How to recognize constipation in the newborn.

It is a fairly common ailment in very young children: how to recognize and how to treat constipation in the newborn.

It is a fairly widespread concern among new parents: constipation in the newborn, or constipation, possibly associated, in the perception of mom and dad, with stomach ache or other discomfort. In reality, constipation in the newborn is not such a common condition, and in reality it is not very easy to diagnose either.

When does the newborn suffer from constipation?

It is not enough, in fact, to refer only to the number of evacuations, which can be very variable from child to child. The factors that must be identified to identify possible constipation in the newborn are many, and include, to begin with, the consistency of the stool.

If the baby is breastfed, for example, the frequency of bowel movements can vary from one for each feed up to one every two or three days.

How constipation is identified in the newborn

On the other hand, what should alarm and lead to think of a condition of constipation in the newborn, is the presence of hard or scarce stools (normally, after the first days of life, a newborn's stool is very soft and ocher in color. or greenish).

This problem most often affects infant formula-fed babies, while it is rarer among breastfeeding infants. Even the presence of pain or strain at the moment of evacuation can be a sign of constipation in the newborn, although it must be said that at the beginning the child must learn to "push" with the right muscles, which requires a little time and, indeed, a certain effort.

Children are prone to develop constipation in these three periods in particular:

• After the introduction of cereals and solid foods (weaning)

• During toilet training ("sweeping")

• During the beginning of the school or the insertion in the nursery

In most cases, constipation is attributable to one of these events, while in an estimated percentage of 5% of the total, the constipation of the newborn can have organic (physical) causes, and represent the symptom of a pathology to be investigated.

Constipation in the newborn: what to do

Meanwhile, it is advisable not to be alarmed. First of all, talk to the pediatrician, monitor the symptoms, have the patience to understand if you are really in the presence of constipation. It may be advisable to take note of the evacuations and the consistency and color of the stool, in order to then discuss with the doctor. For children who are breastfed, if the first signs of constipation appear, it is recommended to continue breastfeeding on demand, while for those who take bottles, switching to different or specific formulas can be considered. Babies in the weaning phase (a time when constipation is easy to present, given the change in eating habits) can be helped by adding vegetables to the baby food and above all by keeping their level of hydration high, offering natural water, freshly squeezed juices. home and, if still breastfed, breast on demand. In the case of weaned children, it may be appropriate to introduce some changes to their eating habits by introducing a greater amount of fiber and reducing, for example, the intake of cheese and dairy products, always after consulting with your pediatrician.