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Dear Sun Doc
My eight-month-old baby suffers from constipation. It is so bad that he screams while doing a poo, which is always streaked with blood. How can I provide relief? Rita
Dear Rita
Some babies, especially those exclusively breastfed may take as long as a week without bowel movements and without the stool being small and dry (constipation). Formula-fed babies, however, tend to pass stool more frequently.
Babies may get constipated from around six months of age since this is the time many mothers introduce solid foods or cow’s milk in their baby’s diet. Constipation, apart from causing hard, blood-streaked stools may also lead to painful infrequent bowel movements, a cause of crying in babies. Straining to have a bowel movement is not always a sign of infant constipation since infants have weak abdominal muscles and often strain during normal bowel movements or constipation.
Since infant constipation often begins when a baby starts eating solid foods and taking cow’s milk, changing their diet may ease the constipation. Hydrating the child more may also ease constipation. However, babies under six months of age should not drink water since their small bodies are not suited for it. Babies under six months should take breast milk, formula or cow’s milk because this does not only hydrate but it is also good for nutrition. That said, at eight months of age, a constipated infant can be given a little water or fresh apple and tomato juices. Because vegetables contain more fibre, which is known to ease constipation, they can also be added to the baby’s food. If dietary changes do not help ease the constipation, a doctor should be consulted to rule out other conditions including Hirschsprung’s disease, hypothyroidism or cystic fibrosis that can also cause constipation. The doctor will also suggest other ways to manage the constipation.