Unpleasant I Realize: Any Experience with "Uncoordinated Pooping" in a Newborn

I saw that one other poster recommended giving your newborn water, and I just wanted to tell you (in case you already didn't know) that the reason why doctors don't recommend giving small babies water to drink has to do with nutrition. Their stomachs are small and they don't want babies filling up on water instead of breast milk/formula, the nutrition that they absolutely depend on at that age. The baby is getting enough "water" through the breast milk that you are giving her.

My child had problems going, too, and still does to this day. It's just the way her body works. As an infant we introduced baby prunes, and later high fiber stuff like double-fiber bread and carrots. Good luck, I know that the screaming is so tough to hear...

Good luck,
Mel.

Hi C., I was in your shoes before and my doctor told me not to give my daugther anything. This way she will learn how to poop on her own. It was hard listening to her cry and it was killing me but I did what he said and it took about 3 months until poop peace came. After that I realized she just insn't a big time poopper. She would only poop every three days and totally clean her self out. I also breast feed her and my understanding is that breast feed babies don't have much waste depending on moms eating. I hope this helps.

A.

I would see your ped or a specialist about this. Our daughter was formula-fed, and had many formula changes before we found the right one in addition to having acid reflux. Maybe there is something you are eating that doesn't agree with her system?

I'm not sure what you're meaning, but if she's exclusively breastfed you can expect her to only go once a week, sometimes less, sometimes more. Breastfed babies don't have quite the volume of output that formula fed babies do because the milk you are feeding them is mostly used by their bodies, there's less waste.

I'm even more confused by when you say, "hasn't figured it out on her own". Pooping isn't exactly a learned behavior, when her body tells her it's time to go, it will go. If she's constipated longer than 5 - 7 days, then you should see your pediatrician.

Editted to add, I should caution you on the overuse of rectal suppositories. It can cause loss of bowel function and dependance on the use of a laxative.

It's normal! Did the doctor tell you to give her suppositories? You should really call your pediatrician if you haven't. Mine is almost 4 months and still doesn't seem to really "have the hang of it." He can go a super long time and then explode with little smears in between. Each baby is different but pooping is usually not pleasant in newborns, sometime they even seem in pain and grunt and strain but it's all normal. Breastfed babies can go a long time without going. Call your doctor if you haven't, that's what they're there for, you'll feel better.

I didn't mean to be frustrating, I think maybe we just don't have enough information. If this is something that the doctor has determined then I'm sorry for givivg advice that wasn't what you were looking for. Good luck!

you need to get her to the dr and if it still happens get to a pedatric GI dr. THis could be a muscle tone problem, etc too rather than just getting it.
good luck
J.

It is "normal." I have a 5 week old who can't figure it out also. (I have heard the term "functional constipation used, meaning they can't figure out how to function it properly so they get constipated.) I have a 2 and 1/2 yr old who had a ton of constipation, reflux, allergy problems so we had him going to a gastroenterologist, GI. Because of his history, we took the baby to a GI also who said that this is normal and she'll just figure it out at some time. However, it could take a few weeks, it could take a few months, but it's not forever. Our baby screams and pushes so much all day that we give her suppositories every night and it helps relieve her so she's not screaming and in so much pain. Also, (I know this is a too much info, but...) when she does go, the first bit that comes out is really hard and then it gets looser. So the GI put her on medicine called lactulose to loosen it up. However, we are still giving her the suppositories.

Please don't get frustrated by the other responses. (they frustrated me.) It is common. It will get better. It is ok to give her suppositories (we gave our 2 yr old suppositories nightly for a long time when he was a baby and he's fine now). Obviously I am not a doctor so don't go with just what I am saying, but I feel like I am going through something similar to your situation. Feel free to respond back if you have any questions or if you want to talk more.

breastfed babies do not always poop every day. they can go several days, or even weeks, and be completely healthy. it can last a few months, or it can last the entire time they are breastfed. it is nothing to be concerned about, and does not need suppositories. call your local La Leche League if you have other questions about this, they are very helpful!

By 'uncoordinated,' you mean she is unable to poop on her own? She can only poop using the drops? If that is the case, I would bring her in. My daughter used to poop so much it went up to her neck and covered her back. It turned out she was allergic to milk so we put her on soy... but your little one has the opp prob and is breastfed. I'm sure your ped could give you some advice. My ped once told me it was considered normal for a baby to only poop as little as once a week. Although, I disagree.

