Constipation remedy for 3 month old baby

Baby constipation: Top 7 home remedies

Babies often go a long time between bowel movements. Most of the time, it is normal for a baby to go days or even more than a week without a bowel movement. However, a baby may sometimes be constipated and need a little help.

If a baby is constipated, a pediatrician may recommend using home remedies as a first-line treatment for baby constipation.

Home remedies for constipation in a baby include:

1. Exercise

Moving a baby’s legs can help relieve constipation.

As with adults, exercise and movement tend to stimulate a baby’s bowels.

However, as babies may not be walking or even crawling yet, a parent or caregiver may want to help them exercise to relieve constipation.

The parent or caregiver can gently move the baby’s legs while they are lying on their back to mimic the motion of riding a bicycle. Doing this may help the bowels function and relieve constipation.

2. A warm bath

Giving a baby a warm bath can relax their abdominal muscles and help them stop straining. It can also relieve some of the discomfort relating to constipation.

3. Dietary changes

Certain dietary changes may help constipation, but these will vary depending on the baby’s age and diet.

While breastfeeding a baby, a woman could eliminate certain foods, such as dairy, from her diet. It may take some trial and error to identify the dietary changes that help, and it is quite possible that changes in the diet will have no effect on the baby’s constipation.

For formula-fed babies, a parent or caregiver may want to try a different kind of formula. It is best not to switch to a gentle or dairy-free formula without consulting a pediatrician first. If one change does not make a difference, continuing to try different formulas is unlikely to help.

If an infant is eating solid foods, parents or caregivers should look to introduce foods that are good sources of fiber.

Many fruits and vegetables can help stimulate the bowels because of their higher fiber content. Good food choices for babies with constipation include:

• skinless apples
• broccoli
• whole grains, such as oatmeal or whole-grain bread or pasta
• peaches
• pears
• plums

4. Hydration

Young infants do not typically need supplemental liquids as they get their hydration from breast milk or formula.

However, babies that are constipated may benefit from a small amount of extra liquid.

Pediatricians sometimes recommend adding a small amount of water or, occasionally, fruit juice, to the baby’s diet when they are over 2–4 months old and are constipated.

5. Massage

There are several ways to massage a baby’s stomach to relieve constipation. These include:

• Using the fingertip to make circular motions on the stomach in a clockwise pattern.
• Walking the fingers around the naval in a clockwise pattern.
• Holding the baby’s knees and feet together and gently pushing the feet toward the belly.
• Stroking from the rib cage down past the belly button with the edge of a finger.

6. Fruit juice

A small amount of pure apple juice can help soften stool.

After a baby reaches 2–4 months of age, they can have a small amount of fruit juice, such as 100-percent prune or apple juice. This juice may help treat constipation.

Experts may recommend starting with about 2–4 ounces of fruit juice. The sugar in the juice is hard to digest. As a result, more liquid enters the intestines, which helps soften and break up the stool.

However, a parent or caregiver should not give fruit juice to a baby for the first time without consulting their pediatrician.

7. Taking a rectal temperature

When a baby is constipated, taking the baby’s rectal temperature with a clean, lubricated thermometer may help them pass stool.

It is important not to use this method very often, as it can make constipation worse. The baby may start not wanting to pass a bowel movement without help, or they may begin to associate having a bowel movement with discomfort, leading them to fuss or cry more during the process.

Anyone who feels as though they often need to use this method to help the baby have a bowel movement should talk to the baby’s doctor.

As infants may go for extended periods without a bowel movement, it can be hard to tell if they are constipated. Signs that indicate constipation in a baby include:

• infrequent stools that are not soft in consistency
• clay-like stool consistency
• hard pellets of stool
• long periods of straining or crying while trying to have a bowel movement
• streaks of red blood in the stool
• lack of appetite
• a hard belly

Signs of constipation in babies vary depending on their age and diet. A normal bowel movement before a baby begins eating solid food should be very soft, almost like the consistency of peanut butter or even looser.

Hard baby stool prior to solid food is the most obvious indication of constipation in babies.

