Parents Zone

Constipation and Your Baby

As parents, and especially mothers, we watch carefully as our baby's bowel movements go from that horrible greeny-black just after birth when baby is ridding their body of all the matter which has been stored during pregnancy, to the green colour that is sign of a good feeding pattern having been established, and then the final stage of yellow, usually occurring within 1-2 weeks.

We constantly change dirty nappies, sometimes clocking up 5 or more in a day, until one day that amount seems to dwindle significantly.  Baby is squirmy and appears uncomfortable, and cries a lot.  They don't want to feed, and are just plain miserable.  If this occurs, then baby may be constipated.

Although many people will scoff at a baby being constipated, telling you it is a very rare occurrence, it is not altogether uncommon.  Many babies, especially those that have moved from breast milk to formula, or has been introduced to solid food, can suffer from constipation.  Even a lack of fluids can result in baby being constipated. Not at all pleasant for baby, but something we have all suffered from at least once in our life, and it can be easily remedied.

Common Signs Of Constipation

• Irritability
• Reluctance to feed
• Squirmy or an apparent clenching or hardness of the abdomen which subsides after a bowel movement
• Stools which are streaked with blood, or have a pellet-like appearance
• Stools are dry or crumbly

Causes of Constipation

• A change in feeding habits – ie. Breastfeeding to formula, introduction of solids. When a baby is introduced to solids, it may take a little while for the body to become used to the digestion of them, which can cause your baby to become constipated.
•  Lack of Fluids – Sometimes if baby has been sick, or has just been “off their food” the lack of fluids makes it difficult for baby to pass stools as there is nothing to help soften them.
• Reluctance  - If a baby has passed a hard stool which has hurt them or caused a tear which hurts them, they realise this and tend to hold their stools back as they don't want it to hurt again.
• Formula – Sometimes the formula can be mixed too strong, or doesn't agree with your child's digestive system.  An excess of formula to water can “clog” the system.

Treating Constipation In Babies

It is recommended that you seek medical advice from your doctor or health care nurse before treating a baby's constipation, but here are some suggestions that can help, or that you can discuss with your doctor.

• Formula – Check that you are giving baby the correct amount of formula to water. Also ensure that the formula is added to the water, not the other way around.
• Massage & Exercise – Gently rub bub's tummy in a smooth circular motion, applying slight pressure to help stimulate the bowel.  You can also try raising bub's knees up to their chest, gently, and back down, then keep repeating about 10 times.  This can also assist in bowel stimulation.
• Warm Baths – Sometimes placing baby in a warm, comfortable bath can help to relax them, even add a drop of lavender oil which is calming and soothing.  The relaxed and soothing atmosphere may cause bub to move their bowels whilst still in the bath, so don't be surprised if this happens.
• Glycerol Suppositories – These suppositories are formulated especially for babies. They are soft, and gentle and don't cause bub any discomfort or tummy pain like some laxatives – especially Coloxyl Drops.  The plus side to suppositories is they give almost instant relief – can sometimes take up to 10 minutes for some babies – and help to soften the hard stools making it easier to pass.  Ensure if you are going to use suppositories that you lay a cloth nappy or towel beneath bub. When bub looks like they are ready to push out the stool, sometimes it can help them if you gently bend and lift their knees slightly.

It can be a heart-wrenching experience to see your baby in so much pain, with very little you can do for them.  But ensuring that they get lots of fluids – and especially water, as too much milk can sometimes cause constipation as well – you should never have to worry about your baby suffering from the pain and discomfort of constipation.  But don't feel that you are a bad parent, because sometimes these things happen, and they are out of your control.

If your baby suffers constantly or has prolonged constipation, please see your doctor immediately and together you should be able to find the cause and avoid it in the future.