How to Prevent Infant Constipation

Constipation in infants occurs when the stool becomes hard, dry and difficult for the infant to pass. This typically occurs after the baby begins eating solid foods (around five to six months of age). Infrequent stools are not necessarily a cause for concern as long they are soft and the baby does not have pain passing the stool. You can take measures to help prevent infant constipation by adjusting the baby's diet and daily routine.^[1]

EditSteps

EditPreventing Constipation

1. Feed your baby a fiber-rich diet. Certain types of solid food are more likely to trigger constipation, like bananas, carrots, and rice cereal. Other foods can help prevent infant constipation, including prunes, pears, oatmeal, and barley cereal.^[2]
   
   • Talk to your doctor about when is the best time to introduce solids and which solids your baby should be eating. Most doctors recommend waiting until about six months before offering solids.
2. Keep the baby active. Low activity levels can lead to constipation. Infants often need assistance if you think they are not getting enough exercise.^[3]
   
3. Move the baby’s legs yourself. Grasp the baby's lower feet and gently move the baby's legs in a bicycling motion if the infant is not yet crawling. Bringing the infant’s legs up and down can help the intestines work.
   
4. Play with your infant using toys that roll or move. These can help encourage the baby to roll over or crawl more frequently, increasing the baby's activity level. Your presence on the floor can also help the baby in moving around more, following you.
   
5. Massage the baby's stomach after eating. A gentle belly massage can help ease constipation. Place your hand across the baby's stomach, three finger widths below the navel. Apply gentle pressure.^[4]
   

EditIdentifying Infant Constipation

1. Watch the baby and diaper for signs of constipation. Constipated babies will experience pain and discomfort during bowel movements. Feces in the diaper will look harder and drier than normal, often like small dry pellets or large dry balls. This typically happens only after a baby begins to eat solid foods, not while he or she is still only consuming breast milk or formula.
   
2. Note changes in the frequency of bowel movements. Although frequency on its own is not a reliable indicator of constipation, sudden changes in an infant's typical elimination schedule can signal baby constipation or a diarrheal problem. Healthy breastfed babies may go up to a week between bowel movements, but formula-fed babies who do not experience a bowel movement for two to three days and experience obvious discomfort while passing a stool may be constipated.^[5]
   
3. Ask the baby's pediatrician for advice. If the baby experiences persistent and severe constipation that is not affected by dietary or activity level adjustments, a doctor can assess whether there are any underlying causes for the constipation. You can also insert a glycerin suppository to help a baby pass a hard stool, but check with the doctor. Constipation is very common in babies, but some infants may experience constipation as a symptom of hypothyroidism, food allergies or other medical conditions. Hirschspring's disease can cause constipation, but it is a very rare congenital condition. A doctor will usually be able to diagnose a baby suffering from the disease during the first weeks of life.^[6]
   
   • The doctor may occasionally recommend a medication for your baby's constipation if it is severe or if she is not responding to dietary and activity changes.

EditDealing with a Constipated Infant

1. Keep the baby adequately hydrated and at a comfortable temperature. Dehydration can cause or exacerbate constipation. Offer a bottle or the breast frequently to keep up the baby's fluid intake, especially during warm weather.^[7]
   
2. Provide the baby with water or juice if the baby is older than four months. Fruit juices draw fluid to the intestines and can help loosen stool. Start with 2 to 4 oz. (60 to 120 ml) of water, prune, apple or pear juice once or twice a day. But talk to your doctor about how much water or juice is safe for your baby.^[8]
   
3. Switch the type of formula you use. Discuss any changes in formula with the infant's pediatrician before making any changes. The doctor may have specific recommendations based on the infant's medical history and symptoms. Infants may react badly to certain ingredients in a formula. You also might ask the doctor if he or she would recommend adding prune juice to the formula to help loosen the stools.^[9]
   
4. Increase fiber-rich foods. When feeding a constipated infant, avoid those foods that are more likely to trigger constipation, like bananas, carrots, and rice cereal. Instead, feed your baby prunes, pears, oatmeal, and barley cereal to help move her digestion along.
   

EditWarnings

• Be wary of infant constipation remedies using herbal supplements. Discuss any medications or remedies with your doctor before administering them to an infant.
• Talk to your doctor if the constipation is associated with blood in the stool or diaper, vomiting, irritability, a swollen or distended belly, or a poor appetite.

EditSources and Citations

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