What Can Newborns Take For Constipation

The Best For Your Baby

Constipation is a complicated issue for infants and newborns. As a parent, you want to do what is best for your baby. Regardless of how you choose to help ease babys constipation, its always advisable to contact your pediatrician about issues surrounding constipation.

With all the factors that can contribute to constipation, a strong relationship with your pediatrician is crucial to ensuring you make the right choice for baby.

Q When Is It Normal For Breastfed Babies To Stop Pooing As Often

Any age from about three weeks and over, but more commonly from six weeks, breastfed babies may start to space out their poos even as much as a week or more apart. This can seem alarming, but in a healthy baby, its usually nothing to worry about and doesnt usually suggest that your infant is constipated.

The poo, when it comes, will be soft and easy to pass because of the way the gastro-colic reflex has changed. This is the reflex that is stimulated by food going into the top of the digestive tract causing a reflex action at the other end and its very sensitive in a newborn. So its quite normal for a new baby to poo virtually every time he feeds.

As your baby gets a bit older, that reflex is nothing like as sensitive, and they can hang on to their poo, storing it in the lower bowel for some time. This is why you sometimes get a very large amount of poo when your baby does finally go!

How To Treat Constipation At Home

Try these tips to help babies who have difficulty passing poos:

• If your baby has infant formula, always measure the water first before adding the formula powder this helps ensure that the ratio of water-to-formula is correct.
• If your baby is old enough to drink water, offer extra drinks .
• Gently rub their stomach to help stimulate the bowel your baby might also feel better with gentle massage to help manage the pain of constipation.
• A warm bath can help calm and settle your baby and relieve discomfort.

If your baby is older than 6 months, add some extra fruit and vegetables to their diet to boost their fibre intake.

If your child is older than 9 months, adding stewed prunes or apricots to their meal may help. They can have up to 3 tablespoons, 3 times a week. Cereal that has bran may also help mild constipation. Older babies can try prune juice diluted with water . Start slowly, with 10 millilitres. Increase as needed until they can do a soft poo.

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Why Does This Happen

Most of a baby’s milk gets absorbed by his body, leaving very little waste product. Babies have an incredible growth spurt at this time in their lives, sometimes putting on as much as a pound in a week or two. All the calories, protein, fat, and other nutrients in the baby’s milk provide the necessary nutrition to do this. The baby’s intestines are designed to absorb as much of these nutrients as possible, and not much will be left over. Also, there is not much in infant formula that is “indigestible”

Why The Frequency Of Stools Change

A decrease in the number of times your baby poops doesnât necessarily mean he is constipated.

A decrease in the frequency of bowel motions is often noticeable around 4 weeks of age, particularly when a baby is breastfed. As your babyâs digestive system matures his body is better able to digest and absorb the many nutrients in milk and as a result there in less waste .

It is around this time that a motherâs breast milk supply settles to meet her babyâs needs, so this also results is less poop.

A reduction in the number of of bowel motions of a formula fed baby may also be seen around this age. However, it generally less obvious than changes seen in fully breastfed infants.

Other time where a change in the amount and how often a baby poops, may occur as a result of changes in diet. A sudden change in the frequency of bowel motions is commonly seen whenâ¦

• A baby is switched from breast milk to formula.
• The type of formula is changed.
• A baby first starts to eat solid foods.
• The amount of solid foods is increased.
• When a baby is first introduced to regular cowâs milk.

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How To Recognise The Signs Of Constipation

The main signs of constipation are hard, dry poos. The following are other signs of constipation:

• Your baby may show signs of straining when trying to pass a poo.
• Your baby may be unsettled, may seem fussy or irritated.
• Your baby may be eating less or feeding less well than usual.

In some cases, if your child is constipated, they may look bloated or their stomach may appear larger than usual. It can be possible to feel their poo while pressing softly on their stomach.

Causes Of Newborn Constipation

The most common cause is a change in the diet. Infants who are moving from breast milk to formula might suffer from the problem, as do children who are just starting to eat solid foods. Sometimes a baby might even develop constipation when you introduce a new food, such as a new vegetable or meats.

Other causes might include dehydration if your baby is not getting enough liquid, her stools will not be soft enough to pass.

Medical conditions or certain illnesses can also lead to constipation in newborns. This is uncommon in a healthy baby.

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What Can I Give A Constipated Baby

If youre wondering how to help a baby with constipation, depending on whether theyre breast fed, bottle fed or weaning, there are a few things you can give them in order to ease the symptoms10.

