Constipation in babies could be scary to you as a parent.
You might have tried many things, but nothing seems to work. This could be very hard on new parents because of a lack of experience.
I know how worrying it could be. Giving you sleepless nights and making you feel very uncomfortable.
My first child had difficulties pooping when he was around 6 months old, and I was apprehensive.
This article will share tips that will help your baby poop quickly.
But first what is constipation? Constipation can simply be defined as the inability to pass stool easily. It could be caused by so many factors, which we will look at soon.
Babies poop more frequently than adults; here is a table of how often babies poop compared to their ages.
Baby age Num. of ave. poop times a day
Newborn as frequent as they eat
1 month about 4 times
2 months about 3 times
3 months about once a day
Causes of constipation in babies
There are a lot of factors
that can cause constipation in children, and as a parent, you must know
the causes in readiness for a constipation situation for your baby.
Some common causes of constipation in babies include,
1. Not eating fiber
Nursing mothers are always advised to mainly eat a lot of fiber food to prevent this, and fiber helps the baby digest food.
Since babies feed through their mothers, it is advisable for the nursing mother to constantly eat more fiber-based food like pear, apple, black beans, etc.
2. Not drinking enough fluids
Fluids play a vital role in helping digest food for babies. The lack of it can lead to constipation, which can be identified primarily in babies who eat formula.
3. Change in the environment, e.g., after traveling
This happens to adults as well; it is challenging to go poop at times when we travel. Babies also go through this too.
This situation is caused by the stress of traveling.
4. Formula
Compared to breast milk, the formula is harder, and this could easily lead to constipation in babies because it takes a more extended period to digest.
Symptoms
The symptoms you should look out for include;
1. Blood on the surface of hard stool
This is when there is difficulty when the baby goes to poo and what eventually comes out is a solid hard poo with traces of blood on it.
2. Firm belly
When the belly feels hard to touch, and you have noticed he doesn't poo again, it could indicate that your baby has constipation.
3. Loss of appetite
There is no appetite for food when constipated. Babies exhibit this too.
4. Difficulty in pooing when its time to
This explains itself. When you notice your baby has a lot of difficulty pooing, you must know immediately that something is wrong.
5. Not having bowel movements for 4 to 5 days
Babies poo very often. Some poo at least twice a day is the maximum, but if your baby hasn't pooed for 2 straight days, that should cause alarm.
Home remedies
1. Give your baby enough water;
Water is good in preventing constipation because it helps digest food quickly.
Give them enough water regularly during the day and in between feeding to fasten the process.
2. Warm bath
In simple terms, this helps to loosen up muscles that control the poo to come out quickly.
3. Switch his formula
Some
brands of formula might not be suitable for your baby, which may
lead to constipation.
It is advisable to try a different brand for
your baby to help ease bowel movements.
4. Massage his tummy
When you notice your child has
constipation, it is advisable to massage his tummy.
This will
help break things down for more effortless bowel movements.
5. Exercise
Exercising your baby's legs is a straightforward strategy to beat constipation.
Move the baby's legs, mimicking riding a bicycle while lying on his back.
Conclusion
Constipation in babies is expected, so don't be frightened when this happens.
But in case non of the remedies work out, consult your baby's doctor.
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