At first, breastfed babies may pass stool often since breast milk is easy to digest. However, once a baby is between 3 and 6 weeks old, they may only pass a large, soft stool once a week and sometimes even less.

Formula-fed babies tend to pass stool more frequently than breastfed babies. Most formula-fed babies will have a bowel movement at least once a day or every other day. However, some formula-fed babies may go longer between bowel movements without being constipated.

Once a parent introduces solid food to a baby’s diet, a baby may be more likely to experience constipation. A baby may also be more likely to become constipated if a parent or caregiver introduces cow’s milk (other than formula) to their diet.

Share on PinterestA doctor should assess a baby with ongoing constipation.

It is advisable to call a pediatrician if a baby has not passed a stool after a day or two and there are other signs present, such as:

• blood in the stool
• the baby seems to be irritable
• the baby appears to have abdominal pain
• there is no improvement in the baby’s constipation after taking steps to treat it

Treatment typically starts with home remedies. If home remedies do not work, a doctor may examine the baby and, in rare cases, prescribe medications, such as:

• laxatives
• enemas
• suppositories

People should never give these medications to a baby unless a doctor prescribes them.

Constipation can lead to discomfort and irritability in a baby. People can try several at-home methods to help alleviate constipation.

If symptoms do not improve, it is best to speak to the infant’s pediatrician for additional strategies.

Read the article in Spanish.

Symptoms, Treatment and When to Call a Doctor

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Constipation (con-sta-PA-shun) in infants can worry parents. Most of the time, your baby is not really constipated. They may not have developed a routine for pooping yet. Some babies do not develop a bowel movement (BM) pattern for a while.

An infant’s BM pattern can change if their diet changes, like switching from breastmilk to formula, starting solid foods, or drinking less formula than usual. If your baby’s stool (poop) is not soft or easily passed, then they may be constipated.

In rare cases, constipation may be caused by a lack of nerves going to the intestines or by a problem with the way the intestine formed at birth. Your baby can be tested for these conditions if your health care provider feels it is needed.

Signs of Constipation

• less stools than their usual pattern
• straining more than normal to have a bowel movement
• a change in how the stool looks from soft and mushy to:
  
  • small, hard pebbles, or like a large, round golf ball
  • loose and watery
• abdomen (belly) bloated or swollen with gas
• painful cramps

Treatment

• If your baby is not eating baby food yet, you may give 1 to 2 ounces of 100% fruit juice (pear, prune, cherry, or apple) once a day. Stop the juice if their stools become too loose.
• If they are old enough to eat baby foods, feed them pureed pears, peaches, or prunes instead of giving them juice.
• If your baby eats cereal, it may help to give oatmeal, wheat, or barley cereal. Rice cereal can cause constipation in some children.
• Sometimes giving your baby a warm bath to relax them or exercising their legs, like riding a bicycle, will help stimulate the bowels to move (Picture 1).
• If it has been a few days since your baby has pooped and the juice or pureed food has not worked, then you can try a glycerin suppository. Place your baby on their back. Gently push the suppository into their anus (bottom). Suppositories are meant for occasional use.
• Contact your baby’s health care provider before giving them laxatives, baby mineral oil, or enemas to treat constipation.

Medical Therapy

Your child’s health care provider may order the following treatments:

• Give your child medication.
• Check your child’s temperature using a digital, rectal thermometer. Put a small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) on its tip before inserting into the rectum. Taking a rectal temperature may stimulate the baby to pass stool.

When to Call the Health Care Provider

Call the health care provider if any of the following occurs:

• Your baby is irritable and seems to be having stomach pain. Infants will pull their legs up to their stomach and cry when they are in pain.
• Your baby has constipation and develops vomiting, and their belly looks like it is bloated or filled with gas.
• You see blood in their stool.
• Their constipation does not get better with treatment.

If you have any questions or concerns, call your baby’s health care provider.

