Question

What should parents do if their premature infant experiences constipation?

Answer

For constipation issues in premature infants, the following painless methods can be adopted to alleviate the condition:

  1. Gentle Abdominal Massage: Place your palm gently on the infant’s abdomen, with the navel as the center, and perform a circular massage from left to right. Do this 10 times, rest for 5 minutes, and repeat 3 times.
  2. Leg Flexion and Extension Exercise: Lie the infant on their back, and gently grasp their legs. Perform flexion and extension movements, 10 times for each leg.
  3. External Anal Medication: Apply an oily external ointment (such as Pimafucin Ointment) to the infant’s anal area, and pad with soft paper. Gently push the anal area and slowly apply it 10 times. This usually promotes the infant’s quick defecation.