• Babies will strain and cry for 10 – 30 minutes while trying to poop
• Their stools are normal, and the baby is not in pain, just lacking the coordination to poo
• To have a bowel movement, the baby needs to increase intra-abdominal pressure and relax the pelvic floor muscle. Babies are not always able to generate pressure in the abdomen, so they scream to create the pressure.
• At 4 months it is common to get constipated when the baby gets introduced to solids and starts to wean from the breast
• If constipation occurs at time of dairy introduction, liaise with doctor, and stop for 2 weeks to see if there is any difference
• Introductions to solids foods makes the poo consistency harder, so pooping can feel uncomfortable.
• Pooping is a voluntary activity in babies too, and they can begin to withhold
Dr Hodges’s PRE-MOP protocol for toddlers:
1. Daily osmotic laxative
2. Suppository or enema in the evening if no spontaneous poop in the day, or if the child did not appear emptying completely
3. Do not usually need suppositories/enemas for more than a few days in a row