What To Give A 3 Month Old For Constipation

Skip These Baby Constipation Remedies

Never give your infant mineral oil, stimulant laxatives, or enemas to treat constipation. And never offer your baby honey or corn syrup as a laxative before their first birthday. Always ask your pediatrician before giving either to your baby as a constipation remedyeven if they are over 12 months old.

Three Ways To Relieve Infant Constipation

Lyndsey Frey – WriterMay 10, 2017

During your infants first few months of life, his bowel movement pattern will change often as his digestive tract matures. At first, infants may have a dirty diaper after every feeding. At about 2 months of age, they may transition to twice a day and by 4 months of age, most babies go every day or every other day.

Also, any time an infants diet is changed, he may experience a temporary change in his pooping pattern, said Dr. Emma Raizman, a pediatrician at Akron Childrens Hospital Pediatrics in Medina. Introducing solids or switching to formula from breast milk can change the frequency in your babys bowel movements.

So, how can you tell if your baby is truly constipated? Constipation is based on consistency and frequency. Signs of constipation include infrequent bowel movements especially if he hasnt gone in more than 4 or 5 days and hard, pellet-like stools that are difficult to pass.

Even infants on a liquid diet can get constipated, she said. Poop should always be relatively soft. It should not be pellets or formed stool like youd see with older kids or adults.

If you think your infant may be constipated, contact your pediatrician. In the meantime, Dr. Raizman offers 3 tips to help relieve his discomfort and get things moving.

Is My Toddler Constipated

The average toddler makes a bowel movement once a day. Usually, a child who has a bowel movement fewer than three times a week , and whose stools are hard and difficult to pass, is constipated. Also, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, any child with stools that are large, hard, dry, and accompanied by painful bowel movements, soiling between bowel movements, or blood on the outside of the stool may have constipation.

Don’t be worried if your child has a bout of constipation — it’s perfectly normal once in awhile. But if your toddler’s constipation lasts for two weeks or more it’s called chronic constipation, and you should see your pediatrician.

Your doctor may ask you to keep track of your child’s bowel movements — how often they occur, how big and hard they are, and if there is any blood in your toddler’s stool. You should also look for other symptoms that can occur along with constipation, such as:

• General crankiness
• Crying or screaming during bowel movements
• Avoiding the toilet
• Smears or bits of liquid stool in the diaper or underwear

Also Check: Why Does My Face Look Bloated

Drink Some Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is also effective for relieving constipation because some contain the sweetener sorbitol, which can function as a laxative.

If your baby is at least 6 months old, you can offer 2 to 4 ounces of fruit juice. This includes 100-percent apple juice, prune juice, or pear juice in addition to regular feedings.

How Can You Treat Constipation

You can usually treat constipation at home with high-fiber foods and lots of fluids. Do not use any suppositories, laxatives or enemas without first consulting your childs doctor or nurse practitioner.

But when deciding on a home treatment for constipation, the childs age should always be considered.

For children younger than 4 months old, Dr. Kapavarapu suggests this mixture:

• 1 ounce of prune juice in 1 ounce of water, one or two times a day

For children 4 months to 1 year:

• High-fiber baby foods, such as cereals, fruits , vegetables, spinach and peas.
• Fruits like prune, pear or apple and if needed the juice forms of these fruits are helpful.

For children 1 year or older:

• Feed them raw, unpeeled vegetables and fruits at least three times a day.
• Increase the bran in their diet with graham crackers, bran cereal, oatmeal and whole-wheat bread.
• Increase their water and juice intake.
• Have your child sit on the child on the toilet for 10 minutes after meals, especially after breakfast or dinner, to encourage a regular bowel pattern.

Also Check: Does Broccoli Make You Bloated

When Should You Seek Medical Help For Your Babys Constipation

Most times, trying one or more of the home remedies above helps relieve infant constipation. However, additional signs that should prompt you to make a trip to your childs doctor include:

• Your infant did not have a bowel movement in the past three days and is vomiting, weak or irritable.
• Your two-month-old infant is constipated.
• You see blood in your babys stools.
• Your baby is crying incessantly with every bowel movement.
• There is no improvement in your babys constipation even after trying all the home remedies.

When Should You Contact Your Babys Healthcare Provider

You may be asking yourself âWhen should I worry about my babyâs constipation?â There are certain signs and symptoms to look out for that can indicate more urgent medical care may be required. If you notice the following, contact your babyâs healthcare provider right away so your little one can get checked out:

• Blood in your babyâs poop.

You May Like: What To Do For Constipation

Parents Often Worry Unnecessarily

Parents often become concerned about infant constipation when they observe normal changes in their baby’s bowel habits and behavior, which commonly occur around 2 – 6 weeks of age. It’s around this age that the frequency of babies’ bowel motions often decreases, . It is also around this age that many babies are first observed to strain when having a bowel motion or passing gas.

