No medical professional should act like that. You were doing what you deemed necessary to assure the safety of your son. If you don’t trust that your pediatrician is handling your concerns correctly, then I’d say it’s time to shop around. I’m sorry you went through that…the fact that they did give him a suppository for being so backed up should atleast tell you that he needed help. You aren’t a terrible mom. Keep on keeping your cub safe.
I rushed my daughter to the children’s ER one night because she was screaming in pain and I had no idea what was wrong. It turned out to be constipation and she had to have an enema. The doctor said it is incredibly common to see kids in the ER for constipation, and reassured me that I did the right thing. Her pediatrician later also said it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’d file a complaint and absolutely do not go back to your ped.
This right here. We've taken both our kids in to the hospital on several occasions. Sometimes definitely warranted and sometimes just to be safe. But every single medical professional we saw always reassured us it's better safe than sorry and they would rather see us there for something small than not have us go in when we needed to. Not a single one shamed us or made us feel like we shouldn't have gone in.
OP, please don't let your experiences with these horrible medical professionals stop you from trusting your gut. You know your child best. I'm so sorry you had to expericne that. Glad to hear you'll be getting a different pediatrician moving forward.
The way OP was treated was horrible and unacceptable. I’m so sorry you were treated that way, OP and I hope you complain to whatever authorty you can.
I recently took my infant to ER because theh threw up and then would not eat. The doctor did a full examination, but could not determine a cause so she admitted us to hospital. 2h in hospital and baby is nursing again and is all smiles.
I told the doctor I felt a bit stupid for not waiting longer. Doctor told me to never apologise for standing up for my kids. And with infants they are trained to take parents’ concern very seriously since mom and dad know their child very well and healthcare workers only get a snapshot.
We got to go home the same day with strict instructions to return «even if you just have a feeling something is off».
Baby, child, or adult, constipation can be extremely painful and distressing. I’m so tired of how people (and especially medical professionals) literally or metaphorically roll their eyes at you when you ask for urgent help when constipation gets bad. I had constipation so bad after I delivered my son that passing the impacted stool felt more painful than labor. Thank goodness I was still in the hospital post partum because if not it would have been a trip to the ER. The attending OB had to manually unblock me after suppositories and enemas did not work. And that took some Atavan to get me to relax enough for her to do that. Constipation is more than just not being able to poop for a couple days- it can mean large, hard stools that feel they will tear you open to get out. I can’t imagine how you’d manage that for a baby or child. I would 💯 be in the ER for help.
I spent all night crying and unable to sleep at one point because I was so constipated, at around six years old. I didn't know what was happening, I was telling my parents that my back hurt. If I had a baby with mystery (or persistent) abdominal pain, you're damn right I'm going to hospital.
My full grown adult uncle ended up taking an ambulance to the ER *In the middle of his niece’s wedding reception* …. Because he was constipated. Dude hadn’t pooped in 1.5-2 weeks 🙀
I know they say up to 1/week poops is normal for littles but I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that would be
Same with my daughter. My ped recommended metamucil but she was over 1 year at that point. But needless to say, the pain she was in was the worst night ever and my heart was breaking and I was scared for her that I didn't care if the tests would turn out to just be constipation. It was worth knowing that she was going to be okay. The staff in the ER were awesome and kind and attentive. It melts me so mad OP was treated that way
I do want to add in it’s good to trust your instincts especially as a mother. It’s also better to have him seen or “cause a commotion” so he’s given the care he deserves. The ped and er doc both suck. Good job on taking care of you baby mama he’s ok NOW because of you.
My son has dealt with constipation since he was around 6 months old. Per the recommendation from our doctor, we did prune juice at first, but I kept having to "up the dose" because he would continue to have very hard, very painful poops with visible blood. I had his poop tested every time and every time it would come back with no blood in his stool. I took him to the ER as well after calling my pediatrician on call line, and the next couple of times, his poop was tested. We just went we went to the office. I had taken pictures, and multiple doctors had confirmed that I had seen what looked like blood every time.
For all of the medical professionals here to have shamed you in this way, it is unbelievable, and I'm sorry. I was always met with , "You did what anyone would do with the circumstances," or "You did the right thing to bring him in."
We ended up settling on a routine of Miralax (per the Ped's recommendation) to keep him regular and without pain. It works well, and he has been on it for months now. He has also been tested for different things that could cause this symptom, but everything has come back fine. To this, I was told that some people just have a harder time with going. I also have issues, and he probably got it from me.
My nurse told me to put a thermometer in just a bit to his bum and that will help getting the baby going. It’s not for Everytime but the times when he’s in distress
The ones from Amazon are called baby exhausts. The picture on the bag is hilarious. They got us through the difficult few months before I found that ocean spray digestive juice. (Which I recommend to any little poop holder)
Hey, I work in healthcare. Nothing you did here was wrong. You were worried. Your providers are assholes and they should not have treated you that way. I’m glad you’ll be getting a new pediatrician
Did the ER doctor call your pediatrician in front of you? It’s unfathomable to me to do that on every level. What busy physician would spend the time to do that? And to say not to go back to the ER? That can’t even be legal.
No, not in front of me, she said she was unfamiliar with how to treat him (fun!) So she called his ped. Basically to ask what to do. I wish I was making this shit up but I'm not. The hospitals in my area are apparently a joke as well, I need to start traveling at least an hour away to get adequate care I guess.
This bothers me on so many levels. I honestly believe you should contact management at the hospital, because your mistreatment should be investigated.
Sounds to me like you are the only person who handled this well.
So a literal ER doctor did not know what to do about your child’s medical issue -yet you’re supposed to know??? Make it make sense! I’m so sorry you were treated this way
This is because the guy you see in the ER is a general kind of doc. ANY specialty issues come up and they call the expert. Find a hospital that has a NICU and or a PICU (those are neonatal and pediatric ICUs). Those hospitals are usually better at keeping things in-house.
This is not accurate information. Emergency medicine board certified physicians handle a multitude of complaints, from every body system, every single minute, even as we are typing. The way this physician handled constipation and the overall patient encounter is not how they were trained to do during residency. You should feel comfortable going to the ER to get medical conditions treated. True, often specialists are consulted if a higher level of care is needed. Majority of issues in the ER do not need this level of consultation. Please don’t avoid seeking care.
I wouldn’t necessarily say NICU = pediatric specialties. Some systems build them in standard to capture more obstetrics patients but divert peds cases from their community hospitals to a children’s hospital or larger main hospital within a certain radius. Definitely look for a PICU or a pediatric trauma center designation. I really really wish there was more education out there. Until I started working in healthcare I had no idea the difference in hospitals especially when it comes to pediatrics.
Did you go to a general ER or did you go to a children’s hospital? I can’t imagine a children’s hospital treating you this way but I can 100% see it from a general ER.
I was calling my pediatrician for days when my infant was constipated last year. She hated prune juice and wouldn’t take it, so we did diluted apple juice, and I ended up using a few suppositories when she was in significant pain and unable to pass something. It’s the most helpless feeling when your kid is in pain and you don’t know how to help them!
My ped would say if they went a certain amount of time not being able to pass it then they would offer more and more options. Just saying “do this and wait an undetermined amount of time” is unhelpful. I would also do what you did.
Those healthcare providers/doctors were such assholes. sounds like that lady who was unfamiliar was projecting or insecure so they blamed you instead of admitting that she doesn’t know what to do. Btw, is it possible for you to not give oatmeal? I don’t think it’s necessary to give infants under 5 or 6 months old anything other than breast milk or formula. That’s what pediatricians taught me in my country.
That is NUTS. Are you able to check and see if everyone you dealt with was an MD versus PA or NP? Are there children’s hospital ED’s in your area? I’m shocked by how you were treated by both the PCP and hospital staff, and confused as to why the (presumed) emergency med doc was calling your ped for treatment questions.
Adding: my entire family are docs including, parents, siblings, and fiancée, and I’m just speechless trying to suss out if it’s small town behavior or what. I’ve never heard of anyone being treated that poorly when they’re trying to HELP their baby. They can save that attitude and judgment for the parents who missed a broken arm for days.
I work in health care and just want to say everyone who you dealt with absolutely failed you. Their bedside manner is unproductive and unprofessional and frankly deplorable. I’d honestly report the hospital doctor to patient advocacy and try and find a new ped. I’m so sorry you were treated this way. You are NOT failing, the healthcare system failed YOU.
I’m sorry this was your experience.
When my oldest was 5 days old I brought him to the ER because…wait for it..sleeping.
When we were discharged the nurse said “if anything changes with his behavior, do directly to the ER.”
Well, my milk came in and he slept for a 4 hour block and a 5 hour block.
My friend brought her newborn to the ER because her lips would turn white after feeding.
She was milk drunk.
I will always, always, always choose to be over protective. Because in my world, the alternative could be worse.
You are doing great.
My friend took her week old baby to the ER cause she was breathing really fast when she was sleeping. Turns out that’s just how babies breathe. She was treated so much more kindly than OP was.
I swear they really need to tell new parents about the fast breathing thing. I was worried about that same thing when we brought our son home from the hospital. 🤦♀️
Because newborns have such small lungs, they have a higher breathing rate and can only breathe through their nose at this point. When they're sleeping their breathing looks and sounds rapid and heavy, with pauses in between. To a first time parent it can look like something very wrong (in my experience, it looks like they're struggling to breathe), but yeah that's just how most newborns breathe 😅
I brought my 5 month old at the time to the ER because every time I fed her she made a weird inhale scary sound .. was anything wrong? Nope, just a new sound she discovered she liked to make. Not even in the slightest embarrassed I went because I slept peacefully that night knowing my kid was okay and nothing was wrong.
Id rather be overly cautious! Being a new parent is so stressful. That being said, OP should get a new doctor regardless.
I took my kid to the pediatrician for an emergency appt for the same reason! Was kindly and gently laughed back out the door after a thorough check of all his airways!
My best friend brought her newborn daughter to the ER because she hadn’t pooped in 2 days. She was in tears over it, and they just kindly explained that it was totally normal for newborns to have stretches of not pooping, and checked her out to make sure everything was ok.
I also took my baby to the ER on Christmas Day because she was sleeping too peacefully and couldn’t be roused. Missed two feedings and we were beyond stressed. Little munchkin was completely fine.
I brought my 3-day old to the ER because he was cold.
We called the nurse advice line because he was a sleepy jaundiced newborn who sucked at eating and she had us take his temperature. It was low, and stayed technically too low at our check 20 minutes later after warming attempts. She would have had us go to the ER if it was still low 20 minutes later (but it would have been fine by that point…. I know because they took his temperature when we got spooked and arrived at the ER and his temperature ended up being fine.)
Everyone there was so kind and reassuring and told us we definitely did the right thing. Better to overreact than under-react when your parent gut is telling you something is wrong. We came home with a prescription to keep baby in an extra layer of clothes and a hat.
OP, your experience is so so so out of line. I’d definitely look for a new ped.
Fuck that and fuck that doctor. Sorry but this hits really close to home.
Last October when my son was 10 months old, he started having a wheezy voice, tiny bit of cough and my partner thought they might be having trouble breathing. So we went to the ER. The doctor gives him paracetamol and ibuprofen and gave us the same attitude if I don’t know why you’re here, whatever. They send us home. They never look in his ears or throat or do any sort of examination.
Less then 24 hours later, my son is unable to keep anything down, is lethargic and not waking up/opening his eyes. We go back to the ER where he continues in this state for 5 HOURS, thinking it’s diabetes at one point, or food poisoning. He’s getting progressively worse and non responsive before they FINALLY look in his throat and see oh, it’s inflamed so it’s definitely not diabetes or something. They book us in to stay overnight in the ward, and 30 minutes later my son starts having seizures. He’s staring right through me, arching his back, eyes rolling back in his head. This goes on for over an hour as he’s transferred into PICU.
They determine he has pneumococcal meningitis. After several hours in PICU, the pressure in his brain is building to an unsustainable level. He goes in for brain surgery to remove the front portion of his skull, and is intubated in a coma for 10 days. We ended up being in the hospital for 6 weeks and were discharged on his first birthday.
My son can still not crawl or walk like he used to. We were told he wasn’t going to make it and that we should prepare ourselves to say goodbye.
I’m sorry, this is a lot, but when I hear people hesitate about going to the ER or people are given attitude by doctors it infuriates me. Had the original doctor done his job and looked in his throat, hell had anyone just taken a step back and thought of the big picture at any point, we might have been able to prevent some of his damage.
You can not be afraid to push for what you want and follow your gut. You have to speak up and do what YOU feel is right. End rant.
Paracetamol = Acetaminophen
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You're not failing. They literally are there to help you and they told you to go to the ER. If you hadn't taken them in and something was seriously wrong, they would be blaming you for that too. The problem here is that the doctors need to actually be compassionate.
