How To Ease Newborn Baby Constipation

Tips On Treating Constipation

Here are some tips on helping relieve constipation at home:

• lie your baby down and gently move their legs like they’re riding a bicycle â this can help get things moving.
• if your baby is happy lying down, give them a gentle tummy massage
• if your baby is bottle fed try giving them extra water between some feeds
• if your baby is on solids, make sure they are getting enough fibre – apples, pears and prunes are particularly good for constipation

It may take a few days to get things moving again, but if things do not improve, speak to your health visitor or GP. Your GP may prescribe a laxative or want to double check that it’s not being caused by any underlying medical conditions.

Inculcate A Habit Of Defecation

Make your child understand that having a bowel movement whenever they feel the urge is a good habit, even when at their preschool. If they resist their bowel movements, make them sit on the toilet for around 10 minutes at the same time daily, preferably after a meal.

Avoiding the following factors can help in preventing the condition from getting worse, including:

• Consumption of a diet rich in starchy, sugary, or fatty foods, which can slow down bowel movements
• Addition of malt extract, rice cereal, or any sugar to formula
• Feeding apple sauce, cooked carrots, bananas, and rice to the toddler
• Giving solid foods to babies below 6 months of age
• Intake of cow milk by constipated babies
• Use of medications without a doctors recommendation

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Leaking stool
• Suppository or enema was needed to get the stool out
• Infrequent stools do not get better after changes to diet. Exception: normal if breastfed infant more than 1 month old and stools are not painful.
• Stool softeners are being used and have not been discussed with your doctor
• Toilet training is in progress
• Painful stools occur 3 or more times after changes to diet
• Constipation is a frequent problem
• You have other questions or concerns

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Symptoms Of Constipation In Babies

Constipation isnât just about how often your baby poops. Itâs also about how tough it is for them to do it. If they have soft, easy-to-pass stools every 4-5 days, theyâre probably OK. On the other hand, you should talk to your doctor if they:

• Have a hard time going or seem uncomfortable
• Have hard stools
• Have a swollen belly

Natural Remedies For Constipation In Infants

1. Stomach Massage

Gently massage the stomach of your baby, in a clockwise direction with the help of your fingertips. Massage around the naval as well, in an outward, spherical motion. It will eradicate the tension out of your babys tummy and give him/her relief from the symptoms of constipation.

2. Exercise

• Keep your infant on his/her back. Hold his/her legs in a ½ bent position. Gently move babys legs in such a way, as if s/he paddling a bicycle. Do it at a steady pace. Leg bicycling is a great fun for your child and loosens up the intestines.
• Carry your newborn baby around in a squat position. Elevate his/her little legs in a way that s/he is squatting on your forearm like a bunny or frog. It will exert a little pressure on the kids rectum and help him/her to defecate.

3. Sugar Solution

Mix ½ teaspoon of sugar in an ounce of water. Give this solution to your baby three times a day before feeding him/her formula food. Instead of white sugar, it is recommended to use brown sugar for preparing this solution.

Note- Utilize cooled boiled water for this remedy.

4. Prune Juice

Add diluted prune juice to newborns bottle of formula. It will help him/her get rid of constipation.

• If your child is older than 4 months, mix 4 oz of breast or formula milk with 1 oz of prune juice. Give it twice a day.
• If your little one is less than 4 months, just a tablespoon of prune juice in 4 oz of breast or formula milk, two times a day is enough to regulate the bowel movement.

Note:

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Constipation In Babies: Signs Causes And Cures

If your baby is having difficulty pooping, they could be constipated. Find out what to look for and how to help.

As new parents, you’ll always be looking for your baby’s next smile, laugh, and coolittle reassurances that they’re happy and healthy. Poop, although not nearly as pleasant, is another thing parents should monitor.

When your baby is pooping regularly, it’s likely a sign that they’re taking in enough food and disposing of the rest, says Jennifer Shu, M.D., an Atlanta-based pediatrician and coauthor of Food Fights: Winning The Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and A Bottle of Ketchup. So it’s understandable that the absence of poop can be a cause for concern.

Keep reading for a lowdown on baby constipation symptoms, causes, treatment, and more.

What Are The Signs Of Constipation In Babies

The following signs may indicate your baby is constipated:

• Pooing fewer than three times a week

• Hard, dry or lumpy poos or poo that comes out in little pellets

• Poos that are bigger than usual

• Your baby finds it hard to poo and may look like he or she is straining

• Poo and wind may be smellier than usual

• Reduced appetite or a tummy ache that gets better after doing a poo

• Traces of blood in the poo

• A firm tummy

• In children over 1 year old, soiled underwear can be due to constipation. This happens when runny poo, or diarrhoea runs around a hard stool thatâs causing a blockage.

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Baby Constipation Remedies And Relief:

• Change formula. Starting a new formula may resolve constipation. Some infants have softer stools when they drink formula from concentrate versus powder-based . Ask your babys doctor for guidance.
• Slightly dilute the mix. Your babys poops may improve when you add a tablespoon of organic adult prune juice or one ounce of water into the formula, once or twice a day .
• Give a bottle of water. If the weather is very hot and your baby is showing signs of dehydration, depending on your baby’s age, you can give a few extra ounces of waterjust be sure to check in with your doctor before offering water.
• Open the door. Babies trying to poop often have a hard time squeezing the stomach muscles and relaxing the rectumat the same time. They accidentally tighten the anuswhen they should be easing itand consequently, they strain to push the poop out the door! To relax your babys anus, bicycle her legs and gently press her knees down to her stomach, a few times. If this fails, you might insert a Vaseline-greased thermometer or cotton swabjust one-half to one inchinto the anus. Babies usually respond by bearing down to push the object outoften pushing the poop out at the same time.
• Change up solid foods. White foods bind a baby up. But, certain fruits and veggies like broccoli, plums, prunes, prune juice or fresh aloe juice can help get pooping back on a regular schedule.

