Mom’s Question:
I have a 5 week old baby who hasn’t had a pooh in 4 days; she is cramping and grunting a great deal and I have been breastfeeding. I know they say that breastfed babies can go for a few days without passing stools but she looks very uncomfortable. I have tried the bicycle riding with her legs and also massaging her tummy but nothing is working. She really isn’t comfortable as she has previously been.
Natalie Coverly
Easy Baby Life:
Helping A Newborn, Breastfed Baby To Poop Or Not
You are well-informed – at 5 weeks, a breastfed baby may very well go for a few days without pooping.
6 weeks is a growth spurts, so your daughter is very likely to digest all the milk she gets.
But just because it is normal, it does not mean that it is comfortable. Many newborn babies strain and are gassy even if they do not poop. In my experience, they do not stop producing gas just because they do not poop, and I guess if there are no stools to push out the gas, it can build up and make the young infant very uncomfortable.
It is a great thing that you are trying baby massage. It can help.
Here are some more things you can try to help your baby release the gas and poop when she needs it:
1) A warm bath, if your baby enjoys it may help too.
2) Being carried in an upright position in a baby carrier or on mom’s or dad’s arm belly down can also help.
3) Some babies can release gas more easily if you push their knees gently towards their tummy and move the knees slowly to the left and right. That’s something I used to do with my newborn babies at around 5 am for many nights – they always seemed to build up gas at night and then couldn’t sleep comfortably in the early morning hours.
What not to do is to start experimenting with laxatives, suppositories, q-tips, or juices.
You breastfed baby does not need any of this, since she is not constipated. Her digestive system needs to mature, and it is hard work for a young lady.
You can also take a look at which foods that you eat that may cause gas in your daughter here.
I hope this helps,
Paula
More On Newborn Babies Not Pooping
- One month old baby not pooping
- Baby not pooping -symptoms and remedies for constipation
- Preemie needs q-tip to poop
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Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.