Constipation is a condition where stools become firmer and harder.

Your baby will be troubled or in pain when they need to empty their bowels, and the bowels will not be emptied as often as usual. This can be a very upsetting situation for parents and babies.

What's normal for babies?

• Babies poop. In fact, babies poop a lot and that is a very good thing for all of us, else, well, to be honest, we would be in deep doo-doo for sure!  But seriously, babies do have a lot of stools each day, most of the time soon after feeding.
• A newborn baby’s BM is often black and is called meconium.
• At times, blood, swallowed during labor, may also be seen. These are normal occurrences.
• If a newborn baby is having no bowel movements, the doctor should check to make sure the anal opening is ok.

Breast-fed

• Exclusively breast fed babies are more likely to have more frequent movements than those on formula – around 2 -5 a day. Stools are generally yellow, sometimes a bit seedy and pretty loose. Occasionally, breast-fed babies who are over one or two months old, can go for a few days and even a week without a bowel movement. It is unusual for exclusively breast-fed babies to become constipated.

Formula-fed

• Stools of a formula-fed baby are usually less frequent, firmer, darker and greenish. If your bottle-fed baby is experiencing constipation regularly you may like to try a different formula to see if this helps.

Solids

• Once a baby has started solids it is normal for the frequency and consistency of stools to change. New foods may set off constipation. Keep track of newly introduced foods, and if you suspect they are causing constipation, leave them out of the diet for awhile and reintroduce them at a later date.

Foods that may cause constipation include:

• white rice, rice cereal, bananas, and apple.

Of course all babies are different and these foods may not be a problem for your baby. What about the baby who does not have a frequent BM, but in fact, may have very few stools at all?  Constipation or the lack of a regular bowel movement does occur in babies.

Here are some things to watch for and ideas for dealing with constipation. 

Symptoms:

• No bowel movement for forty-eight hours or more along with:      
• Straining as if to have a bowel movement but with no results.      
• Hard, dry stool.     
• Bloody streaks in the BM due to hard dry stools.       
• Distended abdomen with excess gas.      
• Crying when having a BM.

Treatment:      

• Increase fluid intake by either encouraging more nursing or giving a supplement of water.      
• Adding a teaspoon of Karo syrup to a 4oz bottle of water on rare occasions will help.       
• Never give your child laxatives or enemas unless your pediatrician says it's OK - laxatives can be dangerous to babies.      
• As long as there is no evident discomfort or distention, and the baby is otherwise well and feeding normally, nothing really needs to be done. A BM will happen in time! 

Call the Doctor if:  

• A new baby is having no stool at all.       
• Blood is noted in the stool.       
• Large, hard and dry stools occur.       
• Baby cries excessively when having a BM.    

If your baby has a severe case of constipation, your pediatrician may prescribe medicine to soften or remove the stool.   Most babies and toddlers keep their diapers busy. When that does not occur, then refer to these tips and seek help if things just don’t come out as they should!        

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