Note: Never give honey or corn syrup as a laxative, before the first birthday.

How To Prevent Constipation In Babies

In order to prevent constipation in babies, it is important to recognize the symptoms early. Otherwise, your baby will have painful stools and will begin withholding, only making the constipation worse.

Once your child is ready to be toilet trained, be sure that it is not forced, or this can only worsen constipation. It is helpful to have a regular toilet schedule for older children, such as visiting the potty after every meal until the problem is resolved.

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How Long Can Your Baby Go Without Doing A Poo

The frequency and consistency of your babyâs bowel movements can vary from day to day, and every baby is different.A baby who is consuming formula may fill anything up to five nappies a day when newborn, which can decrease to once a day after a few months.Breastfed babies may poo after every feed in the first few weeks, then after about six weeks things may get less predictable: Although your breastfed baby may average two or three bowel movements a day, he or she could also sometime go for as long as 7 to 10 days without a poo, but still not be constipated.Keep in mind that sometimes a baby can be straining or crying while trying to do a poo, but still not be constipated. If your baby grunts or gets a little red-faced in the process of passing what turns out to be a soft, perfectly normal stool, this is just because he or she has not yet learned to properly relax the pelvic floor muscles to let the poo out.In this case, holding your babyâs legs up and bending them at the knees may help.

What Are The Signs Of Constipation

The most important sign of constipation is that the poo is hard and dry or crumbly and it looks like marbles. Other signs of constipation in babies are:

• Your baby is crying and looks uncomfortable before doing a poo.
• The poo or wind smells bad.
• Your baby isnt eating as much.
• Your baby has a hard belly.

If the poo is very hard, it can sometimes cause small tears to form around your babys anus . These little tears can bleed and can cause your baby more pain and discomfort.

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Constipation In Weaned Babies

If your baby has started weaning, you might find that the change in their diet results in a change to their toilet habits, too. So if you suspect that your baby is constipated and youve just started the weaning journey, this could be a contributory factor as your babys digestive system gets used to the change7. Its very important that your baby gets enough fibre in their diet, so if your baby is constipated, you could try adding more fibre in the form of cereals, prunes and peas alongside their regular breast or formula milk intake8.

Can Switching From Breast Milk To Formula Cause Constipation

If youve recently switched to formula after exclusively breastfeeding your baby, you may notice changes in your babys poop. Its not uncommon for it to become harder or change color.

You may also notice an increase in gas, particularly if your baby is transitioning to using a bottle. Every baby is different though, and you may not notice much of a change.

Looking at supermarket formula displays can be enough to set your head spinning.

First, there are three different forms of formula you can choose from:

• powders

Then, within these forms, they may be:

• milk-based formulas
• specialty formulas, like organic options

Some formulas advertise themselves as easier to digest.

This can be because they are homogenized, which means theyre processed in a way that breaks down molecules for easier absorption. Or they may be made with ingredients designed to be easier on the digestive system.

For many parents, the answer lies in asking fellow parents and caregivers about their experiences with formula and researching the ingredients to find one that feels right.

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How To Use Vaseline To Treat Constipation In Babies

Is your baby constipated? Are you wondering how to use Vaseline to treat constipation in babies? Dont worry all the answers you need are right here!

Constipation is the inability of a person to pass out stool easily. This situation can make babies uncomfortable because the pain babies experience during constipation can be unexplainable.

This situation can be resolved using Vaseline especially when it comes to babies as it can help to relieve the pains experienced during constipation.

In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about constipation, how to use Vaseline to treat constipation in babies, and other ways you can help relieve constipation in babies.

Contents

When To Contact A Medical Professional

• An infant goes 3 days without a stool and is vomiting or irritable

Also call your childâs provider if:

• An infant younger than 2 months is constipated
• Non-breastfeeding infants go 3 days without having a bowel movement
• A child is holding back bowel movements to resist toilet training
• There is blood in the stools

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When Is Baby Constipation A Sign Of Something Serious

After the first couple of weeks, babies usually settle into a pretty good pooping routine. For bottle-fed babies, that schedule is one to two times a day. Breastfed babies may actually skip a day or so in between bowel movements. In fact, by 1 month of age, they sometimes go a week without having a stool!

What Are Some Home Remedies For Baby Constipation

If your baby becomes constipated once heâs started on solid foods, check in with your healthcare provider, who may recommend any of the following changes or additions to his diet to help relieve constipation:

• Water. If your baby is over 6 months old , offer him a little water in a sippy cup with his meals. This shouldnât replace breast milk or formula, however.

• Fruit juice. A few ounces of 100 percent fruit juice such as apple, pear, or prune juice can also help your baby. These juices contain sorbitol, which works like a natural laxative.

• Certain fruits and vegetables. Once your baby is eating solid foods, give him pureed foods such as prunes, pears, peaches, and peas. These can help with constipation since they contain more fiber than other fruits and vegetables.

• Infant cereals. Try feeding him whole-wheat, barley, or multigrain infant cereal once he is eating solid foods. These three types contain more fiber than rice cereal and may help get things moving.

If the above dietary changes havenât given your baby relief, contact his healthcare provider again for guidance.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Constipation In Babies

Look out for two or three of these symptoms1:

• Poos that are small, hard and pellet- like or large, hard and difficult to push out.
• Less than three poos a week.
• Foul-smelling wind and poo.
• Excessive gas.
• Straining and crying when pooing .
• A tummy that is firm to the touch .
• A poor appetite .
• Your baby is irritable and tearful.
• You baby seems low on energy.

Still unsure? Head over to our Baby Symptom Checker. If you have any concerns about your babys symptoms, speak to your health visitor.