Is Your Baby Constipated? Potential Signs and How to Treat It

If you’re concerned about possible constipation in your baby, read on to learn more about the key signs and symptoms, possible causes, and the ways you can help your little one feel better.

Infants do not possess the same abdominal muscle strength as children and adults to be able to assist with bowel movements. For this reason, it’s normal for babies to cry, become red in the face, or visibly strain when they try to pass stool. These do not necessarily indicate constipation, especially if your baby does have regular bowel movements.

• Hardened or dry stools in diapers
• Stools that appear larger than normal
• Traces of blood in stools, or in diapers
• Increased fussiness
• Spitting up more than normal
• Bloating in their belly
• Moving their body around in different positions while trying to pass stool
• Straining for 10 minutes or longer, usually with no success

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• Switching to formula from breast milk
• Changing formulas

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• Transitioning to solid foods
• A lack of fiber
• Too little liquids

• Celiac disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hirschsprung disease

Unlike older children, the alleviating and preventing constipation in babies usually focuses on lifestyle and dietary changes, and not medications.

You should not give an infant over-the-counter constipation drops, laxatives, an enema, or mineral oil to help treat constipation, unless a pediatrician says otherwise. In some cases, a pediatrician may recommend a medicated suppository for constipation in babies.

• Extra Fluids Consider providing your baby with either water or juice in between regular feedings to help move stool more effectively through their colon.
• Fruit Juice For babies older than two months, consider providing them with 2 to 4 ounces (oz) of fruit juice up to twice per day. Try a variety of prune, apple, grape, and cherry juices. A pediatrician may recommend 1 oz per every month of life starting at 1 month of age.

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• Fiber-Rich Solids If your baby is older than 4 months and you and your child’s pediatrician have identified they are ready to eat solids, try introducing fiber-rich foods, such as legumes, fruits, and vegetables prepared in an age-appropriate way, twice daily.
• Switching Cereal Types If your baby is at the point where they eat cereal, consider switching from rice-based versions to more fiber-rich ones, such as barley, oats, or wheat.

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• Massage A gentle stomach massage may help encourage regular bowel movements in your baby.
• Movement Mimicking squats and bicycle legs can also help encourage bowel movements in a constipated baby. Try gently holding and releasing your baby’s knees to their chest, or gently moving their legs as if they are riding a bike.

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If your baby is still struggling with constipation despite providing them with extra fluids, juices, or fiber-rich foods, consider seeing a doctor for help.

A doctor may conduct a physical examination to look for signs of something more serious, such as impacted stool or an abdominal mass. Imaging tests and blood work may be ordered in some cases.

As a rule of thumb, if your baby is exhibiting signs of heightened irritability and discomfort that doesn’t improve despite changes in diet and movement, feel free to contact their pediatrician for advice.

• Regular exercise, movement, and playtime
• Increased fluid intake
• A healthy fiber intake

These same principles can be applied to prevent constipation in infants, though they may look slightly different until your child is old enough to walk, drink fluids besides formula or breast milk, and eat solid foods.

Also, while infants cannot yet walk, they can still get exercise in the form of playing and crawling to help possibly prevent constipation. Assisted movements and stomach massage (as listed above) can also encourage bowel regularity.

Signs and symptoms of baby constipation may look different compared with children and adults. If your infant is increasingly fussy and in pain, and they haven’t passed a bowel movement in several days, it’s possible they may be constipated. Increased fiber, fluids, and movement can usually help, but consider calling a pediatrician for advice on baby constipation.