My One-Month-Old Baby is Constipated – What Remedies?

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Mom’s Question:
What can I give my one-month-old baby to help with constipation?

Regards,
Latoya (Harare, Zimbabwe)

Baby Helpline:

Symptoms and Remedies For 1-Month-Old Constipated Baby

What a wonderful, loving picture of you and your daughter, Latoya!

Now to your question.

The first thing to consider for such a young baby is if she really is constipated.

Is if your baby is breastfed or formula fed?

If she is breastfed, she is not likely to be constipated; breastfed babies almost can’t produce any hard stools, because the breast milk is so easy to digest. At around one-month-old, babies usually start passing stools less frequently, so in such case, it can be that your baby’s digestive system is simply maturing.

If your baby is formula-fed, the risk of constipation is higher. Unless you are sure that your baby really is constipated, you can review the symptoms of baby constipation here.

If your baby is truly constipated, you can try giving him or her a little bit of boiled water, possibly also adding just a little bit of prune juice to the water. (Not much, start with a tea spoon in total.)

Other gentle home remedies are a comfortable, warm bath or baby massage.

You’ll find many more remedies if you scroll down a bit in this post.

To prevent constipation going forward, make sure you don’t add too much formula powder when making the formula (don’t pack the scoop).

If the problems continue, you can try feeding your baby more frequently, but less formula every time.

If your baby is in great pain or doesn’t pass stools for several days, you should contact her doctor, to make sure she is not ill. Also, it can be wise to discuss changing to another type or brand of formula, if your baby continues to have problems with constipation. Sometimes babies need formula that is more easy to digest.

So to conclude, if your baby is fully breastfed and has pooped more frequently before, she is not likely to be constipated but simply growing.

If she is formula-fed, she might be constipated, so in that case, check the posts I linked to for lots of help!

I hope this helps!

Paula

Helpful Resources on Baby Poop

If you want more in-depth information and tips on baby poop issues, here are a few books to check out. (Links to Amazon)

Comments

Dec 10, 2012Baby won’t stop crying

by: Lariissa

I’m a first-time mom. My baby eats lots, but that’s not the only reason. She wouldn’t stop crying, she is one month already. I tried whatever I could do, I gave her gripe water, Feeding her boiled water, and tried giving her bottle. I burp her really good. And later not even a minute after I burp her, she starts crying for a good 10 minutes, I try to stop her from crying. But i can’t! she keeps goin’ and goin’. I don’t know if she is constipated, and if she is, was is there to help her?? One more, she hasn’t had a good poop lately since yesterday. Her stomach is always hard…
How can u Help??

Jan 26, 2013hospitals are sometimes our better approach!
by: Anonymous

Personally, I would take her to the hospital if she doesn’t have a bowel movement for a day. I think it would be too much build up and make the stool too hard. that could be very harmful so have her checked out by a doctor instead of taking so much advise. all the things u are doing may be affecting her more than making her better. so it’s better to hear it from an expert. I hope ur baby feel and gets better….
Mar 24, 20133 WEEK OLD BABY
by: YAYI89

MY BABY IS CONSTIPATED AND I AM BREASTFEEDING. SHE STRAINS AND IS IRRITABLE, YET BECOMES REALLY CRAMPY AND CRANKY AS SHE TRIES TO PRODUCE A BOWL MOVEMENT. DOCTORS HAVE RULED OUT SOME THINGS AND ARE GOING TO DO A BIOPSY, WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?
Jun 29, 2013MY 1 MONTH OLD BABY
by: SUPRINA
MY 1 MONTH BABY CONSTIPATED WHAT DO I GIVE HIM HE ONLY DOES IT 1 DAY OR NEVER..HE PUSHES AN PUSHES AN I DON’T KNOW WAT TO DO
Jul 06, 2013One month Old 48 hours no poop
by: Damon C.

We did a formula bottle to help a billrubbin score of 9. After the second bottle we discovered skin rash due to a milk reaction so back on breast. No poop going on 48 hour. Waiting on doctor to call. Funny thing Babies not in any discomfort and keeps on feeding. Moms going to try a little prune juice herself.
Will keep you posted on results.
Jul 12, 2013seem as if my baby is constipated

by: Anonymous

My one month old son is breastfed & formula fed but he is always groaning as if he is in pain ,he has’nt pass stool for a day so i gave him gripe water & it is still happening i then gave him laxitive drops he passes a little stool
but he is still crying at times & muscle-ing up as if he is straining to do something & thats makes me very uncomfortable ,what should i do?

