An exclusively breast fed infant can pass up to 6 stools per day in the first 28 days of life.
The average "normal "stool frequency of formula fed babies is;-
at 1 week old up to 4 dirty nappies per day.
At 3 months 2-4 dirty nappies per day.
At 6 months 1-2 dirty nappies per day
At 12 months one dirty nappy every 2-3 days.
Constipation can occur for a variety of reasons.
- Change of formula milk, including change of brand or stage.
- Change to more semi solid diet
- Inadequate fluid intake.
- Illness with a raise in body temperature
- Side effect of some medications (e.g. baby Gaviscon)
- Medical conditions such as Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis and low thyroid function.
- About 2 percent of children may experience constipation as a result of a congenital abnormality.
- Distress and difficulty in passing stool.
- Reduction in feeding and becoming more "fussy".
- Overflow diarrhoea accompanied by offensive wind being passed.
Circular massaging of the infant's abdomen, or gently stretching and cycling the child's legs when the child is warm and relaxed, can reduce the abdominal tension and allow stool to be passed.
If the infant is straining, put them on their back in a warm room with the nappy off and gently position the baby's knees against their chest will help them pass the stool.
A warm bath may help comfort baby by easing abdominal pain.
In small babies a 30 ml top up with plain boiled water, or boiled cooled water to which a level teaspoon of brown sugar has been added, should be enough to get things moving. This can be repeated. Baby should not be allowed to go longer than three days without a dirty nappy, unless this is normal for that child.
If baby has a swollen abdomen, temperature, blood or mucus in or around the stool, vomits or shows signs of reduced feeding, medical attention should be sought.
If symptoms persist, and baby is older than one month a small dose of oral lactulose may be prescribed to relieve the symptoms and allow stool to be passed.
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