Constipation: Infant (PDF), Spanish (PDF), Somali (PDF), Arabic (PDF), Nepali (PDF)

HH-I-14 ©Copyright 1984, Revised 2022, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

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Content

Norm or pathology?
Types of constipation
Why constipation can occur
What to do in case of constipation in a child

As soon as a small child appears in the house, a small child usually captures the attention of all adult family members. However, even surrounded by the care of his father and mother, the baby is not immune from digestive problems. Colic, gas, regurgitation - this is not a complete list of what, most likely, any parents will encounter at least once. One of the most common pathologies associated with the gastrointestinal tract of children at the age of 3 months is constipation.

Constipation involves prolonged retention of stools, high stool density, painful defecation. But how to distinguish this condition from the usual stool retention, which does not require medical intervention?

Normal or abnormal?

Constipation is not always determined by the frequency of bowel movements. An important role here is played by the nature of the feces (with constipation, it is hard, fragmented, often has an unpleasant odor) and the presence or absence of painful sensations. This can be determined by the behavior of the child - unreasonable crying, straining during defecation, painful grimaces when touching the stomach, refusal to eat and restless sleep are characteristic. In addition, constipation manifests itself differently in babies who are breastfed and artificially fed.

• Normally, an infant has up to 5–7 bowel movements per day, depending on the frequency of feeding. A single stool retention for 2-3 days is not a pathology and does not require medical intervention. However, if the absence of stool lasts longer or its frequency is 1-2 times a day or less on an ongoing basis, the baby should be shown to the doctor.
• The "artificial" feces are thicker, the frequency of bowel movements can be 2-4 times a day in the norm. In infants fed formula milk, stool retention for a day or more is already considered a problem. It is worth remembering that artificial baby food in itself is one of the factors that provoke constipation.

Types of constipation

Acute. Acute constipation in children 3 months is the absence of bowel movements for several days. This condition can develop due to obstruction of the colon, various intestinal infections. Acute constipation may be accompanied by vomiting, high fever, bloody discharge. This pathology requires urgent medical attention.

Chronic. Chronic constipation develops over time and is a systematic retention of stool. Usually such a diagnosis is made by observing the child for a long time, at least several weeks.

Why constipation can occur

Constipation is not an independent disease - usually it is only a manifestation of some pathology or malnutrition. In children of 3 months, stool retention may be the result of anomalies in the development of the intestine, inflammatory processes, and medication. If the baby is bottle-fed, the problem may lie in the lack of the necessary substances in the mixture. Constipation in infants in most cases is associated with malnutrition of the mother - she should eat more fruits and other foods that have a laxative effect, reduce coffee, tea, sweets and starchy foods.

What to do in case of constipation in a child

First of all, in case of signs of constipation, it is necessary to contact the pediatrician observing the child. He will find out the causes and prescribe treatment. If constipation is not associated with a serious pathology, you can help the baby in the following ways:

• give the child bottled water. It can be drunk from a sterile syringe without a needle or from a spoon. Even a small amount of water that has entered the intestines will soften the feces;
• do a tummy massage. This procedure can be performed immediately after drinking, but before feeding. Massage is done in circular motions clockwise without pressure;
• do gymnastics. Exercises effective for constipation are the usual alternating flexion and extension of the legs;
• immerse the child in the bath. The baby can be immersed in warm water for a few minutes, then wrapped up and placed on the tummy for self-massage of the intestines.

One of the ways to relieve constipation in a child is micro enema MICROLAX ^® single local action. In the absence of contraindications, it can be used from the first day of a baby's life. The components included in the composition of microclysters contribute to the softening of feces, their soft and painless removal.

The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, contact a qualified specialist.

is it possible for a child to take, the rules of administration, dosage

Peculiarities of constipation in children

One can speak of constipation when the time interval between bowel movements increases in comparison with the individual physiological norm or with regular incomplete bowel movements.

For babies of the first months of life on breastfeeding, a stool can normally be from one to 6-7 times during the day. With a gradual transition to the “common table”, the chair becomes thicker and less frequent. Constipation can be considered a decrease in stools - less than 6 times a week for babies up to 3 years ¹ .