Jul 13, 2013One month Old 48 hours no poop Part 2
by: Anonymous

We did non-milk formula to lower bilirubin score, worked. She pooped after 3 days, doctors was not worried. all is well
Sep 29, 2013Vaseline for constipation
by: Sandy

Old mom, now Grandma here… Before you fret, try rubbing some Vaseline on their little bottom exit. My son just called me with his 1 month old constipated son…very worried as they had just switched formulas and no BM just lots of crying. The Vaseline worked good, and he had a BM shortly after. Hope it helps a bit.
Nov 02, 2013new mom to a 1mnth old!
by: Anonymous

My baby got constipated when she was 2 weeks old she didn’t poop for three days so I called her Dr. and they told me to give her a bottle with 2ounces of water mixed with a tsp. of sugar. not even 2 hrs after drinking it she pooped!! now I use this all the time….but only do this once a day because excess water is not good for an infant it could lower their sodium levels…
Nov 08, 2013my 1month and 3days son having constipation.
by: Anonymous

I only breastfeed my son,but for some days now he found it hard to pass stool.what do i do?
Dec 30, 2013My 1 month baby is not passing motion

by: Anonymous

I only breastfeed my daugther,but for some days now she found it hard to pass stool. What do I do?

day before yestrday it happen and yestdray she was able to pass . but today again it happen? i am worried. please help me !!!

Jan 05, 2014Ideas for constipation
by: Vanessa


This is my 3rd baby.My son is now 1 month and has the same fussiness and gas problems.He will strain and throw a fit when his tummy is in pain.If its been awhile since he’s pooped,I will coat the metal tip on the thermometer with a little bit of vaseline and insert it a little bit,while holding his legs up to his tummy.Usually has a poop within 5 minutes. Also, I put a little bit of Desitin on the outside to help lube his hinny,and it works.I’ve just started using a little bit of dark Karo syrup also in his bottles.And if your baby has gas,the doctor said its ok to give him mylacon gas drops before every feeding,because it does not absorb into their body,therefore going straight to their gut and passed through.Hope any of this helps,I am with the same worries and problems. Need more sleep!

May 02, 2014My baby hurts
by: Anonymous
I’m worried bcuz my baby seems 2 have real pain with his bowels even farting hurts him i couldnt brest feed so he.Z on sma is there any other formula that could help him if not what do i do. He was crying for a good few hours today due 2 discomfort
May 22, 2014isomil?
by: Anonymous

Anyone have any troubles with constipation using Isomil brand formula
Jun 08, 2014My baby has been straining.
by: Mercedios Mommy
My son is 4 months old and for the past 2 hours has been pushing and pushing I gave him some glycol medicine and it didn’t seem to help. he got feverish and I wanted to take him to the hospital but we wud have been in there for so long. so I was told to get karo syrup I have not tried it yet because he is sleeping. I hope he has a BM, but if not what do I do?? I’m so worried.
Aug 08, 2014feedings
by: #1mommie
My baby is only 1 month an he eats way to much he eats 8oz of formula every 3 hours
is that ok
Sep 26, 2014breast fed constipated
by: Anonymous
My one-month-old has a very bloated belly and he squirms and cries in discomfort after each feeding..he pulls his legs up to his chest and after abit he usually gets his gas out..but there were no poops for 2 days..I took him to our Dr. yesterday & he told me to give him a bit diluted prune juice..(1 ounce) so I did 3 times throughout the day/night and he finally pooped, it was soft and huge..but he it was just that one…??..I breastfed my daughter as well and she pooped almost each time she ate….
Nov 02, 2014constipation and tummy cramps
by: Anonymous
It could be your baby is lactose intollerant! It can happen even with breast fed babys. If your still having problem you may want to try a soy formula that is lactose free. I went through the same with my son. Good luck :-)
Nov 19, 2014No Poo for the last 48 Hrs
by: GEORGE SYIEM
Our daughter is one month and one day old. We did formulae feeding five days ago.It then took her 48 Hrs to poo and now it has been more than another 48 Hrs that she has not pooed…for the last five days we have been breastfeeding her…now she farts a lots with all legs and hand raised…however her poo doesn’t seem to make way out…how regularly does one month old infant poo????
Nov 20, 2014To George
by: Paula (Baby Help Line)
Hi George,
It does sound as if your baby got a bit constipated from the formula. Wonderful that you can switch over to breastfeeding, since breast milk can’t make babies constipated. I think the gas is a sign that she will poop soon. You can try helping her with some tummy massage to spped up the process.
Wish you good luck!
Paula
Feb 17, 20157week old daughter
by: Anonymous
Hi, my daughter is 7 weeks old n is fully breastfeed, she goes a week or more without a bm and gets very unsettles, i can tell she is in pain, my dr sed to give her prune juce but still nothing, iv tried brown sugar, coloxyl drops, gripe water,tummy messages and bycicle legs still nothing, what else is there i can do?
Feb 18, 20157 week old not pooping
by: Paula (baby Help Line)
Hi,
You might not want to hear this, but I really think you should do nothing, more or less. At her age, and fully breastfed, pooping seldom is normal. There is no reason to try helping nature when nothing is wrong. BUT, while her being unsettled is also normal at her age, I do believe in helping young babies releasing gas, which is often a bigger problem. Tummy massage, that you already do, is great. Pressing her knees softly towards her little belly and shake her side to side a little can also help. A warm bath, covering the tummy also seems to help for many young babies.

In addition, for some, gripe water or being carried around and fed in a more upright position can also help.

What else… Well, take a look at this article about what to eat while breastfeeding. it might give you a few ideas on foods to exclude from your own diet. You can also read about the infant colic remedies here; since some of them might be useful even if your baby is not suffering from colic.

