Everyone Needs to Poop
I doubt most mothers know ahead of time just how much poop would become a main topic of interest once they have children.
- How often does your baby poop?
- What color and consistency is it?
- Cloth or disposable diapers?
- Which brand and type?
- How and when to potty train?
- Bedwetting and when it may or may not represent a problem?
- Pull-ups or not?
Some of these questions may be expected but often challenges arise that are far from what you expected.
Common Digestive & Defecation Problems for Children
Children are often brought to us for chiropractic care because of pooping problems. Relieving tension and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (the area responsible for “rest and digest”) can help with this complaint.
Chiropractic care is also sought when bedwetting is an issue. Removing interference and/or increasing the communication between the lower spine and the sacrum with the nerves that control the kidneys and bladder can sometimes make all the difference.
After all, increasing communication between the spine and nervous system is what WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC is all about!
Factors that affect digestion and defecation
Of course we know there are many factors that affect digestion and defecation, such as:
- Emotional stress
- Exercise
- Nutrition
- Hydration
There are times that chiropractic care can make quick and easy changes and others when lifestyle factors need to be discussed and slowly sorted out to get to the root of the issue.
Family chiropractors take the time to help you sort out these factors and develop a plan that fits you and your child best.
How to know if your baby or child has healthy poop
Healthy bowel movements in exclusively breastfed babies should be yellow, seedy (small soft chunks), occur at least once to several times a day, and have a slightly sweet smell to it.
Formula changes the color to more brown and a more even texture that should still be runnier than toothpaste and occur at least once a day. The smell may not be so sweet.
Parents often report that their babies poop easier and more often after beginning chiropractic care.
Children and adults should have soft but formed stool of medium size at least once a day. Color, smell, and consistency are affected by the type of food eaten, how slow or quickly it moves through the intestines, hydration, and how healthy your gut bacteria/stomach acid/digestive enzymes are working.
The typical causes of slow and inconsistent bowel movements are:
- Physical tension
- Decreased nerve stimulation
- Emotional stress
- Poor gut bacteria
- Yeast overgrowth
- Dehydration
- Lack of physical activity
Once your children get to school age, you typically won’t get visual confirmation of their pooping habits any longer. A great tool is The Bristol Stool Chart and simply checking in with your children.
Older children? Try a poop chart!
When my kids were around 6 & 8 years old, and I was homeschooling, we spent a week talking about healthy habits for our bodies. I made a little booklet and in it they had to write down what they ate and drank, what kind of physical activities they did, how many times they pooped and what number it correlated to on the poop chart.
It was an easy way for me to get a picture of how they were doing since it had been a few years since I was, thankfully, no longer involved in that process! For reserved children, it makes it a little easier to talk about and significantly less embarrassing than showing you!
If you are concerned about your children’s bathroom habits, let us know during their next wellness check-up and we can help you trouble-shoot. Stay tuned for some interesting case studies we have seen in the office.
Happy pooping everyone!
