My exclusively BF newborn is so uncomfortable and gassy and does not poop! Desperate mama needs...

[VTnurse]

My little girl is 4 weeks old. Since she was about a week and a half old, she only poops 1-2x/week... and that's often with the help of a suppository. She is gaining weight like a champ and is exclusively breastfed. I wouldn't normally worry about it, as I have brought her to the pediatrician several times and he seems to think that it's fine. He said that she is just 'spacing' her poops out earlier than most babes. He said that she is 'using' the breastmilk very efficiently. The problem is that she is up ALL night grunting, turning red, and crying with gas pains. Her gas is the worst smelling gas I could ever imagine. I have not slept more than 35-40 minutes at night since I brought her home, because she wakes up crying/squealing in pain. She has not pooped in 6 days, so I gave her a suppository. She held it in her for 12 hours and finally pooped a small, yellow/gold/light green poop this morning. I have tried warm baths, gripe water, gas drops, bicycling her legs, infant massage, chiropractor, and even got her minor tongue tie repaired... all in the hopes of making this better. I have eliminated all dairy from my diet, as well as other possible 'culprits'. We are going to try craniosacral therapy tomorrow. I am exhausted, as I also have a 1 year old at home. Any suggestions on how to help with her painful gas?

[nycmom18]

what are your other culprits you are eliminating? caffeine? spicy foods? how often is she eating?

[claddaghmom]

Have you tried taking probiotics yourself?

When DD was around that age we had a similar gassy/crying stage that turned out to be foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. She was going through a growing stage, nursing until she almost popped, but getting a ton of foremilk. Block feeding, as in literally, feeding on one side all day and the other side all night took care of it in about 3 days.

[tanyalynn]

I'd try a combo of food elim (gluten, dairy, and soy would be my first things to cut out, then a food journal to see if other stuff pops out--maybe try corn at some point, but it's in almost everything so that's a huge undertaking), cranial-sacral, and a dairy/soy free probiotic for baby.

If you have a multivit, is it free of likely allergens too?

[lilabet]

My son was like this, and olive oil worked an absolute treat. Just rub some on your nipples and she'll ingest it when she nurses. BF babies can just be a bit like this I think.

[sky_and_lavender]

My daughter started spacing out her BMs early. We never used a laxative, though, so maybe your situation is different from ours. She was quite gassy, but generally happy in spite of it. We did go to a chiropractor with good results when she started screaming constantly just after my milk came in. It was amazing how after the first adjustment, she became her pre-milk-coming-in happy self again and stayed that way.

[Alisse]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance that's causing the gas. I'd have to have him nap on his tummy, supervised of course, and he'd fart out a storm. And of course it also caused the occasional green poo.

At 4 weeks my son started a grunting thing that had nothing to do with bowel movements. But it sure did look like he was pushing hard all throughout the day. As well, he went through the craziest fussy period during this time.

[larzanna]

My son was like this. SUPER stinky gassy/farty man. I cut out dairy with no change, and i already block fed just cause it was easier for me so i knew it was not a formilk/hindmilk thing.
The fix for him....
Every few days i would drink prune juice myself (big glass for me, haha that meant i was staying home that day)...i am telling you, worked like a charm! Juice for me in the AM...baby poo in the PM every time.
He eventually did just kinda grow out of it though.