What can I do to help my 4 month old with her constipation, without using juice?

Katie - posted on 11/23/2009

My lo wouldn't have anything other than her milk so I watered down her bottles, so if she was on 7oz's I'd do 5scoops powder then 7 water... Seemed to work well? x

Janet - posted on 11/23/2009

kayo syrup. Fill the bottom of her bottle with about 1/8th of an inch of kayo syrup(in the baking department) then fill the bottle as normal. It will have her going b4 the end of the day

Laura - posted on 11/23/2009

i used a teaspoon of karo in every bottle or try giving her just water.

Jamie - posted on 11/23/2009

I was told by the doctors that they are no longer telling people to use karo syrup because there is honey in it. My doctor, gave me tons of ideas. Try taking a thermometor and check her temperture rectally, just insert the medal tip thats it no further than the medal tip., turn the thermometor on and leave it in untill it gives you a temperature reading. that should help her have a bowel movement do it everytime you change her diaper. she might not go for the first few temperature checks but she will eventually go. another thing is a warm bath. milacon drops will only constipate her more so watch using that if you do. sometimes switching formulas might help, I switched my son to similac isomil soy for fusiness and gas relief and spit up, because of these reasons. he still has a hard time with his bowel movements but its not as bad as it used to be. Also holding her legs up while shes trying to use the bathroom also helps.

Laura - posted on 11/23/2009

try giving her a 3oz bottle of sterilised water with a teaspoon of brown sugar in, my doctor told me to give it to my son and it worked!

Amanda - posted on 11/23/2009

If baby is formula fed have a look at the amount of iron in her formula. We had to switch to a lower iron formula. 4 month old should NOT be eating any solids. Just formula or breastmilk until 6 months old (constipation is one of the reasons why we should wait).

Laura - posted on 11/23/2009

Ive been giving my son a bottle made up with about 1/8 prune juice and the rest cooled boiled water. The diluted juice did not give him gas and it helped him go. I gave him as much as he would drink in between his feeds throughout the day. I like the prune juice because it is not very sweet, so doesn't encourage a sweet tooth.

Ashna - posted on 11/23/2009

hi nikkie!



i have a 4.5 month old who passes stool once in 8-10 days! you can imagine my horror when i took him to the paediatrician who daignosed hirshprung's disease and recommended surgery!



i decided to go the conservative route first, by changing his formulae. but i was also advised by some of my friends, who have babies of the same age, to try a mix of hot water and sugar for constipation.



it's a very worrying issue, so i totally umderstand your concern. but you can try the following: 30mls of boiled cooled water with tow teapsonns of brown sugar. it didnt work for my little boy but it seemed to do the trick for friends' babies.



hope u have some luck with it:-)

Nikkie - posted on 11/23/2009

I she on formula? If she is, try buying a different formula. I found that any formula's that say 'Gold' or any S-26 formula made my son constipated. And also, any formula's with added iron are not good. I use Heinz Nuture. Try that, and maybe water down her bottles a little bit too. And try to give her just water on it's own as often as you can. You can also buy a stool softener for babies at the chemists. AND, also, try doing the "running legs" game with her. Just pump her legs like she's runnning. And don't be afraid to do it quit fast, it won't hurt her. Most babies really enjoy it. It'll help move her bowls around and hopefully losen her poos up a bit. Good luck! :)

Dana - posted on 11/22/2009

Being so young and not knowing about food allergies yet i would definetly check with a doc before trying and food products because you would be surprised what babies have reactions to... but when my son was 3 months and up he had alot of trouble with constipation and i went to the doc and they switched his formula three times and told me to use glycerin supositories i would cut them into 4 peices and it woul d help alot and the doc said they were perfectly safe... but again always ask your doc first because they are the ones who know what is safest!!

Tanya - posted on 11/22/2009

If you're breastfeeding, try feeding more often so your baby gets more foremilk, which is more water than hindmilk

Kyla - posted on 11/22/2009

try grape water it helps with gas and constipation and hiccups.....if you bottle feed put 2 teaspoons in a 4 ounce bottle of water....if breast feeding in an eye dropper give her .5ml's of the grape water.....and prune juice does wonders and so does cranberry juice watered down.

Elizabeth - posted on 11/22/2009

if she's eating food make her a bowl of baby oatmeal and mix it with her formula and if not. still baby oatmeal just make a biggier whole in one of her bottle's and mix a oz and a holf of oatmeal with a 4 oz bottle of formula that helps so well plus it feel her up... thats what i do with my four month old... good luck with that though i hope you find something that works for her.

Melissa - posted on 11/22/2009

My son had the same problem and the Dr said to give him miralax it is a powder that you can get in the store along with the metamucil and other things like that. It is colorless and flavorless. I used to mix it with any fluid that he would drink. I would check with your dr on how much to give but it worked wonders. No more problems. It was the worst thing in the world for my son he would scream and his face would turn bright red. I know what you are going through. I had to video tape it and show the dr before she would believe how bad it was. Good luck and hang in there it will get better.

