The constipation in the baby is one of the problems that parents deal with frequently, this can be scary when they do not recognize the your baby’s bowel pattern.
It should be noted that normally a baby can have a bowel movement after eating or, on the contrary, do it with a day or two in between, everything will depend on the diet. Both what you eat and what you drink will determine your evacuation pattern.
For the formula babies or those who eat solid food, have a regular bowel movementgetting to go to the bathroom once a day.
The case changes for those breastfed babies, lacking a normal pattern of bowel movements; becoming very irregular from several times a day to several days in between.
As your baby grows bowel movement pattern will start to be regular, but in case you suspect that your baby has constipation you must observe some behaviors.
- Less frequent bowel movements.
- Difficulty evacuating.
- Hard and dry stools.
Why do babies get constipated?
Here are some of the common causes of constipation in babies.
Solid food
The babies receiving solid foods often have constipation; because the first foods of babies lack fiber that contributes to intestinal transit.
Rice cereals do not contain fiber, which is why frequently cause constipation in babies, since they are the babies first solid food.
The weaned children They become more affected, since they can become dehydrated due to the absence of the water provided by breastfeeding.
formula milk
babies who receive exclusive breastfeeding, Very rarely do they develop constipation, thanks to the balance that exists between the water, fats and proteins of said milk, even if the baby does not evacuate in several days; stools will be soft.
Instead, the formula milk can cause constipation in babiesand this due to the protein component, at one time it was thought that it was due to the amount of iron that some formulas contained, but this was ruled out.
You may find it useful to read this extensive analysis of formula milk for babies and why it is not recommended.
dehydration
When your baby is dehydrated, his body will look for water, increasing intestinal absorption, which will produce harder stools that are difficult to evacuate.
Illness
The constipation in babies due to diseases, It is not usually very common, it occurs under certain circumstances or medical conditions such as botulism, food allergies, hypothyroidism or metabolic disorders.
The Hirschsprung’s disease either congenital megacolon it can also cause constipation, it is a condition with which the baby is born, a congenital alteration that is diagnosed a few weeks after birth.
What can I do to relieve constipation in my baby?
There are some temporary measures that you can implement at home to help your baby have a better bowel movement.
Encourage him to exercise
exercise your baby will help stimulate intestinal transitdepending on your baby, you can apply some tricks, if he crawls you can play with him so that he does it more actively, if he does not know how to crawl you can help him do some exercises.
Lying your baby on his back, take his legs and begin to make circular movements, as if he were pedaling a bicycle, you can alternate it with other types of movements that consist of taking the baby’s legs up and down, bending them.
Massage
The tummy massage, help to relieve constipation in babies, you must locate a point; three fingers below the navel on the left side, gently pressing the fingertips on the baby’s abdomen until you feel a mass, from there you will continue to press for three minutes.
Another modality of massage for constipation in babies using the palm and base of the fingers, performing a massage on the child’s back with downward movements from top to bottom.
Add more fiber to the diet
If you baby eats solid food you can start introducing more fiber into their diet, pears, plum puree, and apricot or apricot can help your baby have a bowel movement.
In turn, you should reduce foods such as rice, bananas or cooked carrots since they do not contain fiber.
Use of cream for the affected area
In case you baby present hard stools, becoming evident a little blood and excoriations around the anus; You can consult your doctor to use a dermoprotective cream, which improves healing in that area.
Fruit juice
You can include a little fruit juice, plum, apple or pear are a viable option, but only applicable to babies older than one month, before implementing this trick you should consult a pediatrician.
Generally, a baby can be given one ounce of juice per month, meaning if your baby is two months old they can have 60 milliliters.
Another option is to add orange juice to the baby’s water, this will also come in handy for improve your constipation.
Consult your doctor
Before performing any procedure you should consult your pediatrician, who may suggest the use of glycerin suppositories, never give laxatives or stool softeners on your own without prior approval.
When should I worry?
when it shows up constipation in babies, You should see a doctor if any of the following conditions occur.
- The baby stops eating.
- Lose weight.
- Presence of blood in the stool.
- Failure of conventional treatments to improve constipation.
For the babies under four months, should be more thorough and consult the pediatrician, in case the feces of your baby are very hard or you have not had a bowel movement at your normal time and a full day has passed.