I have been warned (by magazines and articles) that when I have my own baby, I may be worried sick about everything about him/her, whether he's breathing when sleeping during newborn days, when he falls sick, whether he's putting on enough weight etc... but nobody warned me that I will be so obsessed with his bowel movements, or lack of it. Nor that I will be so elated when he finally does a big one, when something eventually comes out of his ... ah hem.... anus.
Coz Jovann has constipation problems.
It all started when he started on solids around 6 mths old. (I kinda miss the nice smelling tao suan poo back when he's still only on breastmilk and no solids yet)
Now, 3 months down, things are the same. Aside from one blessful period of 2 weeks when he poos EVERY DAY (I suspect it was the huge amount of sweet potato I "accidentally" fed him), every other day was a question mark. Why am I worried? Actually breastfed babies SELDOM have constipation, and even babies who poo every 3-4 days are fine and well. However, Jovann's poo is so hard after 3 no-poo days that he tore his anus recently. 2 fine cracks that the PD pointed out to us after I found blood in his stools one night. We felt so heartpain, and when the PD palpates his tummy he found hard stools inside.
The next few days found me asking everyone around me for advice. I already know the wise advice of
- papaya (he eats lots, but PD advised not more than 3 times a week due to the high amount of beta carotene that turns skin yellow. When at my parents, J can take papaya all the 3 days)
- drink more water (he is already drinking water during meals, when he wakes up, and after he exercises. He likes water pretty much)
- fruit juice. I tried Gerber apple prune juice, I tried Heinz pear juice. Diluted, undiluted. He hates all.
- more fruits (problem is, besides papaya, he only likes PEAR. he HATES apples. so our fruit choices are limited isn't it? It's either papaya that cannot feed more than 3 times a week, or PEAR? Contrary to popular belief, bananas are NOT good for constipation coz it makes your poo hard. eeerrr....WHAT?! anyway, BUT BUT BUT, I finally found ONE TYPE of apples that my fussy eater likes! Bless the apple grower! Its Organic New Zealand apples that Originates from Japan. Huh? did you say New Zealand and Japan? Yep, beats me how it happens, but its there on the packaging.
None of this seem to work. he is still pooing every 3-4 days, and straining very hard when it happens. When he goes all quiet during mealtimes or play time, I will hasten to bring him to the changing table or potty, and go "ngggggggg..." with him, and cheering him on like a cheerleader sans the pom pom. When I see the hard stools stretching his anus so tight and him straining his face with the effort, my heart feels the pain.
3 mths have gone by through which it was not uncommon for my parents to call every day with their welcome line "Han Ming jing tian you mei you da bian? (Did Jovann poo today)". 3 mths have gone by with us shovelling any FRUIT or water down his throat, and me clapping with encouragement and relief when he does a big one.
I have even at times pronounced with the air of someone making a scientific statement "His poo is hard at the front part but soft at the end, I guess he pooed out everything", and my hubby will nod his head in solemn agreement. We will then cover our little hero with kisses.
Then recently, some friends shared more tips (not as common) with me! and behold, one of them works!!
- Make Jovann poos at a fixed time every day, to encourage his bowel movements to be regular
- Tummy massages, clockwise direction, with hand sweeping downwards on his left tummy coz thats where his intestines are. I knew this! But it didn't occur to me to do it! Frm that day on, I incorporated this routine into his nightly massages.
- YOGURT!!! this is a life saver! I tried Horizon baby yogurt (he made a face, I did too after tasting it). then a friend Grace told me about Mullers Little Stars. Thank you Grace!
Jovann love it at first taste, and every day after I fed him that he will sure reward me with a poo! Of course, I only feed him with the 2 peach ones, as he cannot eat strawberries or raspberries yet (after 1 yr). - Rotate each of his legs 10 times each in clockwise and anticlockwise movement every morning before bringing him out of bed.
And now, I will always stock some Mullers in my fridge, and left instructions with caregivers to try make him poo every morning. so far these 1-2 weeks, he's been pooing every 1-2 days, and thats enough for me for now! :)
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