How do you tell whether your child is having constipation? When it comes to bowel movement, there is no normal number of times or schedule that your child passes a stool – just what is normal for your child. He may have bowel movement after a meal , every day or every two days. It is also very much depends on his diet. Drinking more water and diet rich in fiber will make bowel movement easier. Each individual has its own pattern. High level of physical activities and the rate he digests his food will also effect the bowel movement.

Signs of constipation.

If you think that your child is constipated, look out for the following signs:
1. Less frequent bowel movement. If he has not had one for four or more days and feels uncomfortable when he does have one.
2.  Dry and hard stools that are difficult to pass.
3. Loose or very liquid stools in your child’s diaper or underwear. Liquid stools can slip pass the blockage in the lower intestine. When you see this, don’t assume that he has diarrhea. It may be evidence of constipation.

The reason for constipation.

The common reasons for constipation are:
1. Lack of or eating too little fiber food such as fruits, vegetable and whole grains. Too much of diary products such as milk, cheese, yogurt or peanut butter can lead to constipation.
2. Stress of toilet training. A child may deliberately hold back his stools if he feels pressured about toilet training.
3. If he didn’t spend enough time to completely remove his bowel and feces buildup may cause the colon to stretch and cramp.
4. Dehydration cause by lack of liquid intake. His system will absorb liquid from what he eats and drinks and from the waste in his bowels as well. This will result in hard and dry stools.
5. Lack of activity. Being active helps the blood flow to your toddler’s digestive system.

Treatment for constipation

1. Try to include more fiber in his diet.
2. Increase his fluid intake. Water is the best choice. A little fruit juices or prune juice may help but do try to limit it to 4 ounces a day in order not to ruin his appetite and prevent tooth decay.
3. Encourage him to be more active to get blood flow to his digestive system.
4. Don’t pressure him to toilet train before he is ready to avoid toilet training anxiety.
5. Talk to your doctor about treatment options such as using laxatives, lubricants, or suppository.

Your baby’s first bowel movement is called the meconium. This is usually dark greenish-black substance. Once your baby starts to feed, the stool colour will slowly change to yellow, brown or greenish. The stools are usually not foul smelling.
Don’t become obsessively worried about your baby bowel movements. The number of stools passed vary from one baby to another. Some babies may not pass stools for a duration of up to a week. The frequency tends to reduce as they grow older. As long as your baby is healthy, happy and gaining weight, there is nothing to worry about.

Loose stools are normal for babies. Breast fed babies tend to empty their bowels more frequently and their colours are yellowish and usually loose. Sometimes they may not move their bowels for a few days as their body system absorbs all the milk that they drink. This is not constipation and you shouldn’t worry too much as it is normal for most babies.  If your baby passes very loose stools frequently and are watery and foul smelling, it could be diarrhoea. You should seek medical advice from your doctor immediately.

Babies on formula milk tend to pass firmer stools, brownier and smellier compared to breast fed babies. It is important to give them enough water in between feeding to soften the stools.

Constipation is also quite common during infancy. If your baby did not pass motion for a few days and the stools are hard enough to cause pain or discomfort, he may have constipation. If your baby is straining a lot to pass a hard stool and cries, consult your doctor and follow your doctor’s advice. Usually constipation can be relieved by giving your baby more water or fluid. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe laxative.