Infant Constipation Remedies

by Haiyan Lai-Heskin Infant constipation is a common concern for parents. Children can have a very wide range of variations in the frequency at which...


Infant constipation is a common concern for parents. Children can have a very wide range of variations in the frequency at which they open their bowel. It is only natural that you be extremely worried about what is happening to your child.

Infant constipation can said to occur if there is a deviation from what is normal for that child, both in frequency and consistency.

Foremost of them is the switching from breast milk to formula or the changing of formulas without consulting with their pediatrician first. The form of the formula. If it is powder, ensure there is no packing when measuring. This basically means no compressing when you are measuring the formula.

Lack of breast feeding. Some babies who are fed with just formulas have been known to poop once in three days compared to their breast fed counterparts who go at least once a day.

Potty training anxiety. This is especially common in toddlers and older children. Parents should not be too harsh with potty training. It could cause the kids to resist opening their bowel.

Between the first months to the first year of life, the bowel habit of a child could change considerably, reflecting changes in feeding patterns, constituents and consistency. It is important to sustain an optimal bodily function in your child.

1. Make Sure your child to drink enough water or fluids. Consulting a pediatrician before changing over from breast milk to bottle feeds, or to solid meals.

2. Use magnesium popularly found in the form of magnesium citrate. This aids the contraction of the peristaltic muscles resulting in bowel evacuation. Apart from this, it enables the muscles of the intestine to function maximally. When giving it to the child, it is better to start with 1/16 of a tablespoon added to water which is given to the child. This can be continually applied until the child consistently has satisfactory bowel movements.

3. Use baby enema. To do this, apply olive oil to the tip of a bulb syringe containing about one to three (1-3) tablespoons of lukewarm water, and insert gently in the baby’s colon. Be careful that there is no air in the bulb. After a few minutes, your baby should naturally have a bowel movement. Do this until satisfied.

Baby constipation remedy can be easily gotten if you know what to do. But you should try to understand what may be causing the constipation and help resolve it. In newborn babies, a few days old, discuss with your doctor immediately.

About the Author:

Comments are closed.