Question
A one-and-a-half-year-old baby has not had a bowel movement for five days and is breastfed. Besides using a lubricant enema, are there any other methods that can be adopted? The baby’s belly is not hard. The baby is given warm water to drink every day.
Answer
Based on the described situation, it is suspected that the baby may be experiencing gastrointestinal dysfunction and indigestion, which is common in infants as their digestive tract is not yet fully developed. It is recommended that you give your child oral intestinal probiotics to adjust their intestinal function, which commonly include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacillus subtilis. Choose one to administer to the child for more than a week and observe the effects. In the meantime, you can use a warm towel to gently rub the baby’s belly to promote absorption. It is also possible that it is physiological bloating, so there is no need to worry too much.