Jennifer - posted on 11/22/2009

mix a little Kayro syrup with an ounce of water. Or do the juice with mylicon drops for the gas. My daughter was constipated for a while I did the above and reduced the amount of cereal she was getting in her bottles. It helps trust me I have 4 kids and seen it all.

Sabrina - posted on 11/22/2009

Try taking 1 tablespoon of molasses and mix it in a 8 oz. bottle of warm water.. shake it up and then let her drink it...it works really well and be ready for poop 20 mins or so afterwards. I did this to my son when he was around 4 months after talkign to a friend that is a nurse! Make sure that you have lots of diapers on hand.

Kelsey - posted on 11/22/2009

Ok, well my answer to everyones questions... Yes she is eating all kinds of baby foods, oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, and she is NOT too young for that. My doc said it was fine and she was very ready for baby food. But the fruits havent done a darn thing. Im gonna try prunes tomorrow, Wish me luck!

Dominika - posted on 11/22/2009

Apple sauce or pear sauce. Works like a charm for my little guy. :)

Kieryn - posted on 11/22/2009

I've tried a little bit of brown sugar in probably 150ml of cooled boiled water try a quarter of a tea spoon it worked for Ava hopefully it will work for you.

Shakiya - posted on 11/22/2009

Go to doctor and asked for a prescription called lactolose.My daughter had the same problem but she goes twice a day without struggle.

Valerie - posted on 11/22/2009

if you google the "i love you tummy massage" you will find a way to get things moving. it isn't immediate but she should poop that night or the next day. it helps wit gas too. you will know it's working if she farts during the massage. adults can use it too...go clockwise for constipation and counter clockwise for diarrhea. Oatmeal will stop her up though. i wouldnt recommend adding more water to formula since too much water in a babies diet could screw up the sodium balance.

Felicita - posted on 11/22/2009

my mom used water and karo surup on my baby and it worked...just a tiny bit and also milcon drops over the counter rite aids , cvs stores sell em too

Makia - posted on 11/22/2009

i agree with carrie, as young as 2 months i gave my son a few spoons fulls of Gerber prunes and woodwards gripe water. He would go with ease!

Christina - posted on 11/22/2009

Well u can try the old school way, which using a NON perfum bar of soap, take a pea size ball and place in the rectum.. it will losen things up... sound gross and mean (as a friend said) but it worked with my son when nothing else would..

Erica - posted on 11/22/2009

If she is old enough for solids give her prune's and rasins (for when she is older) just don't over do it. Make sure she is getting enough liquid's as stated before that is very important.

Audrey - posted on 11/22/2009

I know you said juice gives her gas but what kinds of juice have you tried. I know the acidity in apple juice can sometimes cause gas it little ones. Have you tried prune nectar? It tastes horrible to us, but babies seem to like it. You don't need a lot. Just an ounce or so and mix it with an ounce or two of water. Should clear it up within the day.

Lizz - posted on 11/22/2009

corn syrup in water either than or suppositories over the counter.

Emma - posted on 11/22/2009

if ur unsure the best thing to use is boiled air water, that works a treat

Janie - posted on 11/22/2009

My daughter is 14 months now, but when she was younger she struggled with constipation, i didnt like giving her juice either, they say a little kayro syrup in the bottle helps, but then it sweetens the milk so they might prefer that more than the reg bottle, i never did the kayro thing, a few times when she was real bad i used a half of glyceren sapository for babies, it seemed to help, but you dont want to do that to much cause they need to be able to make bowel movements on their own, their muscles need to work, and a sapository if used to much can weaken their bowel muscles.....The doctors told me pear juice and prune juice are the mildest on their tummy's but to delute it half and half like with 4oz, (2oz juice 2oz water)... these are the suggestions i can think of, I hope i helped some, there's not much else you can do until your baby starts eating solids...oh and is your baby on Formula? try switching to (sensitive) we had to, the regular was to hard on her and constipated her also.. Hope I could be of some help!

Jessica - posted on 11/22/2009

Well first if you haven't talk to your babys doctor and second never give a baby karo syrup not good for them and can make it worse...the baby is four months old is the baby still on breast or formula or is the child eating cereal and 1st foods it all depends on what your child eats and what your doctor says or has said also but i never gave my daughter karo syrup and never would give a child that i've heard bad things hope i helped take care hope it gets better soon.

Michelle - posted on 11/22/2009

Try a tspn of cool boiled water or i use Coloxyl oral drops from the pharmacy. ( I not sure where your from but i live in New Zealand)

Hope this helps.

Ivette - posted on 11/22/2009

My daughter has been suffering from constipation for a year now. The best thing you can do is give her fruits and veggies. Don't let her eat too much cheese or even milk! I heard papaya helps. Do not give her bananas. It makes it worse. Give her a lot of water.