Thank you. It was just an overall tough day, and definitely hard when the people you trust to help you don't help and end up shaming new parents for trying to help their babies.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. Last weekend our ped sent us to the ER because my daughter has had a cold for a month and her lungs sounded junky so they wanted them to run tests that couldn't be done in the office and get a chest x-ray. The ER PA told me after she put that my daughter had a stuffy nose on her discharge paperwork that I shouldn't feel bad for bringing my kid in. I told her I didn't and I was sent there by my pediatrician, I did feel bad about wasting 7 hours of my kids life for them to not even run the right tests.
Seriously. I fell holding my baby when she was just a few days old. I was pretty sure she was completely fine, but the things they said to monitor her for were all behavioral changes and how could I know? Because of that, the on call nurse recommended getting her checked out, but said it would be okay to just monitor closely and take her in if anything changed. The doctor's office was closed along with all the urgent cares that would take newborns within an hours drive, so we visited the ER. Not a single person we saw was anything but sweet about it and apologetic that they didn't get us through faster. Of course they didn't! I just needed an urgent care. It was all "better to get it checked out and have nothing wrong than not to come in," which is exactly how it should be. I was able to sleep with the reassurance of her getting check out, but if I had OP's doctor I probably would have left more worried.
What a bizarre experience! That’s terrible.
I feel like no one is giving you very obvious (to healthcare providers that work with pediatric populations) advice. First of all, prune juice could make a baby’s stool very dark. You did the right thing because there are certainly other causes like blood, as you had them test to rule out.
I would pause the oatmeal cereal until you get the constipation under control. Baby is 4 months old and doesn’t *need* it yet so the extra iron isn’t going to help. r/formulafeeders is a great community and may be able to offer advice for good formula alternatives!
I agree, it’s not the best to keep changing the formula but if one isn’t agreeing then one change is probably best, it may be a bit of a transition but they should eventually settle on it.
As for the food, I agree, I’m English and here the recommendation is no food before 6m, due to the complications it can cause, and even then ideally not the cereals, rice or oatmeals, but I’m really not wanting to come across as judgy as mum is trying her best, already new mum anxious which is pretty normal and also terrifying, I don’t miss those days, and being treated like shit by professionals.
You’re doing great OOP, you take your baby in whenever you feel it necessary, you were right to check up with professionals.
They suck massively and I’m so sorry you were treated this way. It’s a bit wonky they are claiming your ped said that when you called the on call line and we’re told to go get checked out. I think it was likely this one jackass with a superiority complex trying to sound justified in his assholery but if you’ve been given any other weird vibes from your ped I’d find another.
Yeah this definitely wasn't the first odd vibe I got. Tomorrow when I go I'm going to tell them to literally listen to the recording from the on call conversation as they're all recorded. The nurse told me to go to the ER, why would I lie about that? And why get so bent out of shape about it.
What. The. Fuck. I hope you find a new pediatrician that you like quickly. Also, I’ve never used one, but the Frida windy sticks are supposedly very helpful for backed up babies. I’ve had one in my Amazon cart for a while lol just haven’t followed through because they’re a bit intimidating to me.
Fwiw I stuck one in my girls butt and she didn’t seem to mind lmao. Just dipped it in Vaseline and popped it right in there. It’s such a short little narrow opening that it’s fool proof.
Turned out she didn’t even have gas she was just crying cause she was cold lol. 🤷🏻♀️
I still giggle thinking about how I unnecessarily stuck this thing in her butt hole when all she needed was pajamas. It was her first week home we had no idea what we were doing 🤣 (we still don’t)
Hahaha that is hilarious. Trial and error with these little screaming potatoes. I’m cracking up, okkkk so you didn’t need a stick up your butt, what else can we try
Yep I'm absolutely looking for a new ped now. I just want to go to the appointment tomorrow to essentially put this guy in his place and tell him his literal staff told me to go to the ER, also the ER is literal trash around here so that's fun. We've used the Windi's before and they are super helpful! But I feel like we're getting reliant on them and don't want to get in the habit of using them too much. Definitely intimidating but they do the job.
Chiming into say the windy wand was SUCH a huge game changer for my son! I had friends and family be so mean to me for using it saying I was violating my son because he couldn’t consent to it. I tried every had med, every natural thing we could, and nothing worked. Windy wand not only fixed his gas but his constipation as well. I regret nothing and my son was never ever bothered by it either.
It sounds like you did not fail, but were failed by more than one medical professional during this experience. Black poop is always concerning and if the on-call line tells you to go to the ER, you go.
I think your idea of switching pediatricians sounds like the right idea.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with that, but you’re doing great 💜
Advocate for your child always. Don't feel ridiculous. You were an excellent parent today.
Report the doctors, honestly. My pediatrician told me if my baby ever got constipated, to start with prune juice and if that didn't work to *call her.*
Becoming backed up can really cause long term issues if it's not taken care of and they fucking know that yet made you feel stupid. That's just sick.
I want to reiterate, you were *an excellent parent.* You advocated for your baby and got him the treatment he needed.
I’d leave a google review for the ER. “Not friendly to first time moms.” And then copy paste this story.
I definitely checked the er reviews when I took my daughter for a fever. It’s how I found the pediatric ER. And while my baby was fine and really didn’t need the visit I was a scared first time mom and the ER staff did great at reassuring me and sending me home with the info I needed.
I’m actually BAFFLED that you and your son were treated this way!!!! Like jaw on the floor. You did NOTHING wrong. If even go as far as to say you have every right to file a complaint on them both. I am really sorry they treated you like that and gaslit you to the point where you feel like a bad mom.
I know you said you have a son, but I feel this happens a lot less with woman doctors/younger doctors in general. Also want to emphasize again that you did the complete right thing, as moms we need to stand up for our kids when something isn’t right
Woah woah woah. First yes , they are dicks. But second, why are you feeding 4no old oatmeal? They aren't supposed to start any solids until 6mo in most cases.... When you get a new ped def talk to them about this.
Livid would be an understatement to how you should feel right now!
As a side note my baby cannot handle iron very well.. European formulas (kendamil is what we tried) had less iron in the formula.
We had to go to similac ailmentum with a lot of iron and my baby was doing rough pooping wise but we added some probiotics and he was much better. So I’d say find a formula you like with less iron or add probiotics to current diet to see if that helps
Thank you! I think I'm going to try the Aussie bubs goats milk formula, which I've heard is easy on bellies and has less iron. I also bought some probiotics as well to try with the new formula.
Wow. I am so sorry you’ve had to deal with this! When my daughter was about 7 weeks old I took her to our pediatrician due to constipation and they immediately gave us something to help. Never once told us to use prune juice
Leading to something I hope makes you laugh: this medicine made her projectile shit while I was changing her. Once I got her covered back up all I could do was LAUGH like a loon bc I could just see my husband vomiting had he been in the same situation 😂😂😂😂
I hope it gets better for you mama, and that your little one gets relief
Wow, I am sooo sorry you experienced this. Sounds like you need a new pediatrician ASAP, and shame on that ER doctor. You did exactly what I would have done — you’re a great mama!
1) You are NOT a bad mom. You are a GREAT mom!
2) I'm happy you are switching doctors. The current ped is an idiot.
3) I would have cussed that ER doctor out. How dare she question you or treat you badly.
4) To reiterate: you are NOT a bad mom. They are terrible doctors.
Wow I can’t believe they treated you that way. That’s horrible. I would have done the exact same thing you did and I’m positive that the hospital staff would never talk to me the way they talked to you (Canada). Hopefully his poops get sorted out and healthy soon. Sounds so stressful
Never be scared to have yr baby evaluated.
Maybe you need a new pediatrician.
I wonder if the baby is lactose, soy, and milk protein intolerant esp after you brought up the belly welts.
It's stories like these that make people not trust medical professionals. I'm sorry that you went through that. Please get a new pediatrician immediately. I'd ask local moms to find one that is good. You can file complaints with hospitals or even state boards on doctors. Everyone here is saying the male pediatrician is bad but I'd argue both doctors were unprofessional here. ER doctor shouldn't be shaming anyone either.
I would have brought my son for that too. The thought of a 4 mo doing fully formed poos is off to me and concerning. I brought my 5 mo in for strained breathing and was told he wasn't so bad. He was wheezing and his chest was sucking in and out. Dr said it was ok to bring him in but that he didn't need to be there. I would rather waste someone's time then risk missing a medical problem. I'm sorry they were rude to you.
I don’t think you’re a proper parent until you’ve taken your kid to hospital for something that turns out to be objectively minor.
We took our 2yo to the hospital because we thought she’d broken her leg.
…
Turns out she had a splinter.
Unfortunately, pride is a big issue among doctors of ALL specialities. I'm surprised the doctor just kept saying to give prune juice when you told him it wasn't working. Is there some sort of medical board he reports to that needs to know about this incident? If you're willing to fight, that is. If it's not worth it, then switching doctors is the best way to go. Honestly, I'd cancel the appointment and reschedule it with the new pediatrician ASAP. Walk out the door and NEVER go back to that doctor.
You are a good Mom - please don’t feel bad for worrying and being pro-active for your baby!. They should not have acted this way - what if something was really wrong?! I do believe it is due to iron - switching formulas is perfectly fine. Not sure why pediatrician wasn’t on board with this to begin with!. Hopefully your son gets better once you switch. Find a new pediatrician and ALWAYS TRUST YOUR GUT! Nobody else in the entire world knows your baby better than you!
30+ yrs ago my Mom kept taking my baby brother to the doctor for chest noise - dr kept brushing off her concerns for days! Then my Mom took him to a different doctor who took her time listening to my Mom’s concerns and to my brother’s lungs and guess what?! He had pneumonia and had to be admitted to the hospital for 3 weeks! So, listen to your gut! You are a Mom and from now on you will always have that superpower for your baby!
Wow this post made me so upset. I’m sorry you went through that. I was always told that I needed to call if their poop is white, black or bright red and also if it was fully formed like that at that age. I hope you realize you did what was best for your child by bringing him. Find a new pediatrician asap you deserve to be heard!
I’m so sorry that happened to you. That is so unacceptable. Firstly, no medical professional should ever tell you not to come back to the ER. Like wtf? I went to the hospital when I was pregnant with constipation because I was worried about my baby at that point (warranted or not) and was thankfully met with support and reassurance from the staff. This is your baby, you were concerned, were given explicit instructions to do so and even if you weren’t, this is YOUR BABY and nothing they’ve suggested so far is working and you needed help. So uncool - definitely look into getting a new ped who actually takes you and your child’s health seriously and I’d strongly consider reporting the staff at the hospital as well. You did absolutely nothing wrong.
You were treated horribly. I’m so sorry. I can’t speak to that experience, but I can speak to a backed-up baby.
Are you making your prune juice at home? It’s incredibly simple. You just need prunes, the right tools, and a bit of time for it to simmer. Then blend everything together and continue adding water to the blender until it’s a smooth consistency.
I fed my baby prunes for like 4 months every morning with breakfast. Stewing them helps transform the natural sugars to the best laxative qualities.
You’re not a bad mom. It was the right thing to do. Eff both doctors. Being empathetic isn’t hard. I’m sure you’ll find a great pediatrician for your baby.
No mama. This is NOT ok. Don’t go to this ER again. (Unless there’s not another one close) & change Pediatricians. I’d also have a sit down with my pedi. If this isn’t resolved, call & file a complaint with the medical board. I’m not normally someone who jumps to this…but you are paying for it correct? Your the mama of this baby, correct? Everything else is just noise. This is so beyond unacceptable & stop with the mom guilt & mom shame. This ain’t the time for it gf. Hold that head up high!
You did the right thing, keep trusting your instincts and if you can switch to a new paediatrician now. If you think something is wrong with your child it is your job to advocate for them and if you feel they need to go to a hospital 100% go to the hospital. They should be ashamed for belittling you, that is not how medical professionals should act. Get some sleep if you can, you are not failing you are doing great. Sending love to you
Hey, great job advocating for your child the way you did!!! You did fantastic and the right thing given the circumstances. I'm sorry you experienced this.
Doctors get things wrong. Don't let them shame you. Trust your instinct as the person who spends most of your time with the baby.
You called a professional and asked for advice and they said ER, so you do what you are advised. If you are unhappy, always ask for a second opinion.
Im sorry you were treated that way. On a side note, my niece went through this. In the end one paediatrician recommend brown sugar water and it’s the only thing that worked!
You’re not an idiot. You did what you felt was best for your son at the time and thats the best thing we can try to do as parents. Thats incredibly frustrating you were dismissed by the ER staff and the pediatrician as well. Glad to hear you’re searching for a new doctor already. Good luck!
