When should I worry about my babys constipation?
First, we must understand that in infants, constipation is not necessarily defined by the number of or frequency of bowel movements. As physicians, we are concerned if the stool is hard or pellet-like, if there is bright red blood streaking the stool or on the paper after wiping, or if the infant appears to have undue discomfort or difficulty passing the stool. Especially in breast-fed babies, it is not unusual to only have a couple stools per week. If you are concerned about your infant, call your family doctor; do not switch to feeding the infant water.
