What causes constipation in newborns?

The birth of every baby brings joy and hope to the family, so although taking care of a baby is tiring, it is also very happy. However, taking care of a baby is not an easy task. From diet to dressing, defecation, etc., the mother needs to pay attention to everything. So what are the factors that make it difficult for newborns to poop? Now let’s analyze it in detail.

There are many reasons for baby constipation, the main ones are as follows:

Improper diet

Functional constipation is most closely related to diet. If the baby's diet is too fine and the fiber intake is insufficient, the intestinal wall will not be stimulated enough, which can easily lead to constipation; excessive intake of high protein can easily lead to a relative reduction in intestinal fermentation bacteria and affect fermentation, thereby making the stool dry and dense; when the food intake is insufficient, due to less residue in the intestine, insufficient tension of the abdominal and intestinal muscles, and weak peristalsis, it can also easily cause constipation.

Irregular bowel movements

Due to irregular bowel movement and lack of relevant training, the defecation reflex has not been formed. Sometimes, although the baby feels the urge to defecate, he may consciously suppress the urge to defecate due to playfulness or other distractions. Over time, the sensitivity of the defecation reflex in the intestine decreases, the stool accumulates in the intestine, the water is absorbed, the stool becomes dry, and therefore difficult to excrete, forming the so-called habitual constipation.

Congenital physiological and anatomical defects

Some babies suffer from constipation due to certain congenital diseases, such as intestinal stenosis, intestinal obstruction, rectal or anal stenosis, pyloric spasm, congenital pyloric stenosis, congenital megacolon, etc., which can all cause constipation.

Psychological factors

In addition, some mental stimulation factors can also cause constipation in babies, such as changes in living environment, or pain during defecation caused by perianal lesions (such as anal fissures) that makes children afraid of defecation. These may lead to short-term constipation in babies.

When a newborn has difficulty defecating, as mothers we don't need to worry. We just need to identify the above factors and treat them symptomatically. If necessary, we can ask a pediatrician to perform simple conditioning.