Question
A 4-day-old premature infant has not had a bowel movement for two days. What should be done? The baby is breastfed and has not had a bowel movement from April 12 to 15. Bowel movements were induced with some laxatives. Now, there has been no bowel movement for the past two days. The baby’s diet is normal, with frequent gas, and the afternoon nap is restless. The baby may cry for no apparent reason and sometimes appears to be straining to defecate.
Answer
The baby is experiencing constipation symptoms but has not shown any signs of illness, so medication is not necessary. It can be addressed through observation and self-regulation. Consider increasing honey intake and eating more fruit to adjust, or using a fire-reducing granule to alleviate the symptoms.