Baby constipation.... what can I do to help?

Kelsea - posted on 02/13/2010

hey, i know how you feel, but when a baby is in the womb...they are spolied...its warm in there, they always have a constant supply of food, and they dont have to worry about pooing. so when they come out, its a shock.,..it looks painful but its not

Rebecca - posted on 02/13/2010

A little apple juice with water should help.

Lauren - posted on 02/13/2010

Hi Mariah,

When my son was only 1 week old he became constipated and I didnn't want to use medicines on him at that age. I got my sister to call her friend who is s Royal Flying Doctor, and she suggested a teaspoon of brown sugar in approx 90mls of milk. This is a common remedy with people in here area. Within an hour this had relived Lachie's pain and discomfort and he had a bowel movement. I try to stay with natural remedies where possible. I hope this helps... :) Good Luck!!

Lauren and Lachlan

Megan - posted on 02/13/2010

Karo Syrup. Add a lil 1 tsp to her bottle and she will poop within 15 minutes. If she doesnt in her next bottle add a lil more syrup. Put some in every bottle for a couple days just to get her back on track. It worked so well for my son.

Megan - posted on 02/13/2010

I always used a little bit of karo syrup in my kids' bottles. Their pediatrician said a little bit of brown sugar would work the same

Margareth - posted on 02/13/2010

I can also do with some advice, mine is 4weeks ols, and we struggle for two weeks now, shes on formula milk

Angel - posted on 02/13/2010

Actually. My daughters doctor told me... that a normal for a baby is anywhere from 1 to 4 days. It is ok. Dont try and give them anything UNLESS its hard poop when they do potty OR if there is blood in it from straining so hard. i hope this helps.

Sherri Nes - posted on 02/13/2010

apple juice worked best with my daughter..

Jennifer - posted on 02/13/2010

put a teaspoon of karo syrup in her bottle it works every time..just give it a few hours after she takes it

Nicole - posted on 02/13/2010

definitely prune or apple juice, diluted with water, half and half. they only need about 4 ounces. and even if the constipation goes away but she's still only going once every few days, that's okay, some babies only go once a week, they're all different. :) sometimes my daughter goes 2 or 3 times a day, and then sometimes 1 every 2 or 3 days, because of the new foods that are being introduced to her...have you started her on cereal?

Presley - posted on 02/13/2010

my son had really bad constipation too a little while back. My doctor gave me a few things that we could try. She told me that you can use prune juice (if not the baby kind then dilute it with water), you can try pear juice(also found in the children section) or you can try a baby lax but pinch off the top and use that! DO NOT USE A WHOLE LAX. hope this helps you!

Sarah - posted on 02/13/2010

water and start some babyfood. Research which kinds of veggies are best to start with.

Daralyn - posted on 02/13/2010

My son (now 9 months) had the same problem at about 2 weeks. My midwife told me not to be concerned until he hasnt pooped for 5 days. I thought that was along time. She also said if I wanted I could give him prune juice. We just had to water it down. I gave it to him and it worked! We gave him prune juice every 3 days to make him poo and now he is just fine in that department!! Good luck!

Aimee - posted on 02/13/2010

My son got constipated when he was about a month old, it turbned out to be his formula... Brown sugar melted and mixed in her water can help or boil some prunes til liquid and mix it with her water too.

I found the prune remedy to be more helpful but I'd try both before I tried suppositories lol it's got to be much more pleasant for bubs!

BTW A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF ONE (SOMETIMES OLDER DEPENDING ON FAMILY HISTORY OF ALLERGIES) CANNOT HAVE HONEY, IT CAN BE VERY BAD FOR THEM AND THEY CAN DIE DUE TO A CERTAIN TOXIN THAT CAN BE FOUND IN IT.

Cassandra - posted on 02/13/2010

Try like A juice like Prune juice or Grape, have her also eat Bananas :)

Maryann - posted on 02/13/2010

I also tried Prune Juice and I put both my daughters on Califig - this seemed to help too!

Maryann - posted on 02/13/2010

I know this sounds really weird but my 2 children found it painful to have a BM when they were babies and just screamed! I was told by mum to put a tiny about of washing up liquid around there bottom - and it really worked! I dont mean to sound crude but its as if the BM just slipped out! When my mum first said this I was like NOOOO! But after my daughter screaming for ages like she was in pain I tried it and it really really worked!

Tanith - posted on 02/13/2010

If your baby is formula fed then you should maybe try Lactogen in the NAN range - It helps with digestive discomforts. Make sure she's properly hydrated, so if it's hot then give her juice or water regularly. If she's taken in solids, have a look at how much she's getting. Some babies take in too much solids and are too full to drink their liquids. If non of these apply then give a little puried prune or prune juice to get her tummy working again.