Unfortunately, these changes frequently occur at a time when many babies are becoming increasingly irritable and so parents naturally assume there is a connection. However, in most situations changes in bowel habits have nothing to do with an infant’s irritable behavior.

It’s not the frequency of bowel motions or straining that determines if your baby is constipated it’s the consistency of his stools.

Precautions When Trying Home Constipation Remedies

Laxatives and enemas offer fast constipation relief in adults. However, dont give these to your infant or toddler. Only a doctor should recommend this.

You can safely give one to kids 4 years and older to soften stools and relieve constipation, though.

Always consult a doctor before giving children a laxative or enema. They can recommend a safe dosage.

Recommended Reading: Do Yeast Infections Cause Bloating

What If Natural Remedies Dont Work

Constipation can be dangerous for kids and adults if it goes on for too long. So, if the natural remedies don’t work after a few days, call your baby’s pediatrician if you see any of these signs:

• Theres blood in the stool

• Your baby appears to be in pain

• Your baby starts vomiting, and their belly looks swollen

• The home remedies havent worked

The next step is usually glycerin suppositories or baby laxatives. But these solutions should only be used occasionally.

Glycerin suppositories don’t contain stimulants. Instead, they’re glycerin-filled capsules that dissolve inside your baby’s rectum and soften the poop so it can easily pass through.

Another option is baby laxatives, which are taken orally. Baby laxatives stimulate the GI system to move things along faster. Laxatives usually contain stimulants, so theyre best saved as the last resort.

As always, parents should discuss medication with their pediatrician before offering it to their baby.

What baby constipation remedies have worked for you? Let me know in the comments!

Is It An Allergic Reaction

Allergic reactions can cause raised, swollen bumps, or hives, to appear on the skin.People do not tend to confuse hives with acne. This is because hives is very uncommon under 6 weeks old, does not look like acne, and is usually not confined to the face, neck, and upper chest back as baby acne is.

Babiesâ skin is thinner than adultsâ skin and has fewer oil glands. This makes their skin more vulnerable to injury and irritation.

Adult acne remedies can irritate babiesâ sensitive skin. Caregivers should avoid using OTC remedies unless a dermatologist or pediatrician suggests otherwise.

To treat baby acne at home, keep the skin clean but do not overmoisturize it. A gentle cleanser for sensitive skin can help. Avoid touching or picking at acne, which can make it worse and cause infections.

For most young babies, the fewer things that touch their skin, the better. However, if the baby has dry skin and a face moisturizer may work, it is best to use one that manufacturers have specifically designed for use on baby skin.

Though there is no clinical evidence supporting this claim, some caregivers claim that a breast milk remedy can work. Breast milk is rich in antibodies, and some believe that applying it to a babyâs acne can help clear it up more quickly.

Baby acne typically goes away on its own within a few weeks. If it does not go away, or if it gets worse, a person may wish to consider seeing a doctor.

Read Also: How To Know If It’s Heartburn

Get Help With Lubrication

Constipation is a common childhood ailment, so theres a good chance your baby or toddler will deal with a bout of it at some point. Thankfully, the issue tends to be easy to fix with at-home measures.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

Baby Foods That Help With Constipation

In some cases, your babys doctor may want to consider eliminating cows milk for a short period of time to see if thats causing constipation.

For babies eating solids, you can also offer certain baby foods that help with constipation: Try feeding barley or oatmeal cereals, prunes, peaches, plums, apricots and most vegetables. Theres no need to completely eliminate binding foods like bananas and rice, but its a good idea to cut back on them if youre noticing baby constipation symptoms. Bananas and rice are common binding agents, because they are soluble fibers that soak up water as they pass through your system, and tend to bulk stools, Santo Domingo says.

Don’t Miss: Does Yogurt Make You Bloated

How To Help A Constipated Baby

No parent likes to see their child in discomfort and distress, so knowing how to help a constipated baby can make a world of difference. First and foremost, though, its important to realize that constipation in newborns can be a different issue than constipation in older babies. If your baby is not even a month old yet, talk to your pediatrician right awayat this age, constipation could be a sign of an underlying issue, such as Hirschsprungs disease, a rare congenital condition that happens in about one out of 5,000 births and typically requires surgery.

Additionally, if youre exclusively breastfeeding, its important to count those dirty diapers each day because infrequent stooling might actually be a sign of not enough feeding volume, says Blythe.

But if youve spoken to your pediatrician and ruled out other issues, there are some baby constipation home remedies and treatments you can turn to. Here are some things you shouldand shouldnt try to help a constipated baby:

Are There Health Benefits Of Prune Juice

Prunes are dried plums that are full of nutrients, fiber, and natural sugars. One type of sugar called sorbitol acts like a laxative that can help with constipation. As a result, prune juice also has a lot of sorbitol and can help with constipation.

