Constipation relief for 5 month old

Constipation in babies (0 to 6 months)

This page provides information about constipation in babies from 0 to around 6 months. For information for older babies on solid food and children, see constipation in children.

Constipation is when it is difficult for your baby to poo or when they are not pooing as often as normal.

Some babies have several poos each day. Others poo only once a day or once every second day. What is important is that the poos are soft and that they are easy to pass.

How to tell if your baby is constipated

Your baby may be constipated if their poo looks like firm dry pellets that do not soak into the nappy.

Your baby is not constipated if the poo is soft, even if they have not had a dirty nappy for 1 or 2 days.

Straining

Straining when passing poo can be normal. Straining with crying is often a sign of constipation. When a baby is straining, their face will often become red and they may grunt or make other noises.

Breastfed babies and constipation

Breastfed babies rarely get constipated because breast milk contains a natural laxative. They tend to have yellow-coloured seedy poos that are often quite soft.

Newborn breastfed babies may poo after every feed. Older breastfed babies may go up to a week without pooing. This is not constipation if the poo is soft.

Formula feeding and constipation

Formula-fed babies tend to have bulkier poos and need to poo more often than breastfed babies.

If you are formula feeding, make sure you use the correct number of scoops of formula to water.

Don't

- do not swap scoops between different types of formula - they may not be the same size
- do not dilute formula milk - always follow the instructions on the packaging
- do not add solid foods such as rusks or baby rice to a baby's bottle - these can be a choking hazard and make your baby more likely to become constipated

Treating your baby's constipation

Give your baby a warm bath to relax their bowel.

Gently massage your baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction. Make firm but gentle circular motions from the belly button outwards.

Lie your baby on their back and gently move their legs backwards and forwards in a 'bicycle' motion.

Never give your baby laxatives unless a doctor or public health nurse advises you to.

Make sure your baby is getting their daily fluid needs. Babies from 0 to 6 months should take in 700 ml of fluids per day, from breast milk or formula milk.

When to see a GP

Talk to your GP if your baby:

does not poo in 2 to 3 days
is very distressed
shows the signs their constipation may be due to other medical conditions

Contact your GP urgently if your baby:

is in severe pain and distress when doing a poo
has bleeding after a hard poo
has a fever
is vomiting
has bloody diarrhoea
has a bloated tummy
is not gaining weight or is losing weight

Constipation due to another medical condition

In rare cases, your baby may be constipated due to an underlying illness.

These include:

some neurological conditions (problems with your baby's nervous system)
problems affecting your baby's thyroid gland
cystic fibrosis (usually detected by your baby's heel prick test shortly after birth)
very rare diseases of the bowel

Signs your baby may have a medical condition

Signs include:

your baby does not pass their first poo in the first 2 days of life
weight loss or if your baby is not gaining weight well
vomiting a lot
a very swollen tummy
seeming to be in severe pain
any abnormalities of their bottom (anus) - for example, if it is closed over
poos that are very pale in colour

Important

Bring your baby to your GP urgently if they have any of these signs. If your baby seems very unwell or you are unable to get an urgent appointment, bring them to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Causes of constipation

Constipation in babies has many possible causes. But often, there's no obvious reason or cause.

Doctors call this 'idiopathic constipation' when the cause is unknown. Idiopathic constipation can happen for short periods or longer periods.

Short periods of constipation

It is common for babies and small children to have short bouts of constipation that settle after 1 or 2 days. You do not usually need to get medical help. There are things you can do to help relieve your baby's constipation.

Longer periods of constipation

This is where your baby is constipated for more than 1 to 2 days. Or where your baby has constipation that comes back often.

This project has received funding from the Government of Ireland’s Sláintecare Integration Fund 2019 under Grant Agreement Number 8.

Page last reviewed: 31 October 2021
Next review due: 31 October 2024

Symptoms, Treatment and When to Call a Doctor

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Constipation (con-sta-PA-shun) in infants can worry parents. Most of the time, your baby is not really constipated. They may not have developed a routine for pooping yet. Some babies do not develop a bowel movement (BM) pattern for a while.

An infant’s BM pattern can change if their diet changes, like switching from breastmilk to formula, starting solid foods, or drinking less formula than usual. If your baby’s stool (poop) is not soft or easily passed, then they may be constipated.

In rare cases, constipation may be caused by a lack of nerves going to the intestines or by a problem with the way the intestine formed at birth. Your baby can be tested for these conditions if your health care provider feels it is needed.

