What exactly is constipation in a baby?
“Constipation is when the bowel movement is more formed than usual,” says Houfek. “In older infants and toddlers, that may mean a hard stool. In infants, who usually have runny stools, constipation may mean a formed stool.” Once again, you need to pay attention to changes in bowel formation and be attentive to anything that differs from the norm. The bottom line (tee hee) is this: If your baby’s pooping hard little pellets, he or she is probably constipated. Normal baby poop is soft and – forgive the graphic – mushy, like mashed potatoes or chocolate cake batter. In a brand new baby you’ll see meconium, that sticky, black, tar-like substance, for the first few days of life. By about day three or four, most newborns’ bowel movements will turn to a mustard-seedy yellow. It may be very liquid and sometimes can be completely absorbed by the diaper. You may see a variety of poop colors, from fluorescent green to orange to brown. Color variety may appear in both breast- and bottle-fed babies
