baby straining too much?

What can I do about my 1 month old son, who is breastfed and supplemented
with formula. He only poops once every 2 or 3 days and in between, spends
most of his time turning red/purble due to straining and pushing. he does
pass a lot of gas. The pushing and arching back and squirming makes it hard
to breastfeed. He can never get comfortable or sit still. He does this all
the time. Is it normal?

He is not constipated I don't think because the poops are seedy and
mustard-colored and watery (and really smelly).

Can I help him in any way?

"T" asked ...
What can I do about my 1 month old son, who is breastfed and supplemented
with formula. He only poops once every 2 or 3 days and in between, spends
most of his time turning red/purble due to straining and pushing. he does
pass a lot of gas. The pushing and arching back and squirming makes it
hard
to breastfeed. He can never get comfortable or sit still. He does this
all
the time. Is it normal?

He is not constipated I don't think because the poops are seedy and
mustard-colored and watery (and really smelly).

Can I help him in any way?


I would say when you make up the formula make sure you dont cram the scoop
full of formula before adding it to water. We noticed that sometiems the
scoop was a bit to compacted and therefore made the formula stronger and
also made the child doing poo's harder.

Or does he have wind that he is trying to get rid off ? Is he being burped
enough ?

Maybe other mummies can help with their advice

Nic
3 1/2 yo dd
11 mo boy

A frined of mine had this probleme with her daughter, she was about 6-7
months old at the time and she gave her some sweet water... which is about
3-4 ounces of water with a bit of sugar in it..... that seemed to help but
what helped more was corn syrup....although I am not sure that you can give
it to a child of only 1 month.....check with the drug store .... I remember
giving my daughter something for constipation a long time ago when she was
really little that was drug store purchsed and alright to give a baby.

Karen
"T" wrote in message
.net...
What can I do about my 1 month old son, who is breastfed and supplemented
with formula. He only poops once every 2 or 3 days and in between, spends
most of his time turning red/purble due to straining and pushing. he does
pass a lot of gas. The pushing and arching back and squirming makes it
hard
to breastfeed. He can never get comfortable or sit still. He does this
all
the time. Is it normal?

He is not constipated I don't think because the poops are seedy and
mustard-colored and watery (and really smelly).

Can I help him in any way?

Her baby isnt constipated, the stools are loose and soft. He doesnt need a
laxative, which is what the sugared water is.
It may just be taking a while for him to have enough stool to pass and he's
having a hard time. Mine used to wake up every monring scrunching and
squirming. Try some gas drops, also a lot of burping. Also, bicycling his
legs or pushing his knees to his chest to help gas pass may help.


"James and Karen Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
A frined of mine had this probleme with her daughter, she was about 6-7
months old at the time and she gave her some sweet water... which is about
3-4 ounces of water with a bit of sugar in it..... that seemed to help but
what helped more was corn syrup....although I am not sure that you can
give
it to a child of only 1 month.....check with the drug store .... I
remember
giving my daughter something for constipation a long time ago when she was
really little that was drug store purchsed and alright to give a baby.

Karen
"T" wrote in message
.net...
What can I do about my 1 month old son, who is breastfed and
supplemented
with formula. He only poops once every 2 or 3 days and in between,
spends
most of his time turning red/purble due to straining and pushing. he
does
pass a lot of gas. The pushing and arching back and squirming makes it
hard
to breastfeed. He can never get comfortable or sit still. He does this
all
the time. Is it normal?

He is not constipated I don't think because the poops are seedy and
mustard-colored and watery (and really smelly).

Can I help him in any way?

James and Karen Stewart wrote:
that
seemed to help but what helped more was corn syrup....although I am
not sure that you can give it to a child of only 1 month.....

Ack. Heavens no. Corn can be an allergen. And corn syrup carries the
botulism risk, though it's not as great as with honey.

Besides, the child is clearly not constipated.

--
tristyn
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

T wrote:

Can I help him in any way?

Try bicycling his legs, or holding him so that he's basically sitting on
your arm. It'll give him a little more leverage.
For nursing, try using the football hold, so that he's got a little more
wiggle room.
And maybe cut back on the formula - if he has to have bottles, expressed
breastmilk would be easier to digest.

--
tristyn
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

"T" wrote in message
.net...
he does
pass a lot of gas. The pushing and arching back and squirming makes it
hard
to breastfeed. He can never get comfortable or sit still. He does this
all
the time. Is it normal?

It sounds like he might be very gassy. Does he burp well? You might need to
burp him a few times during a feed (including before you start, if he's
acting this way when you're first trying to latch him on).

Some babies take a lot of work to get all the bubbles out. You might have to
keep patting him for 10 or 15 minutes.

Lucy