What Do You Do For A Constipated Newborn

How To Help When Your Newborn Baby Is Constipated

One of the hurdles any new parent might face is baby constipation, but what should you do if you suspect your newborn is constipated?

Dr. Jane Sneed, a pediatrician at The Childrens Clinic in Jonesboro, Arkansas, who has been practicing since 1993, told TODAY Parents that constipation is extremely common in babies.

I would estimate 50 to 75 percent of infants have issues during their first year of life with some form of constipation arising from dietary issues following a stomach bug with diarrhea or from stress, like going out of town and having a significant schedule change, Sneed said. She added that some experts expand the diagnosis to include infrequent stooling only two to three per week or excessive straining for more than ten minutes. Regardless of the definition, the result is the same an unhappy baby.

What You Can Do

• Try not to give your child too much fiber, as it can cause tummy pain.
• If your child’s diet is low in fiber, give them more fresh fruit and vegetables, cereals, rice, dried fruits, breads and dried fruit.
• Encourage your child to drink lots of fluids .
• Encourage your child to get enough exercise.
• Encourage your child to recognize their need to poo, even if they are busy playing.
• Encourage your child to let all their poo come outeach time they go to the toilet.

What Are Gas Drops

Gas drops contain simethicone. This active ingredient breaks up larger gas bubbles into smaller ones, which are more comfortable for a baby to pass.

Caregivers can give the drops directly to a baby or mix them in with formula or expressed breast milk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggest that gas drops are safe to give to newborn babies, and adverse side effects are rare.

However, if a baby is also taking thyroid hormone medication, do not give them gas drops as simethicone

Read Also: Which Formula Brand Is Best For Newborn

Q What About Formula Fed Babies

Formula fed babies, or babies who have some formula alongside breastfeeding, are likely to be the same as breastfed babies for the first week or so. Then after the initial newborn period, they usually become more regular. Their stools are more formed than a breastfed babies, but it should still be easy to pass.

Can Formula Cause Constipation

Formula, on the other hand, is thicker. It has larger proteins that can be harder to digest. This makes gastrointestinal problems including constipation more likely. But keep in mind that this doesnât mean itâs impossible for a breastfed baby to become constipated or that all babies on formula will be constipated.

Also Check: How Much Formula Do You Give A Newborn

Read Also: How To Become A Newborn Nursery Nurse

What Not To Do For Your Constipated Baby

• Give laxatives, suppositories or enemas unless youve been advised to do so by a health professional.
• Sit them on the toilet or a potty believing this will help. Toilet training is a developmental stage in the toddler years and requires a complex sequence of nervous system maturity.
• Compare their bowel habits with other babies. Every little person is an individual and there are too many factors which play a role in bowel habits and frequency.
• Make too many changes to their milk or solid food intake. Lots of changes at one time can have a negative effect and the baby may start having very loose poos.
• Massage their tummy very firmly. A babys gut is still immature and easily damaged through rough handling. Always be gentle.

How Is Constipation Diagnosed

The healthcare provider will ask about your childs symptoms and health history. He or she will give your child a physical exam. Depending on how old your child is, you might be asked questions such as:

• How old was your baby when he or she had their first stool?
• How often does your child have a bowel movement?
• Does your child complain of pain when having a bowel movement?
• Have you been trying to toilet train your toddler lately?
• What foods does your child eat?
• Have there been any stressful events in your childs life lately?
• How often does your child poop in his or her pants?

Your childs provider may also want to do some tests to see if there are any problems. These tests may include:

You May Like: Why Newborn Baby Cry A Lot

Don’t Miss: How Much Should A Newborn Eat

Baby Massage For Constipation

Want to know how to relieve constipation in babies quickly? One of the easiest things you can try is giving baby a massage. Blythe recommends trying a gentle tummy massage of the left side of the belly to help stimulate the colon. And you can do exercises with baby as well. Bicycling the hips and holding the knees up in a squat position helps simulate the movements needed to have a bowel movement, Blythe says. You can also try a warm bath.

Which Option Is Better For Colic

Anyone caring for a baby with colic will likely be keen to try anything that might ease the babys discomfort.

Several users of parent-to-parent forums have recommended both gripe water and gas drops as remedies for colic. However, no scientific evidence shows either of them to work. As such, it is up to the caregiver to decide whether to try either remedy and see which, if either, works best for the child.

If a babys symptoms seem to stem more from gas pain, then gas drops might be more effective. If a baby appears in more general discomfort, gripe water might be the better option. However, there is no guarantee that either will make a difference.

