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March 2016
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pathways to parenting how do i know if my
baby
is constipated? are they supposed to ?go? every
day
? pediatrician stephen sanches of the pediatric clinic tells us this is one of the most common concerns of
parents
, especially new ones. so what is the scoop on poop (or lack of it)? there?s no magic or set number of bowel movements a child is supposed to have every
day
. factors such as whether or not a
baby
is breastfed affect how often a child has a bowel movement. dr. sanches says, ?i do recommend that if a newborn is not having at least one bowel movement per
day
in the first weeks of life, that the
parents
ensure that the
baby
is gaining adequate weight since the lack of poop may be due to a lack of food.? dr. sanches encourages
parents
to evaluate the overall situation, not just keep track of the time between bowel movements. ?
parents
should look for increased fussiness, increased spit up, decreased appetite, and hard stools.?
parents
can be reassured that some of the straining and grunting we hear from babies is normal. however, dr. sanches suggests that if the
baby
does appear to be in pain, you can help
baby
pass stools more easily by bringing the
baby
?s knees to his chest and straightening them out or ?bicycling? the legs. for infants over a month of age,
parents
can try prune or pear juice. ?i usually recommend about an ounce per
day
per month of age. some prefer adding a tablespoon or two of karo syrup to a bottle per
day
. both fruit juice and karo have soften- ing benefits.?
parents
can increase fruits and vegetables if babies have started solid foods. if the constipation persists or is recurrent,
parents
should talk to their pediatrician. march 2016 | br
parents
.com 17
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