Question
The baby eats a lot, but now the stool has started to decrease, sometimes two days and sometimes three days between bowel movements. The stool is dry but the baby strains hard during bowel movements. Sometimes it goes four days without a bowel movement. What should you do if a newborn baby can’t pass stool due to constipation?
Answer
It is recommended that you take the baby to the hospital for a check-up as soon as possible. The main cause of constipation and inability to pass stool is slow intestinal peristalsis, which leads to excessive absorption of water in the stool. You can start training the baby to develop a regular bowel movement habit around 3 months old, making it gradually form a conditioned reflex and have a bowel movement at a set time. It’s also a good idea to give the baby more water regularly.