In older children, the frequency of bowel movements can normally range from 3 times a day to 3 times a week. Constipation can be considered less than 3 stools per week for children over
3 years of age ¹ .

Non-drug correction

If the baby has constipation, first of all, it is necessary to review and adjust the feeding process: the feeding schedule and the amount of food. It may be necessary to refuse unreasonably early introduction of complementary foods. A nursing mother should drink enough fluids and limit the use of foods that stimulate gas formation and slow down the peristalsis of the large intestine: strong tea and coffee, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, sugar syrups, citrus fruits ² .

In a bottle-fed baby with constipation, use only adapted milk formulas and avoid frequent changes.

The baby needs to be provided with a sufficient amount of liquid: clean water, you can give herbal tea with fennel or chamomile for babies. Starting from 4-4.5 months, the baby can be given weakly concentrated dried fruit compotes or berry fruit drinks. It is worth introducing complementary foods in the form of vegetable and fruit purees no earlier than the 5th month of a child's life ² .

Abdominal massage may be helpful for babies with constipation problems before feeding.

Constipation can also be relieved by position therapy (laying the baby on the stomach with legs bent and brought to the body), light massage of the perianal area ² .

In the diet of a child with constipation older than one year of age, there should be food rich in dietary fiber and vegetable fiber, fermented milk and dairy products containing lacto- and bifidobacteria

2. 3

Wheat bran is abundant in dietary fiber, but its use in young children may be limited due to the ability of the bran to absorb nutrients into the intestinal lumen. Also, the diet should contain vegetables, fruits ² . It is also important for the child to observe the drinking regime - drinking enough water ⁴ .

Physical activity

A necessary condition for preventing constipation is constant regular physical activity (especially morning exercises), sufficient exposure of the child to fresh air (in cold weather - at least 2 hours, in warm - 4 hours or more) ³ .

Formation of toilet habits

To form toilet habits from the age of one and a half years, a child should be put on the pot 2-3 times a day after meals for 5 minutes (toilet training) ¹ . At this time, the baby should not play with toys, look at pictures in books, watch TV ³ .

Suppression of the urge to defecate

Suppression of the urge to defecate can be the main causative factor of constipation if the child is constantly busy and his day is planned to the minute, as well as in an unusual and uncomfortable environment ¹ . Therefore, for normal bowel movements, a comfortable toilet is important, including a footrest, if necessary, to provide support during defecation ⁴ .

Drug treatment

It is believed that even the initial therapy of constipation in children should not be limited only to the correction of nutrition and regimen. Such changes may increase the frequency of stools in healthy children, but not reduce symptoms in those with constipation ² .

Some drugs used in adults may be restricted for use in children for various reasons.

Also, some laxatives may have an unpleasant taste or require a large amount of liquid to be taken, which may make children reluctant to take the medicine ² . It is important to note that many children may have a negative attitude towards rectal manipulation: the use of enemas may cause additional fear and discomfort in children regarding defecation ^2.5 . In addition, often the use of rectal laxatives is considered possible only after unsuccessful treatment with oral laxatives ⁶ .

For the treatment of constipation in children, a doctor may prescribe a drug from the group of stimulant laxatives from the age of 0 years - oral drops Guttalax®

The active ingredient, sodium picosulfate, is activated directly in the colon by bacterial degradation. Guttalax® promotes the natural process of defecation ⁷ .

Guttalax® has a dual mechanism of action:

On the one hand, it helps to increase intestinal motility, stimulating the act of defecation, and on the other hand, it helps to soften the stool by attracting water / electrolytes into the lumen of the large intestine ⁷ .

What else is important to know about Guttalax®

The drug is not addictive when taken in recommended dosages ⁷

Guttalax® does not affect the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the intestines ⁷

Guttalax® drops do not have a taste and smell, they can be easily added to a child in any food or drink 9005 ²⁰

Over 10 years old

Dose: 10-20 drops per day

Children 4 to 10 years old

Dosage: 5-10 drops per day

Laxative effect may take 6-12 hours to develop

* Use Guttalax® in children only after consulting a doctor.

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