Baby Constipation: Natural Remedies, Signs & Causes

What’s a mama to do when baby hasn’t pooped in a while? Find out what causes baby constipation, plus get safe, natural ways to give your little one relief.

What's a mama to do when baby hasn't pooped in a while? Here, we’ll talk about what causes baby constipation, offer some safe, natural ways to give your little one relief, and explain when it might be time to call the doctor.

Our bodies often give us clues as to our overall health. Regular and natural pooping indicates that we’re probably getting enough fiber and have a healthy diet. So when your baby becomes constipated, it’s a clear sign that something is wrong.

6 Natural Remedies for Constipation in Babies

When it comes to constipation remedies, it’s best to let Mother Nature lend you a helping hand. Here’s how:

1. Proper diet

When baby is eating solids, avoid foods that constipate (like bananas, rice, or too much meat) and offer high-fiber foods that help relieve constipation.

Good choices include cooked pears, prunes, apricots, and peaches. You can offer these fruits as purees or slices (if you’re doing baby led weaning). Just remember: Babies younger than 6 months should not have anything but breastmilk or formula unless directed by a doctor.

2. Probiotics

Probiotics help restore balance in the gut, improve overall digestive health, and can make a huge difference in a constipated baby. Simply mix the recommended dosage amount into a bottle of breastmilk, formula, or purees for one of the best natural constipation remedies. You can also apply directly to the nipple if breastfeeding.

3. Homeopathic remedies for digestion

You should always get your doctor’s approval, but homeopathic remedies are safe, easy to administer, and can be very effective at treating baby constipation. Simply give one pilule (the little white bead) under the tongue or dissolve two pilules in a small amount of breastmilk or formula. Use a syringe to administer to baby and repeat as needed.

Homeopathic baby constipation remedies include:

  • Calc-cabonica: For constipation accompanied by teething or for babies who are sensitive to lactose or milk protein.
  • Lycopodium: For irritable or extremely gassy babies.
  • Nux-vomica: For constipated babies who are straining.
  • Silica: For babies who produce stools, but the stools are small and hard.

4. Warm baths

A warm bath can soothe baby and stimulate the digestive system. For the most effective constipation remedy, mix in Epsom salts—the magnesium helps relax muscles and soften stool to move things along.

5. Exercise

Just like adults, exercise can help get the digestive system going. If baby can crawl, get on the floor with her and encourage her to crawl towards you. If not, you can “bicycle” her legs by laying her down and moving her legs back and forth as if she were riding a bicycle. You can also have baby do tummy time if it’s not too uncomfortable.

6. Baby massage or foot rubs

Massaging your little one’s belly helps move trapped air and gas, which contribute to constipation. It’s one of the simplest natural constipation remedies—just move your hand in sweeping or circular motions across baby’s abdomen. Remember not to press too hard.

There are also pressure points relating to the gut on the feet. You can find these between the ball of the foot and the heel. Gently rub in circular motions with your thumbs.

This video gives a great overview of how to perform baby massage to naturally relieve constipation.

What about over-the-counter products?

There are plenty of products designed to be constipation remedies for babies and children, but they should not be your first line of defense. Some stool softeners for babies contain yucky ingredients like artificial food dyes and preservatives and could set up dependencies.

Signs of Constipation in Babies

But how do you know if your child is constipated? Lactation consultants often advise new parents to count wet diapers to make sure baby is getting enough to drink. And there are some studies supporting the theory that the amount of soiled diapers baby has per day should match a baby’s age during the first week of life—on day four baby should have approximately four soiled diapers, for example.

But, like adults, baby’s bowel movements can vary a fair amount from person to person, so diaper output isn’t always a hard and fast rule. Here’s what to look for:

Change in Frequency

Use your baby’s normal bowel movement pattern as a baseline. If your baby hasn’t pooped in two days, but normally has a bowel movement after every feeding, he might be a little backed up.

If you’re having a hard time keeping track, many breastfeeding trackers also give you a place to log bowel movements.

Hard Stools

Even if your baby has regular poopy diapers, hard, dry poop (think: rabbit poop) is one of the surest signs of baby constipation. Poop shouldn’t be so hard that it causes painful straining.

Hard stools don’t typically occur in breastfed babies, but formula-fed babies may benefit from switching formulas. (Here are more causes of baby constipation.)

Straining

If you notice your baby grunting excessively and turning red in the face, she is probably straining to poop.

Firm belly

Does baby’s tummy feel full, hard, or bloated? This is one of the most common signs of constipation in babies, since constipation can cause a belly to feel extra firm.

Refusing to eat

Due to their bowel discomfort and distention, constipated babies often refuse food—even if it’s been hours since their last meal.

Blood in the stool

Just like with adults, straining too hard during a bowel movement can cause tiny fissures (tears) around the anus, which produce little streaks of blood on the outside of the stool. Although this can be a normal side effect of baby constipation, blood throughout can indicate a problem. If you see any blood in your baby’s poop, it’s always a good idea to visit the pediatrician to rule out other conditions.

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What Causes Constipation in Babies?

These symptoms of baby constipation may be a result of the following:

Transitioning to solids

It’s common for babies who are transitioning to solids to experience constipation, because their digestive systems are adjusting to the new diet.

Wait until baby displays signs of readiness (like reaching for your food) and is at least 6 months of age to give solids or purees. If baby becomes constipated, he may not be ready for the transition quite yet. Cut back on solid foods and boost your breastfeeding.

