If you’re a parent, you undoubtedly pay attention to your child’s every smile, hiccup, and cry for indicators of how they’re doing. However, sure warning signs may be a little more elusive to spot.
For instance, your baby’s bowel movements will alter significantly during development. These alterations could occasionally be a sign that your infant is constipated.
Infants frequently have lengthy bowel motions. It is typical for a baby to go days or even more than a week without having a bowel movement most of the time. A newborn may, however, occasionally become constipated and require some assistance.
Constipation warning signs
A newborn who drinks breast milk might not go to the bathroom daily. Frequently, almost all of the nutrients are assimilation. This happens frequently. In actuality, babies who consume breast milk hardly ever get constipation.
Contrarily, babies fed formula could have up to three or four bowel movements each day or just one every few days.
Still, the types of milk consumed, whether solids have been introduced, and the specific foods consumed all significantly impact the typical bowel movements of healthy development of your baby.
Knowing the probable symptoms of constipation might help you see a potential problem before it gets out of hand.
A pediatrician can advise using home remedies as the first line of defense against baby constipation if the infant is constipated.
Seven natural remedies for the treatment of constipation at home include:
1. Move your baby:
Similar to adults, babies’ bowels are often stimulated by movement and exercise.
A parent or other caregiver might wish to encourage a baby to exercise to aid with constipation, even though they might not be walking or even crawling yet.
While the infant is resting on their back, the parent or caregiver can gently move their legs to simulate the motion of riding a bicycle. By doing this, you might improve bowel movement and get rid of constipation.
2. Diet modifications
Dietary modifications may relieve constipation, although the specific ones depending on the baby’s age and food.
A woman may cut out specific foods, such as dairy, from her diet while breastfeeding. Finding the dietary modifications may require trial and error, and it’s possible that they won’t impact the baby’s constipation. A parent or caregiver feeding their baby formula may want to experiment with a new brand. It is recommended to first speak with a pediatrician before switching to a mild or dairy-free formula. Trying other formulas will probably not help if one adjustment doesn’t work.
Parents or other caregivers should try to introduce meals high in fiber while an infant begins eating solid foods.
Because they contain more fiber than other fruits and vegetables, several of them can aid in stimulating the bowels. Suitable foods for babies who are constipated include:
- unpeeled apples
- broccoli
- Oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and pasta are examples of whole grains.
- peaches
- pears
- plums
3. A hot bath
A warm bath can help a baby’s abdominal muscles relax and stop straining. Additionally, it might lessen some of the discomfort associated with constipation.
4. Hydration
Young infants often do not require additional drinks because breast milk or formula is their main source of hydration.
However, a tiny amount of extra liquid may be helpful for constipated babies. When a baby is over 2-4 months old and constipated, pediatricians may suggest a modest amount of water or fruit juice added to the infant’s diet.
5. Massage
There are numerous ways to massage a baby’s tummy to ease constipation. These consist of:
- making clockwise circular strokes with the fingers on the abdomen.
- Circumnavigating the naval with the fingers in a clockwise direction, firmly pressing the baby’s feet toward the abdomen while holding the baby’s knees and feet together.
- Using the edge of a finger, rub the rib cage past the belly button.
6. Give Fruit juice:
A baby may have a modest amount of 100% prune or apple juice once they are between 2 and 4 months old. Constipation may be treated with this juice.
Experts might advise beginning with 2-4 ounces of fruit juice. Juice’s sugar is difficult to digest. More liquid enters the intestines, aiding in the softening and breaking up of the stool.
However, before giving fruit juice to a baby for the first time, a parent or caregiver should consult their pediatrician.
7. Rectal temperature measurement
Taking a baby’s rectal temperature using a clean, lubricated thermometer may help them pass feces when constipating.
It’s vital to avoid using this strategy frequently because it can aggravate constipation. The infant may begin to associate having a bowel movement with discomfort or stop desiring to pass a bowel movement on their own, which would make them fuss or scream more when doing so.
Talk to the infant’s pediatrician if you need to utilize this technique to help the baby urinate frequently.
8. Change the milk
You might try changing your diet if you breastfeed your infant. Though it’s unusual, your baby could be sensitive to anything you’re consuming, which could be why you’re constipated.
Breastfed Infants may benefit from switching to a different formula, at least while their constipation is still present. Constipation may result from sensitivity to a particular substance.
9. Utilize pureed food
Try some of the items on the above list in their pureed version if your baby is older than six months and has not yet switched to solid solids.
Remember that fruits and vegetables include a lot of natural fiber, giving your child’s stools more volume. Some work better than others in assisting with bowel movement stimulation.
10. Abdomen massage
Gently massaging the lower abdomen and stomach can help the bowels move waste. Till your child has a bowel movement, give your youngster many massages throughout the day.
In short, having constipation can make a baby uncomfortable and cranky. There are various at-home remedies that people might use to ease constipation.
It is best to consult the infant’s pediatrician for other approaches if symptoms do not subside.
