Sitting Positions & Constipation In Babies

“Can w-sitting cause constipation?”

ANSWER – This is such a great question & I absolutely LOVE this conversation!

Though I wouldn’t say there is CAUSATION there (meaning I wouldn’t say one CAUSES the other), and the research is fairly limited at this time, I absolutely DO see a correlation clinically for some little ones!

Anecdotally, I have found that when muscle tone is on the lower end of normal and/or there is weakness through the core muscles, there can also often (not always!) be gastrointestinal (GI) struggles, like constipation. AND- as a child’s core strength and abdominal muscle activation improves both inside and outside of therapy, I have also absolutely seen improvements in those GI struggles – because the muscles are now doing their job so much more effectively.

To explain further – one ‘unsung’ function of the core muscles and general muscle tone is how they can aid in the digestion process. When core muscles are active and strong, they function to assist the digestive process- more specifically, by aiding in GI motility and movement of GI contents forward – even enhancing digestion, encouraging bowel movements, and encouraging regularity!

What If My Baby Loves To W-Sit?

Though W-sitting isn’t ALWAYS a concern, if it is persistent and the primary or only way a child can sit and play, there is often also underlying core weakness. In these cases, w-sitting is often relied on because it is a much more stable sitting position with a wider base of support when legs are wide into the W. This base of support contributes to stability and allows a child to ‘shut off’ many of the core and hip muscles that are active in other sitting positions, which allows them to then focus on using their hands to engage with items around them.

For these little ones, or any child that has core weakness, lower muscle tone or is just struggling with GI issues/constipation in general – bringing in some fun core strengthening activities can be so helpful and definitely worth a shot, if formal physical therapy services aren’t appropriate and/or available!

Check out this reel for some of my favorite simple core strengthening activities for little ones . For a deeper dive into this topic, definitely check out my tone & belly highlight on Instagram!

Want More?

For developmental questions, tips and guidance related to milestones about tummy time, rolling & sitting, crawling and walking, check out KC’s developmental Masterclasses linked here.

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KC is a pediatric doctor of physical therapy, wife and mom of three! She has spent her career working with children and young adults of all ability levels, and currently specializes in birth to three years.