Signs of Constipation

less stools than their usual pattern
straining more than normal to have a bowel movement
a change in how the stool looks from soft and mushy to:
- small, hard pebbles, or like a large, round golf ball
- loose and watery
abdomen (belly) bloated or swollen with gas
painful cramps

Treatment

If your baby is not eating baby food yet, you may give 1 to 2 ounces of 100% fruit juice (pear, prune, cherry, or apple) once a day. Stop the juice if their stools become too loose.
If they are old enough to eat baby foods, feed them pureed pears, peaches, or prunes instead of giving them juice.
If your baby eats cereal, it may help to give oatmeal, wheat, or barley cereal. Rice cereal can cause constipation in some children.
Sometimes giving your baby a warm bath to relax them or exercising their legs, like riding a bicycle, will help stimulate the bowels to move (Picture 1).
If it has been a few days since your baby has pooped and the juice or pureed food has not worked, then you can try a glycerin suppository. Place your baby on their back. Gently push the suppository into their anus (bottom). Suppositories are meant for occasional use.
Contact your baby’s health care provider before giving them laxatives, baby mineral oil, or enemas to treat constipation.

Medical Therapy

Your child’s health care provider may order the following treatments:

Give your child medication.
Check your child’s temperature using a digital, rectal thermometer. Put a small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) on its tip before inserting into the rectum. Taking a rectal temperature may stimulate the baby to pass stool.

When to Call the Health Care Provider

Call the health care provider if any of the following occurs:

Your baby is irritable and seems to be having stomach pain. Infants will pull their legs up to their stomach and cry when they are in pain.
Your baby has constipation and develops vomiting, and their belly looks like it is bloated or filled with gas.
You see blood in their stool.
Their constipation does not get better with treatment.

If you have any questions or concerns, call your baby’s health care provider.

Constipation: Infant (PDF), Spanish (PDF), Somali (PDF), Arabic (PDF), Nepali (PDF)

Constipation in a child at 5 months: first aid, causes, treatment, remedies

Co-author, editor and medical expert - Klimovich Elina Valerievna.

Views: 36 585

Last update date: 24.11.2022.

Average Reading time: 4 minutes

Content

Pathology or norm?
Causes of constipation at 5 months
The dangers of constipation
How to help your child

Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in children under one year of age. In the first months of life, the child's body is still weak and does not always tolerate the change of baby food, the introduction of complementary foods, and even changes in the diet of a nursing mother. Prolonged lack of stool in a baby, its irregularity, pain during bowel movements - parents of at least 25% of children aged 3-6 months faced such a problem. But not everyone knows when to see a doctor and how to help in such a situation. nine0003

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Pathology or norm?

It is worth remembering that constipation is characterized by heavy, painful bowel movements, abdominal pain and bloating. A simple stool retention is not enough to make such a diagnosis. If the baby smiles, is interested in surrounding objects, sleeps well and has not lost his appetite, then you should not panic. Constipation in children at 5 months is manifested by unwillingness to lie or sit in one place, refusal to eat, whims, visible straining that does not lead to a result. Thus, parents should only worry if a long absence of stool causes obvious discomfort to the baby. Another sign of constipation is hard, fragmented, formed feces that have an unpleasant odor. If you have these symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician. Having found blood in the feces, you need to show the child to the doctor immediately, as this may indicate both a crack in the intestines and serious developmental pathologies. nine0003

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Causes of constipation at 5 months

Abrupt introduction of complementary foods. It is at this age that many parents begin to introduce additional complementary foods into the baby's diet. If it is thick or too high, it can lead to bowel problems, including constipation. Excess protein and fat also has a bad effect on the functioning of the baby's intestines.

Incorrect mixture. Formula-fed babies suffer from constipation more often than others. It is important to pay attention to the amount of probiotics, prebiotics and other nutrients in the formula to make sure your baby is getting enough of them. nine0003

Lack of fluid. At the time of the introduction of the first complementary foods, and infants on formula should be given clean drinking water even earlier (at the age of 5 months, its amount should be approximately 450 ml per day). The liquid softens the stool and prevents constipation.

Non-compliance with the diet by the mother. If the baby is breastfed, constipation may be the result of maternal malnutrition. In order for the child to receive the necessary substances with milk, it is necessary to switch to a healthy diet - eat more fruits and vegetables, as well as sour-milk products. In order not to provoke constipation in the baby, you will have to give up sweets. nine0003

Pathologies of intestinal development. Such diseases are diagnosed by a doctor and are subject to medical and sometimes surgical treatment.

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Why constipation is dangerous

Chronic constipation can lead to dysbacteriosis, which negatively affects the health of the child as a whole. Prolonged absence of stool is also fraught with the fact that feces accumulate in the intestines, cause intoxication of the body, requiring immediate medical intervention. If you do not contact a specialist in time and do not undergo treatment, constipation can provoke more serious consequences, including cracks and even prolapse of the rectum. nine0003

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How to help your baby

Often, in order to save a baby from constipation, it is enough for a mother to change his or her diet. Doctors also recommend:

massage the child's belly with circular movements in a clockwise direction;
perform exercises with alternating leg raises;
warm relaxing baths;
more age-appropriate outdoor games.

In the absence of contraindications, single-acting microclysters MICROLAX 9 can be used to alleviate the condition of the baby0094® . The substances included in their composition affect only the feces, contributing to their softening. MICROLAX ^® has no harmful effect on the child's body and can be used from the first days of life.

