What Can You Give A Baby For Constipation

Camila Farah

As a rule of thumb you can give 1 ounce a day for every month of life up to about 4 months a 3 month old baby would get 3 ounces. Once your baby has relaxed in the bath you can also massage their stomach see above. Prune juice has a natural laxative effect but pear or apple juices also work well to relieve minor constipation.

Bananas rice and even some dairy can be.

Regular potatoes with skin have about 3 gm of fibre and can prevent constipation. If the juice is too. Baby milk formula is a common trigger as it is far less easily digested. Add a little dark fruit juice like prune or pear to your baby s bottle.

However if you give him potato chips or potatoes with butter or sour cream then he may suffer from constipation. Babies over six months who have started on solids can eat foods containing fibre which will help overcome constipation. If your baby is showing signs of constipation try giving her an additional 2 4 ounces 1 4 1 2 cup of water after each feeding to help bowels flush properly. Puréed or chopped apples apricots blueberries grapes pears plums prunes raspberries and strawberries are all high in fibre.

And just as you should look for foods that can help your baby have a bowel movement you should also understand which foods can cause constipation too. After a baby reaches 2 4 months of age they can have a small amount of fruit juice such as 100 percent prune or apple juice. Give them some extra water if they re older than 4 months. If you give your baby potatoes with other veggies then it won t be a problem.

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Constipation should never be a reason to stop breastfeeding. Add a few drops of olive oil to two to four of baby s bottles a day. Give your baby a bath a warm bath can make your baby relax so the stools are passed more easily. Holding baby upright and massaging his lower back while he strains can also improve constipation and associated discomfort.

Switch formula if you re formula feeding. The sugars in these fruit juices aren t digested very well so they draw fluid into the intestines and help loosen stool. A small amount of pure apple juice can help soften stool. After the first month of life if you think your baby is constipated you can try giving him or her a little apple or pear juice.

Give your baby extra drinks of cooled boiled water in between feeds if she is being bottle fed. For babies over 6 months occasional prune or pear juice may help speed up your child s colon contractions which may help your baby produce a bowel movement more quickly.