Handy Hint

Give your baby plenty of cooled boiled water with either a touch of brown sugar, fresh orange juice or concentrated baby juice (suitable from 4 months).

If your baby dirties his nappy less frequently than usual and his stools are hard, he may be constipated (this is unlikely to happen while he is fed exclusively on milk, and breast-fed babies rarely, if ever, become constipated).

Breast-fed babies sometimes go several days between bowel motions. This is fine, and quite normal after the first few weeks. You'll see the stool is soft and easy to pass. If there is ever any blood in your baby's nappy, contact your doctor. It could be that it's just a result of constipation causing a small tear in the anus. Your doctor will be able to check. If your baby is old enough to be taking foods and drinks other than milk and he becomes constipated, offer extra fluids.