Question
My child is two months and six days old. They last had a bowel movement 126 hours (over five days) ago and haven’t pooped since. The last stool was a dark red, jelly-like substance resembling blood clots. They sometimes cry and fuss, but walking them helps. What should I do? They haven’t pooped for so many days.
Answer
This could be a case of functional constipation, which can be treated with dietary adjustments. If the baby eats too little, the residual substances after digestion will decrease, resulting in less stool naturally. The sugar content in milk might not be sufficient, so you can wipe the stool dry. If there is long-term insufficient diet, it may lead to malnutrition, weakness in abdominal and intestinal muscles, and inability to relieve bowel movements, potentially causing persistent constipation. In cases of constipation caused by congenital intestinal malformation, surgical correction is necessary. Most infant constipation is functional and can be improved by adjusting diet and lifestyle habits.