Constipation is mainly caused by a poor diet, irregular bowel movements, and a lack of fluids. However, the cause of constipation in babies, adults and women during pregnancy are different.

The cause of constipation in babies.

When babies start eating solid foods, the color and texture of their stools become different. When they are nursed, the feces smell sweet and soft. Since he is fed solid food, the stool becomes harder and contains undigested food. Sometimes a baby doesn’t have a bowel movement for a couple of days; parents may be concerned that their baby is constipated. Then the stool appears and is still soft and smooth, it indicates that everything is fine.

Babies constipation is very painful, because they are too small, they do not know how to expel feces from their body, they cry and do not want to eat. This episode of constipation usually occurs after the baby starts eating solid foods. The digestion system is not fully developed to cope with solid food, the baby retains feces in the anus, which causes slight constipation. In this case, parents can feed the baby softer, well-cooked foods with plenty of liquid, as well as fruit juices, such as carrot and orange juice, to naturally help the baby’s intestines get used to the new nutrition texture.

The cause of constipation in adults

The cause of constipation in adults is more complex than in babies. What foods can cause constipation?

1. Red meat

Many people are only in favor of red meat, such as beef steak, lamb, and pork. They rarely eat the high-fiber vegetables. Those meats contain proteins and fats that are difficult for the intestines to digest; which leads to dry stools.

2. Foods rich in sugar

Many foods contain a large amount of sugar, such as cookies and candy. They are also very dry and baked. Lack of fluid and rich in sugar, those characteristics of food cause constipation in adults.

3. Dairy products

Dairy products like cheese, milk, butter, and ice cream can cause constipation in adults. They are high in protein, and protein is difficult to fully digest if eaten in excess, causing the stomach to become bloated and gassy. However, yogurt is very special, it contains many live bacteria and causes bowel movements more frequently than normal.

What foods cause constipation in women during pregnancy?

When women are pregnant, they have fewer exercise movements but eat more than normal; are frustrated by constipation during pregnancy. What foods should pregnant women eat less?

1. Fatty foods

Stir-fried foods are greasy, contain vegetable oil, and are not easily digested. Fatty foods consist of French fries, fried chicken, eggs, and sausage.

2. Processed and refined foods

Processed and refined foods are also hard to digest. Foods like pizza, lasagna, frozen sausage rolls, and spring rolls are some examples. Pregnant women take longer to consume and digest them due to lack of physical exercise.

Therefore, it is better for pregnant women to eat more vegetables and fruits such as plums, pears, broccoli, carrots, celery, and beans. Those foods soften your stool, especially a couple of weeks before delivery, those foods also help pregnant women to have a bowel movement, otherwise a dry stool can cause miscarriage early in pregnancy and premature labor in a later stage of pregnancy when sitting struggling with constipation and excessive air forces bring unexpected accident to pregnant women.

In general, the symptoms of constipation for infants, adults and pregnant women are different, if the causes are predicted, it can be avoided by taking precautionary measures.