Patient's question:
My cousin just had a baby and is still hospitalized. I went to the hospital yesterday to visit her and her baby. My cousin said that the baby doesn't seem to be able to have a bowel movement for some reason. She had one the day before yesterday, but hasn't had one since yesterday. I looked it up online, and it seems that newborns who can't have a bowel movement can be treated with an enema.What kind of help I need: Can enemas be used to treat newborns who can't have a bowel movement?
Doctor's answer:
Newborns' digestive systems are very fragile. Generally, they may not have a bowel movement within the first two days of birth, which is normal. However, if this occurs several days after birth instead of within the first two days, it could indicate constipation in the newborn, which may be due to formula feeding. For newborn constipation, it is not advisable to administer soap enemas, as this can easily destroy the beneficial gut flora, leading to endocrine disorders in the newborn's digestive system. Simply providing some water between feedings and ensuring that each formula feeding is not excessive will usually resolve the issue.