Caregivers should remember that there is always a possibility their child could react negatively to any new remedy.

Gripe water products can contain many different ingredients. Be sure to check the label of gripe water to see what it contains. Do not use products that contain alcohol.

Also, some gripe water ingredients remain untested in babies. Ask a doctor to be sure ingredients are safe for a baby before using them.

A new, untried remedy could also cause an allergic reaction. Caregivers should learn the signs that might indicate an infant is having an allergic reaction. If a caregiver suspects an allergic reaction, they should stop using the medicine immediately and seek advice from a doctor.

Signs of an allergic reaction include:

White noise or womb noise

Try a pacifier

Read Also: When Should Newborn Get First Bath

Don’t Miss: How To Co Sleep With Newborn

Are Newborns In The Us Tested For Pku

Newborn blood testing identifies almost all cases of phenylketonuria. All 50 states in the United States require newborns to be screened for PKU. Many other countries also routinely screen infants for PKU. If you have PKU or a family history of it, your doctor may recommend screening tests before pregnancy or birth.

How Can You Tell If A Newborn Is Constipated

Sneed shared that parents experiencing newborn constipation may see different signs.

Parents may encounter Infant Dyschezia where their babies scream excessively and strain for ten minutes, only to produce loose stools, she said. These infants have not figured out how to simultaneously relax their pelvic floor and push stool out at the same time.

Another recognizable instance of constipation is when foods are introduced into the diet. To avoid constipation problems, Sneed recommends giving babies foods higher in fiber.

This age group should receive a recommended five grams of fiber daily, she said. The best fiber-rich foods are peas and prunes, which have two grams of fiber per serving, and whole wheat, barley or mixed grain baby cereals, which have one to two grams of fiber per serving. The worst options are rice cereal and bananas.

Also Check: When Do You Bathe A Newborn For The First Time

How Can You Tell If Your Baby Is Constipated

If you suspect your baby may be constipated, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is she more fussy than usual?

• Is she spitting up more often?

• Is she having significantly fewer bowel movements than at other times?

• Are her stools harder than usual, and/or are they bloody?

• Does she strain for longer than 10 minutes when she needs to poop but still not pass anything?

If you answered âyesâ to any of these, your little one may be constipated.

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.

Read Also: When A Newborn Is Constipated

Recommended Reading: How To Treat Gas In Newborn

How Often Should My Formula

Newborns often have a lot of bowel movements, sometimes dirtying diapers after each feed! But after the first couple of weeks, babies usually settle into a pretty consistent pooping routine. For formula-fed babies, that means often having one to three dirty diapers most days, but dont be too surprised if they have one no-poop day once in a while. Remember, frequency varies, so dont be too alarmed if your baby doesnt quite fit into these pooping parameters.

Can Karo Syrup Go Bad

Most corn syrup is safe to eat indefinitely, but again, if it fails the test of color and odor, discard the corn syrup. … After that, corn syrup may not taste as good as it was intended, but it doesn’t mean that it is not safe to eat. If the corn syrup is opened, it will last up to 6 months without spoiling.

Read Also: How Often Should I Change My Newborns Diaper

Definition Of Constipation In Infants

In younger infants, constipation is often defined more by what the bowel movements look like than how often they occur.

Younger infants are usually considered constipated if their bowel movements are like hard, little pellets, or if they are very large, firm, and difficult to pass.

Some people also consider an infant constipated if their bowel movements have a consistency that is thicker than peanut butter and if the child appears to need to strain to pass them. Simply straining to pass a loose or soft bowel movement, however, is probably not a sign of constipation.

Read Also: How To Cure Colic In Newborn

Their Stool Is Hard And Dry

“Consistency is key to defining constipation in breastfed babies. Rather than liquidy, seedy, pasty stools, the constipated baby’s stool will be more like little clay balls,” says Jane Morton, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, “though it is extremely rare for an exclusively breastfed baby to be constipated.”

Formula-fed babies can be all over the map, too. And when solid foods enter the picture, parents should be prepared for the frequency, form, and color to change again. But as a frame of reference, babies 0 to 4 months of age poop on average three to four times a day, and after the introduction of solid foods, that reduces to approximately one bowel movement per day.

Recommended Reading: How Do I Get A Ss Card For My Newborn

Does Switching Formulas Help Or Make Things Worse

After choosing a formula, you might decide that youd like to change to another one. Is this a good idea?

Switching your babys formula may make a difference in their poop, since their sensitivity to some of the ingredients in the original formula may have led to their constipation.

