Constipation is a condition where stools become firmer and harder. Your child will be troubled or in pain when they need to empty their bowels and the bowels will not be emptied as often as usual.
Constipation means infrequent, hard stools. It does not mean grunting or straining, although your baby may certainly exhibit these behaviors when having a bowel movement.
Parents are often preoccupied with how and how often their children move their bowels, but most constipation has no serious consequences and should be a concern only when passing stools becomes painful and leads to further withholding of stools, or when constipation causes other symptoms.
Once your baby is introduced to solids, his stools will often be the colour of the food he ate. They may also contain small pieces of undigested food.
The frequency with which he passes stools may change too - sometimes a baby can go a few days without a bowel movement. This does not necessarily mean he is constipated - if the stool is soft when it finally appears, then it is very likely that all is well.
Most breast fed infants have loose stools, but some are prone to infrequent bowel movements. Constipation in infant is most often caused by a low-fiber diet, lack of physical activity, inadequate intake of fluid each day, or delay in going to the bathroom when you have the urge to defecate.
Treatment for constipation is typically not necessary for babies that are breast fed. This is because breast milk is much easier for the baby to digest. However, feeding a baby breast milk tends to lengthen the interval between bowel movements when compared to children that are bottle fed. However, constipation help may be needed for the baby if the stool becomes firmer and harder than normal so it is importantly to routinely check the consistency when changing diapers.
Children are at risk for constipation during toilet training for several reasons. Toilet training is a process that requires the child's interest and participation. If a child is not ready or interested in using the toilet, he or she may try to avoid it by withholding, which can lead to constipation. Children who have experienced a hard or painful bowel movement are even more likely to withhold stool, and this only worsens the problem.
Try giving one to two ounces of diluted fruit juice such as grape, prune or apple-prune twice daily. (Always consult your pediatrician about the appropriateness of new foods/liquids to help alleviate constipation).
The goal of any infant constipation treatment is so that the child has 1 or 2 soft stools each day. So why not give them 2 to 4 ounces of water or diluted fruit juice once or twice a day. Or you may want to swap the formula they are drinking at the moment for a soy formula instead.
Glycerin suppositories can be very helpful if diet and juice don't work, but constipation that is stubborn enough to make these optimal should be discussed with your pediatrician. The same holds true for baby laxatives (hint: if your pediatrician does recommend a laxative, unprocessed bran, 1/2 teaspoon mixed with food twice a day is much cheaper than Maltsupex, and about as effective).
Fruit juice — Parents of infants who are at least 4 months old can give certain fruit juices, including apple, prune, or pear juice (other juices are not as helpful). A total of two to four ounces of 100 percent fruit juice per day may be given to children up to 8 months, and no more than six ounces per day should be given to infants between 8 and 12 months.
