Constipation is when:
- it is difficult for your baby to poo
- they are not pooing as often as usual
It's normal for your baby to strain when they poo. Their face may look red in some skin tones and they may grunt or make other noises.
Some babies poo a few times a day. Others poo only once a day or once every second day. This can depend on if your baby is breastfed or formula fed.
What is important is that your baby's poo is soft and easy to pass.
This page is about constipation in babies from 0 to 6 months. Learn more about constipation in children.
Signs your baby is constipated
Signs your baby is constipated are:
- hard, dry pellet-like poos that do not soak into their nappy
- straining with crying
- pooing fewer than 3 times in a week
- poos that are larger than usual
- unusually smelly wind and poo
- your baby may be less hungry than usual
- their tummy might feel firm
Your baby is not constipated if their poo is soft, even if they have not had a dirty nappy for 1 or 2 days.
Formula fed babies
Formula-fed babies may have bulkier poos and need to poo more often than breastfed babies.
Breastfed babies
Breast milk contains a natural laxative.
If your baby is breastfed, they may:
- not usually get constipated
- have yellow seedy poos that are usually quite soft
Newborn breastfed babies may poo after every feed. Older breastfed babies may go up to a week without pooing.
Dirty nappies and breastfeeding
What you can do if your baby is constipated
Make sure your baby is getting enough fluids from breast milk or formula milk.
If your baby has fewer wet nappies than usual, you can give them a small amount of extra cooled boiled water between their normal feeds if they have not started to eat solid food yet.
Breastfed babies do not need water but should be offered additional breastfeeds instead.
There are other things you can do to help ease your baby's constipation.
Do
-
lie your baby on their back and gently move their legs like they're riding a bicycle
-
give your baby a gentle tummy massage in a clockwise direction
-
give your baby a warm bath to relax their bowel
Don't
-
do not give your baby laxatives unless advised to do so by a GP or public health nurse - this includes suppositories or enemas
If your formula fed baby is constipated
It is important to prepare your baby's formula correctly.
Use the correct number of scoops of formula to water.
Don't
-
do not swap scoops between different types of formula - they may not be the same size
-
do not dilute formula milk - always follow the instructions
-
do not add sugar to your baby's formula
-
do not add solid foods, such as rusks or baby rice, to your baby's bottle - these can be a choking hazard and may cause constipation
It might take a few days to get things moving back to normal for your child.
Non-urgent advice: Contact a GP if your baby:
- does not poo in 2 to 3 days
- is very distressed
- has hard, dry pellet-like poos that do not soak into their nappy
- shows signs their constipation may be due to other medical conditions
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment if your baby:
- is in severe pain and distress when they poo
- bleeds after a hard poo
- has a fever
- is vomiting
- has bloody diarrhoea
- has a bloated tummy
- is not gaining weight or is losing weight
Causes of constipation
Constipation in babies could be for many reasons. But usually there's no obvious reason or cause. This is called idiopathic constipation. It can happen for short or long periods of time.
It is common for babies and small children to have short periods of constipation that settle after 1 or 2 days. You do not usually need to get medical help.
Longer periods of constipation is when your baby:
- is constipated for more than 2 days
- has constipation that comes back often
Talk to your GP if your baby is distressed and conspitated.
Non-urgent advice: Contact a GP if your baby:
- does not poo in 2 to 3 days
- is very distressed
- has hard, dry pellet-like poos that do not soak into their nappy
- shows signs their constipation may be due to other medical conditions
Constipation due to another medical condition
In rare cases, your baby may be constipated because of another health condition.
These include:
- certain conditions affecting your baby's nervous system
- problems affecting your baby's thyroid gland
- cystic fibrosis (usually detected by a heel prick screening)
- rare bowel conditions
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment if your baby
shows signs they may have a medical condition, such as:
- not having their first poo in the first 2 days after birth
- having constipation at less than 6 weeks of age
- not having enough wet nappies for their age
- losing weight or not gaining weight well
- vomiting a lot
- a very swollen tummy
- severe pain
- abnormalities to their bottom (anus) - for example, if it is closed over
- poos that are very pale
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department (ED) if:
- your baby is very sick
- you cannot get an urgent GP appointment
