Your Baby & Constipation

First time parents will notice everything about their newborn seems out of sorts when their little one is experiencing baby constipation.

Baby constipation occurs when the baby's stools become harder and firmer.

If the problem persists, the baby begins to experience discomfort when he or she is not able to have a regular bowel movement.

Research has shown that breastfed babies do not experience a great deal of constipation because the mother's breast milk is more easily digested by the infant's digestive system. Babies that are breastfed are capable of digesting the proteins in the breast milk making their bowel movements loose and much easier to pass.

Bottle-fed babies can frequently suffer from baby constipation when compared to breastfed babies. Because baby formula appears harder for the baby to digest and can often cause constipation and pain associated with constipation, the baby can become irritable due to the discomfort.

It is not unusual for a baby to have a bowel movement two to three times a day if their diet is on schedule and the baby is not experiencing constipation. However, if the baby is not having daily bowel movements and they are straining trying to produce a bowel movement you should look into alternatives to assist the baby in having a bowel movement.

Baby constipation can hurt the baby's abdominal area as the stool might have become too large and hard to pass. As a result the baby could begin to subconsciously refrain from having a bowel movement to avoid the pain.

A few ways to treat baby constipation is by massaging your baby's belly by starting at the belly button and massaging outwards in circles in a clockwise position. You can also massage the belly with baby oil or lotion to help the baby relax. Continue massaging if the baby is relaxing and enjoy his or her special time.

You can also place the baby on their back and hold their legs upward and then move them in a cycling motion to relieve pressure from their belly. Giving the baby a warm bath can also relax the baby so they can pass their stools more easily.

After bathing the baby, apply some Vaseline around the outside of the anus and it can allow the stool to be passed without pain. Of course, if nothing seems to help, contact your healthcare provider for advice about your infant.

To avoid baby constipation make sure that you are mixing the baby formula correctly, as making the formula too thick can lead to constipation, so double check your formula. Also, after checking with your doctor, provide your baby extra fluids such as cooled, boiled water.