However, changing formula styles or brands can also make things worse, especially if you do it too often.

In other words, its not a good plan to give your baby one formula for 1 or 2 days, then changing to another formula right away when you see that theyre constipated. Instead, try giving baby a few weeks to adjust to any newly introduced formula.

In some cases, though, changing formulas might be wise. Even so, its best to speak with your childs pediatrician first.

Reasons to consider changing formulas can include:

• extreme fussiness
• a need for more iron in a babys diet, as determined by a doctor
• weakness or fatigue

Especially if your child is showing signs of allergies or wheat or dairy aversions, changing to a brand with different ingredients may make digestion easier.

Its never a good idea to create your own homemade formula, however. Your childs doctor can help you find an approved formula if your little one needs something special.

For many babies, a simple home remedy or two is all youll need to relieve constipation.

For an older baby, you can consider a dietary change.

For younger babies, you can try the following:

Reach out to your babys doctor if you notice:

Can Breastfeeding Cause Constipation

Though constipation is uncommon in babies who are breastfed exclusively, it is common once solid foods are introduced into their diet. At that time, even bowel movements that occur as frequently as every other day could be considered constipation if a child strains or otherwise lets you know that passing her bowels is uncomfortable.

Recommended Reading: Why Is My Newborn Crying All Night

Why Does My Newborn Have Hiccups

Newborn hiccups are most frequently caused by baby overfeeding, eating too quickly or swallowing a lot of air. Any of these things can lead to stomach distention, Forgenie says. When the stomach distends it actually pushes against the diaphragm, which causes it to spasm, and voilàhiccups!

Read Also: Can Probiotics Help You Not Get Sick

What If Baby Is Passing Gas But Not Stool

You may notice that your baby is still passing gas but isnt pooping. Try not to worry! This probably isnt cause for concern. Some babies just get gassy in between poops without being constipated. In most cases, a babys gas and constipation will resolve on their own. Remember, a babys digestive system is brand new…so its still getting the hang of how to function.

You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Bad Diaper Rash On Newborn

When Should I Worry About Breastfed Baby Poop

Usually, as long as your baby is having frequent bowel movements and their stool is soft, the smell isnt a concern. Let your pediatrician know if you notice loose, green stools, or a smell youre worried about. Your baby may have an allergy or intolerance to something in your diet.

When should I worry about my breastfed baby not pooping?

This can happen in babies older than 6 weeks who are not exclusively breastfed. Call your babys pediatrician immediately if your newborn baby is not pooping at all. Also call if your baby has constipation for longer than 5 to 7 days or if they also have other symptoms.

What can breastfeeding mom eat to help baby poop?

Does milk cause constipation?

Dairy products may cause constipation in some individuals. This effect is most common in those who are sensitive to the proteins found in cows milk.

What is the best medicine to relieve constipation?

While all the new prescription products provide more treatment options, Wald says, most people dont need them. Instead, over-the-counter drugs such as polyethylene glycol , bisacodyl , or senna are a far better choice.

How can I tell if my baby is constipated?

In a newborn,firm stools less than once a day with straining and difficulty passing them

How Long Can Your Baby Go Without Pooping

The frequency of your babyâs bowel movements can vary from day to day, and every baby is different. A baby who is consuming formula tends to poop at least once per day, but itâs possible for her not to poop for a day or two without necessarily being constipated.In the early weeks, breastfed babies may poop more often since breast milk is easily digested, but at around 3 to 6 weeks old breastfed babies may start having fewer bowel movements, with as little as one or two per week, but still not be constipated.

Read Also: How To Choose A Pediatrician For Newborn

How Often Should A Newborn Poo

You will soon get in to the rhythm of your babies bowel movements but here are some tips on what to look out for:

• A breastfed baby may poo at each feed in the early weeks, then after about 6 weeks they may not have a poo for several days. This is completely normal.

• Formula fed babies tend to poo either at least once a day or every other day. Some babies may even go longer between poos without being constipated.

• As long as their poos are soft, they have plenty of wet nappies and are not distressed, your baby is not constipated.

What To Expect At Your Office Visit

Your child’s provider will perform a physical exam. This may include a rectal exam.

The provider may ask you questions about your child’s diet, symptoms, and bowel habits.

The following tests may help find the cause of constipation:

• Blood tests such as a complete blood count
• X-rays of the abdomen

The provider may recommend the use of stool softeners or laxatives. If stools are impacted, glycerin suppositories or saline enemas may be recommended also.

Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Jaundice In Newborns At Home