How to Help a Constipated Baby

Most babies will experience constipation although breastfed babies are less likely to get constipated than formula-fed babies are. It can be very frustrating for parents to watch as their baby struggles without achieving any positive results. Often constipated babies become irritable and fussy, and they may scream as if they are in pain. Before giving laxatives, there are a few steps to take in order to relieve your baby’s constipation.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

How to Help a Constipated Baby

1. Gently massage your baby’s abdomen in a clockwise motion. This gentle pushing will encourage the waste to move in the right direction.
2. Gently push your baby’s legs up to his chest, bending at the knees, putting pressure on his stomach and intestines.
3. Bicycle your baby’s legs slowly-first one leg up to her chest, then the next, and back and forth, alternating pressure on the different parts of her body.
4. Nurse more often! Whether your baby is still solely on breast milk or has begun eating solid foods, nursing more will help encourage his digestion.
5. Change your baby’s diet. If she has begun eating solid foods, investigate her most recent meals. Try changing her next few meals to something that will aid in digestion, such as pureed prunes.
6. Mix pureed solid foods with breast milk instead of water-especially during the early stages of solid foods. In addition to aiding with your baby’s digestion, this mixture will also help ease him into eating solid foods as the milk will add a similar taste to the new ones.
7. Give your baby a hot bath.
8. Take a hot bath with your baby and nurse her while you are in the bathtub with her.

Tips & Warnings

• All of these actions will cause your baby to release plenty of gas-most likely before he has a bowel movement.
• When a baby first begins to eat solid foods, she will become more prone to constipation. Continue nursing her as often as you normally would in order to help ease the digestion process.
• Be prepared-your baby’s constipation may very likely end during a hot bath, especially if you are nursing her at the same time. Have all of the necessary cleaning items close at hand.