Baby constipation can be a stressful time for babies and parents. Like me, you may wish you could do something to help! There are many kinds of baby constipation and does not solely mean your baby cannot poo.
How can you spot if your baby is constipated?
- They are pooing less frequently, if at all
- They are straining when doing a poo
- Their poo resembles little pellets or breaks up
- Their poo is hard and a darker colour
There are many reasons why a baby can become constipated. Poor diet, not enough fibre, not enough fluid or even if your baby is drinking breastmilk could be some of the many reasons.
1 – Prunes
Prunes, or dried plums, are said to be high in fibre and can be even better than some laxatives used by adults. Granted, the taste is not great, and some babies will take to it more than others. I have given my daughter prune juice mixed with her usual water to help relieve baby constipation.
2 – Pears and apples
Two great fruits that provide fibre and taste good. This has always helped my little one with baby constipation. Here are several ways you can add pears and apples into your babies’ diet:
• Purée: I steam and purée them and offer them as a dessert after a meal
• Ice lollies: blend with a splash of water or lemon juice and put into lolly moulds
• Finger food: you could also peel and chop into manageable slices and give as finger foods
• Prepared: you could look for your usual baby foods that already have these in. I use Ella’s Kitchen pouches or a supermarket alternative.
3- Greens
Making sure your baby has a decent amount of greens in their diet can sometimes be difficult, but they do help with constipation. Unfortunately for me my daughter is a fussy eater and sneaking those greens in has always been a challenge. One way I have done this is by adding it into her roti/chapati and eggs. My palak roti recipe is easy to make and tastes great.
4 – Beans
Many kind of beans have great fibre content. Possible sources include:
• Baked beans (be careful of salt or sugar content – I make my own using cannellini beans)
• Kidney beans
• Green beans
• Soybeans
• Lima beans
My daughter does not like baked beans, so I created something different from what she loved. Check out my mixed bean quesadillas recipe.
5 – Tummy massage
After a lot of research around the subject of baby constipation, I found many advocates for baby massage. Some of these techniques were shown to me at a baby club I was lucky enough to attend. I found a great page on Baby Centre with pictures to demonstrate.
6 – Weetabix
Weetabix is a great option to add fibre to my daughters’ diet. She loves a nice warm bowl of Weetabix in the morning. It is very filling and keeps her going all morning. There are many variations to explore too. Adding different fruits can add more fibre and colour to make it exciting. Try my Banana Weetabix muffins for something different!
7- Fennel water
I am a big fan of using fennel seeds (or saunf) to help relieve constipation. Add 5-10 seeds with 3 sultanas to water and boil up. I then either give this once cooled down as her normal drinking water or formula powder can be added to make a feed if still on formula milk. You can read more about the top 10 spices I have in my store cupboard and their health benefits.
8- Change of milk
I found when changing the formula milk to full-fat milk that my daughter was having trouble. So, I decided to go back and use half formula milk and half full-fat milk in her feeds, gradually increasing the full-fat milk until she was used to it.
9- Moving around
With most things, a nice bit of exercise can be refreshing and keep things moving. Ensuring our little ones have enough running around or crawling time can be difficult when they are not feeling well. A change of scene, distraction or some fresh air can help encourage movement and hopefully help the system to go.
10- Gripe water
I have found that a spoon of gripe water following a meal helped to relieve my daughter. Of course, this is not what gripe water is used for so be cautious.
Remember, intake of water/ fluid is important when your baby is constipated and especially when increasing fibre in the diet.
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