Are you a new mommy facing the challenge of constipation issues with your precious little angel? Did you know that some babies may experience bowel discomfort, and it is relatively common amongst infants?
It's vital to remember that every baby does things differently.
Experts suggest that breastfed babies face fewer bowel related issues than formula-fed ones.
Worry not; we’ve compiled an informative article on breastfeeding and baby constipation to help ease your worries as a parent.
What Causes Infant Constipation?
Before diving deep into this issue, let’s understand what causes infant constipation in the first place.
A few contributing factors include:
- Dehydration
- Formula feeding
- New Introducing solid foods
- Inactivity or Lack of exercise (don’t worry they’ll start crawling soon enough!)
Another primary factor cited by experts includes breastfeeding technique--slow pumping action, wrong latching methods or mixing up between feedings can lead to several gastrointestinal issues in newborns.
Accordingly, moms should always attempt at proper cleaning before breastfeeding their young one.
Once these reasons are addressed properly, the next step would be prevention measures such as how frequent their bowel movements occur.
When Should You Expect Your Breastfed Baby To Poop?
As mentioned previously, having infrequent bowel movements is normal for breastfed babies—occasionally even skipping days without demonstrating any distress signals whatsoever!
If however it happens consistently beyond six weeks after birth parents could consider seeking advice from a qualified pediatrician who will corroborate its validity and seriousness according to professional expertise standards.
Remedies For Combatting Baby Constipation
If you're already stuck knee-deep with baby-related concerns like this - fret no more! There are various approaches available which can help combat infantile constipations naturally without any side effects:
Massaging The Tummy And Legs
Under normal circumstances, a baby's digestion process is somewhat tender and can get disrupted with the slightest of disturbances. A great way to keep your infant relaxed while also getting rid of any bowel movement issues would be to massage their tummy and legs! This helps improve overall digestion as well as blood flow.
Do Not Withhold The Soiled Diapers
Sometimes, even holding onto one soiled diaper longer than necessary could lead to significant pain for your young tot. Hence parents should ensure that they provide frequent diaper changes, alleviating both physical discomfort and providing optimal hydration levels.
Supplementing Breast Milk With Water
Let's say; You’re still breastfeeding your child however noticing that they require more fluids now than how it was in previous meal times.
Try supplementing breastmilk feedings with water every few hours- this will help maintain healthy fluid intake levels in babies over time without altering existing feeding patterns. Additionally, you may consider incorporating some organic foods such as prunes or almond-milk-to combat constipation issues naturally in them!
Top Baby Approved Juices And Foods To Ease Constipation:
Here are some juices which infants usually seem quite fond of amongst parents looking for solutions to mitigate constipations discomforts;
| Juice | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Pear juice | Natural sugar content provides digestive relief & hydration |
| Apple juice | Great Option For new-borns having trouble passing stool |
| Prune juice | High Fiber Content aiding regular Bowel movements |
Additionally one might want consider adding grains (like barley cereal), beans or fruits like grapes -to their dietary mix which have been backed by proven research from medical professionals.
Bottom Line
All said done - It cannot be reiterated enough; every child is unique when it comes to taking care of their needs/comforts---and there isn't a single solution set that'll satisfy all.
Bringing a newborn into this world is much the same way as learning something entirely new - you initially give it time, test-out methods and of course; enjoy every step of the journey that comes with nourishing them as best one can.