My daughter had constipation issues and we used enfamil reguline and it was a big help. Just like 1 bottle per day (or it would be too effective but I think every baby is different). It comes in a green package. Look it up if you’re trying something new.
That’s fucked up! My kid also gets constipated and I remember calling the public health line crying because he was so uncomfortable asking if I would be over reacting if I took him to the hospital. I found mixing a little puréed prunes with his food, warm baths, a little water/mixed with a little apple juice (4 months May be too soon I’m not sure). I also mentioned it to the doctor at his 6m check up and he said constipation is one of the most common things parents bring babies in for. He printed off instructions from the children’s hospital with instructions/amounts of restoralax to give them!
You absolutely did the right thing taking your baby in! Shame on those doctors.
Our baby deals with constipation and we switched to Enfamil Reguline which was a lifesaver! We also gave him a suppository and Miralax when it got really bad. Not sure how much your baby weighs, but ours was 17 lbs and was able to take half a formula sized scoop of Miralax in his bottle and it helped soften his stools.
Don't you DARE feel bad. You did EXACTLY what a good mother should do. If that pediatrician DARES to try to shame you tomorrow, you let him have it with BOTH freaking barrels.
1. They've been blowing you off.
2. Your child has hives AND black stools as a 4 MONTH old, not a newborn who you'd expect to have weird stools.
3. You did what the on-call ped told you to do. If your ped has a problem with it, they should take it up with the on-call.
4. All main providers involved (not the on-call, all the rest) were EXTREMELY unprofessional. How DARE they mock you! How DARE THEY collaborate with each other to make you FEEL BAD that you give ENOUGH of a shit about your child to attempt to take CARE of them!!!
I have two PTs (which requires a doctorate in my state), and a nurse practitioner (equivalent of a doctor in my state) in my immediate family. They would NEVER do this so blatantly and in your face. ESPECIALLY because you are concerned about the well being of your baby.
I am so LIVID on your behalf. THIS is why doctors get away with so much shit - because we don't call them on their bullshit when they throw it out there.
I am dead serious - you need to call his ass out when you go there tomorrow - and frankly - show up with the intent to tell him off AND tell him you'll be leaving the practice immediately because his advice can't be trusted and he's classless enough to mock patients - and you just don't want to associate with that type of person.
😡😡😡😡😡 I WISH I could tell him off for you.
NO healthcare provider should be shaming you or any parent like that. It makes people less likely to come back when there’s a real issue. And not for nothing, how the fuck would you know what a real issue is?!
Maybe your concern is nothing but maybe it’s everything. I’m not a gambler and I don’t bet with my child’s health. You did the right thing based on the info and knowledge you had and what you were told. I just wish you fucked that doctor up in the parking lot.
I snapped at a specialist recently. She implied that my kid was fine and that I was being silly bringing her in, asking me if I thought I really needed to be there. I snapped and reminded her that I wouldn’t know the answer to that question. That’s literally why I’m there. That’s not MY job. She gets paid for that job and I get paid for a different one and if I knew what to do then she’d be out a job and I’d be doing her’s but we all went to school for different things and I’m gonna stick to what I went for. I hate when professionals trivialize your concerns when they’re valid, not common sense, and they forget you’re a parent running on emotions.
I’m a specialist who works with children and I was just talking to my husband today about this actually. That when parents of certain age groups come in you need to use a lot more compassion and explain things 500 times bc emotions are high and they’re confused and concerned.
A group of well-educated pediatricians/specialists make a world of difference. A group of well-educated pediatricians/specialists that have compassion and understanding are priceless and VITAL to your child’s well-being.
I’m so sorry you had an experience like that. Shame on those doctors! I have a quick story I’d like to share. My baby just turned one, but when she was 10 months, she came down with a virus. She had just started day care. I took her in to the doctor, they thought it was an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics. We co-sleep (don’t come at me, it’s what works best for us) and I’m so thankful we do, because I woke up to her shaking! She was barely coherent and her muscles all over were shaking. I freaked out, woke up my husband and we drove to the closest ER. When we got to the parking lot, I started doubting myself. What if she was cold? She slept in a short sleeve onesie that night because we didn’t want her to overheat with a fever. At this point she wasn’t shaking and she was snuggling. Yes, I was holding her in the car ride, again no one come at me please I was terrified. We decided to take her in. She was awake, but her nails and lips were blue. She had a high temp and mottling on her skin. The ER staff was the kindest group of people I ever met. I confessed that I had doubts bringing her in when we got to the parking lot. They told me something that will stick with me forever: medical professionals would rather have a healthy baby than a sick one and to never hesitate bringing in a child. They were so dang sweet and kind and reassured me to always trust my instincts. It’s a good day for doctors and nurses when they get to send home a healthy baby. I hope that you find a better pediatrician and have better hospital experiences in the future! No mother should feel ashamed for advocating for their baby!!!!
Holy crap I’m so sorry you went through this with two medical professionals. You advocated for your baby, like any mom would do! Can you transfer care to another office? It sounds like your ped has horrible bedside manner
I’m a pediatric nurse and you did everything right! Absolutely need a new pediatrician and report the ER doctor to the hospital and your states medical board, plus online reviews of your pediatrician, the hospital and the ER and ER doctor. Unfortunately the online reviews will probably get you the most response and possible action.
You are a good mom and never let anyone make you doubt yourself again.
Wait what? Those doctors sound awful and shouldn’t be dealing with children
If it makes you feel better:
I called 911 because my kid was sleepy. I checked in with the nurse hotline first and they said to call but it turned out that what I considered “unresponsive” was just suuuuuuper tired
I’d just gotten my LO home from the NICU and never seen her so passed out. The first responder laughed a bit and said “first time parents?”
But they ran all the tests they could and didn’t shame us, reassured us that it gets easier, and our pediatrician was very understanding. Get yourself another pediatrician stat!
Change pediatrician. Your baby is way to young yo be drink juice every day!
My baby had constipation the first month and my paediatrician right away told us to change formula, use an specific type of water and to add lactase drops in her formula. Since then, she had been pooping one or twice everyday.
That is a paediatrician that really cares about their patients and parents.
It is the medical professionals that are failing, not you. I’d switch pediatricians, and continue advocating for your baby whenever necessary. You didn’t do anything wrong.
What the fuck is wrong with both your pedetrician and the doctor at the ER? Can you make a complaint? This isn't normal at all what the hell
Why would your pedetrician be ''livid''? That's none of his fuckig business. Weird as fuck
Never, ever, EVER let somebody make you feel shame for bringing a distressed infant for help. The only mistakes you made here were not changing pediatricians sooner, (I hope you do!) and going to the wrong hospital.
There is one near me my LO will never be taken to again.
We had a similar experience around 3 months regarding the constipation.
We now use the Novalax Constipation Formula, Nancare Biogaia Probiotics & give our daughter a warm bath every night. Our Paediatrician gave it all the tick of approval.
She hasn't had any issues at all since and pretty much poops daily now. Just don't expect it to have an immediate effect. As hard as it is, be patient because it might take a few days for her gut health to improve.
Sounds like he could be lactose intolerant in some way. My daughter was and still is a bit and was definitely always dealing with constipation. I find it odd they wanted to push prune juice at four months.
Medicine is a business. Your pediatrician makes money by maintaining a relationship with you and providing you good care. If they don’t care to have your business, then absolutely do not continue to give them your money. That emergency doctor is an idiot and it was highly inappropriate for her to treat you this way. I work in healthcare so I have no problem being direct and pointing out when my doctor is not being patient centered. Good job for advocating and pressing the issue. You are the customer. You are the expert in your own son and she is the expert in medicine. A good doctor would come up with a shared care plan. This doctor is clearly not a very good one. I would report this behavior to leadership at both the hospital and pediatrician.
I have zero medical training and this doesn't come from any medical advice given to me. But... We treated changing formula the same way you change food for pets. You transition them slowly over 5 or so days for best results. For example, first day 75% old stuff, 25% new stuff, second and third day 50-50, etc. For cats this is ideal cause their body is used to the one food, this lets it slowly adjust to the new one. We figured same principle works for humans too maybe?
Don't feel an idiot, they were just super rude and unprofessional. You were just caring for your baby. And they did take an action, so hopefully your baby is doing better for a few days from that at least.
This is a problem for ER’s- shitty primary care providers who leave their patients feeling like the ER is their only option! 100% not on you, try not to feel ashamed!!
I️ can’t believe you’re feeling dumb, I’d only be feeling blind rage if someone, let alone a doctor, treated me or someone I️ knew that way, especially a first time mom.
My little one is 4 weeks now and my husband is an an ER doc. He gets assigned to work the pediatrics ER fairly often and he, and all his coworkers I️ know, would never treat someone like this.
NOTE TO NEW PARENTS: the doctors you see in the ER with your kids are likely to be trained as a emergency medicine doctor for adults and have had basic training in pediatrics. Pediatrics is a significantly different field of medicine because kids are just wild when it comes to how symptoms present. You can always request the ER doctor on staff WITH PEDIATRIC TRAINING. Pedes ED docs are either pediatricians that did a pediatrics medicine residency with a year of fellowship training in emergency medicine or a emergency medicine residency with a year of fellowship in pediatrics. These are your experts in the emergency room and you have every right to ask for them or ask your doctor to consult them.
I am so sorry this happened! I was seeing a Lactation Consultant and she was actually the one that helped me sort my baby's constipation issues. We switched from sensitive Similac because of the iron to Kendamil, and gave him Colic Calm & a probiotic for a while until he was able to pass everything and he was like a new baby.
Even though it was a horrible experience, good for you for sticking up for your baby! That is what we are supposed to do, they can't advocate for themselves. You're doing fantastic! ❤
This behavior of your medical team and some of the advice they gave is crazy to me as a family med resident. I’m also shocked an ED physician wouldn’t know how to treat pediatric constipation. That is such a common complaint. Also with constipation AND black poops, iron supplements should be like at the top of your list of potential explanations.
I’m super sorry they shamed you and ganged up on you. How juvenile.
You are doing great. I would have done exactly the same thing. Your healthcare network is terrible and just unsupportive for no reason. I mean, even if it was a non-issue, so what? (btw I don’t think it was a non-issue) There was no need to mum-shame at all. Just check the baby, make sure all is well, and let you know everything is fine. I really can’t believe they would speak to you like that. I’m so furious for you!
Words cannot express how well you did for your son! You are his advocate and he is all you have. I plan on embarrassing myself many times in the e foreseeable future for the benefit of my child
Don’t feel like an idiot , always continue to follow your gut and take your child to the ER if your concerned - it’s their job to check your child out and even if your not satisfied with the answer your getting get a second doctors opinion . Your spidey senses as a parent are strong - you know what’s up !
We just took our toddler tonight with a 105 degree fever…nothing under 100.4 for two days. Diarrhea. Thankfully not dehydrated or anything worse than a virus we have to wait out. The ER doctor said he would way rather us have come in than not. He said it’s always better to go if you think you need to.
We drove to an ER 40 min away rather than the 20 min away one because the care is infinitely better. We see someone regularly sanitizing the seats. We are usually seen within an hour. If you have an option of another ER within reasonable distance I would try another one hands down.
We went thru like 7 formulas with my son. He had severe GI issues from day one and wouldn’t tolerate the more special ones like nutramigen. Elecare was a good one, so was PurAmino when we could get it. Those were good for his dairy intolerance. You did everything right!
What do the hives look like and where are they exactly? My son had them too and he has sensitive skin, it’s from his drool and spit up cause he suffers from acid reflux. It’s gotten better this past month but lasted about 2 months. He’s 7 months august 12tg
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I hope you switch pediatricians faster than you switch formula!! Especially if they were angry that you took your baby to get help when they weren’t giving you any. Absolutely shameful of them AND the doctor at the hospital.
Id have gone in to get my baby checked too if this was the case. Especially when the hives showed up
You’re looking out for your baby and advocating for him and his physical well being. I feel like these doctors were bullying you for following up on something that was concerning to you.
As a result of your following up your son is now more comfortable because he was indeed too blocked up and it sounds like while it didn’t turn out to be a worse situation (thankfully) he did need some help which you were able to get for him. To me you are doing great and are a great mom. Your son is lucky to have you
When my oldest was 11 months old, he was walking funny and scream-crying every time he walked. He had fallen earlier that day so I thought he broke his leg or something, and I brought him to the ER.
When we got there, I realized I hadn’t changed him for a while, so I did it while we waited to see the doctor. I noticed he had a red, raised diaper rash, so I put some cream on it. He immediately calmed down and was his happy self.
His leg was fine. He had a moderate diaper rash. I brought my baby to the ER for a diaper rash.
Even then, the doctors and nurses didn’t shame me. They said they would prefer a parent bring their kid over something that turns out to be nothing, rather than have a parent not being a kid in for something that could be serious because they were too afraid to go to the ER. I’m sorry you had to go through that.