• Offer solely breastfed babies plenty of feeds to keep them hydrated.
• If your baby is formula fed, offer them small amounts of water in between their regular feeds.
• Once theyve started weaning, offer your baby a variety of fruits and vegetables to get plenty of fibre into their system.

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Signs Of Constipation In Babies

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, youll probably notice a few other signs of baby constipation. Irritability and a decreased appetite, which might disappear shortly after baby passes a large stool, are often telltale clues.

Worried about all that moaning and groaning? Take a deep breath its perfectly normal and isnt a sign of constipation in babies. Grunting and straining to push out a stool is normal in young babies. Its difficult for them to pass a bowel movement while lying flat on their backs and not getting any benefit from gravity, says Trina Blythe, MD, a pediatrician at Progress West Hospital in OFallon, Missouri.

Babies bodies often need time to figure out the whole pooping process, like learning how to relax their pelvic floor to have a bowel movement. A lot of parents come in and think their child is constipated, when what theyre really dealing with is infant dyscheziaa condition in which an otherwise normal, healthy infant will have at least 10 minutes of straining, crying, irritability and maybe turning red or purple in the face while trying to have a bowel movement, Santo Domingo explains. These symptoms continue until baby finally goesbut the resulting stool is actually soft.

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How To Prevent Baby Constipation

As for preventing infant constipation, unfortunately theres a lot you can proactively do. Prevention really comes down to recognizing the warning signs, and trying to stay on top of them, Santo Domingo says. Of course, monitoring babys diet for foods that cause constipation, giving them a diverse assortment of fibrous fruits and veggies and keeping them hydrated may help.

About the experts:

Trina Blythe, MD, is a BJC Medical Group pediatrician at Progress West Hospital in OFallon, Missouri. She received her medical degree from Albany Medical Center in New York.

Lisa Santo Domingo, DNP, MSN, is a pediatric nurse practitioner and medical director of Johns Hopkins Hospitals Pediatric Chronic Constipation Clinic. She received her doctor of nursing degree at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Can I Give My 2 Month Old Laxatives

If his stools become too loose, give less juice to your baby. If your baby is eating rice cereal, it may help to switch to oatmeal or barley cereal. Rice cereal can cause constipation in some children. Do not give your baby enemas, laxatives, or suppositories unless you are told to do so by the doctor.

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What Is Constipation In Babies

To understand baby constipation, itâs important to know what stools are like for infants. Although every baby is different, and thereâs a broad range of whatâs considered normal when it comes to pooping, many babies will poop after each feeding in the first weeks of life. Then, after about 3 to 6 weeks of age, some breastfed babies will poop less often, even as little as once a week. That’s because breast milk creates almost no solid waste that has to be eliminated from the digestive system. Formula-fed babies tend to poop once a day or once every other day.

In terms of consistency, your babyâs stools should be soft, like peanut butter, when everything is normal and regular. Your baby may be constipated if she experiences hard, dry bowel movements, which can be difficult or even painful to pass. And, if your babyâs constipated, her bowel movements may be more infrequent than whatâs typical or normal for your baby.

Does My Child Need To See A Doctor

Constipation is common. Often it will pass without intervention, or with the help of the strategies listed above. If you are worried that your baby has constipation, is uncomfortable or is in pain, their doctor can assess them and recommend baby-safe strategies. There are medical treatments for constipation that your doctor may consider, based on your babys circumstances.

If your baby was previously treated for constipation but still struggles to poo, it is important to go back to your doctor for a review. There are several treatments they can try.

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How To Prevent Constipation In Babies

In order to prevent constipation in babies, it is important to recognize the symptoms early. Otherwise, your baby will have painful stools and will begin withholding, only making the constipation worse.

Once your child is ready to be toilet trained, be sure that it is not forced, or this can only worsen constipation. It is helpful to have a regular toilet schedule for older children, such as visiting the potty after every meal until the problem is resolved.

How To Help A Constipated Baby

No parent likes to see their child in discomfort and distress, so knowing how to help a constipated baby can make a world of difference. First and foremost, though, its important to realize that constipation in newborns can be a different issue than constipation in older babies. If your baby is not even a month old yet, talk to your pediatrician right awayat this age, constipation could be a sign of an underlying issue, such as Hirschsprungs disease, a rare congenital condition that happens in about one out of 5,000 births and typically requires surgery.

