When pooping is hard to do.

Dirty diapers and what’s in them do tend to consume new parents. A common issue, and one that plagued me about my daughter when she was a baby — constipation. I never realized someone else’s bowel regularity could cause me so much anxiety! Despite being breast-fed, she started going for days without a BM at around 5 months age. So I just want to share what I learned to help move things along, in case your baby is in the same predicament.

Constipation is defined as having hard stools that are difficult to pass. How can you tell if your baby is constipated? She may cry in pain during a bowel movement or go on for more that 3 to 5 days without passing stools.

Note that it’s common for babies to grunt, or strain when trying to push out the poop and these do not necessarily indicate constipation — as long as they are relieved after the bowel movement. When your baby is straining, you can try picking her up so gravity helps her efforts, or lightly hold her knees against her chest to help her squat — the natural pooping position.

For infants around four months to five months, a common reason for constipation is not getting enough liquids. My daughter wasn’t as voracious a breast feeder as her older brother, so I’m guessing that’s why she would go longer than him without pooing.

For Babies on Milk

Doctors advice that you encourage your baby to drink more breast milk. If your child is on formula, make sure you are mixing in enough water, according to package instructions. Bottomline is, make them drink as much milk as they should. To help a little more, you can even give a few ounces of plain water or a rehydration solution like Pedialyte. Our pediatrician even recommended adding some Karo syrup to the breast milk my daughter would sometimes take from a bottle. Sugary substances draw water into the gut and results in softer stools. Talk to your pediatrician about this if you think your baby needs extra help with her bowel regularity.

For Babies on Solids

If your baby is past six months and already eating solids, amp up her fiber intake to make things go out easier. Add more fruits and vegetables in her diet, which is healthier for her anyway. You can limit the meats. I found that pureed pears or pureed prunes with oatmeal were very helpful for my daughter. Prune juice diluted with water can be very helpful for constipated babies too.

Now that my daughter is a preschooler, her constipated baby days have long gone. So if your baby is the type that strains and is often constipated, follow our advice and take heart… this too shall pass. Pun completely intended!

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