Sallie - posted on 11/22/2009

I have a 4 month daughter as well she has been constipated a coupled of times and I would start with working her legs and put a warm towel on her tummy. I would also give her a warm bath. Then, if that didn't work we would giver her some Miralax, just a little though because i didnt want to hurt her. If that didnt work then i would giver a liquid suppository and within minutes she would have immediate relief. I would let her doctor know that she is struggling, because they may want to change her formula. It's scary and i know how you feel. Just hang in there and she will get through it.

Stephanie - posted on 11/22/2009

Karo syrup... the "light" kind is what our doctor recommended ......or u can use glycerin suppositories, they work like a charm!

Shari - posted on 11/22/2009

Karo syrup but only the clear kind.. mix in about a tablespoon with formula.. It sort of helped my daughter. If it is really serious like it was with my daughter, the doctor gave us a prescription that really helped. I'm sure if you talk with your ped they would help with that

Heather - posted on 11/22/2009

prune baby food, dark karo syrup.. my doctor recommended 1 tablespoon per 4 oz of formula, vitamin d milk or breastmilk. start in 1 bottle a day and if that is not doing the trick in a couple days then increase karo syrup to 2 bottles a day. let me know how it works for you!

Angela - posted on 11/22/2009

My doctor told me 1/2 ounce Karo syrup to 2 ounces of water...pancake syrup would work but slower, and it has more sugar...

Lael - posted on 11/22/2009

DEFINATLEY PRUNES,IN A BLENDER

Jacquelin - posted on 11/22/2009

My pedi. said to give my daughter a 1/4 t mineral oil in her bottle when she was that age. if that didnt work bump it up to a 1/2 t.

Tara - posted on 11/22/2009

My daughter had horrible constipation as well, and dark karo syrup mixed with her formula was a God send. It worked great! Only about a teaspoon in her bottle, and if that don't work after a couple of days try just a little more.

Meghan - posted on 11/22/2009

Oh, and if you are breastfeeding, breastfeed more!

Meghan - posted on 11/22/2009

Massage the belly and do bicycle kicks with her legs then press her knees into her belly. Good Luck!

Toni - posted on 11/22/2009

get diarolight from a chemist

Chris - posted on 11/22/2009

Once she starts solids at six months, prunes!! Also fruit in general is great. I made baby food using regular groceries and my blender, I bought a book online called Blender Baby food. I just froze them in ice cubes tray and then defrosted as needed. My daughter who is 2.5 yrs now had urinary tract infections starting at 8 mo that were so severe she was even hospitalized once. After testing from the urologist we discovered there was nothing wrong w/ her urinary tract/kidneys/ureters etc., it was just from constipation. This constipation was likely from the iron-fortified rice/oatmeal cereal that they desperately want breastfeed babies on.



Soon after 1 yr they (urologist and pediatrician) told me that it was safe to give her 1 tsp to 1/2 capful of miralax daily in 4 oz apple/prune juice. Now we mix it in any beverage and it still has the same effect.



If your daughter gets severe symptoms from the constipation (i.e. rectal bleeding, hemorrhoids, etc.) I would see about gastric motility studies.



For now try prune juice until 6 mo when you can bulk the fiber intake via solids. A lot of kids are less gassey w/ that vs. apple. P.S. I am an RN myself in Gastroenterology. Hope my story and my experience helps you!

Debi - posted on 11/22/2009

Quoting Chauntel:

try a little bit of light Karol syrup with water and then also try some honey( no more then 1 TSP) in some water with rice cereal.

Brittany - posted on 11/22/2009

I have used Karo syrup about 3 times a day mixed in my babys bottle with his formula, it worked. But i have also tried some medicine called Gripe Water you can get it over the counter. It comes in a little bottle with a dropper. It helps with gas, constipation, upset tummy, colic, and hiccups. You can mix it in the formula or just give it to the baby by mouth.

Tara - posted on 11/22/2009

Miralax...you can find it at Walmart. I tried the prune juice and karo syrup and while it may work for some babies it did not work for mine. Miralax helped him the most and now he's regular. My pediatrician gave the stamp of approval. I can't remember the exact dosing but you can ask your pediatrician. Hope this helps. If you have any questions just let me know.

Jamie - posted on 11/22/2009

Doc told me karo is really bad for babies....good belly rub and little stimulation from the doc had mine poopin right away , he also said a little straight prune juice wouldnt hurt

Lisabeth - posted on 11/22/2009

my dr. told me to just add a little extra water to her formula and it worked.

Fallon - posted on 11/22/2009

DON'T use Karo! At 4 months you can give her stage 1 prunes baby food & if that doesn't work then try stage 1 sweet potatos. (They ALWAYS work great for my daughter!)