Medical Information Right now: Constipation in breastfeeding infants: What to know

Constipation is rare in infancy, notably in breastfed infants, however it may possibly occur. Breastfed infants are inclined to have fewer episodes of constipation and diarrhea than formula-fed infants as a result of breast milk is less complicated than components to digest.

In older kids, constipation is widespread and accounts for about three% of visits to pediatric outpatient clinics and as much as 25% of visits to pediatric gastroenterologists.

A child could be constipated if they’re passing exhausting pebble-like stools or have a distended stomach. As each child poops on their very own schedule, the frequency of bowel actions shouldn’t be at all times an correct indicator of constipation.

On this article, we study the potential causes of constipation in breastfed infants. We additionally have a look at the signs of constipation in infants and the remedies and residential cures.

Share on PinterestConstipation in breastfed infants is rare.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggest that infants solely have breast milk till 6 months after delivery. Throughout this time, they advise not giving any extra meals or fluids to the child except a physician recommends it. After the primary 6 months, mother and father or caregivers can then introduce strong meals to the child’s eating regimen.

A father or mother or caregiver could discover adjustments within the child’s bowel habits and the colour and consistency of their stools in the event that they resolve to modify to toddler components or after they start introducing strong meals.

A 2018 research examined the bowel habits of 83,019 new child infants in Japan. In keeping with the authors, most cases of constipation coincided with the transition from breastfeeding to toddler components, no matter whether or not the girl gave delivery vaginally or by cesarean supply.

A child could develop more durable stools and constipation after beginning strong meals. Sure meals, reminiscent of rice cereal and dairy milk, could trigger constipation in infants youthful than 1 yr.

Different potential causes of constipation in breastfed infants embody:

Not having sufficient liquids. Liquids assist stool move by means of the bowels easily.Sickness. Infections could cause a lower in a child’s urge for food or result in vomiting and diarrhea, which can end in dehydration and constipation. Medical situations that have an effect on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, reminiscent of Hirschsprung illness, could cause constipation and different digestive signs.Withholding stool. Infants could purposefully keep away from passing exhausting or painful stools —a conduct that docs check with as withholding. Infants who’ve diaper rash may additionally withhold to keep away from ache.Stress. Publicity to new environments, touring, or climate adjustments could also be hectic for a child. Stress can have an effect on their bodily well being and should end in a change in stool frequency and presumably constipation.

A lady who’s breastfeeding could surprise how her eating regimen impacts her breast milk and whether or not her alternative of meals can affect the child’s digestive well being.

In keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), ladies don’t must keep away from particular meals whereas breastfeeding.

Nonetheless, infants could seem to keep away from feeding after a girl eats a specific meals. On this case, the girl could want to chorus from consuming that meals for some time and reintroduce it later.

Girls may additionally wish to restrict or keep away from caffeine whereas breastfeeding as a result of small quantities of caffeine move from the girl to the child by means of breast milk.

Consultants counsel that the majority ladies who breastfeed can safely ingest 300–500 milligrams of caffeine per day. Extreme quantities of espresso could decrease the iron concentrations in breast milk, which can trigger gentle iron deficiency anemia in some infants.

Though most ladies don’t want to limit their diets whereas breastfeeding, they need to intention to eat a nutritious and various eating regimen.

Though adjustments within the frequency of an individual’s bowel actions could point out constipation in older kids and adults, this isn’t essentially the case for infants.

New child infants could have a number of bowel actions every day. In keeping with the Nationwide Institute of Little one Well being and Human Improvement, from three–6 weeks of age onward, breastfed infants could have just one bowel motion per week as a result of breast milk leaves minimal strong waste to move by means of the digestive tract.

Breastfed infants older than 6 weeks can go a number of days to per week between bowel actions.

Infants typically present indicators of straining, reminiscent of crying or getting purple within the face, whereas having a bowel motion. Nonetheless, straining doesn’t essentially imply child has constipation. Infants could take some time to learn to have bowel actions.

Signs of constipation in breastfed infants could embody:

being excessively fussycrying for extended periodsrefusing to feedhaving a tough, distended bellyhaving rectal bleedingpassing exhausting or bloody stoolscrying throughout a bowel movementexperiencing weight reduction or poor weight achieve

Regular bowel habits range from child to child. Mother and father and caregivers ought to monitor their child’s bowel habits and be aware of any adjustments. Doing this will likely assist them resolve when they should take the child to a physician.

It’s potential to deal with constipation in breastfed infants at dwelling utilizing numerous cures. Nonetheless, constipation in solely breastfed infants is so unusual that folks and caregivers could want to converse to a pediatrician earlier than making an attempt dwelling cures.

Dietary adjustments

Dietary adjustments for a child who’s taking components or meals aside from breast milk could assist relieve constipation. Breastfeeding ladies may strive eliminating meals which have an affiliation with toddler constipation, reminiscent of dairy, from their eating regimen. Nonetheless, adjustments to the girl’s eating regimen could not have an effect on the child’s digestion.

Infants who eat solids could have issue digesting excessive fiber meals or dairy merchandise if mother and father or caregivers introduce them too early.

Excessive fiber meals may additionally assist relieve constipation in infants who can tolerate most strong meals. These meals embody:

complete grains, reminiscent of oatmeal or barley cerealskinless fruitsbroccolipeaspureed prunes

Liquids assist transfer stools by means of the digestive tract. Rising a child’s fluid consumption may additionally assist relieve constipation.

Train

Train can stimulate a child’s bowels and assist them move stools. Nonetheless, infants who can not stroll or crawl would require a father or mother or caregiver to assist them train.

Mother and father and caregivers may help relieve constipation by gently transferring the child’s legs in a bicycling movement with the child mendacity on their again.

Placing a child on its abdomen to squirm, attain, and play with toys may stimulate a bowel motion.

Therapeutic massage

Mother and father and caregivers can gently therapeutic massage a child’s abdomen to assist attempt to relieve constipation.

Therapeutic massage methods to contemplate embody:

utilizing the fingertips to make round motions on the stomachgently bending the child’s knees and pushing the toes towards the bellygently sweeping an open palm from the highest of the child’s ribcage down their abdomen

Heat tub

A heat tub could assist chill out a child’s belly muscle mass, which could make stools move by means of the digestive tract extra simply.

Mother and father and caregivers ought to converse with a physician or pediatrician if their child:

seems distressed or in painhas a tough, distended bellypasses bloody stoolshas rectal bleedingrefuses to eathas a fevervomitsloses weight or is unable to realize weightfrequently struggles passing stools

A health care provider can diagnose constipation in infants by reviewing their medical historical past and performing a bodily examination. Not often, a physician could order extra laboratory exams, reminiscent of a abdomen X-ray, to diagnose or rule out different situations.

If dwelling cures and dietary adjustments don’t relieve a child’s constipation, a physician would possibly prescribe a light laxative or suppository.

Mother and father and caregivers ought to by no means give these remedies to a child with out talking to a educated healthcare skilled first.

Constipation shouldn’t be a typical incidence in breastfed infants. It normally occurs because of altering to components or beginning strong meals.

Having rare bowel actions shouldn’t be at all times a sign child is constipated. Constipated infants are more likely to move exhausting, pebble-like stools.

Residence cures could assist relieve constipation in breastfed infants. If a father or mother or caregiver is anxious about their child’s bowel actions and accompanying signs, they need to take them to see a physician.