Constipation is defined as the passage of hard, pellet-like stools that cause pain or bleeding (groaning or straining is normal) and not so much by how often your baby has a bowel movement. Keep in mind that some breast fed babies only have one bowel movement each week or two after they are 3-4 weeks old. Breastfed babies are very rarely constipated if you are exclusively breastfeeding.
Toilet "re-training"-Because constipation often lasts a long time, children get used to this situation and they need to retrain their intestines to get used to going to the bathroom regularly. This is the most important part of treatment of chronic constipation in children .To re-establish a routine, the child should sit on the toilet on a daily basis, preferably after a meal, and at same time each day, for at least 15 minutes. During this time the child can read a book or play game. This will help create a routine and "re-train" the intestines. Consistency, patience and persistence are the keys to success.
Diet plays a very important part in the relief of constipation. Many home remedies for constipation involve adding certain foods to your diet or eating certain foods regularly to maintain regular bowel movements.
A warm bath can make the baby relax and the stools will then be passed more easily. Once the baby has relaxed in the bath you can also massage the stomach as before. When you wash the baby's bottom, apply some cream or Vaseline around the outside of the anus. This is one of the effective infant constipation treatment.
Do not put a thermometer or anything else inside the baby's anus to stimulate the bowel movement, as this may cause damage. If the baby is on formula milk you should read the dosage instructions on the package carefully.
Sometimes a simple change of formula can even influence the occurrence of newborn constipation. Also, you might want to check if the baby is eating properly. If the baby still passes me conium three days after its delivery, it probably indicates that the baby is not eating very well. The weather also plays a big role in determining how frequently the child would go. Babies have been known to be unable to poop for three day on end in hot weathers.
Lactulose is a non-absorbable sugar product that is processed by colon bacteria to produce an inflow of water into the stool mass. We use it a lot - it seems to be a favorite of our local pediatric gastroenterologists. The dose is adjusted up or down according to response. Side effects are usually not serious but can include cramping or diarrhea - obviously, stop the medicine and call your doctor if these occur.This is one of the best infant constipation treatment.
A great way of helping an infant suffering from constipation is by massaging their stomach. Begin at the belly button and then massage outwards in circles in a clockwise direction. Put some baby oil or cream on your fingers as this will help with the massage. However if your child becomes upset or uncomfortable with the massage then stop it.
It is important to remember that infants that are exclusively breastfed rarely become constipated. Infrequent bowel movements do not mean constipation if you’re infant's stools are soft when he finally passes one. Initial treatments usually include giving extra water or fruit juice once or twice a day. A common treatment used by parents is adding Karo syrup or other light or dark corn syrups to their infant's bottles of formula. While this is often discouraged because of the theoretical risk of botulism, the AAP reports that it is safe to do. If giving formula, changing to a soy formula can also be helpful.
