Baby constipation and diaper rash are two common problems.
Diaper rash can be caused by skin irritation from the fecal matter of a baby. Constipation can be one of the causes of diaper rash due to the fecal matter not being eliminated at the proper time. When this happens the acidity level of the constipated fecal matter can cause irritation.
What is considered normal for an infant’s bowel movements?
Most babies have one or two bowel motions per day. Your infant may have as many as 5 to 10 each day by the end of the first week.
After each feeding, your baby may pass a stool. During the first month, your baby’s bowel motions may decrease as he or she feeds more and matures.
What is constipation in babies?
Constipation among infants and children occurs when they experience hard stools or experience difficulty getting stools out. A baby may have pain while passing stools or be unable to have a bowel movement as a result of straining or pushing.
How do I know if my baby is constipated?
Here are a few signs and symptoms to look out for:
- Fewer stools than normal.
- Straining to have a stool movement more than usual
- A change in the appearance of the stool from soft and mushy to small, hard pebbles or a huge, round golf ball sloppy and watery
- The abdomen (belly) is inflated or enlarged due to gas.
- Stomach cramps are excruciating.
If your child does not produce a bowel movement every 2 to 3 days or if passing stool upsets or is painful for your child or if she is showing severe symptoms, call or make an appointment with his or her doctor.
What causes baby constipation?
The following are some of the reasons for constipation.
The stool is being held back or withheld.
Your toddler may refuse to have a bowel movement for a variety of reasons.
Your baby may try to avoid going since passing firm stool aches. Rashes can aggravate this.
Diet
Constipation is not caused by a lack of fiber or liquid in your child’s diet. However, failing to consume the necessary amounts of nutritious solid foods from the five food groups, especially foods high in fiber, may have an impact on your child’s stool patterns.
Illness
If your child is ill and loses his appetite, a change in his food can upset his system and make him constipated. Constipation can be caused by certain medications or by medical disorders such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland).
Different changes
In general, any changes in your child’s routine, such as travel, hot weather, or stressful situations, may have an impact on his overall health and the operation of his stools.
What to do if your baby has constipation?
Constipation for infants typically occurs when most babies begin eating solid food. If your child is constipated, you can make simple modifications:
Fruit juice or water – You can offer your child a small portion of liquid or a daily dose of fruit, pear or apple juice, in addition to the usual food intake.
The juices are infused with sorbitol, an ingredient that sweetens the drink and acts as a laxative.
Begin by drinking 2 or 4 8 ounces (about 60-120 milliliters) An experiment to determine if your baby requires greater or lesser.
Babies food – If your infant is eating solid food Try pureed peas or prunes, which have higher levels of fiber than most vegetables and fruits.
Provide whole multigrain cereals. They contain more fiber than rice cereal.
Can baby constipation cause diaper rashes?
It is uncommon for constipation to cause a diaper rash. Older babies who pass inconsistent stools that can be loose, foamy, and incomplete, as well as those who are constipated; all of these issues, can lead to diaper rash. However, diaper rash can cause constipation. It may spread to your baby’s bottom or genital area.
How to prevent diaper rash caused by constipation?
Change the baby’s disposable diaper on a regular basis.
Before putting on a new diaper, gently wipe the diaper region and pat it dry. If feasible, remove the diaper for a few minutes to let the region to air-dry.
Warm water and a soft washcloth, or unscented, alcohol-free wipes, are recommended as a treatment. Your kid should have at least eight wet diapers every day.
Seek advice from a professional healthcare provider if you want to know more about how you can prevent this from happening and for treatment.
Use petroleum jelly or zinc oxide ointment to protect the skin in the baby’s diaper area. This creates a barrier that keeps moisture away from the skin and so helps avoid diaper rash.
When changing the dirty diapers, only remove the top layer of ointment. Then spread some more on top of that. (Do not rub off the entire amount of ointment. This irritates the skin and might aggravate diaper rash.)
If your baby’s diaper rash does not improve, contact your baby’s healthcare provider.
Additional Tips
Change the baby’s diapers frequently to prevent diaper rash.
The majority of diaper rash is caused by friction, which occurs when sensitive newborn skin is rubbed by wet diapers.
Use petroleum jelly or ointment to protect the skin in the baby’s diaper area.
An increase in bowel movements can irritate your child’s skin and cause a diaper rash.
Diaper rash can occur with either cloth or disposable diapers.
Breast milk causes light yellow stool that resembles watery cottage cheese.
Raw rashes can be excruciatingly unpleasant. This can result in sobbing and poor sleep.
Conclusion
Constipation can be caused by a number of things, including not drinking enough water, diet changes, and medications.
A baby can also develop constipation if their stool is hard or they are bottle-fed instead of breastfed.
Constipated babies may experience diaper rash as the skin in the region becomes irritated from sitting for long periods with fecal matter on it. You should contact your baby’s healthcare provider if this occurs.
