Baby Constipation
At-Home Cures

You're reduced to applauding out the little brown rocks like some twisted high school cheerleader. It's a hallmark of motherhood, this micro-managing of your baby's bowels. Welcome to the club.

Here are some suggestions to get you off the sidelines and into the game. There are some easy things you can do at home to help your baby through.

Naturally, the first thing you should do is to make sure he's actually constipated. Perhaps his body is making a normal adjustment (common between the 3rd and 4th month).

Or maybe she has dychezia (dye-cheese-e-a). Go through this constipation checklist to make sure you're really needing to cure constipation and not dealing with something else.

(Breastfeeding 100% of the time? Skip to Cure #2.)

Have you recently switched formulas? If so, switch back and see if that helps. Not all milk-based formulas are the same!

Carnation Good Start is known for being an extremely easy formula to digest. Perhaps you should give them a try.

Are you using a cow's milk-based formula? (If it doesn't say specifically "soy", it's cow's milk.) Try switching to a soy-based formula.

Cow's milk isn't as easy for some babies to digest. If that still doesn't seem to be helping, try printing off this coupon for a free sample of Nutramigen, a hypoallergenic formula.

Do not attempt to switch to a low-iron formula. A recent study showed that the rate of constipation was the same in a sample of babies with regular and low-iron formulas.

Skimping on the iron will not affect his constipation, but it could hurt his development

My children (who all struggle with chronic constipation) get diluted juice every day. (In fact, I gave Elena some diluted prune juice in her bottle just this evening.)

Recipe for Relief

For babies younger than 4 months, just a tablespoon in 4 oz of formula or breastmilk should soften up the bowels for an easy poop.

{Photo by Alessandro Perillil}

If your infant rejects the prune juice in his bottle, try diluting white grape, pear, or apple juice instead. In my experience, they are not as fast-acting as good 'ole prune juice, but they are eventually effective.

(Do not substitute these juices if your baby is younger than 6 months without talking first to your doctor.)

You should also ensure that your baby is getting enough fluid throughout the day. Starting with about 1 Tbs of water a day, gradually increase this until he's drinking 4-6 oz of water by his first birthday.

I fill a small sippy cup or bottle with water for Elena every day. The cup comes out during feeding times, and then goes into the fridge in between meals and snacks. This helps me easily monitor her daily water intake.

{photo by krilemar}

This is, in fact, a true statement...However, many doctor's will add an important warning you should be aware of. Just as you shouldn't give a baby younger than 1 year honey, karo syrup also carries the risk of botulism.

The Danger of Infant Botulism

Honey and corn syrup has to be cooked a certain period of time at a certain temperature before it is safe for your baby to ingest. This is why you should avoid Honey Nut Cheerios, or any product made with honey or corn syrup until after age one. The corn syrup found in some formulas is safe, because it has been heated and cooked at the correct time and temperature.

The 2006 American Association of Pediatrics Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases reported,

"Manufacturers of light and dark corn syrups cannot ensure that any given product will be free of botulism spores, but no case of infant botulism has proved to be attributable to contaminated corn syrup."

Translation? No cases have been linked, but be cautioned anyway. There are many other baby constipation remedies you can try instead. However, if you try everything else and nothing seems to be working, karo syrup is an option you could discuss with your doctor.

Besides the massage, grab his ankles and rotate his legs around like a bicycle. Besides being fun, it will also serve to loosen up the intestines.

If your baby is a newborn, carry him around in a squat position. Bunch his little legs up, so he's squatting on your forearm like a frog, or bunny. This gives a little extra pressure on his rectum, encouraging him to defecate.

Finally, when you are cleaning up a diaper, wipe around the anus, rubbing gently. This is also a gentle stimulant to help him move his bowels.

Besides specific fruits and vegetables, dairy products can also be a baby constipation contributing factor. Lay off the bovine products, adding them again at a later date.

Pro-Constipation Foods to Avoid

The book Super Baby Food, by Ruth Yaron is definitely a resource I cannot live without (and a baby shower staple gift).

I've used it with all my children as a guide on when to introduce which foods. It's seriously the most comprehensive book on the subject.

As much as I like it, I know it's not for everyone. Read my full review to find out if it would be helpful for you.

• rice cereal
• bananas
• carrots
• applesauce
• diary products
• white bread, pasta or potatoes

Baby Constipation Miracle Foods

• peaches ~ 5 months (cooked), 7 months (raw)
• pears ~ 5 months (cooked) 6-7 months (raw)
• peas ~ 7 months (cooked, and either pureed or mashed, never whole)
• apricots ~ 8 months
• plums or prunes ~ 8 months
• broccoli ~ 8 months (cooked)
• spinach ~ 9 months (cooked)
• ground oatmeal, millet or brown rice ~ 6 months (each), 7 months (combined)

As with any homemade baby food, make sure that you follow the age guideliens above, and blend to a proper choke-proof consistency.

• Babies 5-9 months should have well-pureed food with no lumps
• 9-12 month old babies can have mashed food with some lumps
• 12-18 months may have tiny chewable pieces that can be picked up (small enough to be accidentally swallowed whole but not big enough to choke)

My doctor is comfortable giving me suggestions over the phone, but your pediatrician may request a visit before giving baby constipation treatment advice.

Depending on the severity of the constipation, some of the things he may suggest include:

• Adding a little mineral oil to a bottle of formula.
• Using a suppository (a liquid or gel-like substance inserted in the rectum, encouraging the bowels to contract).
• Using a rectal thermometer covered with vaseline to stimulate defectation.
• Coming in to the doctor's office for an infant enema or further treatment.

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