Prunes have many benefits that can improve your health and be a part of a healthy diet.

Energy provider. The simple sugars in prunes are a good source of energy and donât cause a spike in blood sugar.

Fiber. Prunes are a good source of dietary fiber. They have soluble fiber, which draws water into the bowel and makes the stool soft and easier to pass. They also have insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to the stool and makes it move faster.

Vitamins and minerals. Prunes are high in boron, which is thought to help prevent osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak. One serving of prunes gives you all the boron you need. Prunes are also high in other vitamins like potassium, vitamin K, vitamin A, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6.

Phenolic compounds. Prunes have lots of phenolic compounds, which adds to the laxative effect. These compounds in prunes might also be helpful for heart health and preventing chronic diseases.

While prune juice can help constipation, it doesnât have all the benefits of the dried plums they’re made of.

Not as much fiber. Strained and pulp-free juices donât have as much fiber as the whole fruit. Prune juice with pulp might be a better choice for children.

You May Like: Is Sibo The Same As Leaky Gut

What Does Gripe Water Do

A baby is more likely to experience stomach discomfort when unable to pass gas. Some babies cry for several hours over days or weeks. Since the herbs in gripe water theoretically help with digestion, this remedy is thought to help with colic caused by gassiness. Gripe water is also used for teething pain and hiccups.

What To Do When Your Baby Strains

It’s not necessary for you do anything when your baby strains while trying to poop. However, if you feel he is straining because of constipation you may find lifting his knees to his chest, which is a natural squatting position, by holding his ankles can help him to exert enough pressure to push it out.

Alternate this with gently moving his legs backwards and forwards in a ‘bicycle’ movement. Also try…

• A tummy massage.

Don’t Miss: When Do You Get Heartburn During Pregnancy

How Much Prune Juice Should I Give A Baby

Itâs safe to give children one year old and older some prune juice to help with constipation. Prune juice is pretty safe and low risk, but prune juice for babies under 12 months is not recommended unless your doctor agrees. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that babies under six months should only be fed breast milk.

The best way to give prunes to your baby is when you start introducing foods around six months. You can give your baby whole mashed or pureed prunes instead of prune juice. Your baby will get both the sorbitol and the fiber from whole pureed prunes, which will help with constipation. This will also help them develop good eating habits.

If your doctor says itâs the best thing to do, you can give two ounces of prune juice with two ounces of water. Itâs best to give the juice in a cup at meal times, but you can use a syringe if your baby canât drink out of a cup yet.

Show Sources

Causes Of Constipation In Kids

Your childs eating and potty habits might be causing their constipation. Some children are potty-shy because they either dont want to sit on the toilet or theyre afraid that it will hurt. Your child may hold in their bowel movements on purpose or not.

Avoiding or delaying going to the bathroom can lead to constipation in kids. Fussy eating habits can also change bathroom habits. If your child is eating lots of processed foods or not getting enough fiber from fruits and vegetables, they may have a more difficult time passing stools.

Not drinking enough water may also cause or worsen constipation. Eating or drinking too little also means your child will have to go to the bathroom less.

Let your pediatrician know if your child has constipation often. Health issues in kids can sometimes lead to difficult bowel movements. These include:

Don’t Miss: Does Coffee Make Heartburn Worse

Where To Buy Prune Juice

If you have a child in the infant or toddler range, consider keeping prune juice on hand to treat constipation. Having it ahead of time will give you the best opportunity to use it.

You can find prune juice at many grocery and health food stores. Make sure the prune juice is pasteurized. This process kills any harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

How To Soothe The Baby

When a baby briefly cries out in their sleep, they often settle on their own. Picking them up may wake them up, disrupting their sleep.

If the crying continues, try talking softly to the baby or rubbing their back or stomach. This can help shift them into a different stage of sleep and help them stop crying.

Breastfed babies who nurse in their sleep may find comfort from nursing. Caregivers should decide whether or not the baby is likely to awaken from nursing and assess whether they are willing to risk waking the baby.

It can also be helpful to simply observe the babys sleep pattern. Some babies let out a soft cry as they fall deeply into sleep, or immediately before waking. Identifying the babys typical sleep pattern can help caregivers assess the cause of crying.

Some babies might cry in their sleep when they are sick or teething, but pain that causes crying will usually wake the baby. Caregivers can talk to a pediatrician about how to ease the babys pain.

Although we do not yet know when nightmares start, a caregiver who thinks that they hear their baby having a nightmare can soothe them by talking calmly to them or rubbing their back. Babies who are still breastfed may also find comfort from nursing.

If a baby wakes up after having had a nightmare, comfort them and follow a soothing sleep ritual to get them back to sleep. Older babies and toddlers may need reassurance that the nightmare was not real.

Read Also: Is Diarrhea A Sign Of Std