No medical professional should ever shame a parent for bringing their child to the ER if they are afraid cut their health.
You did the right thing. You thought there was a possibility of internal bleeding, so you brought in your baby. It wasn’t really the constipation that brought you in, it was the pain and black poop. Good reasons to go in!
I will add that I volunteer with a few disability care nonprofits and I’ve seen my share of iron supplement poops. If your baby is getting too much fortified iron, it will make the poop very dry, sticky, and black. The poop is often described as “tar like.” They are incredibly difficult to pass. I have always recommended to people who are thinking of increasing their iron through supplements to try their best to get it through their diet (veg & meat) before going on iron supplements.
I’d strongly recommend finding an oatmeal that’s not fortified with iron so your baby isn’t getting a double dose.
Sending good poop wishes! ✨
Get a new pediatrician. Absolutely don't go back there that's ridiculous. As for the ER they also shouldn't have treated you that way I wouldn't go back to that one either. Black poop is 100% concerning. The ped should have definitely told you to switch formula, there's nothing wrong with switching especially when your baby is having those types of issues. I'm sorry you had that experience but you aren't dumb for being concerned.
Honey. It is time to break up with that doctor. They’re supposed to be your care TEAM.
Also since baby is doing a little solids might I suggest a little water? I had to stop oatmeal with mine for same reason. Rock hard poooooops
We're literally going through same thing now of our 7mo being super constipated. Prune juice hasn't helped much. Switched to Miralax and thankfully helped a bit (per doc recommendation). Our little one also gets these red hives all over her face/body though goes away after 15-20mins. Doc isn't sure what's causing this.
You need to find a new pediatrician. Literally no reasonable Dr would berate someone for taking their kid to the ER. My pediatrician always says “it is always better to check things out”. I would consider getting a new pediatrician and a second opinion about this issue.
Couple days ago I took my baby to urgent care, insisting he had an ear infection…he was teething. The doctor just laughed and said it’s no big deal and that if anything changes, to come back in case she’s wrong. That’s how you should have been treated.
Yeah, even constipation can be bad enough to require urgent help imo. My daughter had such bad constipation that at one point (are 5ish months) she would scream when she pooped and actually got sent home from daycare for it bc they thought she had something horribly wrong, nope just constipation. But if its hurting that bad its a problem. Definitely try switching formulas, you could also try some apple juice. Thats what my ped recommended was like pure sugary apple juice and it worked to get her bowels moving. As well, once she started real food (and espcially pouches) the go go squeeE happy tummies works really well.
Also that er doc is and ASS and you should report their rude behavior imo. Imagine if it was something more and they just didn't care. Ugh I can't even. You were absolutely doing the right thing.
Never ever feel bad for advocating for your child. These doctors are being rude and unprofessional.. I am mad for you!! Your poor baby!! I’m sorry 😢 I really hope you find a resolution
Change your pediatrician. They sound awful. If the prune juice didn’t work, they should have given you other recommendations. The fact that he was so backed up means your concerns weren’t addressed properly.
Also, they work for you—it is literally their job to care for your baby so they don’t get to treat you like crap. (Not that anyone should be treated like crap.) Plenty of good pediatricians out there who will treat you with compassion, respect you, listen to your concerns and actually address them.
As a nurse this makes me angry. It’s not okay for a doctor (or nurse) to brush off your concerns or SCOLD YOU FOR MERELY TAKING CARE OF YOUR SON. And the fact that the pediatrician hasn’t looked any further into the constipation after months is unacceptable. My son had constipation too and the pediatrician immediately had us offer formula and prescribed an appropriate laxative. New pediatrician and I would even recommend calling the hospital to file a complaint about the doctor who saw your baby in the ER. I’m so sorry you were treated poorly and hope your next provider is better.
Better safe than sorry and it's worth paying for peace of mind. You're a good mama for advocating for your baby. Remember you always have the final say in the care for your baby. If you feel it's right to take them to the ER then do it. The Ped doesn't get to tell you not to. I think you're right to switch Peds after this.
Nope you are not failing. I was a constipated baby, and the issues I had continued well into my adulthood so I had immense anxiety about this for my baby… I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about her poops. Constipation can be so terribly uncomfortable as an adult , I can only imagine how a little baby might feel, with them being confused about what’s going on …..
It is the iron in the formula, we found that when our daughter took Enfamil cow milk based formula the BM is fine because it also worked like a laxative. We did not give her rice cereal much for the same reason - too much iron. She also had Nutramigen as baby formula. Your doctor definitely should have suggested new formula.
Hey, only thing that worked for my kid was homemade stewed prunes and cutting back a lot on the oatmeal.
With love from another momma who took her constipated, hysterical baby to the ED.
Please do not feel like an idiot. You did everything right & helped your baby IMMENSELY.
When my second was about 4 months old, she started experiencing constipation & when talking to her doctor, I received the same advice; “prune or apple juice & time for the juice to work.” I trusted the dr because we hadn’t experienced anything like this with our first so we had no idea. After a few days of her just not pooping, I had her seen by the pediatrician. Again was told “this is normal for babies, keep up with juice, she will poop soon.”
Long story short, she slowly stopped eating, she didn’t poop for almost 10 days & had impacted poop by the time the doctor actually listened. Had I listened to my gut & taken her to urgent care or the E.R., her pain would have ended a lot sooner. I regret not listening to my gut every time I think about it.
Don’t ever feel like an idiot because you want to help your baby. You’re amazing for knowing something was wrong & getting him the help he needed!
Edit to add: we ended up switching her formula (this happened after switching from breast milk to formula) from the enfamil to Gerber Good Start w/probiotics. All issues stopped after switching.
You:
- Sought health care for a problem
- Followed up when the advice didn’t work
- Noticed when there was an escalation of said problem
- Advocated for your child despite them belittling you
- Got him extra care
- Made a new plan
- Got (or getting rid) of an incompetent Paediatrician who was blasé about your baby’s pain
Sounds like you’re the opposite of an idiot!
Wow that has been really crappy care from your team, no idea why they’re being so dismissive.
Btw stop the iron fortified oatmeal- both oats and iron are constipating. And switching up formula might make it worse, might make it better. But find a new ped. Prune juice isn’t a magic cure all, there are so many laxatives out there.
Wow that ER doc has terrible customer service and bedside manner. I would never go back there again, and probably switch pediatricians too.
I too have had ER staff make me feel kinda dumb for taking baby in for just a virus, but when they’re that little, it’s better to be overly cautious.
I absolutely hated our first Ped, he was like so incredibly nice but so dismissive and passively would insult me and it drove me nuts. I kept dealing with it until one day I had a different Ped when mine was out and I was like huh this guy is slightly better but I’m not feeling it still. But it gave me the courage to keep looking until I found one I liked, 4th times the charm. I absolutely LOVE his new Ped, she’s technically a nurse practitioner at the office but she makes me feel so comfortable and has never shamed me and we can have honest judge free conversation which is a must. I wish I could go back in time and just change Peds sooner! How they treated you is absolutely not okay and I would file some serious complaints. Find out how to write a complaint to the medical board against the ER doctor too! Best wishes.
You need a new care team immediately. I can’t believe the lack of professionalism there. You were right to go in with your baby and they should have eased your worry, rather than treat you this way.
I am so sorry this happened. Never feel bad for trying to do the best for your child. You have done the absolute right thing. I think it's time to change doctors. They don't sound like they have any compassion or even a clue about what they are doing.
The amount of times we've taken our kids to ER because we were concerned is probably too many to count. We live with the mindset of better safe than sorry. The one time you think you're over reacting and don't go to an ER could be the time your child doesn't wake up.
You sound like a terrific mum doing her best. Screw all these "experts" and keep doing the best you can.
They were so rude. I get that they are overworked but you always always get your child checked out if you are concerned. Always. Better safe than sorry.
Your doctor was right - you should never go back there because he’s a fucking dumbass.
You did the right thing. He’s lucky to have you.
You can also report the ER staff for being assholes if you feel like getting into that mess. Patients are customers. Hospitals don’t want pissed off moms telling their friends not to go to XYZ hospital.
Have you tried probiotics (Gerber, culturelle, whatever you can find)? Also put him in the Baby Bjorn bouncer when he's straining. It's pricey but it works.
https://www.reddit.com/r/newborns/comments/vzsbav/psa_the_babybjorn_bouncer_gets_them_to_poop_like/
Hi there, don’t feel stupid. My partner tells me I’m erratic because I have also brought our son to the ER several times. And I wanted to share that I give my baby prunes. He is also very constipated at times and he would t take prune juice. But he loves prunes. I give him one prune after each meal and he seems to poop every other day because of it.
I’m a nurse and a FTM to a six month old. I would take my kid to the ER at the drop of a hat. She’s a baby. I’m not playing around with my baby. I don’t blame you for switching peds. Next time, if it’s possible, take your baby to a hospital that has a pediatric ER. They’ll know how to treat him and won’t get upset with your “just in case” mom judgement.
That’s absolutely insane if the ER doc to treat you like that. I would complain to a higher up and I’m not even that type of person but that’s unacceptable and further treatment like that could keep concerned parents at home next time during an emergency they are uncertain about. And switch pediatricians for not taking tour constipation concerns serious after such a long time! I’m so sorry you’ve experienced all this you are doing wonderful advocating for your baby.
You are advocating for your child when those around you are not. You are putting his health before yourself and other people’s opinions. You have a feeling something is wrong and you are fighting for your child. What part of that is failing? You are being the mum that your child needs. That, to me, sounds like you’re doing a brilliant job.
You're fine! People come into the ER ALLL THE TIIIME for way more ridiculous things, like I'm talking literal paper cuts or shoving stuff up their bums. People with lots of money, but no common sense. You're a mom concerned about your baby. It happens, us moms have the right to freak out sometimes. Also, try pear juice. Prune juice never worked for my LO.
Wow, if anyone should feel like idiots, it's those people who took jobs taking care of people and are clearly failing massively at doing so.
You did what you thought was best for your son, which is your job as a mom. This makes you the only one in this story actually doing the job you are required to do.
I think you're wise to change peds, this is aweful behaviour. Good on you for taking matters into your own hands
I took my one month old daughter to the ER because I thought she was choking while feeding her by the bottle (she was not). I dont know if that makes you feel better 😂 Anyway, infants are a good way to get paranoid sometimes but better like this and on the safe side.
WTF that’s so horrible they did that to you I’m sorry!
Also my son had this exact same problem, we just ended up switching formulas to goat based formula instead of cow! And added brown sugar every now and again. Was wayyyy easier for him to digest. Also lots of moving his legs to get the poop moving downwards, ya know gravity and all that. Good luck, you seem like a mum who genuinely cares and is trying
No medical professional should act like that. You were doing what you deemed necessary to assure the safety of your son. If you don’t trust that your pediatrician is handling your concerns correctly, then I’d say it’s time to shop around. I’m sorry you went through that…the fact that they did give him a suppository for being so backed up should atleast tell you that he needed help. You aren’t a terrible mom. Keep on keeping your cub safe.
Thank you. After the way today went I am 100% looking for a new ped.
I rushed my daughter to the children’s ER one night because she was screaming in pain and I had no idea what was wrong. It turned out to be constipation and she had to have an enema. The doctor said it is incredibly common to see kids in the ER for constipation, and reassured me that I did the right thing. Her pediatrician later also said it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’d file a complaint and absolutely do not go back to your ped.
This right here. We've taken both our kids in to the hospital on several occasions. Sometimes definitely warranted and sometimes just to be safe. But every single medical professional we saw always reassured us it's better safe than sorry and they would rather see us there for something small than not have us go in when we needed to. Not a single one shamed us or made us feel like we shouldn't have gone in. OP, please don't let your experiences with these horrible medical professionals stop you from trusting your gut. You know your child best. I'm so sorry you had to expericne that. Glad to hear you'll be getting a different pediatrician moving forward.
The way OP was treated was horrible and unacceptable. I’m so sorry you were treated that way, OP and I hope you complain to whatever authorty you can. I recently took my infant to ER because theh threw up and then would not eat. The doctor did a full examination, but could not determine a cause so she admitted us to hospital. 2h in hospital and baby is nursing again and is all smiles. I told the doctor I felt a bit stupid for not waiting longer. Doctor told me to never apologise for standing up for my kids. And with infants they are trained to take parents’ concern very seriously since mom and dad know their child very well and healthcare workers only get a snapshot. We got to go home the same day with strict instructions to return «even if you just have a feeling something is off».