The baby is being breast feed. Anything you eat the baby is eating. Try something that create you to have a regular movement.Be careful not to have too much, fiber rich products are usually good, but you have to watch for the baby movements.I hope this helps

Sorry to hear about the poop problem. I know adults bodies can become "addicted" to laxatives and then that can create a vicious cycle. Did your doctor decide to go right to suppositories? For me that would be my last effort. Try doing infant massage on your daughters tummy. I know Hinsdale Hospital offers classes and it a good class. You can also just get a book on infant massage. My other suggestion is to increase the amount of fiber you are eating and to stay away from junk food. Flaxseed is great and if that doesn't work try taking fish oil pills or Omega 3 pills. I believe I bought mine through Shaklee, just take one at a time b/c it will also make you go too :) Good luck. I know how hard it can be, my son has constipation problems too, but with the massage and flaxseed he goes everyday.

Hi! My little boy had the same thing at about the same time - He was pushing and contracting at the same time. It was sooo sad to watch him try to poop but my doctor said he really needs to figure it out on his own otherwise he won't learn what muscles do what. He didn't poop for 7 days at one point. After about a month of working on it he finally got his muscles coordinated and learned to "relax" while pooping. Everyone once in awhile he'll do the same thing though (push and contract. He's six months now. My doctor, lactation consultant and several of my friends all said this was normal and breastfed babies can go up to I think it was 10 days without pooping. Crazy to think about!!! Hope this helped :)

My mom told me that my brother had this problem. She was told that breast milk does not form as solidly as formula in the babies body (she breastfed also) and so it is not always easy for some babies to push. She took him to the doctor who advised that they have his "rectum dialated". (Which amounted to the same thing as a prostate exam using the dr. smallest finger.) to make sure there was no blockage. After that, he didn't have any problems. Good luck!

my son had a hard time. try to bicycle her legs so she can learn to go on her own without suppositories! best of luck

No one called it "uncoordinated pooping" but my son had similar issues. We had to do the glycerin supp. too and the doc actually told us to give him 1 ounce organic prune juice and one ounce nursery water in a bottle. (this seemed to blast poop out!) The Ped. said that his muscles weren't quite strong enough or coorordinated and it took about 3 weeks to get pretty normal. He would go a day or two without a poop and that drove me crazy because my first never had this issue. We went through it again when we went to formula because I couldn't breastfeed anymore and then it was actually called constipation. Good luck but don't introduce the prune juice without consulting the doc or a nurse.

Hi C.

Fist of all congrats on the new baby!

Regarding the pooping issue, if you're breastfeeding, you should drink some apple juice, works wonders. Also assess your own diet and ensure that you're getting enough roughage in your own diet, remember what you eat...she eats. I breastfed both of mine and they have always been REGULAR!!!!

Also, i worked for a pediatrician for 8 yrs, you learn alot of preventive techniques that way. Also, I'm a licensed home daycare provider and moms ALWAYS ask me for advice.

Personally i wouldn't want to recommend the suppositories, she's so young and her system needs to learn to work naturally. Here's something that worked for mine as well as me increasing the applejuice ...some peds won't recommend it but you have to go with what works...try giving the baby some nursery water, believe it or not...it works wonders, trust me, I've been caring for children for over 33 yrs. Most doctors dont want to give infants water until they're almost 6 mos. old, that's crazy! Every living thing needs water!

Good luck!
B.

Did her doctor think this was problematic and prescribe suppositories? Babies that age often poop as little as once a week. Breast milk is mainly water. I am not sure about what you mean about "not getting it"? I don't think pooping is learned - it is an involuntary reaction. I would talk to your doctor and be pretty wary of suppositories.

I would take her in to see the Ped. I think he or she will give you a better understanding and possibly a solution.

I am a Board Certified Lactation Consultant and I'd just like to add that in a breastfed baby younger than 4 - 6 weeks old, you should be seeing at least 2 - 3 large, yellow seedy BM's per day as an indication that she is getting enough calories. It is not normal for a breastfed baby to not have BM's every day until they are older than 4 - 6 weeks, then it can be normal to go much longer between stooling. It's also very normal for a newborn to seem to have a lot of problems pooping but if the only food she is getting is breastmilk, it's impossible for her to be constipated. The poop still comes out soft. (The definition of constipation is hard, dry stools.) Baby's have to learn how to push down and relax their anus at the same time. This can be a difficult maneuver to accomplish, so they push and turn red in the face, but it's not constipation. I agree with the others that suppositories are probably not needed. Infant tummy massage, "bicycling" her legs, or perhaps as a last resort inserting a well lubricated rectal thermometer will help things get going.
K. R. IBCLC

My youngest is 4, so I'm not in the midst of it and can't remember exactly (will be in a few days though with my #4!), but my three babies were each different in their "poop cycles". They were all exclusively breastfed. Not sure what exactly you mean by "uncoordinated pooping", but I have to concur with some of the other moms. Breastfed babies do not necessarily poop on a schedule we would deem "normal". They may poop a lot more or a lot less depending on their system. Pooping once every 7-10 days can be completely normal for a breastfed baby. Constipation happens with formula, not breastmilk.
Hope this helps.