notice every little thing about the baby, especially when it
seems that something is even a tad bit out of sorts.
When your baby begins to experience bowel movements in which
the stool is harder and firmer your infant may be experiencing
baby constipation. If you ignore this little inconvenience,
your baby typically begins to feel terribly uncomfortable when
trying to have a bowel movement.
It is a well known fact that breastfed babies do not seem to
experience as much constipation as formula fed babies. This
seems to be related to the fact that the mother's breast milk
is more easily digested by the infant's digestive system.
Breastfed babies are able to more easily digest the proteins in
breast milk. This simple fact causes bowel movements to be
looser and therefore, much easier for your baby to expel.
Formula fed babies seem to have more difficulty digesting the
proteins in formula and so suffer more constipation than breast
fed babies. When babies have trouble digesting what they are
being fed this can lead to constipation, pain and irritability.
While it is not unusual for a little one to have a bowel
movement two to three times a day, if you notice that your babe
is more irritated or appears to be straining while trying to
move their bowels or even if you note that your baby's stools
have become hard and firm then you should intervene before
constipation becomes a real issue for both you and your baby.
Look for healthy and physician approved alternatives to help
your baby have a comfortable and soft bowel movement.
Baby's can experience abdominal pain if they are terribly
constipated since the stool can become so hard and lodge in the
intestines that it is simply too hard to pass. Even little ones
can begin to subconsciously avoid having a bowel movement in
hopes of avoiding the pain of constipation.
Some healthy alternatives to help your baby with constipation
is to massage your child's abdomen.
Begin around the belly button area and massage the belly in
outwards in circles while going in a clockwise motion. You may
use a bit of lotion or massage oil to make this a more
enjoyable encounter. You may find that your baby really enjoys
this special massage so you can keep it up for a few minutes
and enjoy the time together.
Pressure can also be relieved from your baby's tummy if you
place the babe on their back, hold the legs upward and then
gentle move them as if riding a bicycle.
A warm bath can also help your baby to relax. Think about how
much you, as an adult, enjoy a soak in the warm tub. If you
have tried all of these tricks to help your baby to have a
bowel movement and find relief from constipation then you must
contact your child's healthcare provider for medical advice
about what to do next.
If your child is experiencing constipation and you are feeding
your baby formula, make sure that you are mixing the formula
according to the directions. You want to make sure your baby is
staying well hydrated to help keep the stools soft. Your
pediatrician may also suggest that you provide the baby with
extra bottles of water during the day as well to increase their
fluid intake.
Baby constipation can be a normal part of childhood; however,
it is not something that you can ignore. Your baby is depending
on your help. So be sure to consult with your child's healthcare
provider for the course of treatment that he would prefer you
follow for your child.
Baby constipation is best avoided in the first place, but if it
does occur then you must intervene for your child's comfort.
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