Rebecca - posted on 02/13/2010

hey matey...i use a teaspoon of brown sugar in 50mls of cooled boiled water slightly warmed up...goes straight through my boy and has the constipation cured within about 10mins :)

Sylvia - posted on 02/12/2010

No honey none at all... My son had a hard time too. His doc. said to give him a little bit of apple juice not to much mixed with water...

Cassie - posted on 02/12/2010

My mil actually helped me out with this one. Just a little bit of Karo syrup on your finger or in her bottle should do the trick. It sounds strange, but it works.

Mary - posted on 02/12/2010

My daughter has had that same problem since she was 1 week old. We took suppositories and cut them into 4 pieces the long way and they helpped. We also started to use prune juice in her bottles and thats what we've found works the best. She loves the juice... What I do is mix her milk up and leave about 2 oz of water out and put in 2 oz of juice. It works... Gives them gas though and it can hurt them but it works like a charm after the first day. Good luck and hope this helps!

Alanna - posted on 02/12/2010

I had the same problem with m y daughter I was informed by a pediatric G.I, to give her miralax . My daughter would scream the most horrifying scream because she had to poop but couldn't b ecause she was constipated . Called the Dr she told me to give her some prune juice and it would clear up. Didn't work . it got to the point that she was full of poop to where she would eat and a few hours later she would throw up so I took her to the ER where I CAME IN TO CONTACT WITH A PEDIATRIC GASTROENTROLOGIST I know that I spelled that wrong sorry. But he reccommended that I give her some miralax and it did the trick. She is almost 2 and I still use it when needed

Angelina - posted on 02/12/2010

My son would have issues with constipation all the time even to this day he still does and he is going on 9. I found that dilluted apple juice would word the best for a quick remedy usually took less than a day to kick in. I had aked my sons pediatrician and she said that if it worked that it was perfectly fine just try to find the apple juice that didnt have all the artificial things in it. Juicy juice is a good one or the Harvest brand. It is more juice to water ratio and not a whole lot of artificial sweeteners. Fill a bottle about half way and then the rest with water. Try one bottle first and then be patient, you don't want to give her too much because she could extremely loose stool and become dehydrated. Hope this helps

Trish - posted on 02/12/2010

Cheap and easy to fix :) My child health nurse suggested Warm water with a lil sugar in it, should work a treat! But I do agree with prune juice for sure!

Heather - posted on 02/12/2010

The dr. always told me some prune juice would work. But don't give her alot being just 4 months old.

Jamie - posted on 02/12/2010

Also give her a belly massage starting at her belly button going in circular motions or move her legs like shes riding a bike that always makes him go

Jamie - posted on 02/12/2010

Aiden is formula fed and he was getting constipated the doctor said give him a little bit of water like 1 oz after he eats and it will losen it up. They also said it could be the formula is to much for his belly so i tried a couple different ones and he is regular now with enfamil gentlease

Heather - posted on 02/12/2010

unpasturized honey can contain botulism and most pasturized honey is safe but not recomened for babies under a year old.

Heather - posted on 02/12/2010

give her 1 ounces with 1 ounces of water every 6 hours. And beware she is liable to explode and smell very bad.

Samantha - posted on 02/12/2010

My son went thru the same thing at that age, I took him to the doc and she said try soy milk instead of the regular formula. It cleared it right up. The doc told me that a lot of babies are born with intolerance to reg. milk/formula but they soon grow out of it. He's almost 2 now and has been drinking reg. milk for over a year now with no problems.

Dawn - posted on 02/12/2010

I just delt with it myself for the first time with my son. The Dr. told me to use apple or prune juice diluted with water. Also I loosened the diaper and he had less problems after that too but still cried. Also if you have started her on first foods give her some prunes. It may take a bit to take affect but it works well.

Leesa - posted on 02/12/2010

i know this sounds really stupid but get prune juice. put two tablespoons in a four ounce bottle of breastmilk of formula. it should work in a few hours. my daughter and i were going through the same thing.

Mandi - posted on 02/12/2010

You can give her pear juice or if she is really fussy you can put vasoline on a q tip and insert it slighty into her bottom back and forth until she goes. I know it sounds groose but it works. I have done both. If she is breastfed it is normal for constipation and it will pass. I usually do the q-tip thing after she hadn't gone in 3 or 4 days.

Amber - posted on 02/12/2010

You may think I'm crazy, but set her on the toilet. It sounds rediculous, but that's how I do my daughter and have done that for a while. It relaxes their muscles and makes it easier. No juice, suppository, or syrup every really worked without making her dehydrated. Try it once and let me know how it goes.

