Ways to make newborn poop

Baby constipation: Top 7 home remedies

Babies often go a long time between bowel movements. Most of the time, it is normal for a baby to go days or even more than a week without a bowel movement. However, a baby may sometimes be constipated and need a little help.

If a baby is constipated, a pediatrician may recommend using home remedies as a first-line treatment for baby constipation.

Home remedies for constipation in a baby include:

1. Exercise

Moving a baby’s legs can help relieve constipation.

As with adults, exercise and movement tend to stimulate a baby’s bowels.

However, as babies may not be walking or even crawling yet, a parent or caregiver may want to help them exercise to relieve constipation.

The parent or caregiver can gently move the baby’s legs while they are lying on their back to mimic the motion of riding a bicycle. Doing this may help the bowels function and relieve constipation.

2. A warm bath

Giving a baby a warm bath can relax their abdominal muscles and help them stop straining. It can also relieve some of the discomfort relating to constipation.

3. Dietary changes

Certain dietary changes may help constipation, but these will vary depending on the baby’s age and diet.

While breastfeeding a baby, a woman could eliminate certain foods, such as dairy, from her diet. It may take some trial and error to identify the dietary changes that help, and it is quite possible that changes in the diet will have no effect on the baby’s constipation.

For formula-fed babies, a parent or caregiver may want to try a different kind of formula. It is best not to switch to a gentle or dairy-free formula without consulting a pediatrician first. If one change does not make a difference, continuing to try different formulas is unlikely to help.

If an infant is eating solid foods, parents or caregivers should look to introduce foods that are good sources of fiber.

Many fruits and vegetables can help stimulate the bowels because of their higher fiber content. Good food choices for babies with constipation include:

skinless apples
broccoli
whole grains, such as oatmeal or whole-grain bread or pasta
peaches
pears
plums

4. Hydration

Young infants do not typically need supplemental liquids as they get their hydration from breast milk or formula.

However, babies that are constipated may benefit from a small amount of extra liquid.

Pediatricians sometimes recommend adding a small amount of water or, occasionally, fruit juice, to the baby’s diet when they are over 2–4 months old and are constipated.

5. Massage

There are several ways to massage a baby’s stomach to relieve constipation. These include:

Using the fingertip to make circular motions on the stomach in a clockwise pattern.
Walking the fingers around the naval in a clockwise pattern.
Holding the baby’s knees and feet together and gently pushing the feet toward the belly.
Stroking from the rib cage down past the belly button with the edge of a finger.

6. Fruit juice

A small amount of pure apple juice can help soften stool.

After a baby reaches 2–4 months of age, they can have a small amount of fruit juice, such as 100-percent prune or apple juice. This juice may help treat constipation.

Experts may recommend starting with about 2–4 ounces of fruit juice. The sugar in the juice is hard to digest. As a result, more liquid enters the intestines, which helps soften and break up the stool.

However, a parent or caregiver should not give fruit juice to a baby for the first time without consulting their pediatrician.

7. Taking a rectal temperature

When a baby is constipated, taking the baby’s rectal temperature with a clean, lubricated thermometer may help them pass stool.

It is important not to use this method very often, as it can make constipation worse. The baby may start not wanting to pass a bowel movement without help, or they may begin to associate having a bowel movement with discomfort, leading them to fuss or cry more during the process.

Anyone who feels as though they often need to use this method to help the baby have a bowel movement should talk to the baby’s doctor.

As infants may go for extended periods without a bowel movement, it can be hard to tell if they are constipated. Signs that indicate constipation in a baby include:

infrequent stools that are not soft in consistency
clay-like stool consistency
hard pellets of stool
long periods of straining or crying while trying to have a bowel movement
streaks of red blood in the stool
lack of appetite
a hard belly

Signs of constipation in babies vary depending on their age and diet. A normal bowel movement before a baby begins eating solid food should be very soft, almost like the consistency of peanut butter or even looser.

Hard baby stool prior to solid food is the most obvious indication of constipation in babies.

At first, breastfed babies may pass stool often since breast milk is easy to digest. However, once a baby is between 3 and 6 weeks old, they may only pass a large, soft stool once a week and sometimes even less.

Formula-fed babies tend to pass stool more frequently than breastfed babies. Most formula-fed babies will have a bowel movement at least once a day or every other day. However, some formula-fed babies may go longer between bowel movements without being constipated.

Once a parent introduces solid food to a baby’s diet, a baby may be more likely to experience constipation. A baby may also be more likely to become constipated if a parent or caregiver introduces cow’s milk (other than formula) to their diet.

Share on PinterestA doctor should assess a baby with ongoing constipation.

It is advisable to call a pediatrician if a baby has not passed a stool after a day or two and there are other signs present, such as:

blood in the stool
the baby seems to be irritable
the baby appears to have abdominal pain
there is no improvement in the baby’s constipation after taking steps to treat it

Treatment typically starts with home remedies. If home remedies do not work, a doctor may examine the baby and, in rare cases, prescribe medications, such as:

laxatives
enemas
suppositories

People should never give these medications to a baby unless a doctor prescribes them.

