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What Are The Signs Of Baby Constipation And How To Cure It
Constipation is the condition during which defecation becomes difficult and painful. It can occur in toddlers as well for numerous reasons. Normally newborns have 4-5 bowel actions daily. Breast-fed babies will have more bowel movements compared to formula-fed infants, and they almost never develop constipation. Constipation occurs when there is a violation of typical bowel function. Normal bowel function in toddlers can vary on several grounds. As age increases and complementary food is introduced, babies tend to develop reduced bowel movements. Bowel movements happening twice daily in a 6 months old baby is quite normal, and any rate less than that shall be defined as constipation.
Whenever baby has painful defecation and when the consistency of the poop is hard the condition can be considered as baby constipation. Among the very obvious symptoms of baby constipation is a crying baby characterized by tummy ache. In a baby with constipation, defecation may occur on a daily basis but the feces will be thick and in small fragments. It could be caused by a dysfunctional large intestine or an abnormal colon. Mainly it can be caused by pinching of feces in the lower intestine on account of constriction of muscles. The more the stool remains in the intestine the harder it becomes. Nevertheless, baby constipations are of two types- organic constipation and functional constipation.
In organic constipation anatomical defects or developmental disabilities play a vital role. Normally organic constipation begins at birth due to the lack of independent defecation. Additional causes with regard to organic constipation are an enlarged colon with a narrowing lower region as in Hirschsprung’s disease and Dolichosigmoid.
Functional constipation may be because of many different 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.
Symptoms of constipation in toddlers
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 cures and a modification of the diet itself. Prune juice diluted with water given to toddlers a lot more as compared to 6 months old is shown to have good final results. 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 babies 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 as compared to six months old can be treated after consulting a pediatrician. If the baby is formula fed talk to your doctor about changing the formula. Along with constipation you could possibly also notice the baby urinating very much less. Give the newborn baby plenty of water to drink. A warm compress will give alleviation to pain accompanied with constipation. If you notice any blood marks in the stool consult a doctor right away.