My baby is 3 weeks old and all of a sudden she's not pooping as often. She's going 1.5-2 days and then having enormous, gigantic poops that pack the entire diaper. I wouldn't be concerned about it normally but the last few days she seems to be really suffering with tummy troubles. She farts non stop which makes her cry and she keeps curling her legs up. I'm wondering if that's related to the slow down in the pooping. Could she be backed up even though she's exclusively breastfed? If so, what can I do about it???
This is very typical of a breastfed baby...they digest everything so thoroughly that they may go days between bowel movements....OR they may go a dozen times a day...I know it makes no sense but it is really normal!! Don't worry
exclusively breastfed babies dont get backed up. She could just be making good use of your milk. Only feed from one side / feeding, so she gets the hindmilk, too much foremilk makes them gassy. AskDrSears.com has some info on what to eat/ avoid (for you) while breastfeeding, somethings will cause gas, colic etc
Unless the poop is hard pellets, there is nothing to worry about. My son went 5 DAYS without pooping and I was beside myself with worry so I went to the doctor. She felt around my son's belly and felt nothing out of the ordinary. Breastfed babies use all the nutrients much more efficiently than formula. By the time we got home from the doctor's, my son had a rather large "present" for me! I guess the belly rub worked something loose. :)
As for the gas, I used the gas drops sometimes, but bicycling baby's legs and curling/extending them work well also. Don't worry. You are doing great!
What you eat is what your baby eats. Many foods such as broccoli, onions, beans, garlic can cause the baby to have gas. Dairy can be the most likely culprit: milk, yogurt, ice cream. Look at your diet and that will help determine what is going on with your baby's digestive system.
My exclusively breastfed 6 week old has a similar pattern. I was told by our midwives yesterday that breastfed babies have varied BM patterns - anywhere from several times/day to one big one every 2 days. My 6 week old had a lot of gas around 3 weeks, but doesn't have as much now. There is a wide variety in what is considered normal and it sounds likely that your baby's pooping and gas are within the range of normal.
I had the same issues with my exclusively breastfed middle son. I would worry for a few days, and then he'd have a bunch of teeny poops that would leave him rashy and uncomfortable. I tried a few enemas but felt that they weren't natural or good for him.
At my sister's suggestion, I finally took him to a chiropractor. One visit, I kid you not, and he was never constipated again. His personality changed--he became much more independent and pleasant, and less clingy. I think he must have been in pain before.
The nerves of the spine relay messages to the body and brain, and if they're not working right, all kinds of problems can arise. Ear infections are another big one. Babies can get their necks tweaked in birth. If you are going to find a chiropractor, ask around for a good one that specializes in babies. They are very gentle with babies (no popping, just gentle stretching, from what I've seen) and it made a world of difference in our lives. I wish I'd taken him sooner.
I have a friend who has her 6 year-old son on a stool softener every day. He is taking medication every day of his life. It can't be good for his development. I would look for a natural cure first. I bet you can find a way to get her regular and comfy. One more thing--gas can be related to dairy in your diet (or something else she's sensitive to) so you might want to cut that out for a few days and see how she does.
Good luck!
My son went through this same issue when he was a baby. He once went almost 8 days, which I thought was insane. I took him to specialists and even had him on a laxative when he was about 10 months old. I quickly stopped with the laxative because I didn't want him to become dependent on it. Around the age of 10-11 months he started going on his own and now he is very regular. My daughter had issues like that too. Are you pumping her legs to help her release gas? She'll get through this, it seems very common.
My ebf 1st baby only went every 4 dayds! That was his norm and that was ok. Some breastfed babies go all the time and others only go every few days. Make sure that she completely finishes the first breast. After she pulls off of it, burp her then offer it a second time. If she doesn't stay on it she's emptied it. then offer the second breast. Always offer the second breast!
She is regulating your supply and getting used to feeds. Don't worry! Just keep nursing her on demand, use gas drops if necessary and bicycle her legs or let her lay across your legs on her tummy for a few minutes at a time.
Breast milk gets absorbed really well. That's why they always ask how many wet diapers they go through, not how many poopy diapers.
I think every child goes through a period when blow out's are common.
A newborns digestive contractions are very strong. Once my son went when I was changing him and he shot the poop 5 ft across the room. My husband was seriously thinking of installing a blast shield on the changing table. Our record was 3 outfits in 20 min because on that occasion I almost had him all clean and changed when he blew out his diaper again and I had to start cleaning him up all over again. Pack extra outfits in the changing bag when ever you go out.
You are doing great!