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The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, contact a qualified specialist.

Constipation in a child: what to do?

Constipation disrupts the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The main manifestation of constipation is a rare stool, difficulty in emptying the intestinal tract. If emptying occurs every three days, but there is no swelling and discomfort, and the feces have a normal consistency, this is not considered constipation.

If your child is constipated, a specialist should be consulted. Initially, you should seek help from a gastroenterologist. The First Children's Medical Center employs the best pediatric gastroenterologists in Saratov: here you can get qualified medical care! nine0003

Symptoms of constipation

The main symptoms of constipation include:

infrequent bowel movements;
if the child pushes hard trying to go to the toilet;
if there is pain during bowel movements;
stools look like balls.

When the baby is breastfed, he can empty himself up to seven times a day, after each meal. During the first week, the frequency of emptying is three times a day. nine0003

When the baby is one month old, the stool will be daily. At two months of age and when complementary foods begin, stools can be once every two days. If the baby has a soft stool, he feels good, but at the same time he defecates once every few days, this is the norm.

Signs of constipation include: discomfort during bowel movements, moodiness, very hard stools. If this situation persists, you should contact your pediatrician.

It is important to adjust the feeding regimen. Do not overfeed the child, do not transfer to artificial feeding if the mother has little milk. The first step is to try to fix the situation. A nursing mother should drink more fluids, stop eating foods that cause flatulence, reduce intestinal motility. Only in extreme cases should be transferred to artificial mixtures. nine0003

If the baby is formula-fed, he should empty himself once a day. The main mistake in this case is that parents often change mixtures, try others. Mixtures should be adapted, sour-milk, which contain probiotics and prebiotics. It is also necessary to strictly follow the instructions, properly dilute the mixture, taking into account all proportions. The introduction of complementary foods should be on time. The diet should contain foods that contain a large amount of fiber. nine0003

After the introduction of complementary foods, the stool becomes formed, hard, less frequent. Until the age of three, bowel movements should be daily. After three years, the frequency of defecation should be at least three times a week.

Why constipation occurs

There are two types of constipation - organic and functional. The causes of organic constipation are:

Hirschsprung's disease;
anomalies in the development of the gastrointestinal tract;
violations of metabolic processes.

In a newborn child, this symptom may indicate a narrowing, lengthening or expansion of the intestinal tract.

The causes of functional constipation include:

psychological problems, such as being in an unfamiliar environment;
lactose deficiency;
lack of fluid in the body;
errors in the diet; nine0085
negative reaction of the body to taking antibacterial drugs, drugs for the treatment of anemia, anticonvulsants;
congestion of bile in the gallbladder and its ducts;
Intestinal worms.

In newborns, the nervous system is immature, it is just being formed. Therefore, children are unable to control the movements of their muscles during bowel movements. You can help them by gently bending the legs, pressing them to the tummy. With these movements, the pelvic muscles relax, the bowel is released much faster. nine0003

How the therapy works

The treatment of constipation requires a holistic approach. Treatment is prescribed in each case individually, depending on the cause of constipation.

To ensure the normal functioning of all organs, it is necessary to adjust the stool in children. You will need to adjust your diet and lifestyle, do not abuse laxatives, as they help only temporarily.

The main principles of therapy include:

Diet correction. Requires elimination of foods that can cause constipation. Among them are fermented milk products, rice, muffins, bakery products, pasta. The menu is recommended to include vegetable fiber, which is found in fresh fruits and vegetables. You should also abandon fast carbohydrates - flour products, sweets. You need to add to the menu more foods that contain potassium, for example, figs, dried apricots, prunes.
Observe the drinking regimen. It is important to drink clean drinking water. During the day, the child should drink at least 40 milliliters of water per kilogram of his weight. nine0085
According to the doctor's prescription, medicines, homeopathic remedies should be given to the baby. These include drugs for the outflow of bile, drugs that restore the intestinal microflora. You can use antihelminthics, laxatives, drugs with lactulose in the composition. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that contain polyethylene glycol. They retain moisture in the intestines, thin the stool.
In case of prolonged constipation, the child can be given a glycerine suppository, a microclyster as a stimulant. nine0085
Undergo physiotherapeutic procedures prescribed by the doctor, massage, do therapeutic exercises.
Provide a calm environment, help the baby psychologically so that he is not afraid to empty his intestines. You can read fairy tales, play with your child.
Train the intestines, after eating, put the child on the potty for a few minutes.

First you need to get rid of constipation and only then potty training. If constipation is not treated in a timely manner, this will entail unpleasant consequences for the health of the child. nine0003

Pediatric gastroenterologist: where to turn for help?

To get rid of this problem, you need to visit a pediatric gastroenterologist. First you need to find out why constipation occurs, adjust the diet, after which, depending on the cause, competent therapy is prescribed.

Contact the First Children's Medical Center: we employ pediatric gastroenterologists who have experience working with children of all ages. We monitor the constant improvement of staff qualifications and offer the services of only highly qualified doctors.