Constipation & Diarrhea: When you should worry
Bill Cosby had a famous skit about how excited parents were when baby had his first bowel movement. Then god put odor in the not so magic surprise. But if your baby is producing regular bowel movements, be happy. When your baby isn’t going or is going uncontrollably then you have a problem.
Unfortunately diarrhea is a fact of life. It’s estimated that adults will experience diarrhea four times in the average year. Diarrhea can be caused by a virus, bacteria or more commonly dehydration. It’s not the end of the world. If your baby is experiencing diarrhea it’s simply his digestive system reacting to all the different foods and liquids that are now going through his intestines. Expect your baby to have a bowel movement regularly during his first few months, even after every feeding. His stool will usually be soft as it is composed mostly of breast milk but if there are irregularities consider it may be from mommy’s diet too. But if your baby suddenly has looser, more watery stool then you should be on the alert. If a baby younger than two months has diarrhea for more than 8 hours or has blood in the stool you should call a doctor.
Most times diarrhea is caused by dehydration so the first thing any parent should do if they suspect baby has diarrhea is to increase the amount of fluids he’s getting. If you’re baby can’t keep breast milk or formula down you may want to try an over-the-counter pediatric electrolyte solution to see if that cures the runs. If this does not work you will want to consider calling a doctor for a visit. Though not life-threatening, diarrhea and dehydration can cause serious discomfort and other potential hazards. If not treated quickly diarrhea can lead to more debilitating illnesses.
Now suppose the opposite is happening with your baby, he’s not having any bowel movement. It’s hard to say which is worse but neither condition is good and if your baby has stopped dirtying his diaper all together do not feel relieved. There is no normal schedule for a baby’s bowel movements. Some babies have bowel movements after every feeding, some wait o a day or two and others will mix it up. Try not to guess or predict when you think the next one is coming. It’s your baby’s bowel movement and he’ll go when he’s ready. However, if your baby has gone three days without a bowel movement and has been fed regularly you will want to pay close attention. If the movements are irregular and your baby appears to be in pain while going then it may be a sign of constipation. Also be mindful of the stools he is producing. If the stool is dry and hard and come out with difficulty then there’s a very good chance he is constipated. Constipation can be caused by a number of factors including: contents of baby’s formula (rarely does breast milk cause constipation), dehydration, introduction of solid foods to his diet and underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and botulism.
If your baby doesn’t have a bowel movement for a day or two it’s nothing to worry about. There are several simple things you can try at home to induce your baby into having a natural bowel movement. Many pediatrics and doctors suggest keeping a baby active. If you’re baby is crawling encourage him to crawl even more. If he hasn’t started crawling yet gently pump his legs in a bicycle pedaling motion. You may also want to try gently massaging his stomach and pressing your fingers where you feel solid matter and hold for two to three minutes. This can loosen up matter and induce your baby to pass solids easier. Other suggestions including switching up your babies diet by reducing foods including rice, bananas and cooked carrots and replacing with apples and prune juice or pureed pears and apricots to loosen his stool.