How to Relieve Your Baby's Constipation

Move your baby's legs in a bicycle motion to help stool move along inside.

Just like adults, babies can suffer from constipation. The difficulty in passing stool has several possible causes, such as formula-feeding, starting solid foods or not getting enough water, according to Baby Centre U.K. Signs of constipation include a firmer-than-normal tummy, loss of appetite or liquid stool that is moving around a blockage. You have several options for relieving your little one's constipation at home, but contact your doctor if the condition isn't corrected within a few days.

Instructions

1. Slowly bend your baby's legs back and forth or in a bicycling motion to get stool moving in the intestine.

2. Give your baby 1 oz. of fruit juice diluted with 4 oz. of water. Choose prune, grape or apple juices.

3. Give your baby extra water, especially if he is on formula.

4. Place a glycerin suppository into your baby's anus to ease straining when he's having a bowel movement.

Tips & Warnings

• If your baby's constipation is severe and your infant has not experienced a bowl movement in several days, it's important to take your infant to the doctor as soon as possible. Severe newborn constipation can sometimes indicate medical issues. On the other hand, your infant may just need to be switched over to a different formula. However, when your baby's constipation becomes worrisome, you should leave it up to the doctor to treat the issue.

References

• Baby Centre U.K.: Constipation
• Mayo Clinic.com: Infant Constipation: How is It Treated?