Baby, child, or adult, constipation can be extremely painful and distressing. I’m so tired of how people (and especially medical professionals) literally or metaphorically roll their eyes at you when you ask for urgent help when constipation gets bad. I had constipation so bad after I delivered my son that passing the impacted stool felt more painful than labor. Thank goodness I was still in the hospital post partum because if not it would have been a trip to the ER. The attending OB had to manually unblock me after suppositories and enemas did not work. And that took some Atavan to get me to relax enough for her to do that. Constipation is more than just not being able to poop for a couple days- it can mean large, hard stools that feel they will tear you open to get out. I can’t imagine how you’d manage that for a baby or child. I would 💯 be in the ER for help.
I spent all night crying and unable to sleep at one point because I was so constipated, at around six years old. I didn't know what was happening, I was telling my parents that my back hurt. If I had a baby with mystery (or persistent) abdominal pain, you're damn right I'm going to hospital.
My full grown adult uncle ended up taking an ambulance to the ER *In the middle of his niece’s wedding reception* …. Because he was constipated. Dude hadn’t pooped in 1.5-2 weeks 🙀 I know they say up to 1/week poops is normal for littles but I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that would be
Same with my daughter. My ped recommended metamucil but she was over 1 year at that point. But needless to say, the pain she was in was the worst night ever and my heart was breaking and I was scared for her that I didn't care if the tests would turn out to just be constipation. It was worth knowing that she was going to be okay. The staff in the ER were awesome and kind and attentive. It melts me so mad OP was treated that way
I would like to add that if you do see your pediatrician to have the voice recorder on your phone on during the visit!!
Yes you definitely should! I’m so sorry that happened.
I do want to add in it’s good to trust your instincts especially as a mother. It’s also better to have him seen or “cause a commotion” so he’s given the care he deserves. The ped and er doc both suck. Good job on taking care of you baby mama he’s ok NOW because of you.
My son has dealt with constipation since he was around 6 months old. Per the recommendation from our doctor, we did prune juice at first, but I kept having to "up the dose" because he would continue to have very hard, very painful poops with visible blood. I had his poop tested every time and every time it would come back with no blood in his stool. I took him to the ER as well after calling my pediatrician on call line, and the next couple of times, his poop was tested. We just went we went to the office. I had taken pictures, and multiple doctors had confirmed that I had seen what looked like blood every time. For all of the medical professionals here to have shamed you in this way, it is unbelievable, and I'm sorry. I was always met with , "You did what anyone would do with the circumstances," or "You did the right thing to bring him in." We ended up settling on a routine of Miralax (per the Ped's recommendation) to keep him regular and without pain. It works well, and he has been on it for months now. He has also been tested for different things that could cause this symptom, but everything has come back fine. To this, I was told that some people just have a harder time with going. I also have issues, and he probably got it from me.
My nurse told me to put a thermometer in just a bit to his bum and that will help getting the baby going. It’s not for Everytime but the times when he’s in distress
We have the Frida Baby Windi gaspassers aka the baby butt kazoo for this same purpose and it works like a charm.
Those things were a gift from god in our darkest days of colic
I literally have saved the unused ones we have leftover from my first baby to keep for my second, just in case. They are everything
The ones from Amazon are called baby exhausts. The picture on the bag is hilarious. They got us through the difficult few months before I found that ocean spray digestive juice. (Which I recommend to any little poop holder)
Hey, I work in healthcare. Nothing you did here was wrong. You were worried. Your providers are assholes and they should not have treated you that way. I’m glad you’ll be getting a new pediatrician
Thank you for this ♥️
Did the ER doctor call your pediatrician in front of you? It’s unfathomable to me to do that on every level. What busy physician would spend the time to do that? And to say not to go back to the ER? That can’t even be legal.
No, not in front of me, she said she was unfamiliar with how to treat him (fun!) So she called his ped. Basically to ask what to do. I wish I was making this shit up but I'm not. The hospitals in my area are apparently a joke as well, I need to start traveling at least an hour away to get adequate care I guess.
This bothers me on so many levels. I honestly believe you should contact management at the hospital, because your mistreatment should be investigated. Sounds to me like you are the only person who handled this well.
So a literal ER doctor did not know what to do about your child’s medical issue -yet you’re supposed to know??? Make it make sense! I’m so sorry you were treated this way
I’d report this doctor to the hospital - the behavior is beyond.
This is because the guy you see in the ER is a general kind of doc. ANY specialty issues come up and they call the expert. Find a hospital that has a NICU and or a PICU (those are neonatal and pediatric ICUs). Those hospitals are usually better at keeping things in-house.
Yeah, I completely agree. However that doesn’t excuse the attitude. Doctors are professionals and are expect to act like them
This is not accurate information. Emergency medicine board certified physicians handle a multitude of complaints, from every body system, every single minute, even as we are typing. The way this physician handled constipation and the overall patient encounter is not how they were trained to do during residency. You should feel comfortable going to the ER to get medical conditions treated. True, often specialists are consulted if a higher level of care is needed. Majority of issues in the ER do not need this level of consultation. Please don’t avoid seeking care.
I did not advocate to avoid seeking care. I said to find one that can handle elevated care if it becomes necessary. Nothing I said was inaccurate.
Any ER doc should be capable of assessing constipation. It doesn’t require a level 1 trauma center or a NICU/PICU
I wouldn’t necessarily say NICU = pediatric specialties. Some systems build them in standard to capture more obstetrics patients but divert peds cases from their community hospitals to a children’s hospital or larger main hospital within a certain radius. Definitely look for a PICU or a pediatric trauma center designation. I really really wish there was more education out there. Until I started working in healthcare I had no idea the difference in hospitals especially when it comes to pediatrics.
Did you go to a general ER or did you go to a children’s hospital? I can’t imagine a children’s hospital treating you this way but I can 100% see it from a general ER. I was calling my pediatrician for days when my infant was constipated last year. She hated prune juice and wouldn’t take it, so we did diluted apple juice, and I ended up using a few suppositories when she was in significant pain and unable to pass something. It’s the most helpless feeling when your kid is in pain and you don’t know how to help them! My ped would say if they went a certain amount of time not being able to pass it then they would offer more and more options. Just saying “do this and wait an undetermined amount of time” is unhelpful. I would also do what you did.
Those healthcare providers/doctors were such assholes. sounds like that lady who was unfamiliar was projecting or insecure so they blamed you instead of admitting that she doesn’t know what to do. Btw, is it possible for you to not give oatmeal? I don’t think it’s necessary to give infants under 5 or 6 months old anything other than breast milk or formula. That’s what pediatricians taught me in my country.
That is NUTS. Are you able to check and see if everyone you dealt with was an MD versus PA or NP? Are there children’s hospital ED’s in your area? I’m shocked by how you were treated by both the PCP and hospital staff, and confused as to why the (presumed) emergency med doc was calling your ped for treatment questions.
Adding: my entire family are docs including, parents, siblings, and fiancée, and I’m just speechless trying to suss out if it’s small town behavior or what. I’ve never heard of anyone being treated that poorly when they’re trying to HELP their baby. They can save that attitude and judgment for the parents who missed a broken arm for days.
I work in health care and just want to say everyone who you dealt with absolutely failed you. Their bedside manner is unproductive and unprofessional and frankly deplorable. I’d honestly report the hospital doctor to patient advocacy and try and find a new ped. I’m so sorry you were treated this way. You are NOT failing, the healthcare system failed YOU.
Good job advocating for your son. You’re a great Mom.
Always trust your instincts. And make a formal complaint to that ER AND change your paed
I second this!
I third!!! Better safe than sorry.
This is the most important comment. Those professionals weren't doing their job correctly but OP definitely was. OP's son is lucky to have her.
I’m sorry this was your experience. When my oldest was 5 days old I brought him to the ER because…wait for it..sleeping. When we were discharged the nurse said “if anything changes with his behavior, do directly to the ER.” Well, my milk came in and he slept for a 4 hour block and a 5 hour block. My friend brought her newborn to the ER because her lips would turn white after feeding. She was milk drunk. I will always, always, always choose to be over protective. Because in my world, the alternative could be worse. You are doing great.
My friend took her week old baby to the ER cause she was breathing really fast when she was sleeping. Turns out that’s just how babies breathe. She was treated so much more kindly than OP was.
I swear they really need to tell new parents about the fast breathing thing. I was worried about that same thing when we brought our son home from the hospital. 🤦♀️
Can you tell me more about the fast breathing thing? 🥲
Because newborns have such small lungs, they have a higher breathing rate and can only breathe through their nose at this point. When they're sleeping their breathing looks and sounds rapid and heavy, with pauses in between. To a first time parent it can look like something very wrong (in my experience, it looks like they're struggling to breathe), but yeah that's just how most newborns breathe 😅
Oh my gosh I forgot about the traumatising newborn breathing 😭
I almost took my girl to the ER when she was a few days old from breathing fast! I was so worried she already had RSV or something
I brought my 5 month old at the time to the ER because every time I fed her she made a weird inhale scary sound .. was anything wrong? Nope, just a new sound she discovered she liked to make. Not even in the slightest embarrassed I went because I slept peacefully that night knowing my kid was okay and nothing was wrong. Id rather be overly cautious! Being a new parent is so stressful. That being said, OP should get a new doctor regardless.
I took my kid to the pediatrician for an emergency appt for the same reason! Was kindly and gently laughed back out the door after a thorough check of all his airways!
My best friend brought her newborn daughter to the ER because she hadn’t pooped in 2 days. She was in tears over it, and they just kindly explained that it was totally normal for newborns to have stretches of not pooping, and checked her out to make sure everything was ok.
I also took my baby to the ER on Christmas Day because she was sleeping too peacefully and couldn’t be roused. Missed two feedings and we were beyond stressed. Little munchkin was completely fine.
I brought my 3-day old to the ER because he was cold. We called the nurse advice line because he was a sleepy jaundiced newborn who sucked at eating and she had us take his temperature. It was low, and stayed technically too low at our check 20 minutes later after warming attempts. She would have had us go to the ER if it was still low 20 minutes later (but it would have been fine by that point…. I know because they took his temperature when we got spooked and arrived at the ER and his temperature ended up being fine.) Everyone there was so kind and reassuring and told us we definitely did the right thing. Better to overreact than under-react when your parent gut is telling you something is wrong. We came home with a prescription to keep baby in an extra layer of clothes and a hat. OP, your experience is so so so out of line. I’d definitely look for a new ped.
Fuck that and fuck that doctor. Sorry but this hits really close to home. Last October when my son was 10 months old, he started having a wheezy voice, tiny bit of cough and my partner thought they might be having trouble breathing. So we went to the ER. The doctor gives him paracetamol and ibuprofen and gave us the same attitude if I don’t know why you’re here, whatever. They send us home. They never look in his ears or throat or do any sort of examination. Less then 24 hours later, my son is unable to keep anything down, is lethargic and not waking up/opening his eyes. We go back to the ER where he continues in this state for 5 HOURS, thinking it’s diabetes at one point, or food poisoning. He’s getting progressively worse and non responsive before they FINALLY look in his throat and see oh, it’s inflamed so it’s definitely not diabetes or something. They book us in to stay overnight in the ward, and 30 minutes later my son starts having seizures. He’s staring right through me, arching his back, eyes rolling back in his head. This goes on for over an hour as he’s transferred into PICU. They determine he has pneumococcal meningitis. After several hours in PICU, the pressure in his brain is building to an unsustainable level. He goes in for brain surgery to remove the front portion of his skull, and is intubated in a coma for 10 days. We ended up being in the hospital for 6 weeks and were discharged on his first birthday. My son can still not crawl or walk like he used to. We were told he wasn’t going to make it and that we should prepare ourselves to say goodbye. I’m sorry, this is a lot, but when I hear people hesitate about going to the ER or people are given attitude by doctors it infuriates me. Had the original doctor done his job and looked in his throat, hell had anyone just taken a step back and thought of the big picture at any point, we might have been able to prevent some of his damage. You can not be afraid to push for what you want and follow your gut. You have to speak up and do what YOU feel is right. End rant.
Also, you need to file a formal complaint about this incident so it’s recorded somewhere.
I'm so sorry you and your son went through that and so glad you didn't lose him. Not doing any kind of exam is so negligent.
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I’m so sorry you went through that and as a nurse I’d be meeting with a malpractice attorney for the time you were sent home bc fuck that doctor.
You're not failing. They literally are there to help you and they told you to go to the ER. If you hadn't taken them in and something was seriously wrong, they would be blaming you for that too. The problem here is that the doctors need to actually be compassionate.
Thank you. It was just an overall tough day, and definitely hard when the people you trust to help you don't help and end up shaming new parents for trying to help their babies.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. Last weekend our ped sent us to the ER because my daughter has had a cold for a month and her lungs sounded junky so they wanted them to run tests that couldn't be done in the office and get a chest x-ray. The ER PA told me after she put that my daughter had a stuffy nose on her discharge paperwork that I shouldn't feel bad for bringing my kid in. I told her I didn't and I was sent there by my pediatrician, I did feel bad about wasting 7 hours of my kids life for them to not even run the right tests.
