Baby Constipation - Relief For Your Infant, Newborn, Or Toddler
Constipation ReliefConstipation is one of the most common complaints of infants, newborns, and toddlers. It creates a lot of discomfort in them and inconvenience on the part of the parents. It is characterized by the infrequent removal of feces or occurrence of hard stools.
And let me just say that this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, please consult your doctor before you try anything radical!
Constipation Among Newborns and Infants
Newborn babies are expected to have their first stool passage in twenty-four hours from their births. Those who do not have their first bowel movement within that time should be examined by a doctor for checkup purposes because the cause could be the lack or absence of water in their colons. A longer period that would exceed 48 hours could mean a more fatal problem like Hirschsprung's disease, meconium ileus, or hypothyroidism.
Since babies are expected to have a daily bowel removal, parents must ensure that enough water is in their diet. Digested food flows through the intestines. In turn, it absorbs the required water and nutrients by the infant's body. The remains or wastes become the feces. Water is necessary because fecal production is possible when there is sufficient water in the remains or wastes. Parents must be aware too that the problem could be caused by the incapability of the lower intestines and anus to correctly contract and relax during stool passage. A change from breast milk to formula, formula to breast milk, or from one milk brand to another can sometimes cause constipation too.
Immediate actions must be done by parents to relieve the newborns and infants of constipation. Suggested actions are breastfeeding, administration of magnesium-water mixture through a bottle, gentle abdominal massages, infusion of flax oil to breast milk, and baby enema that is water-based.
Constipation Among Toddlers
Constipation among toddlers are usually caused by their poor diet and refusal to defecate. Their diet must be balanced and must be with sufficient fiber that are in fruits, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, milk and juices. The reasons for the refusal include but are not limited to the following:
- Refusal to recognize the urge to poop because they are quite engaged in play and socialization
- Their play area/facility or classroom does not have a clean bathroom
- A negative experience in the past that they associate with the use of the bathroom or bowel removal like taunting by other children while they used the toilet
Other causes of constipation among toddlers are health conditions such as diabetes, changes in electrolytes level, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, and ailments affecting the spinal cord. To prevent constipation among toddlers, parents must see to it that toddlers exercise. Engage them in some kind of physical activity like walking and jogging. Sedentary toddlers are more prone to constipation than those who move a lot.
To provide immediate relief, help them drink lots of water, prune juice, and milk. Insertion to anus of suppositories, drinking of castor or flax oil, soft diet, intake of doctor-recommended laxatives, and administration of milk enemas are likewise effective.
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