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You are here: Experts > Kids > Health for Kids > Pediatrics > GERD and Colic
Expert: Mary Pat, R.N. - 11/4/2009
Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I have a 6 week old born via c-section at 38 weeks. Since leaving the hospital my daughter has had tummy issues. I started out breastfeeding with formula supplementation, however, at about the 3 week mark we sufferred with constipation (enfamil w/ lipil). We suspected probs with breastmilk and my diet so we went straight formula but the gassiness and constipation continued. Went to nestle good start but still fought through constipation and hard to get burps. Soy made constipation worse. Now we are on alimentum which causes lots of liquid poop and extra gassiness. We started adding oatmeal cereal to bottles which seems to be the only thing that settles her, however, when we did it in each bottle she had the worse projectile vomiting episode by night. She is still quite fussy b/c of gas from alimentum. We cannot afford the specialty formulas beyond that.
I can't seem to figure out a means of comfort. She is also on 15mg of prevacid per day for what pedi suspects as reflux. She didn't start spitting up until she got constipated and now with alimentum she always spits up after feeds.
Any advice would be helpful.
Angela
ANSWER: Dear Angela:
When you mentioned your baby was being breast fed and supplemented with Enfamil Lipil tell me what you meant by her being constipated.
I will respong when I hear back from you after defining her constipation then and now.
Mary Pat
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Mary,
When she had her bowel movement it was light in color and in little pebbles. I only saw normal stool when she tried good start after the release of these stools but only once (it was after a suppository released the hard pebbly green stool, then normal softer newborn stool followed). She was still colicky with tummy ache so we switched at the advice of pediatrician to soy which made constipation even worse. Went to alimentum and she has the liquid stuff and it is at least once a day.
Angela
Answer
Dear Angela:
I thank you for defining your infants constipation. Stools coming out like hard pellets is constipation but not going for several days may not be constipation. So thanks for the clarification. Any time an infants feedings are changed it takes them time to adjust. Soy formula definitely can produce constipation. I am wondering now knowing that Alimentum is usually well tolerated by babies if the oatmeal you are adding to the formula is causing more problems. As you know oatmeal contains more fiber and may loosen stools and produce more gas. Have you tried rice cereal in the bottle? It may be easier for the baby to tolerate along with the Alimentum.
The baby may also truly have colic which starts in the first month of life and persists into the 3rd month im most babies. There is no cure for colic other than offering the baby comfort. The reflux may make her fussy but the medication should help to relieve some discomfort. Reflux is not cured either only controlled. They outgrow reflux once they can be more upright on their own,
So for now try and continue the Alimentum and try the rice cereal instead of the oatmeal.
Mary Pat
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