Newborn Constipation Remedies

With the arrival of the newest member of the family, you will have to face a lot of new situations that you probably have not prepared for. One of them is the problem of infant constipation. If you are a first time parent, you probably might panic at the thought of your baby being constipated, but it is nothing really to worry about. Almost 50% of infants go through constipation and it can be treated easily. You will need to watch out for the signs and symptoms and once you are sure that your baby is constipated, you should start the treatment immediately.

Symptoms

There are many signs that can tell if your baby is constipated or not. Watch out for the following newborn constipation symptoms to make sure your baby is actually constipated.

• Hard and dry stool pellets in the diaper
• Reduction in the baby's bowel movements
• Bloating of the stomach
• Fissures or cracks on the opening of the anus
• Streaks of blood in the stools
• Grunting and crying before passing stools

Causes

Bottle-fed babies are prone to getting constipated since formula milk is hard for them to digest as compared to breast milk. Constipation in infants can also be caused due to a deviation in the baby's diet from breast milk to baby formula or due to dehydration and a change in the components of the baby's diet.

Remedies

• Breast feeding the baby can provide relief. Breast milk contains natural laxatives that eases the baby's bowel movements.
• If your baby is formula fed, giving the baby an extra bottle of water everyday to drink can help alleviate and prevent infant constipation.
• Constipation in babies can be treated by administering a variety of fluids to the baby. Give your baby very little cooled, boiled water to drink every three to four hours. Diluted juices could also help in providing relief.
• To cure constipation, you should increase the number of times that the baby is fed and decrease the quantity that is fed.
• Feed your baby a diet that is rich in fiber and iron.
• If the baby is constipated while on a regular diet, avoid feeding the baby food items like bananas, white bread, dairy products, apples, pasta and carrots.

Home Remedies

• Giving the baby small amounts of prune juice, in addition to breast milk or formula milk, is a well-known remedy. The sugar in prune juice helps ease the bowel movements in the baby.
• Add a little milk of magnesia to the baby's formula food to cure constipation.
• Add a little flax oil to the baby's formula food or water.
• Feed the baby food items rich in fiber like plum, prune, spinach, apricot, peas, pears, barley, broccoli or oatmeal.
• Gently massage the baby's tummy in a clockwise motion to ease bowel movements.
• Place the baby on his/her back and hold the baby's leg in a half bent position. Move the legs in a cycling motion for a minute or so. This will help the baby pass stools easily.
• Give the baby a warm bath to stimulate the bowel movements. You can also massage the baby's tummy while bathing the baby.

If these remedies do not cure your baby's constipation, consult your pediatrician about giving the baby a glycerin enema to alleviate constipation. You should seek medical assistance if it does not cure within two days.