Question

Babies under four months often suffer from constipation, sometimes even unable to defecate for over a week. What effective measures should be taken to resolve this issue?

Answer

Firstly, it is crucial to identify the cause of the baby’s constipation. If it is due to insufficient breast milk, this is usually accompanied by a lack of weight gain and crying after feeding. In such cases, increasing the amount of breast milk can usually alleviate constipation symptoms. For babies fed on milk formula, constipation may be caused by a high content of casein in the milk, leading to dry and hard stool. In this situation, reducing the amount of formula, increasing sugar content, and raising the sugar concentration from 5% to 8% to 10% to 12% can help. Additionally, moderation adding fruit juice is recommended. For babies under three to four months old, some rice cereal can be mixed into the milk. Moreover, for older infants, introducing vegetables and fruits into their diet, such as spinach, cabbage, banana puree, and apple puree, can aid in promoting bowel movement. For infants who have started eating solid foods