Constipation can lead to discomfort and irritability in a baby. People can try several at-home methods to help alleviate constipation.

If symptoms do not improve, it is best to speak to the infant’s pediatrician for additional strategies.

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How many times should a newborn poop

Tiunova Elena

Published: 01/15/2023

Reading time: 6 minutes

6449

Even the most squeamish girls with the birth of a baby become tireless researchers of the contents of a dirty diaper.

- Isn't it a lot? But not a little? Isn't it rare? But not often? Is the color normal? Is the consistency good? Is it supposed to smell like this? - young mothers are ready to discuss these subtleties at any time, regardless of the enthusiasm of the interlocutor. They can be understood.

On the one hand, a newborn does not know how to do much - eat, sleep and, in fact, dirty a diaper. Therefore, there are few topics for discussion at first, but I want to talk. On the other hand, it is indeed possible to draw conclusions about the state of health of the infant from the answers to these specific questions.

Frequency and nature of stool in a breastfed child.

In the first two or three days after birth, the baby passes the original stool - meconium. If a young mother does not know about this, she may be frightened by a sticky dark mass that is difficult to wash off. When a woman has milk, the baby's feces brighten, acquire a mushy texture and a milky, slightly sour smell.

In the first month and a half, the baby may poop after each feeding.
If before 4-6 weeks of life he poops less than once every 24-36 hours, this may indicate a lack of nutrition. Weight gain must be controlled. On average, for the first weeks of life, it should be 125-150 g.
As for consistency and color, the stool should be mushy, from bright yellow to greenish in color.

This is important!

If the baby eats with appetite, gains well, behaves actively, then the shade of the contents of the diaper is not so important. Anxiety should be caused by an admixture of blood in the stool, streaks of mucus, blisters and a sharp putrid smell. This should be reported to the pediatrician immediately.

After one and a half months, the baby may start to poop less often. For many mothers, this is a source of serious concern. If the baby does not poop for a day, two, three, anxiety covers. But this condition for a breastfed baby is most often the norm. If the child behaves as usual, and the stool after the delay is soft and moves away effortlessly, then everything is in order.

Hard shaped stools, crying and strong straining during defecation should alert - these are signs of constipation.

Recent research from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that, with normal health and behavior, a baby aged 4-6 weeks and before the introduction of complementary foods may pass stool even once a week or less often. But be attentive to the condition of the baby and still consult a doctor before ignoring a ten-day stool retention in crumbs.

With the introduction of complementary foods, the baby's stool will become more formed, but should still retain a soft consistency.

This is important!

When the baby begins to receive complementary foods, he should defecate at least once a day. If the baby has signs of constipation - rare or formed hard ("sheep") stools, difficult bowel movements - you need to consult a doctor to find and eliminate its cause.

Frequency and nature of stool in a formula-fed child.

A bottle-fed newborn can poop once a day even in the first weeks.

After one and a half months, formula-fed babies should have a bowel movement daily.

Formula-fed babies will have a firmer stool consistency than breastfed babies, but should still be soft. Hard, shaped stools in infants, regardless of the method of feeding, are a sign of constipation.

Color may vary depending on mix. It is usually yellow or dark yellow. Too bright or very dark shades, a pronounced green color is a deviation from the norm, you need to consult a doctor.

What can affect stool frequency and consistency?

Food. The frequency and nature of the baby's stool is primarily affected by the type and quality of the food he receives. For babies, it is important that the mother's diet is balanced and varied, so that she does not smoke or drink alcohol. If the child is allergic - so that the mother does not eat foods that cause an allergic reaction. Properly selected milk formula is important for babies on artificial feeding. If these conditions are not met, it will immediately be noticeable in the stool of a newborn.

Functional disorders. In newborns, malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract may occur not due to illness, but due to the immaturity of the body - both the gastrointestinal tract itself and the nervous system. That is, a healthy baby without errors in nutrition can still experience constipation or diarrhea.

Infectious diseases. Often, it is by the nature of the stool of a newborn that one can notice that an infection has entered the body. Rapid loose stools, foam, an unpleasant odor will immediately indicate the onset of the disease.

Taking medications. Iron preparations have the most pronounced effect on the color of the stool: it becomes gray-black. If the child does not take iron-containing medicines, then this color of the stool is an alarm. It may indicate intestinal bleeding.

If the child is on IV, Nutrilak Premium COMFORT can help to normalize the stool. The mixture is specially designed for sensitive tummies.

So, a dirty diaper is not "fuuu", but a source of valuable information about the well-being of the baby. If you have doubts about what you saw, do not hesitate to consult your doctor.

Author of article

Tiunova Elena

Pediatrician of the highest category, nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor of the department of faculty pediatrics and propaedeutics of childhood diseases, Ural State Medical University

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Contents of the article

Frequency and nature of stool in a breastfed child.
Frequency and nature of stool in a formula-fed child.
What can affect stool frequency and consistency?

