Infant Dyschezia

We're having a similar issue as we speak! My little girl is 11 days old too, and last night, she had a solid poo that she struggled to push out, and today so far, she hasn't had a poo yet, and we're concerned that she may be constipated. I have really wanted to breast feed, but she is still struggling to latch, so i'm having to express when i can, so she has a mixed diet of formula and express, and have no idea what could be causing this, but has made me feel very worried and helpless cause she was really distressed last night straining 🥺 xx

Hey Joss! If it is actually infant dyschezia, helping bub to open their bowels by using stool softeners or medication I believe is advised against. Infant dyachezia is purely the lack of coordination of the muscles used to poop, so while they're learning how to use and strengthen these muscles, having softer bowel movements actually prolongs dyschezia! It's not a bad thing to soften them, it just means it may take them longer to get through this stage. If you feel bub is constipated, or hasn't had a good bowel motion (newborns can go 7 days without pooping) try and go down the natural routes (warm soak in the bath while moving baby around and floating stretched out, tummy massage, bicycle legs, tummy time) to help get things moving. My first had infant dyschezia and we did no treatment, just let her learn, she would scream with frustration at pooping time, only lasted a few weeks, then completely disappeared.

Aw bless her, I’m sorry to hear that. Did she start off pooing every day? My little one hasn’t pooed everyday, her first normal poo was only because the paediatrician gave us the lactulose, but I’m holding off giving her another dose to see if she goes on her own. My little one’s poo was soft, rather than hard like your little girls. It’s horrible seeing them cry isn’t it 😞 it’s been 4 days since my little one last pooed, and that poo then was only because of the lactulose xx

Hi May, thank you so much for reaching out! Yes I read this, which is why we’re trying to hold off giving her the lactulose but I find it so horrible while she cries 😞 we are doing all of those things so it’s reassuring to know that we’re doing everything we can, thank you so much! I’ll hold off giving more of the lactulose then, hopefully she’ll open her bowels within the next couple of days 🤞🏼 xx

Ok! It's good to hear bubs poop was soft, and her abdo was soft. That's great! My babies have both been good poopers, the first went every second day I think for a while. I just know that some babies digestive systems are slower to really get moving and it's ok for them to not do a bowel motion for 7 days (if they're still comfortable). It's so horrible seeing them cry! My newest baby is 12 days old today and I had to get her soaking in a warm bath yesterday and it worked a treat, nice big poopy a few hours later. I wonder if your little one just needs some tummy massage and a good soaking while stretching out in the water?

We thought this last night and gave her a nice warm bath, but no success unfortunately. We’ve been doing bicycles, but haven’t tried much tummy time yet so we will give this a go as well! 🤞🏼 we have the health visitor appointment tomorrow so will ask them to check babies tummy again just to make sure everything is still ok xx

My little boy is 3 weeks old and seems to be suffering the exact same. We have had him at the doctors when he was 11 days old where they told me to basically just let him cry it out and then hospital last week where they put something sugary up his bum to help him poo. It worked but then he didn’t poo again for 4 days and was in agony by the time he went. We got told the same about how they can go up to 7 days but it’s awful watching them in pain and struggling! We really thought it was our babies formula as his stomach was making awful noises when he was drinking so we decided to change it, he’s still the same however the noises have stopped. He had a poo after 2 days when he usually goes every 3/4. He grunts constantly when trying to change his nappy as he must be so uncomfortable. He lets out so much gas though!