Fruits for baby constipation issue is well analyzed in this article. There are different reasons why babies get constipated. After babies are born, they are fed breast milk or formula. These do not have enough fiber to keep the bowels moving freely. The lack of fiber also help babies prevent baby constipation issues. Good fruits for constipation issue starts with making sure that their bowels are working properly and regularly. Pears are a great fruit for baby constipation issues!
Foods That Cause and Relieve Constipation in Babies
If your little one is backed up, you may need to examine their diet. We explore the differences between foods that trigger babies’ digestive issues and those that relieve them.
When a baby is pooping regularly, it usually means that their digestive system is working properly and they’re getting enough to eat. If they haven’t pooped in a while, it could indicate something deeper, especially if it hurts when they go. Parents may worry, but sometimes relieving baby constipation is as simple as changing their diet. Read on to learn about foods that help babies poop, and those to avoid.
How to Know if Your Child Is Constipated
For starters, you need to figure out whether your baby is actually backed up. Until they are about 4 months old, babies poop three or four times a day on average. But some babies will poop after every feeding, while others can go several days before releasing their bowels. So even though a prolonged absence of poop suggests constipation, it can be hard to confirm this in infants.
Before the age of 6 months, babies are less likely to be constipated. At that age, they are still on an all-liquid diet of breast milk or formula, so their food is more easily absorbed and digested, says Jennifer Shu, M.D., an Atlanta-based pediatrician and co-author of Food Fights: Winning The Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and A Bottle of Ketchup. However, some formulas can cause harder poops.
So how can you tell if your baby is constipated? One way is to look at their stool. Healthy infant stool is soft, while hard stool suggests it’s been inside longer than desired, says Dr. Shu. The baby’s belly may also feel hard, and there can be a small amount of bright red blood in a bowel movement or diaper if your baby was straining. Your child’s behavior might suddenly change, too: You might find them crying, looking pained, or arching their back in an attempt to either poop or avoid it. Some will even refuse to eat.
How Liquid Foods Affect Constipation
Constipation in infants can be a symptom of an allergy to the protein in cow’s milk, says Diana Lerner, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Both breastfed and formula-fed infants can be affected. If you suspect a cow’s milk allergy (or more likely, a sensitivity or intolerance), the first step is to eliminate it from your baby’s diet to see if the change relieves their symptoms.
If your baby is breastfed and you’re the one nursing them, removing cow’s milk from their diet ultimately means removing cow’s milk products from your diet to avoid passing those proteins along. To replace it, try adding foods that help your baby poop, such as prunes and fiber-filled items.
Exclusively formula-fed babies are more likely to experience constipation than breastfed infants, says Jane Morton, M.D., an emeritus adjunct clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Some ingredients in formula might be more challenging to a baby’s digestive system and can result in much firmer poops. Before switching infant formulas, however, it’s always best to consult with your child’s pediatrician.
If your baby is sensitive to cow’s milk protein specifically, your pediatrician may suggest changing their formula to one that isn’t milk-based. Though you might be tempted to use a low-iron formula if you suspect your baby is constipated, Dr. Shu advises against switching, noting that formula-fed babies need extra iron, and the amount in the formula itself wouldn’t hurt them.
How Solid Foods Affect Constipation
Once solid foods become part of your baby’s diet, their poop and pooping habits will change. As Dr. Shu points out, food that is more cohesive creates more formed stools. As your child’s intestines mature, they also get better at compacting that food and holding on to it longer. Their bodies will now take longer to process what they eat, so you’ll probably see one less poopy diaper a day.
While the changes in bowel movements that come with introducing solids are a natural progression, some foods can make it harder for your baby to poop. Dr. Morton tells parents to know their ABCs: applesauce, bananas, and cereal. Too much of any of these foods, especially cereal, can cause constipation. Dairy products that are popular first foods for babies, such as cheese and yogurt, can also be hard on their digestive systems. And low-fiber foods—white rice, white bread, pasta—often bind babies up.
Foods That Help With Constipation
Wondering how to relieve constipation in babies quickly? When your baby’s poops become less frequent, harder, or more difficult to pass, try feeding them one of these:
- “P” fruits: This category includes pears, plums, peaches, and prunes, and any of their juices. Dr. Shu often recommends pear juice to parents; it works really well and kids think it’s delicious.
- Fiber-filled foods: Anything containing bran (known for its high fiber content) could help loosen up your baby’s stool. Look for fiber-rich cereals, whole-wheat pasta, and brown rice.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, beans, and Brussels sprouts can get things back on track.
- Water: Sometimes your baby’s system just needs a good flush to work well again. But note that babies can only have small sips of water, and only after they are 6 months old.
Are There Baby Foods That Help with Constipation?
