Between bowel motions, babies might go for long periods of time. It’s not unusual for a baby to go days, if not weeks, without having a bowel movement.
Constipation can be painful for your children, and they may benefit from some assistance.
Although it’s normal for babies to have fewer bowel movements than expected, many parents fear that their kid is constipated if their bowel movements aren’t as often as they should be.
Constipation is unusual in children, especially those who have not yet started eating solid foods.
It is more likely to occur after your baby starts to eat solid meals. Your baby’s bowel movements will vary in frequency depending on his age and what he’s eaten recently.
Constipation Signs and Symptoms
Understanding the signs and symptoms of constipation might help you detect a problem before it escalates into a significant problem.
If your baby has any of the following symptoms, they might be constipated:
- Absence of bowel movements for more than 3 or 4 days
- Decreased appetite
- Lack of sleep
- Strong-smelling gas
Causes
Constipation may be caused by several things in babies over the age of six months. The following are the most common causes:
- A diet that is poor in fiber
- A transition to solid food and a change of diet
- The consumption of dairy products is excessive.
- Bananas, applesauce, cereals, starchy foods like bread, pasta, and white potatoes can all induce or aggravate constipation.
Constipation Relief for Babies
Healthy eating habits, which include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and high fiber foods, should be established at a young age.
You can also help reduce constipation by increasing your baby’s daily water intake.
Also, instead of rice, try pears, prunes, peaches, apricots, plums, raisins, peas, beans, and broccoli, as well as whole-grain cereals like barley or oats.
Constipation in Babies: How to Prevent It
Your little one will have a painful bowel movement and begin to hold back, which will make constipation worse.
Here are a few home cures to assist your baby with regular bowel movements.
Diluted Fruit Juice or Water
For baby constipation treatment, consider giving one ounce of water to infants under the age of six months who have firm stool movements.
Until their stools soften, babies aged 6 to 12 months can drink two to four ounces of apple, pear, or prune juice each day.
Baby Foods That Aid With Constipation
You may also provide some baby meals that aid with constipation to babies who are eating solids:
Feed prunes, peaches, plums, apricots, and most vegetables in addition to barley or oatmeal cereals.
Warm Bath
Giving your baby a warm bath might help relax and prevent straining their abdominal muscles.
It may also help to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with infant constipation.
Constipation Relief With a Baby Massage
Giving your infant a massage is one of the simplest things you can do. To assist activate the colon, try a mild abdominal massage on the left side of the stomach.
You may also perform workouts with your infant. Bicycling the hips (bicycle massage) while keeping the knees up in a squat stance helps to imitate bowel motions.
When Should You Be Concerned About Your Baby’s Constipation?
Constipation in babies might be frustrating, but it’s usually nothing to worry about. Consult your physician if constipation lasts two weeks or more, or if it’s accompanied by other symptoms like fever or stomach edema.
If you notice blood in your child’s stool, you should examine to see if there are any other concerns at hand.
Can Constipation Be Prevented?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do ahead of time to avoid newborn constipation. Recognizing the warning symptoms and striving to remain on top of them is the key to prevention.
There is a wealth of information online, as well as companies happy to give you free samples of their products to assist your child with their issue.
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