3 Wk Old Baby Pooping / Fussing

Keep trying different formulas (and cereal in the bottle) before you medicate.
As you're finding, it can take awhile to find the right one. And don't rule out the Target or Kirkland brands that are cheaper. Sometimes, it's just the consistency that does the trick.

My DD was doing exactly what you're describing (minus the crying) until we got her on Enfamil Gentlease. That's the one that worked for her. She was struggling to poop on everything else.

You might also try a gripe water called Colic Calm, which just helped to soothe their little bellies and deal with gas. It always does the trick when the issues seem to be out of hand.

I've never heard of the 'thermometer trick' and if I were you I would refrain from doing that. Bowel movement should be natural and if it needs to be triggered there is obviously an issue. Was this suggested by your pediatrician?
Did you happen to recently switch from breast milk to formula or was she always on formula? If you did switch, there is a very good chance the constipation is caused by that. Formula-fed babies are generally more constipated than their breastfed counterparts. The reflux might be causing the pain while pooping but rest assured they will outgrow this. You just have to find that formula that works for your daughter.
Could it be also that the the use of thermometer has made the area sore and she is fussy from that pain? You could apply some aquaphor or buttpaste to soothe the area.
Please do not put any cereal in a 3 week old baby's bottle unless specifically recommended by your pediatrician. It can cause more harm than good. All the Best to you and hang in there and this too shall pass!

Carnations Good Start comfort proteins helped my son with his milk allergies. Similac Sensitive is what helped my daughter with reflux. Goats milk is helping my friends child. Every child is different so it takes alot of trying out formulas and milks. I would just stay away from soy and rice milk.

It may be a milk intolerance. Try soy formula.

Please don't try the cereal as one poster suggested. She is WAY too young for that and that could make any digestive problems worse. Check with your doctor, but I think it's normal for formula fed babies to not have a BM every day.

I would recommend you try Gerber Goodstart Protect Plus formula as well. It is a lot easier to digest and its not foamy like other formulas. My son had to be on Enfamil for a few months because her was a preemie and he had feeding issues the whole time. Once we switched him to Gerber Goodstart (used to be Nestle Goodstart) he had no more issues. You can also try different bottles. Some bottles gives babies a hard time too, the get too much air. It all depends on how they latch. I started off using Avent bottles with my son, but then I switched to Playtex Ventaire and loved them. I also used Dr. Browns with my daughter. (Playtex changed their bottles and I didn't like them as much as the old ones). My daughter had no feeding issues... Good luck. I hope you find something that works. It is the hardest thing when your baby has feeding issues.

Stop doing the thermometer insert!!! She will go on her own...It is VERY normal for a baby to go several days in between BM's. Rarely do they go every day...they don't need to. Trust me...her "not pooping" is not what's making her fussy. Some babies are just fussy for no apparant reason! Just hang in there and she will outgrow this. An hour of crying at a time is not unusual at all...my girls were both very colicky and this lasted for 16 weeks.

It's not at all abnormal for a baby to cry for an hour, and it doesn't mean there is anything wrong. I remember thinking I was supposed to stop my baby from crying, ever, and my husband would remind me that she might be crying just "because she's a baby".

Some babies spit up, some don't. This again is normal. My daughter spit up constantly, and still continued to gain weight. We had 2 dozen cloth diapers for spit up rags and I still had to do laundry all the time.

I think I would stick with one formula for longer, to see if she will get used to it. You've tried several kinds and she is only 3 weeks old. She may be having difficulties just because of the change.

Again, she is only 3 weeks old. Hold her, comfort her as well as you can, and try to relax and let her body get into its own rhythm.

I have just answered your other post so there are some things there for you to try , but I just wanted to say that I would be very careful with sticking a thermometer in to get her to have a BM , you could do some damage and her bowel needs to have a movement by itself and not be helped with an object , so if she does have problems then the Dr needs to get to the bottom of it. Formula fed babies do suffer with constipation and have difficulties going , for my kids I used to boil some water and let it cool and then would put some in a bottle (about 4oz) and before each feed would offer them some of that fist (over the day they would drink maybe 3oz) , this helped with the BM's and is better than medication for putting thermometers into their rectum.

I've heard really good things about gripe water... have you tried that yet?

She may have "silent reflux" where the stomach contents just splash up and burn the esophagus and larynx. Have a reflux study done thru your doctor. Also start having her sleep with her head elevated. Sleeping flat is the worst thing for a reflux baby. My first daughter just constantly "leaked" if she was ever laid flat for any reason and she had the exorcist type puking. My second was a silent refluxer... hardly ever spit up.. but was soooo unhappy. Sure enough she had it too. Study the side effects of the meds before you chose one. I chose zantac and had it flavored by the pharmacy because the Prevacid caused additional stomach problems and she was even worse. Also.. wear her in a carrier. The more upright she is the better it is for the reflux.

That is one of the oddest things I have ever heard. DId the pediatrician advise you to do that? Cause I wouldn't stick anything in there to make her poop... that sounds all sort of risky and gross nor does it really allow you to figure out the problem. What does the doctor say? How long can she go without a bm?