Tips on Motherhood for Dealing with Constipated Babies
I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post written by me. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. Consult your pediatrician before making changes to your baby’s diet or if you have concerns related to your baby’s digestive health. Please see the product label/website for acceptable use and benefits. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-800-BABY123 or through the Contact Us link on Reguline.com or Enfamil.com
Have your children ever struggled with digestive issues? They aren’t uncommon with children, and in particular with younger children and babies. For the most part, my three children have been fairly lucky with their digestive systems. And while Squeaker has had nothing but breast milk, both V and Sweet B were supplemented with formula by six months of age. With V this transition wasn’t a huge problem. With Sweet B, however, we started to notice some issues. This experience was not particularly fun, but today I want to share my tips on motherhood for dealing with constipated babies. These tips will especially help if your baby deals with occasional constipation.
Seeing your baby struggle with occasional constipation is never fun. Their little faces contort, the sharp cry… I can remember it vividly when Sweet B was a baby.
And we really must have tried everything with her.
But what is constipation?
According to the National Institute of Health, constipation occurs when:
- there are fewer than two bowel movements a week
- bowel movements have dry, hard stools that are difficult to pass
- constipation occurs when stool remains in a child’s colon for too long
In most cases, constipation is not a long term issue and is not considered to be dangerous.
So how will you know if your baby is dealing with occasional constipation?
One thing to keep in mind is that babies are very different from adults in terms of how developed their muscles are. For example, their abdominal systems are weaker than ours so they may seem to struggle with bowel movements.
If you suspect that your baby is constipated, look for the following signs:
- Excessive fussiness
- Spitting up more than usual
- Fewer bowel movements than before
- Harder stool or stool that contains blood
- Straining during a bowel movement for more than 10 minutes
I remember with Sweet B, we saw more than a few of these signs. Except the fussiness. She was always a fairly easy going baby.
How to help your baby with occasional constipation:
- warm baths
- massage their tummy to help stimulate movement
- prunes or prune juice (or other foods that may help your child with bowel movements)
- gently bring their knees up as they’re having a bowel movement or let them push their feet against the palm of your hand
Do not, under any circumstances, put any type of foreign object (including your finger) inside of a baby’s rectum. You could cause damage.
With Sweet B, it did get to the point where we spoke with her pediatrician about possible options. Since she was entirely on formula by that point, one of the things that she suggested was trying a new formula. I only wish that we could have had Enfamil® Reguline™ to try!
Enfamil Reguline is an everyday infant formula specifically designed to promote comfortable stools and to help to support your baby’s digestive health.
· There are two prebiotics in Reguline to help support digestive health
· These prebiotics are a type of carbohydrate that are also found in breast milk.
· Reguline also provides complete nutrition and can be used throughout the first 12 months.
· For more information about Reguline, Contact Enfamil at 1-800-BABY123
I think that Enfamil Reguline really could have beneficial for Sweet B’s occasional constipation. She needed the relief and believe me, so did I. There were many times that I got into the bathtub with her to help her with bowel movements.
Did your baby ever deal with occasional constipation? What tips or advice would you like to share?
Kori
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