Is my baby constipated is one of the most frequently asked and answered questions on google!
It’s not always easy to tell if your baby is constipated. In fact, even when passing a soft stool your baby may grunt, cry and kick her legs. So it’s important that, before deciding your baby is constipated, you pay close attention to the consistency, as well as the frequency of their bowels. Doctors therefore define constipation as the difficulty or delay in having a bowel movement for two or more weeks.
In breastfed babies, infrequent bowels (one stool every 3 to 7 days) are actually considered normal. When a baby does have a bowel movement after a day or two, there is no need to worry if the stool is soft – only when the stool is hard or difficult to pass is it considered constipation. Constipation can be a problem for formula-fed babies, so ensure that you follow instructions and never mix the formula too thickly. For older children constipation could be the result of an incorrect diet, as well as the intake of too much calcium or iron. So be sure they aren’t drinking too much cow’s milk, and at too young an age, and that they aren’t taking in excessive amounts of iron-fortified products.