Tiffany - posted on 02/12/2010

You could try mixing some Karo syrup in some warm water, or you could try some apple juice diluted with some warm water.

Alison - posted on 02/12/2010

My doctor recommend colace infant drops. it works within a day or so.

Emily - posted on 02/12/2010

a wee bit of brown suger in bottle helps our daughter, and that advice came from a nurse, also pear juice is ment to help to, also from a ex nurse now retired!

Krystal - posted on 02/12/2010

Amanda said try tea with honey in it. HONEY CAN KILL CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF ONE YEAR!!!!!!!! do NOT try this without talking to a Doctor!!!!!!

Jamie-Lee - posted on 02/12/2010

My son is exactly 5 weeks old today. He was 2 weeks early and I think because of that, he has problems having a BM. My husband and I started giving him Gripe Water if he hasn't gone and within an hour or two he poops. I don't know if it's just coinsidence or not but it seems to work. It says right on the bottle that it's for quick relief of minor stomach upsets suck as colic, cramps, sour stomach and hiccups.

Trina - posted on 02/12/2010

My daughter has had stomach issues since she was 3 days old... we changed her formula 5 different times and ended up with Gentleease twice.... up until she was 6 months old i would have take her diaper off and leave it underneath her and hold her legs up until she went....and i went through many many many nights of just pure pain screaming until she went and then slept like a baby after she got it out....after she started eating solids it helped a little but she is 2 years old now and every now and again she will be severly constipated and just scream and cry with her lil belly as hard as a rock and i feel so helpless... the doctor prescribed me stool softner but i dont feel right giving it to her... i think she may have a real stomach issue and the doctor will not fully examine her because she crys.... hopefully as she gets older the problem goes away...anybody have any of the same issues?

Emily - posted on 02/12/2010

Well the most extreme would be a suppository which I have had to use on both of my kiddos as young as 3 months of age. When I took my youngest in to see the GI specialist due to reflux I informed her that my daughter was getting constipated and so she told me to give her milk of magnesia. You will need to ask the doctor the dosage because it depends on their weight. She recommended that because it is not habit forming, in other words the body will not require she take it in order to go potty. With my first little girl her pediatrician had me put her on mineral oil, again talk to your pediatrician about dosage because it depends on weight. You just put it in a bottle or in juice, shake it up and give it to them. One other thing that my pediatrician recommended when my daughter got older was Miralax, they said it was non-habit forming and can be taken every day if needed. I used that on my oldest for a while until she started becoming regular, then I give it to her only when she needs it. As far as my youngest, I have found that a suppository helps when she hasn't gone in several days. What I do is get a rubber medical glove, put vaseline around her bottom, cut the suppository in half and then put it in. You may have to do that for a few days to get all the hard stuff out then once it is out you can stop. One other thing is acidophalus which can be found at any health place or trader joes, sprouts where ever and you can buy it in powder or liquid form. Again talk to your doctor about dosage.

Talk to your pediatrician about everything to make sure that it is safe for your child.

Sarah - posted on 02/12/2010

Apple or pear juice mixed with a little water should help! My son experienced constipation for the first time when he was 3 months old & my doctor suggested this. It did the trick! Also, the doctor suggested a light tummy massage & peddling the legs like on a bike. Good luck!

Lindsay - posted on 02/12/2010

Put some 2 tablespoons of apple juice in her milk one or two times a day until she has a BM.

Robin - posted on 02/12/2010

my doctor told me to use a thermometer. just insert it a little bit wigil it around and the usually go right away. its worth a try then to give her something or before you go buy medicine

Bonita - posted on 02/12/2010

had the same prob a couple time when my lil man was a baby, mix a little bit of prune juice with what ever u give him a couple times a day will do the trick not too much thou or it will be messy :)

Tara - posted on 02/12/2010

Brown sugar water! My daughter has troubles every once and a while and I was told by a cousin of mine who happens to be a nurse that 1 Tbsp of water to 1 Tbsp of brown sugar would work. I had doubts, but within half an hour my daughter was relieved!

Tammy - posted on 02/12/2010

he sweety, for a 4 month old there is not to much you can do ,keep her legs moving, try mineral oil. that helped my daughter when she was younger. you could also make sure that she has mega fluids.. the mineral oil helps everything slide down and slide out soooooo easy. if that doesn't work ask a pharmacy. good luck and try to stay calm, it can get stressful.

Beth - posted on 02/12/2010

your not supposed to give babies honey because of the risk of botulism.

are you giving her cereal because that made my baby constipated

Emma - posted on 02/12/2010

we are only suggesting apple juice as it is what is recommened to us by health visitors and doctors