Newborn constipation is not easy to diagnose. The reason for this is that babies do not have normal frequency or schedule of defecating. It can be that your baby may pass stool each time you feed him/her. It can also be that your baby can wait for a day or so to remove stool from his/her intestines. Essentially, the individual pattern of defecating may depend on the food and drinks the babies eat. Other facts will include how active the baby is and how he/she digests her own food.
But, as a mom, you are able to find out if your baby is having difficult passing stool. What are the clues of newborn constipation that you must know?
- The frequency of your baby’s passing a stool is less frequently than his/her norm. If your baby has not defecated for two to three days, this can be a sign that your baby is suffering from this condition. You may also notice that when he/she does his/her bowel movement, he/she is uncomfortable doing it.
- Your baby passes dry stools. This is a great indication that your baby has difficulty defecating.
- Your baby produces very liquid stools. You may assume that your baby has diarrhea. But medical experts said that liquid stool in babies may indicate dyschezia.
Causes Of Newborn Constipation
There are possible culprits why your baby suffers from this condition.
- Type of milk. If you breastfeed your child, he/she rarely experiences such condition. However, if you introduce to him/her milk formula, your child may suffer from this condition. The reason for this is that some ingredients of certain formula milk may cause this condition to occur in babies. You may ask your baby’s physician if you can switch brands.
- Solid foods. Newborn constipation is normal for babies when they try to eat solid food. Those foods that are frequently given to infants contain less fiber. As a result, babies will have difficultly passing stools.
- Dehydrated. Dehydration is another culprit that this condition occurs. When your baby is not getting adequate amount of fluid or water, his/her system responds by producing hard, dry stools causing him/her to have difficulty in defecating.
- An illness. This type of condition can be a symptom of another medical condition. Hypothyroidism, food allergies, metabolic disorders and botulisms are just some of the diseases that may cause newborn constipation. Therefore, it is best to consult your baby’s physician about your child’s condition.
Ways To Ease This Condition
Here are some tips that you can try to help your baby pass soft stool.
- Add dark fruit, like prune, to your baby’s milk. You may also opt to give your child extra water.
- Switch to a different brand of formula. As mentioned earlier, your baby may experience difficulty in passing stool because of the formula he/she has been taking. Consider switching to a new brand. But before you do so, you must consult your child’s physician.
Newborn constipation can cause significant discomfort to your child. Therefore, it is recommended that you find a way to relieve it.