Constipation In Infants
October 15, 2009
Parents are often concerned about the bowel movement of their babies. Bowel movement in infants is quite different from that in older children and adults. The first feces excreted by the newborn are a greenish black colored thick and sticky substance.
Breast-feeding and feces formation
Mother’s milk is the only natural food for babies. It is the most nutritious food. The acids present in the stomach of the infant absorb the nutrients present in the milk. The undigested residue, usually the fibers, is excreted as feces. The nature of bowel movement varies from baby to baby. The stool of breastfeeding babies is normally mustard yellow in color.
If the undigested fibers pass slowly through the digestive tract of the child, the stools acquire a firm and seedy form. The color and odor of the feces are determined by the bile, digestive enzymes, bacteria and other chemicals absorbed by the undigested food residue.
Compared to breastfed infants, babies having formula milk might have darker colored stool. Bottle-fed babies might have irregular bowel movement.
Constipation in infants
Since breast milk is an extremely nutritious food, all the substances present in it might be absorbed. This reduces the frequency of bowel movement in babies. Infrequent bowel movement in infants is not necessarily a symptom of constipation.
Normal healthy breastfed babies might pass feces only once a week. Sometimes, the undigested fibers might slowly pass through the intestines, reducing the frequency of bowel movements. Infants rarely suffer from constipation. Nonetheless, hard stools and irregular bowel movements might be problematic for babies.
Bottle fed babies usually suffer from constipation. If you are bottle-feeding your child, to reduce symptoms of constipation, you can consider changing the brand of the formula milk. You can add more water to the formula.
To treat your baby’s constipation, you can add a little pear or prune juice to the milk. Babies less than four months old could be given one ounce of diluted grape, apple or prune juice. Babies over four months could be given mashed spinach, apricots, peas, prunes, peaches and plums. The fiber present in these foods could ease bowel movement.
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