Additionally, if youre exclusively breastfeeding, its important to count those dirty diapers each day because infrequent stooling might actually be a sign of not enough feeding volume, says Blythe.

But if youve spoken to your pediatrician and ruled out other issues, there are some baby constipation home remedies and treatments you can turn to. Here are some things you shouldand shouldnt try to help a constipated baby:

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Their Belly Is Hard Or Painful To The Touch

If your baby is making straining faces and if their antics are coupled with a firm belly that’s painful to the touch, their intestines could be backed up. Your baby could also have constipation if they refuse to eat. If nothing’s coming out, a baby might feel so uncomfortable that they won’t take any more in, Dr. Shu says.

When To See Your Doctor About Your Babys Constipation

While constipation is usually nothing to worry about, its good to get your baby back to their bouncing, happy selves as soon as you can. If you have any concerns, talk to your Health Visitor or GP, especially if your baby6:

• Is not improving

• Is regularly constipated or bloated

• Has blood in their poo

• Has suddenly lost weight

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When Is Baby Constipation A Sign Of Something Serious

The good news is baby constipation usually isnt serious. However, chronic constipation may lead to complicationsor signal an underlying health issue. My baby constipation rule of thumb is this: Call your babys doctor if more than three days pass without a poop. Call even sooner if your baby has a weak cry, weak suck, or is acting ill. Again, three days does not necessarily mean there is a problem…but its a good idea to see what your pediatrician has to say.

If constipation is persistentor your baby is acting weak or illthe doctor may want to check your little one out and perhaps screen for rare issues that can sometimes masquerade as constipation:

• Hypothyroidism: A totally curable condition caused by an underactive thyroid gland. If left untreated, hypothyroidism is a serious problem because it may slow mental development.

• Hirschsprungs disease: This birth defect occurs when the nerves in the rectum dont develop properly. The babys rectal muscles tightly clenchunable to relaxwhich blocks the poop from passing and causes intestinal obstruction. Fortunately, this problem can be corrected with surgery.

• Infantile botulism: A rare disease characterized by several days of progressive weakness . Its caused by botulism spores hiding in liquid-y sweets, such as honey or corn syrup. While these are safe for older children, they should never be given to babies under 1 year of age.

They Haven’t Pooped In A Long Time

One obvious sign of constipation in babies is a prolonged absence of poop. If your little one isn’t having at least several bright, yellow poops on Day 5 of life, something could be wrong, regardless of whether they’re on breast milk or formula, Dr. Morton says. This usually has to do with the baby not getting enough to eat.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Infant Constipation

The following signs may indicate your baby is constipated:

• Your baby has hard bowel movements that look like round, ball-shaped pellets

• Your baby may arch her back or cry when having difficulty passing a bowel movement. Keep in mind that itâs common for infants to strain when poopingâafter all your baby will most likely be pooping while lying on her back, which isnât that easy to do. If your baby passes a soft bowel movement after straining, she is probably not constipated

• Your baby’s bowel movements are happening less frequently than normal.

How Often Should Your Baby Poop

The frequency pooping is a clear indicator of if your baby is constipated. Much of this depends on what your baby is eating.

Breast milk contains a natural laxative that will often lead to pooping almost immediately after feeding. Sometimesas is the case with those little poop machinesa breastfed baby can poop several times a day.

Bottle-fed babies will poop less often, mainly because formula can be more difficult for a baby to digest. The frequency will be lower, and its at this stage that many babies begin to experience constipation.

Solid foods are furthermore difficult to digest. This means that your babys gastrointestinal tract will have to work even harder as it transitions to breaking down solid food.

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So Is There A Best Baby Formula For Constipation

If you think your formula-fed baby is constipated, a slew of questions are likely going through your head: Does powder formula make babies constipated?, does changing baby formula cause constipation?, can ingredients like palm olein oil contribute to constipation?

First: Theres no *one* formula thats been shown to decrease or prevent constipation and theres no best baby formula for constipation, says Dolgoff. According to the AAP, changing the formula is not necessarily whats going to help treat constipation.

By switching sips unnecessarily, you might just be honing in on a solution thats not all that effective, too, says Bhavana Arora, M.D., a pediatrician and medical director of the CHLA Health Network, a group of more than 160 L.A.-based community pediatricians. Or worse: Changing baby formula could potentially cause constipation, contributing to abdominal discomfort as the babys GI system has to adjust to the change, says Dawkins.

Thats why doctors dont usually suggest changing formula without knowing exactly whats causing symptoms.

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