While parenting brings many surprises, one of them is likely how much you’ll think about poop, or lack thereof, especially during that first year. But here you are worrying about your baby’s digestive tract and convinced that they’re constipated.
If you’ve recently introduced your baby to solid food, then your worries may be on target: solid foods can put a strain on your baby’s developing digestive tract and cause constipation. But there are things you can do to help!
How do you know it’s constipation?
Before you begin treating constipation you should determine if there is really an issue at all. So here’s the scoop on poop and how to tell if your worries are founded and your baby is constipated.
Breastfed babies
During the first few weeks, you’ll find yourself changing diapers with alarming regularity. Figure in every feed or so.
But don’t despair, because by the time your baby reaches 6 weeks old, they may have a bowel movement only once or twice a day. On the other hand, they may have one only every 7–10 days. (Yep, the frequency really can vary that much.)
The poop is yellow, soft, runny and sometimes lumpy and the smell isn’t unpleasant.
Formula-fed babies
A newborn, formula-fed baby typically poops up to five times a day. At about 6 to 8 weeks, this may decrease to around once a day.
Formula-fed babies have poop that is a camel to brown color with a thicker consistency, more like paste. Most likely, the less-than-aromatic smell means you’ll hermetically seal soiled diapers before you toss them into the garbage.
Signs that your baby is constipated
You’ve noticed that your baby’s tummy isn’t following the schedule that you got used to. Could it be constipation? Here are the signs that could confirm your suspicions:
- You notice that they cry or fuss while they’re trying to have a hard bowel movement.
- The poop, when it does come, is like hard pellets.
- You notice streaks of red blood in the hard poop.
What causes constipation?
While it’s not easy for a baby on a liquid diet to become constipated, trouble can start when you start introducing your baby to solid foods at around 6 months. Here’s why:
New food types
Think of it as a learning curve: Your baby’s body is learning how to cope with a new kind of food to digest as they move away from their full liquid diet and you need to soften the learning curve. (Pardon the irresistible pun.)
Changes to fluid intake
Decreased fluids will make your baby’s poop harder and more difficult to push out. If they’ve started solids, they may need to up their fluid intake to offset the solid food. And if your baby is teething or feeling unwell, it can also lead to them taking in less fluid than usual.
Lack of fiber
Even though they’re just starting out, babies’ tummies work like ours. While initially the move to solids that have fiber (from breast milk or formula, which don’t) can cause temporary constipation, their tummies will adjust.
Make sure to monitor your baby’s fiber intake and pair it with plenty of hydration for a smooth ride the same way that you monitor yours.
Which baby foods help with constipation?
OK, so you’ve confirmed that your baby is constipated. The next step is helping to alleviate the strain on their developing digestive system.
Remember that you can keep offering these foods as your baby develops into a toddler and beyond. In fact, there is little research or evidence to support specific foods (including high fiber ones) in treating or preventing constipation in infants. Most of these recommendations are based on evidence for older adults and children.
Keep in mind that good practice when introducing solids is to introduce foods as single ingredients. That way, if your baby is allergic to certain foods, you’ll be able to more easily trace the source.
If your little one hasn’t tried these foods before, don’t rush the process. Test out one at a time and then introduce combinations once you’re confident they’re well tolerated.
- Back to basics. Give your baby’s digestive tract a break by feeding them mashed avocado or sweet potato purée. These are easy to digest and may give your baby the kick start they need.
- B vegetables. Think broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and beans. Purée these for a meal filled with fiber.
- P fruits. Your grandmother was right — bring on the prunes for quick work. A purée that includes a mix of prunes plus pears, plums, or peaches should work magic. Try subbing the prunes with dates for a change.
- Bring on the fiber. If your baby is over 8 months, you can offer them whole grains like oatmeal, fiber-rich cereals, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice.
- Water intake. Until 6 months an exclusively breastfed or formula-fed baby doesn’t need to drink water. Above this age, you can introduce small amounts of water.
Plums and pears with cinnamon
Cut 2 or 3 pears and plums into small pieces. Place in a saucepan with a small amount of water and simmer until soft. Add in a sprinkle of cinnamon. Blend thoroughly.
Sweet potato with apple and peach
Cut half a sweet potato, one apple, and half a peach into small pieces. Place in steamer basket and cook until tender. Blend until smooth.
Spinach and apple purée
Chop two apples into small chunks and cook in saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water. When they’re tender, add about 1 cup of spinach and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Purée until smooth. Can be seasoned with cinnamon and ginger.
6 BABY FOODS TO HELP RELIEVE CONSTIPATION
These 6 Baby Food Purees Will Help Relieve Baby’s Constipation with no fuss from your little one. You can serve these purees when your baby is backed up or 2-3 times a week to keep things moving on the regular. Great for babies 6-12 months.