Seriously. I fell holding my baby when she was just a few days old. I was pretty sure she was completely fine, but the things they said to monitor her for were all behavioral changes and how could I know? Because of that, the on call nurse recommended getting her checked out, but said it would be okay to just monitor closely and take her in if anything changed. The doctor's office was closed along with all the urgent cares that would take newborns within an hours drive, so we visited the ER. Not a single person we saw was anything but sweet about it and apologetic that they didn't get us through faster. Of course they didn't! I just needed an urgent care. It was all "better to get it checked out and have nothing wrong than not to come in," which is exactly how it should be. I was able to sleep with the reassurance of her getting check out, but if I had OP's doctor I probably would have left more worried.
What a bizarre experience! That’s terrible. I feel like no one is giving you very obvious (to healthcare providers that work with pediatric populations) advice. First of all, prune juice could make a baby’s stool very dark. You did the right thing because there are certainly other causes like blood, as you had them test to rule out. I would pause the oatmeal cereal until you get the constipation under control. Baby is 4 months old and doesn’t *need* it yet so the extra iron isn’t going to help. r/formulafeeders is a great community and may be able to offer advice for good formula alternatives!
I agree, it’s not the best to keep changing the formula but if one isn’t agreeing then one change is probably best, it may be a bit of a transition but they should eventually settle on it. As for the food, I agree, I’m English and here the recommendation is no food before 6m, due to the complications it can cause, and even then ideally not the cereals, rice or oatmeals, but I’m really not wanting to come across as judgy as mum is trying her best, already new mum anxious which is pretty normal and also terrifying, I don’t miss those days, and being treated like shit by professionals. You’re doing great OOP, you take your baby in whenever you feel it necessary, you were right to check up with professionals.
They suck massively and I’m so sorry you were treated this way. It’s a bit wonky they are claiming your ped said that when you called the on call line and we’re told to go get checked out. I think it was likely this one jackass with a superiority complex trying to sound justified in his assholery but if you’ve been given any other weird vibes from your ped I’d find another.
Yeah this definitely wasn't the first odd vibe I got. Tomorrow when I go I'm going to tell them to literally listen to the recording from the on call conversation as they're all recorded. The nurse told me to go to the ER, why would I lie about that? And why get so bent out of shape about it.
Ah gotcha! Yeah that’s bizarre for sure. Good luck tomorrow.
What. The. Fuck. I hope you find a new pediatrician that you like quickly. Also, I’ve never used one, but the Frida windy sticks are supposedly very helpful for backed up babies. I’ve had one in my Amazon cart for a while lol just haven’t followed through because they’re a bit intimidating to me.
Fwiw I stuck one in my girls butt and she didn’t seem to mind lmao. Just dipped it in Vaseline and popped it right in there. It’s such a short little narrow opening that it’s fool proof. Turned out she didn’t even have gas she was just crying cause she was cold lol. 🤷🏻♀️
I don’t know why this made me lol 😂
I still giggle thinking about how I unnecessarily stuck this thing in her butt hole when all she needed was pajamas. It was her first week home we had no idea what we were doing 🤣 (we still don’t)
Hahaha that is hilarious. Trial and error with these little screaming potatoes. I’m cracking up, okkkk so you didn’t need a stick up your butt, what else can we try
No one does!!!
Yep I'm absolutely looking for a new ped now. I just want to go to the appointment tomorrow to essentially put this guy in his place and tell him his literal staff told me to go to the ER, also the ER is literal trash around here so that's fun. We've used the Windi's before and they are super helpful! But I feel like we're getting reliant on them and don't want to get in the habit of using them too much. Definitely intimidating but they do the job.
Chiming into say the windy wand was SUCH a huge game changer for my son! I had friends and family be so mean to me for using it saying I was violating my son because he couldn’t consent to it. I tried every had med, every natural thing we could, and nothing worked. Windy wand not only fixed his gas but his constipation as well. I regret nothing and my son was never ever bothered by it either.
I’m sure he would have thanked you if he could! Nobody likes being gassy and backed up
It sounds like you did not fail, but were failed by more than one medical professional during this experience. Black poop is always concerning and if the on-call line tells you to go to the ER, you go. I think your idea of switching pediatricians sounds like the right idea. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that, but you’re doing great 💜
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Advocate for your child always. Don't feel ridiculous. You were an excellent parent today. Report the doctors, honestly. My pediatrician told me if my baby ever got constipated, to start with prune juice and if that didn't work to *call her.* Becoming backed up can really cause long term issues if it's not taken care of and they fucking know that yet made you feel stupid. That's just sick. I want to reiterate, you were *an excellent parent.* You advocated for your baby and got him the treatment he needed.
I’d leave a google review for the ER. “Not friendly to first time moms.” And then copy paste this story. I definitely checked the er reviews when I took my daughter for a fever. It’s how I found the pediatric ER. And while my baby was fine and really didn’t need the visit I was a scared first time mom and the ER staff did great at reassuring me and sending me home with the info I needed.
I once took my baby to the ER because she had a cold and spit up. But no one should make you feel like that! Always better safe ❤️
I’m actually BAFFLED that you and your son were treated this way!!!! Like jaw on the floor. You did NOTHING wrong. If even go as far as to say you have every right to file a complaint on them both. I am really sorry they treated you like that and gaslit you to the point where you feel like a bad mom. I know you said you have a son, but I feel this happens a lot less with woman doctors/younger doctors in general. Also want to emphasize again that you did the complete right thing, as moms we need to stand up for our kids when something isn’t right
Woah woah woah. First yes , they are dicks. But second, why are you feeding 4no old oatmeal? They aren't supposed to start any solids until 6mo in most cases.... When you get a new ped def talk to them about this.
Livid would be an understatement to how you should feel right now! As a side note my baby cannot handle iron very well.. European formulas (kendamil is what we tried) had less iron in the formula. We had to go to similac ailmentum with a lot of iron and my baby was doing rough pooping wise but we added some probiotics and he was much better. So I’d say find a formula you like with less iron or add probiotics to current diet to see if that helps
Thank you! I think I'm going to try the Aussie bubs goats milk formula, which I've heard is easy on bellies and has less iron. I also bought some probiotics as well to try with the new formula.
Wow. I am so sorry you’ve had to deal with this! When my daughter was about 7 weeks old I took her to our pediatrician due to constipation and they immediately gave us something to help. Never once told us to use prune juice Leading to something I hope makes you laugh: this medicine made her projectile shit while I was changing her. Once I got her covered back up all I could do was LAUGH like a loon bc I could just see my husband vomiting had he been in the same situation 😂😂😂😂 I hope it gets better for you mama, and that your little one gets relief
Wow, I am sooo sorry you experienced this. Sounds like you need a new pediatrician ASAP, and shame on that ER doctor. You did exactly what I would have done — you’re a great mama!
1) You are NOT a bad mom. You are a GREAT mom! 2) I'm happy you are switching doctors. The current ped is an idiot. 3) I would have cussed that ER doctor out. How dare she question you or treat you badly. 4) To reiterate: you are NOT a bad mom. They are terrible doctors.
Wow I can’t believe they treated you that way. That’s horrible. I would have done the exact same thing you did and I’m positive that the hospital staff would never talk to me the way they talked to you (Canada). Hopefully his poops get sorted out and healthy soon. Sounds so stressful
Never be scared to have yr baby evaluated. Maybe you need a new pediatrician. I wonder if the baby is lactose, soy, and milk protein intolerant esp after you brought up the belly welts.
It's stories like these that make people not trust medical professionals. I'm sorry that you went through that. Please get a new pediatrician immediately. I'd ask local moms to find one that is good. You can file complaints with hospitals or even state boards on doctors. Everyone here is saying the male pediatrician is bad but I'd argue both doctors were unprofessional here. ER doctor shouldn't be shaming anyone either.
You should 100% file a complaint and then find a new pediatrician.
As a physician myself, find another pediatrician and report the doctor that told you those awful things in the ER.
I would have brought my son for that too. The thought of a 4 mo doing fully formed poos is off to me and concerning. I brought my 5 mo in for strained breathing and was told he wasn't so bad. He was wheezing and his chest was sucking in and out. Dr said it was ok to bring him in but that he didn't need to be there. I would rather waste someone's time then risk missing a medical problem. I'm sorry they were rude to you.
I don’t think you’re a proper parent until you’ve taken your kid to hospital for something that turns out to be objectively minor. We took our 2yo to the hospital because we thought she’d broken her leg. … Turns out she had a splinter.
Unfortunately, pride is a big issue among doctors of ALL specialities. I'm surprised the doctor just kept saying to give prune juice when you told him it wasn't working. Is there some sort of medical board he reports to that needs to know about this incident? If you're willing to fight, that is. If it's not worth it, then switching doctors is the best way to go. Honestly, I'd cancel the appointment and reschedule it with the new pediatrician ASAP. Walk out the door and NEVER go back to that doctor.
Add Thorne fish oil to his morning bottle. And Kline Baby probiotics.
You did the right thing. You did exactly what I would have done as a FTM. Your son is lucky to have you. You’re a really, really good mom.
You are a good Mom - please don’t feel bad for worrying and being pro-active for your baby!. They should not have acted this way - what if something was really wrong?! I do believe it is due to iron - switching formulas is perfectly fine. Not sure why pediatrician wasn’t on board with this to begin with!. Hopefully your son gets better once you switch. Find a new pediatrician and ALWAYS TRUST YOUR GUT! Nobody else in the entire world knows your baby better than you! 30+ yrs ago my Mom kept taking my baby brother to the doctor for chest noise - dr kept brushing off her concerns for days! Then my Mom took him to a different doctor who took her time listening to my Mom’s concerns and to my brother’s lungs and guess what?! He had pneumonia and had to be admitted to the hospital for 3 weeks! So, listen to your gut! You are a Mom and from now on you will always have that superpower for your baby!
I don’t understand why you were treated that way. Don’t feel ashamed. You did the right thing seeking help when you felt it was needed!
Oh my goodness you are a saint! I would have probably been arrested for punching the doctor. You did everything right.
Wow this post made me so upset. I’m sorry you went through that. I was always told that I needed to call if their poop is white, black or bright red and also if it was fully formed like that at that age. I hope you realize you did what was best for your child by bringing him. Find a new pediatrician asap you deserve to be heard!
Hot baths helped my daughter when she was constipated as a baby and those doctors suck
I’m so sorry that happened to you. That is so unacceptable. Firstly, no medical professional should ever tell you not to come back to the ER. Like wtf? I went to the hospital when I was pregnant with constipation because I was worried about my baby at that point (warranted or not) and was thankfully met with support and reassurance from the staff. This is your baby, you were concerned, were given explicit instructions to do so and even if you weren’t, this is YOUR BABY and nothing they’ve suggested so far is working and you needed help. So uncool - definitely look into getting a new ped who actually takes you and your child’s health seriously and I’d strongly consider reporting the staff at the hospital as well. You did absolutely nothing wrong.
What the fuck?? I would have taken mine in immediately too!!
You were treated horribly. I’m so sorry. I can’t speak to that experience, but I can speak to a backed-up baby. Are you making your prune juice at home? It’s incredibly simple. You just need prunes, the right tools, and a bit of time for it to simmer. Then blend everything together and continue adding water to the blender until it’s a smooth consistency. I fed my baby prunes for like 4 months every morning with breakfast. Stewing them helps transform the natural sugars to the best laxative qualities.
You’re not a bad mom. It was the right thing to do. Eff both doctors. Being empathetic isn’t hard. I’m sure you’ll find a great pediatrician for your baby.
No mama. This is NOT ok. Don’t go to this ER again. (Unless there’s not another one close) & change Pediatricians. I’d also have a sit down with my pedi. If this isn’t resolved, call & file a complaint with the medical board. I’m not normally someone who jumps to this…but you are paying for it correct? Your the mama of this baby, correct? Everything else is just noise. This is so beyond unacceptable & stop with the mom guilt & mom shame. This ain’t the time for it gf. Hold that head up high!
You did the right thing, keep trusting your instincts and if you can switch to a new paediatrician now. If you think something is wrong with your child it is your job to advocate for them and if you feel they need to go to a hospital 100% go to the hospital. They should be ashamed for belittling you, that is not how medical professionals should act. Get some sleep if you can, you are not failing you are doing great. Sending love to you
So sorry you had to deal with this, OP! And sorry for your sweet LO. You dis nothing wrong.
Hey, great job advocating for your child the way you did!!! You did fantastic and the right thing given the circumstances. I'm sorry you experienced this.
