Is it normal for a baby to strain when having a bowel movement?

Is it normal for a baby to strain when having a bowel movement?

Scott Cohen (Pediatrician, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) gives expert video advice on: Is it normal for a baby to strain when having a bowel movement?; How do I know if my baby is constipated? and more...

Baby's commonly strain when they poop. This is because they don't know what muscles it takes to get the poop out. So they push up here. They push down here. Then “oof” that one works. So most babies will turn red and strain whenever they poop and yet you see the poop comes out soft. This is not constipation. This is their normal digestive system and the normal way to get poop out so as long as the poop comes out soft, we really don't worry about it.