is fine. I understand the wet nappies means the colon may be working on the removing of excess fluid and it's attempt to solidify the poop. And since there isn't much residue to poop out thus the accumulation in the tummy of fecal matter. But seeing a distended tummy and frequent smelly fart from an otherwise happy baby makes me hyper anxious. :( On some occasions baby girl will let put a sharp and painful cry. I understand too that those are the unfamiliar movements in the tummy making her uncomfortable and sensitive, which are actually pretty harmless. But since she is still new to being a human and all, she don't quite understand it. But to a mummy, I feel helpless. Next this how I tried to help her feel better. But since baby can't talk to tell me if they are helpful I will just assume they do. Warm bath- sitting in warm bath relaxes the body. I bath her once in the late morning and once in the evening as we prep her for bed. It helps her to fart better and more even if she don't poop. What is worst then a constipated tummy? One with gas trapped inside and churning!! So let all gas out by means of burp or farts! Breast feed her often whenever she wants. Expect a deal of spitting of milk. Cuz nursing comfort her but her tummy is too small to hold all the milk... Thus she spit. I did some baby massage on my girl, exercise her legs in cycling motions and bringing her knees to her chest a few times a day- this helps to bring on the fart too. Also I pray, I pray a lot for God to help her feel comfortable and poop. Then on day 4, my anxiety got the upper hand, I fed her some formula milk. I figured since formula milk is harder to digest and normally result in more solid poop in babies it should help bulk up the existing stuff in her tummy and speed up the popping accumulation 'theory' I have in mind. So.... 6 hours later she gave her grandma a staining look on her redden face, top with some seemingly uncomfortable wiggling... She did her massive poop! Then another 30mins later another massive poop. She did not cry during her popping and I thought she felt so much more relax and lighter after that. But she still wt the same on the scale. :) So mummies out there, don't worry abt the lack of motion. It's a process. Above is just my experience that may it may not work for you but worth the reading to know u rn't alone in it. Also if ur baby's skin is fine with disposable diapers put it on for her (but pls change every 4hrs at least)- u nvr know when the massive poop may come cuz it once came visiting and leaked onto me while baby was in a cloth nappy. Btw even though in a disposal diaper, the poop may still leak out if its a lot!! :p

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