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. I would rather not give my little baby any type of juices, since he is so young. What else can I do?

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Baby Help Line Response:

Hi Tee Tee!

I agree completely; juice is not for a 1 month old's sensitive tummy! There are however several other remedies than prune juice that you can try for your baby.

For some of them, I think you should just talk to your baby's doctor first, though. Not because they're dangerous, but because a doctor might want to examine your baby if the constipation is severe to exclude any illness.

Home Remedies For Constipation

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. At 1 month old, many babies benefit from partially or fully hydrolysate formulas or lactose free formulas. Some babies even get better by even switching to another brand.


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


• Offer a little bit of boiled water between meals


• Give your baby a tummy 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, maybe once a week.


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

Additional treatments you can give (after talking to a doctor in my opinion) are:

• A glycerin suppository


• Liquid glycerin (Baby lax)


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

For more information about constipation in young babies, click here.

I hope this helps,

Paula

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