Feeding constipation-causing solids

Some foods produce hard, firmer stools and can result in constipation problems. You don’t have to cut them out entirely, but both bananas and applesauce, popular first foods for babies, can back baby up. The pectin in applesauce, for example, pulls water out of the stool, making it harder for baby to pass. It can also cause stomach cramps and gas.

Though you may have heard that bananas are good for constipation, it depends on whether the banana is ripe. They can contain high amounts of starch, which contributes to constipation. Don’t give bananas to a baby dealing with constipation.

Too much rice cereal

Though often recommended by pediatricians, rice cereal is not a great choice for baby’s first solid. Besides being high in arsenic, cereal is usually made from white rice and is, therefore, very low in nutrients, including fiber. Babies immature systems also have a hard time digesting grains. Try these foods instead.

Mom’s diet

Sometimes the cause isn’t what baby’s eating—it’s what mama is eating. Studies suggest that chronic constipation in children can be a result of a cow’s milk allergy. Other signs of a cow’s milk allergy or sensitivity can include baby eczema, hives, or excessive spitting up.

If you suspect your baby is sensitive to dairy or other allergens, slowly cut out dairy and other potential triggers from your diet. An elimination diet can help pinpoint what your baby is reacting to. A lactation consultant can help guide you through the process.

Incorrect formula ratio

If baby drinks formula, double check to make sure you’re using the correct ratio of powder to water. An imbalance can contribute to dehydration, which can cause constipation in babies.

Try a new formula

If a bottle-fed baby is constipated, sometimes it’s as easy as changing out the formula. Some babies don’t do well on a cow’s milk formula, but thrive on a goat’s milk one. Experiment and see if that helps baby’s bowels.

Dehydration

Sometimes a little dehydration is all it takes to cause constipation. If baby is steadily gaining weight, you probably don’t have to worry about dehydration. But if baby is not gaining weight, has a poor latch, or is excessively fussy, he may not be getting enough milk. A lactation consultant can help determine whether or not baby is getting enough to drink and can help establish a plan of action.

Medical condition

Although rare, chronic constipation be a result of medical conditions including allergies or thyroid disorders. Consult your child’s pediatrician if you suspect a problem.

Preventing Constipation in Babies

There’s also one big dietary component that can help prevent constipation in the first place: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

When baby is dehydrated, the risk of constipation increases. Here’s what you can do:

  • For babies under 6 months old, this means breastfeeding on demand (breast milk is over 80 percent water!) or giving the proper amount of formula each day.
  • For babies eating solids, make sure baby continues to get either breastmilk or formula for liquid nourishment. Once baby can use a sippy cup, you can give 2 ounces of water per day for added hydration.

When to Call a Doctor

Sometimes, no matter what you try, natural remedies just aren’t working. If you’ve exhausted all of these options and haven’t found a way to relieve baby’s constipation, you may be wondering what to do next.

It’s important to call your child’s pediatrician if baby isn’t eating, stops producing wet diapers, or has blood in her stool. If baby is younger than four months of age, call the doctor if baby has hard or pebble-like stool or hasn’t had a bowel movement within 24 hours.

Genevieve Howland

About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a doula and childbirth educator. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 135,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

10 Comments

  1. Hello…my baby has not had a bowel movement in 4days. It’s off and on. I breastfeed and bottle feed. I don’t produce enough breast milk. So I bottle feed more. But, it’s seems she only get stop taking poops when I give her the powder milk formula. (Good start) What can I do to relieve her constipation? I HATE seeing her cry. I feel so helpless!

    • Hi Valerie did u try a pedialax enema or a pedialax suppository glycerin daily rectally or a cotton swab with Vaseline petroleum jelly rectally daily or a tummy massage clockwise motion bicycle her legs my job is a dr pediatrician kids dr pedia doktor doctor pediatrician pediatrishan do u have instagram

  2. My baby is 8 weeks she don’t poop she poop.after 2 or 3 days what can i do

  3. Feed your baby a plant based diet. Load up on avocado, nut butters, tofu, legumes. No constipation.

  4. My baby is exclusively breastfed…she poops every 10 days…her poop is soft yellow in colour…so is she constipated? What can I do to make her poop regularly?

    • That’s perfect! Breastfeed babies tend to do that, they only means that your baby is absorbing everything!!! Good job. I wish my baby was like that. Mine has issues latching properly and I have too much milk so he is drinking too much first milk and less final milk hence more poop since his body cannot digest all that white milk.

      • Try to stimulate and check your let down in a haaka pump and then feed the baby. This will give him more of the fatty milk

  5. Yes! What mama’s eating sure makes a world of difference:) Mama’s digestion takes time to strengthen after birth and she needs warm, soupy and oily foods to ensure good digestion and elimination for her and baby. Also, warm oil baby massage works wonders for constipation and has a laundry list of benefits for both baby and caregiver 🙂
    In Ayurveda (the natural medical system from India) it is said that the two most important gifts you can give to your baby (for a healthy life) are high quality breast milk and daily warm oil massage.

    • What kind of oil is best for baby massage? And are there any essential oils that would be safe to add a drop or two to the tummy massage oil?

      • I’ve read studies that show massage with coconut oil led babies to be thriving with weight as compared to their peers! I have always used that to massage and my boy doubled his birth weight in 2 months


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