Do You Know The Symptoms Of Baby Constipation And How To Treat It
Constipation is the condition during which defecation becomes difficult and painful. It may occur in babies as well for various reasons. Normally newborns have 4-5 bowel actions each day. Breast-fed toddlers will have a lot more bowel movements as compared to formula-fed infants, plus they hardly ever develop constipation. Constipation comes about when there is a violation of typical bowel function. Normal bowel function in babies could vary on a number of reasons. As age increases and complementary food is introduced, infants tend to develop reduced bowel movements. Bowel movements occurring two times a day in a 6 months old baby is very normal, and any rate less as compared to that shall be referred to as constipation.
When baby has painful defecation and when the consistency of the poop is hard the condition can be considered as baby constipation. One of the very apparent symptoms of baby constipation is a crying baby characterized by stomach discomfort. In a baby with constipation, defecation may occur on a daily basis but the poop will be thick and in small fragments. It may be the result of a dysfunctional large intestine or an abnormal colon. Mostly it can be a result of pinching of feces in the lower intestine as a consequence of constriction of muscles. The more the stool remains in the intestine the harder it becomes. However, baby constipations are of two types- organic constipation and functional constipation.
In organic constipation anatomical defects or developmental disabilities play a tremendous role. Usually organic constipation begins at birth due to the lack of independent defecation. Other causes for organic constipation are an enlarged colon with a narrowing lower region as in Hirschsprung’s disease and Dolichosigmoid.
Functional constipation may be caused by a number of reasons such as an improper diet of feeding mother, baby’s reduced intake of water, artificial feeding in infancy, irregular diet of children, dehydration and mainly, oppression of the defecation reflex.
Indicators of constipation in babies
If your baby passes harder stools or if he has not passed stool for one or two days, it can be taken as symptoms of baby constipation. He or she may perhaps have a hard abdomen, the discomfort of which makes the baby cry.
Ordinarily baby constipation is cured with home remedies and a general change in the diet itself. Prune juice diluted with water given to babies much more than 6 months old is shown to have good outcomes. The juice should be diluted in the ratio one ounce water for an ounce of prune juice. Prune juice is given in addition to breast milk or other formula. In infants who develop constipation after they are introduced to baby food the condition can be treated by reducing cereals and giving fruits like prunes and apricot instead.
Constipation in infants less than six months old may be treatable following consulting a pediatrician. If the baby is formula fed talk to your doctor about changing the formula. Along with constipation you may possibly also notice the baby urinating very much less. Provide the newborn baby lots of water to drink. A warm compress will give relief to pain accompanied with constipation. If you see any blood marks in the stool check with a pediatrician right away.
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