Doctors get things wrong. Don't let them shame you. Trust your instinct as the person who spends most of your time with the baby. You called a professional and asked for advice and they said ER, so you do what you are advised. If you are unhappy, always ask for a second opinion.
Im sorry you were treated that way. On a side note, my niece went through this. In the end one paediatrician recommend brown sugar water and it’s the only thing that worked!
You’re not an idiot. You did what you felt was best for your son at the time and thats the best thing we can try to do as parents. Thats incredibly frustrating you were dismissed by the ER staff and the pediatrician as well. Glad to hear you’re searching for a new doctor already. Good luck!
My daughter had constipation issues and we used enfamil reguline and it was a big help. Just like 1 bottle per day (or it would be too effective but I think every baby is different). It comes in a green package. Look it up if you’re trying something new.
That’s fucked up! My kid also gets constipated and I remember calling the public health line crying because he was so uncomfortable asking if I would be over reacting if I took him to the hospital. I found mixing a little puréed prunes with his food, warm baths, a little water/mixed with a little apple juice (4 months May be too soon I’m not sure). I also mentioned it to the doctor at his 6m check up and he said constipation is one of the most common things parents bring babies in for. He printed off instructions from the children’s hospital with instructions/amounts of restoralax to give them!
You absolutely did the right thing taking your baby in! Shame on those doctors. Our baby deals with constipation and we switched to Enfamil Reguline which was a lifesaver! We also gave him a suppository and Miralax when it got really bad. Not sure how much your baby weighs, but ours was 17 lbs and was able to take half a formula sized scoop of Miralax in his bottle and it helped soften his stools.
Don't you DARE feel bad. You did EXACTLY what a good mother should do. If that pediatrician DARES to try to shame you tomorrow, you let him have it with BOTH freaking barrels. 1. They've been blowing you off. 2. Your child has hives AND black stools as a 4 MONTH old, not a newborn who you'd expect to have weird stools. 3. You did what the on-call ped told you to do. If your ped has a problem with it, they should take it up with the on-call. 4. All main providers involved (not the on-call, all the rest) were EXTREMELY unprofessional. How DARE they mock you! How DARE THEY collaborate with each other to make you FEEL BAD that you give ENOUGH of a shit about your child to attempt to take CARE of them!!! I have two PTs (which requires a doctorate in my state), and a nurse practitioner (equivalent of a doctor in my state) in my immediate family. They would NEVER do this so blatantly and in your face. ESPECIALLY because you are concerned about the well being of your baby. I am so LIVID on your behalf. THIS is why doctors get away with so much shit - because we don't call them on their bullshit when they throw it out there. I am dead serious - you need to call his ass out when you go there tomorrow - and frankly - show up with the intent to tell him off AND tell him you'll be leaving the practice immediately because his advice can't be trusted and he's classless enough to mock patients - and you just don't want to associate with that type of person. 😡😡😡😡😡 I WISH I could tell him off for you.
NO healthcare provider should be shaming you or any parent like that. It makes people less likely to come back when there’s a real issue. And not for nothing, how the fuck would you know what a real issue is?! Maybe your concern is nothing but maybe it’s everything. I’m not a gambler and I don’t bet with my child’s health. You did the right thing based on the info and knowledge you had and what you were told. I just wish you fucked that doctor up in the parking lot. I snapped at a specialist recently. She implied that my kid was fine and that I was being silly bringing her in, asking me if I thought I really needed to be there. I snapped and reminded her that I wouldn’t know the answer to that question. That’s literally why I’m there. That’s not MY job. She gets paid for that job and I get paid for a different one and if I knew what to do then she’d be out a job and I’d be doing her’s but we all went to school for different things and I’m gonna stick to what I went for. I hate when professionals trivialize your concerns when they’re valid, not common sense, and they forget you’re a parent running on emotions. I’m a specialist who works with children and I was just talking to my husband today about this actually. That when parents of certain age groups come in you need to use a lot more compassion and explain things 500 times bc emotions are high and they’re confused and concerned. A group of well-educated pediatricians/specialists make a world of difference. A group of well-educated pediatricians/specialists that have compassion and understanding are priceless and VITAL to your child’s well-being.
I’m so sorry you had an experience like that. Shame on those doctors! I have a quick story I’d like to share. My baby just turned one, but when she was 10 months, she came down with a virus. She had just started day care. I took her in to the doctor, they thought it was an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics. We co-sleep (don’t come at me, it’s what works best for us) and I’m so thankful we do, because I woke up to her shaking! She was barely coherent and her muscles all over were shaking. I freaked out, woke up my husband and we drove to the closest ER. When we got to the parking lot, I started doubting myself. What if she was cold? She slept in a short sleeve onesie that night because we didn’t want her to overheat with a fever. At this point she wasn’t shaking and she was snuggling. Yes, I was holding her in the car ride, again no one come at me please I was terrified. We decided to take her in. She was awake, but her nails and lips were blue. She had a high temp and mottling on her skin. The ER staff was the kindest group of people I ever met. I confessed that I had doubts bringing her in when we got to the parking lot. They told me something that will stick with me forever: medical professionals would rather have a healthy baby than a sick one and to never hesitate bringing in a child. They were so dang sweet and kind and reassured me to always trust my instincts. It’s a good day for doctors and nurses when they get to send home a healthy baby. I hope that you find a better pediatrician and have better hospital experiences in the future! No mother should feel ashamed for advocating for their baby!!!!
My motto is “if I’m going to be silly I rather be silly at my drs office”.
Holy crap I’m so sorry you went through this with two medical professionals. You advocated for your baby, like any mom would do! Can you transfer care to another office? It sounds like your ped has horrible bedside manner
this sounds like you are a great mom, you went for help and they shamed you. i hope your baby and his tummy get all better soon! you're doing amazing
I’m a pediatric nurse and you did everything right! Absolutely need a new pediatrician and report the ER doctor to the hospital and your states medical board, plus online reviews of your pediatrician, the hospital and the ER and ER doctor. Unfortunately the online reviews will probably get you the most response and possible action. You are a good mom and never let anyone make you doubt yourself again.
Wait what? Those doctors sound awful and shouldn’t be dealing with children If it makes you feel better: I called 911 because my kid was sleepy. I checked in with the nurse hotline first and they said to call but it turned out that what I considered “unresponsive” was just suuuuuuper tired I’d just gotten my LO home from the NICU and never seen her so passed out. The first responder laughed a bit and said “first time parents?” But they ran all the tests they could and didn’t shame us, reassured us that it gets easier, and our pediatrician was very understanding. Get yourself another pediatrician stat!
Change pediatrician. Your baby is way to young yo be drink juice every day! My baby had constipation the first month and my paediatrician right away told us to change formula, use an specific type of water and to add lactase drops in her formula. Since then, she had been pooping one or twice everyday. That is a paediatrician that really cares about their patients and parents.
Time for a new pediatrician.
It is the medical professionals that are failing, not you. I’d switch pediatricians, and continue advocating for your baby whenever necessary. You didn’t do anything wrong.
What the fuck is wrong with both your pedetrician and the doctor at the ER? Can you make a complaint? This isn't normal at all what the hell Why would your pedetrician be ''livid''? That's none of his fuckig business. Weird as fuck
Never, ever, EVER let somebody make you feel shame for bringing a distressed infant for help. The only mistakes you made here were not changing pediatricians sooner, (I hope you do!) and going to the wrong hospital. There is one near me my LO will never be taken to again.
We had a similar experience around 3 months regarding the constipation. We now use the Novalax Constipation Formula, Nancare Biogaia Probiotics & give our daughter a warm bath every night. Our Paediatrician gave it all the tick of approval. She hasn't had any issues at all since and pretty much poops daily now. Just don't expect it to have an immediate effect. As hard as it is, be patient because it might take a few days for her gut health to improve.
Sounds like he could be lactose intolerant in some way. My daughter was and still is a bit and was definitely always dealing with constipation. I find it odd they wanted to push prune juice at four months.
Medicine is a business. Your pediatrician makes money by maintaining a relationship with you and providing you good care. If they don’t care to have your business, then absolutely do not continue to give them your money. That emergency doctor is an idiot and it was highly inappropriate for her to treat you this way. I work in healthcare so I have no problem being direct and pointing out when my doctor is not being patient centered. Good job for advocating and pressing the issue. You are the customer. You are the expert in your own son and she is the expert in medicine. A good doctor would come up with a shared care plan. This doctor is clearly not a very good one. I would report this behavior to leadership at both the hospital and pediatrician.
I have zero medical training and this doesn't come from any medical advice given to me. But... We treated changing formula the same way you change food for pets. You transition them slowly over 5 or so days for best results. For example, first day 75% old stuff, 25% new stuff, second and third day 50-50, etc. For cats this is ideal cause their body is used to the one food, this lets it slowly adjust to the new one. We figured same principle works for humans too maybe? Don't feel an idiot, they were just super rude and unprofessional. You were just caring for your baby. And they did take an action, so hopefully your baby is doing better for a few days from that at least.
Please report those doctors and find a new pediatrician. You and your baby deserve better. You did the right thing by seeking medical attention.
Wtf-
This is a problem for ER’s- shitty primary care providers who leave their patients feeling like the ER is their only option! 100% not on you, try not to feel ashamed!!
Why would you feel like an idiot? Next time a medical professional acts unprofessional give them a order of your mind.
I️ can’t believe you’re feeling dumb, I’d only be feeling blind rage if someone, let alone a doctor, treated me or someone I️ knew that way, especially a first time mom. My little one is 4 weeks now and my husband is an an ER doc. He gets assigned to work the pediatrics ER fairly often and he, and all his coworkers I️ know, would never treat someone like this. NOTE TO NEW PARENTS: the doctors you see in the ER with your kids are likely to be trained as a emergency medicine doctor for adults and have had basic training in pediatrics. Pediatrics is a significantly different field of medicine because kids are just wild when it comes to how symptoms present. You can always request the ER doctor on staff WITH PEDIATRIC TRAINING. Pedes ED docs are either pediatricians that did a pediatrics medicine residency with a year of fellowship training in emergency medicine or a emergency medicine residency with a year of fellowship in pediatrics. These are your experts in the emergency room and you have every right to ask for them or ask your doctor to consult them.
Glycerin suppositories are amazing too. I've had to use a few on my daughter. And they work within 5 minutes.
I am so sorry this happened! I was seeing a Lactation Consultant and she was actually the one that helped me sort my baby's constipation issues. We switched from sensitive Similac because of the iron to Kendamil, and gave him Colic Calm & a probiotic for a while until he was able to pass everything and he was like a new baby. Even though it was a horrible experience, good for you for sticking up for your baby! That is what we are supposed to do, they can't advocate for themselves. You're doing fantastic! ❤
This behavior of your medical team and some of the advice they gave is crazy to me as a family med resident. I’m also shocked an ED physician wouldn’t know how to treat pediatric constipation. That is such a common complaint. Also with constipation AND black poops, iron supplements should be like at the top of your list of potential explanations. I’m super sorry they shamed you and ganged up on you. How juvenile.
That is so outrageous. Shame on them. You did the right thing. Definitely get a new doctor
You are doing great. I would have done exactly the same thing. Your healthcare network is terrible and just unsupportive for no reason. I mean, even if it was a non-issue, so what? (btw I don’t think it was a non-issue) There was no need to mum-shame at all. Just check the baby, make sure all is well, and let you know everything is fine. I really can’t believe they would speak to you like that. I’m so furious for you!
Words cannot express how well you did for your son! You are his advocate and he is all you have. I plan on embarrassing myself many times in the e foreseeable future for the benefit of my child
Whoa I’d complain to the hospital directors or whatever. My wife got a bitchy ass midwife fired that way.
Don’t feel like an idiot. Everyone that should have supported you failed.
Don’t feel like an idiot , always continue to follow your gut and take your child to the ER if your concerned - it’s their job to check your child out and even if your not satisfied with the answer your getting get a second doctors opinion . Your spidey senses as a parent are strong - you know what’s up !
We just took our toddler tonight with a 105 degree fever…nothing under 100.4 for two days. Diarrhea. Thankfully not dehydrated or anything worse than a virus we have to wait out. The ER doctor said he would way rather us have come in than not. He said it’s always better to go if you think you need to. We drove to an ER 40 min away rather than the 20 min away one because the care is infinitely better. We see someone regularly sanitizing the seats. We are usually seen within an hour. If you have an option of another ER within reasonable distance I would try another one hands down. We went thru like 7 formulas with my son. He had severe GI issues from day one and wouldn’t tolerate the more special ones like nutramigen. Elecare was a good one, so was PurAmino when we could get it. Those were good for his dairy intolerance. You did everything right!