Products from article

Nutrilak Premium Baby Powder COMFORT

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five ways to make life easier for a baby with constipation

Constipation is slow, difficult, or systematically insufficient bowel movement. And constipation in children is a problem that parents often face. About whether it is worth worrying if the baby rarely goes to the potty, in which cases it is important to consult a doctor, and in which it is possible to solve the problem on your own, says the famous pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, TV presenter Evgeny Komarovsky.

Evgeniy Komarovsky, famous pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, TV presenter:

"Very often, constipation is not an independent disease, but only a symptom - peptic ulcer, hemorrhoids, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, dysfunction of the thyroid gland"

- If we are talking about children of the first year of life, then in one case for several thousand constipation may be the result of the so-called Hirschsprung's disease, - continues Evgeny Komarovsky. - This is a congenital disease in which nerve cells are not developed in one of the sections of the intestine, which is why peristalsis is disturbed and fecal masses accumulate in the intestine. In this case, there is only one way out - an operation.

In a word, the constant problems with the child's stool should encourage parents to contact a gastroenterologist, who would rule out diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Stool retention in infants is normal

Each baby has a different frequency of bowel movements, which depends on many factors. And here it is important to remember this:

“In infants, a rare bowel movement almost always indicates that the food that the child eats is of high quality, suits him perfectly and is almost completely absorbed,” says Evgeny Komarovsky. - And if the baby is fed breast milk or an adapted formula, if you introduce the right complementary foods on time, but the baby does not poop for up to six days in a row, this is normal. Provided, of course, that this does not cause him discomfort and does not affect his well-being and development.

The better the food is digested, the less often the baby goes to the potty

That is why most often the problem is not in the child, but in his environment.

“Grandmothers, having learned that the baby has not gone to the potty for two days, immediately begin to lament about this, advise him to “treat” him with folk methods, and mothers worry and look longingly into an empty pot,” says Evgeny Olegovich. - In this case, the cause of stool retention may be, for example, excessive mother's care. Judge for yourself. Let's say mom has two potatoes. She can cook them in uniform and give them to a child, while he will absorb 80% of this dish, the rest will come out naturally. Or mom can cook them, clean them, knead them properly, add milk and butter. It will turn out a liquid puree, which will be absorbed almost entirely. There is simply nothing to leave the body!

Five rules for the treatment of constipation

If the doctor is sure that constipation is not a symptom of something serious, you can try to cope with it yourself. What do you need to pay attention to?

1. The child must not be dehydrated.

Lack of fluid is one of the most common causes of constipation in children. At the same time, stool masses become thick, slowly move along the intestines, scratch its walls, which causes pain and colic. Yes, and the urge to go to the toilet occurs only when the accumulated masses begin to put pressure on the walls of the rectum, while water helps to increase their volume, and the baby poops faster. So we give more to drink and moisturize the nursery!

2. There must be enough potassium in the body.

With a lack of potassium, intestinal contractions (the so-called peristalsis) are sharply weakened, and this may well be the cause of constipation. Most potassium in raisins, dried apricots, prunes, figs, which, by the way, can be added to compotes or eaten simply steamed.

3. Complete diet rich in fiber.

For constipation, protein-rich foods such as chocolate, cottage cheese, nuts are undesirable. Yogurts, one-day kefir and yogurt are desirable. Black bread is better than white bread. Apple juice is better than a whole apple. Meat is better to limit. In general, fiber is an excellent prevention of constipation. This means that the child needs to be given more fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals, preferably slightly undercooked.

If lactulose and glycerin suppositories do not help, see a doctor

4. Safe drugs.

There are only two drugs that can be used even in infants and at the same time without a doctor's prescription. The first is lactulose syrup, which is sold under various commercial names in any pharmacy. It increases the volume of feces, retaining water in the intestines, does not cause "addiction", you can take it for as long as you like. True, at the first dose, the baby may form gaziki - as a reaction to the drug, so it is better to increase the dose gradually. The second is candles with glycerin. Their advantage is that glycerin is not absorbed by the body, but is released along with the contents of the intestine, while such suppositories act much softer than an enema.

If the cause of constipation is cracks in the anus (appeared, for example, after passing lumps of hard feces), because of which the child simply does not want to go to the potty, fearing pain, candles with sea buckthorn oil will help.

5. Daily routine.

It happens that there is an urge to go big, the child feels it, but ignores it - for example, he is very busy or simply does not want to go to the toilet in the garden or at school, preferring to be patient until he gets home. If this behavior becomes systematic, then the rectum begins to stretch from excess feces, and in order to feel the urge to go to the toilet, the child needs more and more time. Hence - constipation, which has to be treated for a very long time.

To prevent this, it is important from childhood to teach the baby to systematic bowel movements. Better - at the same time and in the same familiar environment. Let him go potty before bed or after breakfast, before leaving the house.

If all of the above does not help, you need to seek help from a doctor. It is important to understand that specialists have a much larger set of constipation treatment regimens than parents.