Baby Constipation vs Normal Straining: What Every Parent Should Know

Few things alarm new parents faster than watching their baby turn red and grunt during a bowel movement. It looks painful and it is natural to worry about constipation. But in most cases what you are seeing is completely normal.

Why Babies Strain

Newborns are still learning how to coordinate the muscles needed to have a bowel movement — called infant dyschezia — and it typically resolves on its own by 3 to 4 months of age.

How to Tell the Difference

The key is not how hard your baby pushes but what comes out. Normal infant stool is soft, from liquid to peanut-butter consistency. True constipation means hard, dry, pellet-like stools that are difficult to pass.

What Counts as Normal

Breastfed babies can have anywhere from several stools per day to one every few days. Formula fed babies tend to have firmer stools and may be more prone to true constipation.

When to Call Your Pediatrician

Reach out if your baby is passing hard pellet-like stools consistently, has blood in the diaper, is vomiting, has a swollen or firm abdomen, is refusing to eat, has a fever, or is not gaining weight as expected.