Young woman eating fruit

If you are having infrequent bowel movements and your stools tend to be hard, you are likely constipated.  Constipation can be described as having three or less bowel movements a week.  There may be some amount of pain involved during the passage of a bowel movement with constipation.  When you are constipated, you are unable to pass a bowel after trying for 10 or more minutes.  When an infant is exclusively breastfed, he or she may go up to seven days without having a bowel movement.

Low fiber intake is the most common cause of constipation.  Adding fiber to your daily diet can be helpful to you.  You should be getting between 25 and 35 grams of fiber a day.  Unfortunately, most individuals are only getting between 5 and 15 grams of fiber a day.  You naturally get fiber by eating whole grain foods as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.  Bowel diseases, pregnancy and some neurological and mental health problems can also cause constipation.  Colon cancer is a less common cause of constipation.

When children become constipated, this is often times due to them withholding bowel movements.  Make sure you are incorporating plenty of water with your daily diet in order to help the food, which is digested.  Infants that have constipation, should drink two to four ounces of fruit juice, such as grape, pear, cherry or prune juice twice a day if over two months old.  If over four months old, if the baby has begun eating solid food, try baby food with high fiber content, such as peas, beans, apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, plums and spinach twice a day.

Stool softeners can also be helpful.  Otherwise, consider bulk laxatives.  This can add fluid and bulk to the stool.  Laxatives and enemas should never be given to an infant or a child without first consulting a doctor!

Call a doctor if the following occurs:

• Sudden constipation with abdominal cramping and the inability to pass gas (never take laxatives – call your doctor immediately)
• Sharp and severe abdominal pain, particularly if you are bloated
• Blood in your stool
• Constipation alternating with diarrhea
• Thin, pencil-like stools
• Rectal pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• If using laxatives for several weeks and nothing is working
• An infant 2 months or younger appears to be constipated
• An infant that is not exclusively breastfed goes more than three days without passing a bowel
• A child withholds bowel movements to avoid potty training

Certain tests can be completed in order to determine the cause of the constipation, but such tests should be conducted by a qualified healthcare professional.