Why Is My Baby Straining and Turning Red When They Poo?

Why is your baby straining, grunting, turning red, and looking like they’re trying so hard to poo? It can be worrying to watch, especially in the early weeks.In this episode, I’m explaining one of the most common newborn concerns: why many babies strain dramatically when passing wind or stool, and why it is often a normal part of development rather than constipation.We talk about:• Why newborn digestion can look so dramatic• What infant dyschezia is• Why babies often grunt more at night or early morning• The difference between straining and true constipation• What soft stools usually mean• Gentle ways to support your baby• When it’s worth getting things checkedIf your baby pulls their legs up, clenches, grunts, goes red in the face, then passes wind or a soft poo and settles again, this episode will help you understand what may be happening.If this episode helped you, there’s more support waiting for you. BUY THE BOOK Download the free handout linked in the show notes, along with more resources, Quick Answers, and support for the newborn weeks 00:00 Why Babies Strain00:37 Muscle Coordination01:24 Constipation Versus Normal01:49 Early Morning Episodes02:13 Infant Dyschezia02:57 When to Step In03:22 Gentle Relief Tips04:23 Watch the Whole Picture05:20 Free Handout and Extras05:50 Book Recommendation

You can listen to Why Is My Baby Straining and Turning Red When They Poo? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Is My Baby Straining and Turning Red When They Poo? is an episode from The Virtual Midwife by The Virtual Midwife.

This episode is 00:06:45 long.

This episode was published on Apr 27, 2026.

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