Constipation in babies
Constipation is a frequent concern for parents and constitutes a quarter of all visits to gastroenterologists (gut doctors). It is defined as a prolonged period of time between bowel motions or abnormally hard stools. Parents report perceived discomfort in their child and anxiety in themselves.
The main reason for the delayed transit time of the bowels is that the nerves to the gut are immature until about 2 years of age. As the nerves to the gut exit via the spine it is reasonable to think that in this period of development any stress or strain in the spine and pelvis from birth could affect the muscle wall of the gut, as well as the anal sphincter, and further delay bowel movement. Retained compression in the back of the head where the vagus nerve exits (the main nerve to the bowels) may also disrupt normal development of the gut.
By helping to ease any stress or strain in the head, neck, spine and pelvis we can help make your baby more comfortable, with the added potential of improving the nerve supply and speeding up gut transit time. We can also give dietary advice that can help reduce the load on your baby's developing gut.
