Is it normal for a baby to not poop for a day?

Many mothers see that their babies usually poop frequently, but suddenly one day they don’t poop, and they think that there is something wrong with the baby’s health. They are very worried and even go to the hospital. So is it normal for a baby not to poop for a day? Don’t be anxious when encountering such a situation. Consider the baby’s health condition. If there are other problems, you need to consult a doctor.

If feces accumulates in the colon for too long, water will be absorbed excessively, causing the feces to be too dry and making defecation difficult. If you still haven't defecate for more than two days, you can be diagnosed with constipation. The causes of constipation in newborns (those less than 28 days after birth) are mostly:

1. Artificial feeding: milk contains more soap calcium after digestion, which can easily cause dry stools and thus constipation.

2. Insufficient milk supply. If a child eats less milk, vomits a lot, or takes fluids for feeding, it may cause temporary inability to defecate. In addition, the muscular layer of the digestive tract of newborns is not fully developed, which can easily cause constipation and may be accompanied by vomiting. As long as the child does not lose weight, vomiting and constipation are normal.

3. Surgical diseases: Possible malformations include intestinal atresia, intestinal stenosis, intestinal malrotation, congenital megacolon, congenital imperforate anus, sacrococcygeal spina bifida, meningocele, tumor compression of the cauda equina nerve, etc. These diseases are often accompanied by severe vomiting and abdominal distension and require timely diagnosis and treatment.

It is worth noting that if a newborn baby does not have a bowel movement for a few days, it is not necessarily constipated:

Newborns cannot defecate on a regular basis because their defecation mechanism is not fully developed. They often have a lot of stool. The nerves in the rectal wall feel the expansion pressure and trigger reflex defecation. This is why some babies only defecate once every few days. Stimulation with a thermometer can also induce a defecation because it can trigger a reflex. Babies who are breastfed absorb breast milk more completely and have less stool. On the contrary, some babies may only defecate once every few days and do not necessarily defecate immediately after eating. Therefore, if a newborn baby does not have a bowel movement for a few days, it is not necessarily constipated. The way to determine whether a newborn baby is constipated is to observe the stool characteristics. If the characteristics are normal, it is normal not to have a bowel movement for a few days.

Through the above introduction, everyone is clear about whether it is normal for a baby not to poop for a day. Abnormal stool in babies is a relatively common phenomenon, which is related to many factors. Mothers must not only have a clear understanding of their children’s health status, but also need to take targeted measures when problems arise.