Severe Constipation

by TEE TEE
(Brooklyn)

What remedy do you suggest for a 1 month old with severe constipation and please don't say prune juice, it has acid in it.







Baby Help LIne Response:

Hi Tee Tee!

There are other remedies than prune juice that you can try for your baby. However, for some of them, I think you should just talk to your baby's doctor first. Not because they're dangerous, but because a doctor might want to examine your baby if the constipation is severe to exclude any illness.

Below I've listed some natural remedies and some that you can also use - but talk to a doctor first.

Easy things you can do for your baby without talking to a doctor are:

• Switch to another type of formula and see if it helps



• Increase the share of breast milk in your baby's diet



• Offer some boiled water between meals


• Give your baby massage - there is a specific type of colic massage that is also very good for constipation in my experience.



• Put some lubricants on a cotton swab and carefully insert it into your baby's rectum about as far as you would insert a thermometer. Wiggle it just a little bit and then take it out. Sometimes this is enough to help the passing of stools start. Don't do it too often though, may be once a week.



• Also make sure you don't add too much formula powder when making the formula (don't pack the scoop).

• A glycerin suppository



• Liquid glycerin (Baby lax)



• Nonprescription laxatives, such as 1 tea spoon of flax oil every day.