But above all, don’t worry if your baby doesn’t poop. It is normal, as is straining, grunting and being unsettled at the age of 7 weeks. Their digestive system needs practicing and I am not so sure that we are doing them a favor by trying to make them poop more often that what the body itself takes care of.

Hope this helps,

Paula

Feb 26, 2015Hirschsprungz
by: Hurley


I would advise you ask your Doctor to test for Hirschsprungz because my newborn son had those same problems. Lucky the dr tested and found this disease and he is now having frequent movements. I hope that this helps

Feb 28, 2015Chill out!
by: Anonymous
Judging by number of comments on this subject says to me this is pretty normal?! Easy to over react especially if first child but my advice is not to fill them with medication so early on as it all weakens their immune system in long run.
Mar 17, 2015Crying and more crying
by: Trap
Our baby is 8 weeks old and does nothing all day but cry. I’ve seen her smile twice. She seems to spend most of her waking moments wanting comfort while she tries in vein to poo. She can go for up to 3 days without passing despite her valient effort to squeeze out whatever is blocking her up. She is on Actimal special anti-colic/constipation formula which has been of precious little use. Breast feeding is not an option due to an operation my wife had to have. We’ve tried juice, massaging her, applying vaseline to her anus. We are pulling our hair, GP in out area are all Asian quacks who do not value the life of females and are happy to dismiss us as bad parents. My next option is to walk into the Children’s Hospital and demand they tend to her. Or else.
Apr 10, 2015Atop and vasilene
by: Anonymous
Try a quip with some Vaseline. Tried this on my 5 week old yesterday because he hadn’t pooped in over a day. You.take the quip covered in excess with Vaseline and just pop it in the hinney and wiggle it around a bit and walah… Instant BM! Works every time!!
May 17, 2015 For Constipated Babies
by: John
Hi When our kids were babies and had a hard time pooping we gave them a teaspoon of Caro Syrup in their bottle of warm milk and shake it ! It is a white syrup you can buy in Safeway ! It works very well ! Babies have trouble when their milk is switched from formula to regular milk or from breast milk ! This really works and is safe !
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This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Dominic Uee 18 Jun 2015 Reply

    My DD got frequent stomach discomfort, and often get constipated very easily.. I even brought him to see doctor but the medication didnt work for long term cos after the med ended, the prob came back. after switching Mamil, every issues are solved! Mamil solved my kids constipation issue.. fully support Mamil..

  2. Avatar
    JiYong Kwon 18 Jun 2015 Reply

    You can try various home remedies prior to giving laxatives. One of the best remedies that worked wonders for my baby is dark corn syrup. It made my little one’s stools soft and moist, so he did not have to strain much. I just mixed 1.25 ml of syrup with four ounces of formula milk, and next day he was relieved.

  3. Avatar
    Annie Tong 18 Jun 2015 Reply

    Previously my son also faced with constipation, then my neighbour suggested me to try with Mamil. Once I switched to Mamil, my son doesn’t suffer with it anymore. And also, Mamil does not contains Sugar and high DHA which good to your child. Try to change to Mamil for a week, perhaps it’s also a way.

  4. Avatar
    Kelvin Poh 17 Jun 2015 Reply

    I know that Mamil is suitable for children who is 1 til 9 years old. Mamil contains prebiotics oligosaccharide that helps maintain a good intestinal environment. Also, it has the highest level of DHA compared to others brands. Mamil ingredients can increase good bacteria for kids and it also can softer stools, thats why kids who drinking Mamil wont get constipation issue. Switching to Mamil and you see the difference in just 7 days. What i heard from my neighbour said mothers can redeem for free trial pack from Mamil by emailing them, why not? since it is FOC what…

  5. Avatar
    Alessandra Goh 15 Jun 2015 Reply

    My children has less pooping compared to last week. Approximately 3 times per week and this consider is nor normal. Also,he recently feeling discomfort and irritated during a poop. He also complain to me that sometimes he feel pain before a poo. I was so worried and discuss with my parents. With all these symptoms that my parents confirm that he is facing constipation issue. My mum suggested me to switch formula milk that can help in prevent constipation so I am here to inquire about which brand of formula milk that can help in preventing constipation?

    1. Avatar
      lita ola 17 Jun 2015 Reply

      give him mamil. trust me. after few days or a week, his constipation prevented. i’ve used mamil before for my kid after she got constipated. after some remedies didn’t work, i’ve changed her milk. made some comparison of formula milk and i’ve found mamil was the best because it contained no sugar, high level of dha and good bacteria.

  6. Avatar
    Fuki san111 15 Jun 2015 Reply

    Please don’t ever attemp any unproven remedies to your kids. Some unproper remedies just won’t get thing right but in fact it’s just make your kids even worse! Last time, my nephew went in hosp because my sister went and gave him some unproper remedies for constipation.. Beware of those remedies! Better seek for medical advise

  7. Avatar
    JiYong Kwon 12 Jun 2015 Reply

    thanks!!!

  8. Avatar
    Bernert Chim 14 May 2015 Reply

    thanks for sharing~~~~~~~~~~