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When a mom picks up her baby for the first time, she starts recognizing all the faces he can make and even at the time of poop. The face of strength is very characteristic, just pay close attention. However, constipation in a baby can make this face even more characteristic and also the moaning and breathing, apart from the baby’s movements to force the poop out.
When Constipation Happens
The newborn with constipation can occur even in the first week of life, although it is rarer, even more so if he exclusively breastfeeds. But knowing when constipation is present is key and identifying it can be another difficult task for first-time moms.
There is no pattern of frequency with which the baby can poop, but the most common is once a day or every other day at least. Constipation in a baby can be characterized with more than 3 days without defecation . Of course, the frequency with which these episodes in which the baby poops spaced apart, must also be taken into account. Another aspect that leads to observing constipation in a baby is the texture of the stool .
Main Cause of Constipation in Babies
Usually a breastfeeding baby, who has exclusive breastfeeding , tends to have a softer, more pasty poop. However, when a baby is fed formula, he may have more dry stools. The formulas are the greatest causes of constipation in baby, so beyond the mommy milk should enough hydrate the baby to help the body eliminate more easily feces.
Important: Only use glycerin suppositories for the elimination of feces in the latter case and under medical recommendation. Constant use can be more disruptive than helping the baby.
Constipation in Bigger Babies
When the baby starts to eat solid foods it tends to have more constipation and sometimes some specific foods like potato, banana, apple, some cereals like rice, and even few fibers can trigger the constipated baby.
Another very important factor is to check if the baby is drinking enough fluids, the low fluid intake can lead to more dry stools, including this is also the reason for fissures in the anus such as hemorrhoids or bleeding. In addition some other characteristics of constipation in babies can be observed such as:
Constipation Characteristics
- Strength – The baby gets red, squeezes but can’t get the poop out
- Appearance – Poop like rabbit, polka dots and hard.
- Abdomen – the belly may get bigger and stiffer than normal
- Gases – Constipation in a baby in addition to drying out can accumulate many gases
- Diarrhea – constipation can also cause more liquid stools and in a very small amount, because the body recognizes that nothing more than liquid will pass through the intestine obstructed by the dried poop.
- Colic – More common in babies under 3 months, constipation can be the cause of colic in babies.
If your baby takes formulas (ideal breast milk), a more appropriate milk such as Nan confort and Aptamil may be indicated , which make it easier to evacuate. But bigger babies can get help from food that just ingesting can make constipation smaller or even a thing of the past.
Papaya and lime orange juice can help, as well as plum juices, in addition to replacing some foods in the diet with others, so it would be easier to identify if any particular food causes constipation in your baby. Giving more fluids to the baby can also help and if none of this works, there are suppositories for this purpose, however these only the pediatrician should indicate.
Experienced mother tip
A simple maneuver that can help the baby to release the trapped poop is very simple, but requires extra care and attention so as not to hurt the baby. With a cotton bud smeared with baby oil or almonds, massage the baby’s anus in a circular motion, this massage can help stimulate the baby to release the poop and help with constipation.
Sometimes, even introducing only the tip of the swab with great care can help the baby poop, this technique was learned from professionals in a nursery at Maternidade Modelo in SP, it was very effective when you had small and constipated babies. In addition abdominal massages can help a lot! As my grandmother used to say, the new pushes the old, so the ideal is to put the baby or child to poop after meals.
Remember, breastfeeding prevents constipation in babies and is ideal for the baby. Every case of constipation should be reported to the pediatrician responsible for monitoring the baby, he will guide you precisely what to do for each baby.
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To the next!
See also: Meconium, the First Baby Poop
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