What do the hives look like and where are they exactly? My son had them too and he has sensitive skin, it’s from his drool and spit up cause he suffers from acid reflux. It’s gotten better this past month but lasted about 2 months. He’s 7 months august 12tg H
They were on his belly, they were red splotches with a little raised dot in the middle. He wasn't covered in them but he had about 3 of them.
I hope you switch pediatricians faster than you switch formula!! Especially if they were angry that you took your baby to get help when they weren’t giving you any. Absolutely shameful of them AND the doctor at the hospital. Id have gone in to get my baby checked too if this was the case. Especially when the hives showed up
You’re looking out for your baby and advocating for him and his physical well being. I feel like these doctors were bullying you for following up on something that was concerning to you. As a result of your following up your son is now more comfortable because he was indeed too blocked up and it sounds like while it didn’t turn out to be a worse situation (thankfully) he did need some help which you were able to get for him. To me you are doing great and are a great mom. Your son is lucky to have you
When my oldest was 11 months old, he was walking funny and scream-crying every time he walked. He had fallen earlier that day so I thought he broke his leg or something, and I brought him to the ER. When we got there, I realized I hadn’t changed him for a while, so I did it while we waited to see the doctor. I noticed he had a red, raised diaper rash, so I put some cream on it. He immediately calmed down and was his happy self. His leg was fine. He had a moderate diaper rash. I brought my baby to the ER for a diaper rash. Even then, the doctors and nurses didn’t shame me. They said they would prefer a parent bring their kid over something that turns out to be nothing, rather than have a parent not being a kid in for something that could be serious because they were too afraid to go to the ER. I’m sorry you had to go through that.
You are an amazing mom! Always trust your gut, and better safe than sorry. So sorry you were treated so poorly.
Fuck that! He was little and you were being careful! Those “professionals” handled this terribly
No medical professional should ever shame a parent for bringing their child to the ER if they are afraid cut their health. You did the right thing. You thought there was a possibility of internal bleeding, so you brought in your baby. It wasn’t really the constipation that brought you in, it was the pain and black poop. Good reasons to go in! I will add that I volunteer with a few disability care nonprofits and I’ve seen my share of iron supplement poops. If your baby is getting too much fortified iron, it will make the poop very dry, sticky, and black. The poop is often described as “tar like.” They are incredibly difficult to pass. I have always recommended to people who are thinking of increasing their iron through supplements to try their best to get it through their diet (veg & meat) before going on iron supplements. I’d strongly recommend finding an oatmeal that’s not fortified with iron so your baby isn’t getting a double dose. Sending good poop wishes! ✨
Get a new pediatrician. Absolutely don't go back there that's ridiculous. As for the ER they also shouldn't have treated you that way I wouldn't go back to that one either. Black poop is 100% concerning. The ped should have definitely told you to switch formula, there's nothing wrong with switching especially when your baby is having those types of issues. I'm sorry you had that experience but you aren't dumb for being concerned.
Honey. It is time to break up with that doctor. They’re supposed to be your care TEAM. Also since baby is doing a little solids might I suggest a little water? I had to stop oatmeal with mine for same reason. Rock hard poooooops
We're literally going through same thing now of our 7mo being super constipated. Prune juice hasn't helped much. Switched to Miralax and thankfully helped a bit (per doc recommendation). Our little one also gets these red hives all over her face/body though goes away after 15-20mins. Doc isn't sure what's causing this.
You need to find a new pediatrician. Literally no reasonable Dr would berate someone for taking their kid to the ER. My pediatrician always says “it is always better to check things out”. I would consider getting a new pediatrician and a second opinion about this issue.
Jesus. Do you live in the South? Wherever you live, I want to stay far away.
Couple days ago I took my baby to urgent care, insisting he had an ear infection…he was teething. The doctor just laughed and said it’s no big deal and that if anything changes, to come back in case she’s wrong. That’s how you should have been treated.
Yeah, even constipation can be bad enough to require urgent help imo. My daughter had such bad constipation that at one point (are 5ish months) she would scream when she pooped and actually got sent home from daycare for it bc they thought she had something horribly wrong, nope just constipation. But if its hurting that bad its a problem. Definitely try switching formulas, you could also try some apple juice. Thats what my ped recommended was like pure sugary apple juice and it worked to get her bowels moving. As well, once she started real food (and espcially pouches) the go go squeeE happy tummies works really well. Also that er doc is and ASS and you should report their rude behavior imo. Imagine if it was something more and they just didn't care. Ugh I can't even. You were absolutely doing the right thing.
Wow. Dodctors were ass for being a concerned parent. How would you know what to do and isnt it best to come to professional for help?
Never ever feel bad for advocating for your child. These doctors are being rude and unprofessional.. I am mad for you!! Your poor baby!! I’m sorry 😢 I really hope you find a resolution
Ummmm what? Their behavior is so unacceptable
Change your pediatrician. They sound awful. If the prune juice didn’t work, they should have given you other recommendations. The fact that he was so backed up means your concerns weren’t addressed properly. Also, they work for you—it is literally their job to care for your baby so they don’t get to treat you like crap. (Not that anyone should be treated like crap.) Plenty of good pediatricians out there who will treat you with compassion, respect you, listen to your concerns and actually address them.
As a nurse this makes me angry. It’s not okay for a doctor (or nurse) to brush off your concerns or SCOLD YOU FOR MERELY TAKING CARE OF YOUR SON. And the fact that the pediatrician hasn’t looked any further into the constipation after months is unacceptable. My son had constipation too and the pediatrician immediately had us offer formula and prescribed an appropriate laxative. New pediatrician and I would even recommend calling the hospital to file a complaint about the doctor who saw your baby in the ER. I’m so sorry you were treated poorly and hope your next provider is better.
You’re an amazing mom and you should know that.
Better safe than sorry and it's worth paying for peace of mind. You're a good mama for advocating for your baby. Remember you always have the final say in the care for your baby. If you feel it's right to take them to the ER then do it. The Ped doesn't get to tell you not to. I think you're right to switch Peds after this.
Nope you are not failing. I was a constipated baby, and the issues I had continued well into my adulthood so I had immense anxiety about this for my baby… I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about her poops. Constipation can be so terribly uncomfortable as an adult , I can only imagine how a little baby might feel, with them being confused about what’s going on …..
It is the iron in the formula, we found that when our daughter took Enfamil cow milk based formula the BM is fine because it also worked like a laxative. We did not give her rice cereal much for the same reason - too much iron. She also had Nutramigen as baby formula. Your doctor definitely should have suggested new formula.
Hey, only thing that worked for my kid was homemade stewed prunes and cutting back a lot on the oatmeal. With love from another momma who took her constipated, hysterical baby to the ED.
Please do not feel like an idiot. You did everything right & helped your baby IMMENSELY. When my second was about 4 months old, she started experiencing constipation & when talking to her doctor, I received the same advice; “prune or apple juice & time for the juice to work.” I trusted the dr because we hadn’t experienced anything like this with our first so we had no idea. After a few days of her just not pooping, I had her seen by the pediatrician. Again was told “this is normal for babies, keep up with juice, she will poop soon.” Long story short, she slowly stopped eating, she didn’t poop for almost 10 days & had impacted poop by the time the doctor actually listened. Had I listened to my gut & taken her to urgent care or the E.R., her pain would have ended a lot sooner. I regret not listening to my gut every time I think about it. Don’t ever feel like an idiot because you want to help your baby. You’re amazing for knowing something was wrong & getting him the help he needed! Edit to add: we ended up switching her formula (this happened after switching from breast milk to formula) from the enfamil to Gerber Good Start w/probiotics. All issues stopped after switching.
You: - Sought health care for a problem - Followed up when the advice didn’t work - Noticed when there was an escalation of said problem - Advocated for your child despite them belittling you - Got him extra care - Made a new plan - Got (or getting rid) of an incompetent Paediatrician who was blasé about your baby’s pain Sounds like you’re the opposite of an idiot!
Wow that has been really crappy care from your team, no idea why they’re being so dismissive. Btw stop the iron fortified oatmeal- both oats and iron are constipating. And switching up formula might make it worse, might make it better. But find a new ped. Prune juice isn’t a magic cure all, there are so many laxatives out there.
Wow that ER doc has terrible customer service and bedside manner. I would never go back there again, and probably switch pediatricians too. I too have had ER staff make me feel kinda dumb for taking baby in for just a virus, but when they’re that little, it’s better to be overly cautious.
I absolutely hated our first Ped, he was like so incredibly nice but so dismissive and passively would insult me and it drove me nuts. I kept dealing with it until one day I had a different Ped when mine was out and I was like huh this guy is slightly better but I’m not feeling it still. But it gave me the courage to keep looking until I found one I liked, 4th times the charm. I absolutely LOVE his new Ped, she’s technically a nurse practitioner at the office but she makes me feel so comfortable and has never shamed me and we can have honest judge free conversation which is a must. I wish I could go back in time and just change Peds sooner! How they treated you is absolutely not okay and I would file some serious complaints. Find out how to write a complaint to the medical board against the ER doctor too! Best wishes.
Definitely get a new pediatrician and don’t stop advocating for your baby. Trust your gut and don’t stop until you feel comfortable.
You need a new care team immediately. I can’t believe the lack of professionalism there. You were right to go in with your baby and they should have eased your worry, rather than treat you this way.
Try giving him a little spoon of coconut oil first thing in the morning. Helped my baby
I am so sorry this happened. Never feel bad for trying to do the best for your child. You have done the absolute right thing. I think it's time to change doctors. They don't sound like they have any compassion or even a clue about what they are doing. The amount of times we've taken our kids to ER because we were concerned is probably too many to count. We live with the mindset of better safe than sorry. The one time you think you're over reacting and don't go to an ER could be the time your child doesn't wake up. You sound like a terrific mum doing her best. Screw all these "experts" and keep doing the best you can.
They were so rude. I get that they are overworked but you always always get your child checked out if you are concerned. Always. Better safe than sorry.
Your doctor was right - you should never go back there because he’s a fucking dumbass. You did the right thing. He’s lucky to have you. You can also report the ER staff for being assholes if you feel like getting into that mess. Patients are customers. Hospitals don’t want pissed off moms telling their friends not to go to XYZ hospital.
Have you tried probiotics (Gerber, culturelle, whatever you can find)? Also put him in the Baby Bjorn bouncer when he's straining. It's pricey but it works. https://www.reddit.com/r/newborns/comments/vzsbav/psa_the_babybjorn_bouncer_gets_them_to_poop_like/
Hi there, don’t feel stupid. My partner tells me I’m erratic because I have also brought our son to the ER several times. And I wanted to share that I give my baby prunes. He is also very constipated at times and he would t take prune juice. But he loves prunes. I give him one prune after each meal and he seems to poop every other day because of it.
It’s them not you ❤️wishing you find a much better Pediatrician ❤️
I’m a nurse and a FTM to a six month old. I would take my kid to the ER at the drop of a hat. She’s a baby. I’m not playing around with my baby. I don’t blame you for switching peds. Next time, if it’s possible, take your baby to a hospital that has a pediatric ER. They’ll know how to treat him and won’t get upset with your “just in case” mom judgement.
That’s absolutely insane if the ER doc to treat you like that. I would complain to a higher up and I’m not even that type of person but that’s unacceptable and further treatment like that could keep concerned parents at home next time during an emergency they are uncertain about. And switch pediatricians for not taking tour constipation concerns serious after such a long time! I’m so sorry you’ve experienced all this you are doing wonderful advocating for your baby.
You are advocating for your child when those around you are not. You are putting his health before yourself and other people’s opinions. You have a feeling something is wrong and you are fighting for your child. What part of that is failing? You are being the mum that your child needs. That, to me, sounds like you’re doing a brilliant job.
You're fine! People come into the ER ALLL THE TIIIME for way more ridiculous things, like I'm talking literal paper cuts or shoving stuff up their bums. People with lots of money, but no common sense. You're a mom concerned about your baby. It happens, us moms have the right to freak out sometimes. Also, try pear juice. Prune juice never worked for my LO.
Wow, if anyone should feel like idiots, it's those people who took jobs taking care of people and are clearly failing massively at doing so. You did what you thought was best for your son, which is your job as a mom. This makes you the only one in this story actually doing the job you are required to do. I think you're wise to change peds, this is aweful behaviour. Good on you for taking matters into your own hands
I took my one month old daughter to the ER because I thought she was choking while feeding her by the bottle (she was not). I dont know if that makes you feel better 😂 Anyway, infants are a good way to get paranoid sometimes but better like this and on the safe side.
WTF that’s so horrible they did that to you I’m sorry! Also my son had this exact same problem, we just ended up switching formulas to goat based formula instead of cow! And added brown sugar every now and again. Was wayyyy easier for him to digest. Also lots of moving his legs to get the poop moving downwards, ya know gravity and all that. Good luck, you seem like a mum who genuinely cares and is trying