HOW TO RELIEVE BABY’S CONSTIPATION
When you first start introducing purees, or when you introduce a new food, to your baby it is completely normal for them to get a little bit backed up. Your baby’s delicate digestive tract needs a little time to process all the new nutrients, fiber, and probiotics that you are giving it.
This is completely normal, so you don’t have to do into panic mode.
While I love and completely trust the Constipation Cure Puree recipe below to do its’ job, let me warn you that this puree is not for the weak of heart. It will definitely get things going and while you will love me for that, you might also curse me when it’s time to change your baby’s diaper.
What all of the 6 purees below have in common, is that they all have produce that starts with the letter ‘P’ in them – prunes, peaches, peas, plums and pears. ‘P’ produce helps get things moving down there all while tasting delicious so your baby will eat them. If you want, you can also add in a pinch of fresh ginger to any of the recipes below. Ginger is great for helping aid in digestion, calming an upset stomach and easing discomfort associated with constipation.
SIGNS OF CONSTIPATION IN BABY
- your baby’s stool is hard and dry
- your baby cries when going poo
- baby is unwilling to feed and is generally unhappy
- your baby’s stomach is hard when you gently press down on it
- your baby’s stool has blood in or on it
7 EASY WAYS TO HELP BABY WITH CONSTIPATION
- Stop serving foods that can cause constipation (potatoes, cheese, bananas, rice cereal, pasta) and start serving purees loaded with fiber.
- Serve purees with produce starting with ‘P’ – prunes, peaches, pears, peas and plums. These P produce help relieve constipation in baby and aid in baby’s digestive tract (see recipes below).
- Start to re-introduce purees that are easy to digest, such as avocado and sweet potato purees.
- If baby is older then 9 months, you can sprinkle a small pinch of ground flaxseed into any puree or finger food.
- Make sure baby is getting enough water in during the day. Aim for 2-4 ounces in the morning and in the evening. This is in addition to the breast milk, formula or milk (for toddlers) you are already giving them.
- Give your little one a warm bath to help them relax their digestion organs.
- Start doing baby tummy exercises to get things moving. Place baby on their back and taking both legs in your hands, bend their legs towards their belly button and make a circle with their knees in a clockwise direction. You can also gently press on their tummies about 2 inches away from their belly button starting at the 9’oclock direction and moving to the 3’oclock direction. You will want to gently press down roughly 1 inch into their stomachs. Repeat both exercises around 10 times each.
Foods That Cause and Relieve Constipation in Babies
If you are new parents, discussing your baby’s pooping habits must be a regular thing now. You’ll be surprised at how much you think, discuss, and worry about your baby’s poop schedule. If your baby has a hard time passing stool or passes a lot of gas daily, then without a doubt, you will worry and might think of consulting your baby’s paediatrician at odd hours. We understand your concern, but there is no need to panic. Your little one might be suffering from constipation, and it is very common in babies and toddlers.
A child’s pooping habits will depend on his eating habits. There are some foods which tend to constipate babies, especially when you start giving them solid foods. Read on to know about the various foods that can cause and relieve constipation in children, and find out how you can ensure that your child has a good bowel movement.
Foods That Cause Constipation in Infants
If your child has just started eating solid foods and he is having difficulty in passing stool or has a dry and hard stool, then it is a sign of constipation. Baby’s fluid intake and diet will determine his bowel movements. Here is a list of foods that cause constipation in babies.
1. Milk Protein
Milk protein can cause constipation in babies. Milk proteins other than in the breast milk can cause this problem, and as a parent, you need to be careful once you start giving formula milk to your baby. Sometimes, babies may even develop an allergy to the protein present in breast milk, which may result in constipation.
2. Formula Food
Babies are often fed formula in their early years. Formula food consists of ingredients that are difficult to digest, which might result in constipation. Formula milk even contains complex proteins that may harden the poop and thus cause constipation.
3. Rice
Rice and porridge are the two solid food for babies that most mothers think of introducing as the first food to their babies. But some babies may find it hard to digest rice and may feel constipated.
4. Carrots
Carrots, when given raw or in the form of juice, are usually good for babies. But, if you feed steam-cooked carrots to your baby, then he might feel constipated. Steamed carrots tend to solidify the poop making it difficult for babies to excrete.
5. Raw Bananas
Babies are often fed raw bananas, as cooked vegetable, or as a porridge made out of sun-dried raw banana powder. Although giving a ripe banana is good, unripe banana is not. If you give an unripe banana to your baby, he might feel constipated and have gastric problem. Under-ripe or unripe bananas have starch in them, which can be hard for a baby to digest.
6. Apples
Apples are known to harden the stool so eating them while suffering from diarrhoea can help. But steamed apples, a popular baby food, can cause constipation in babies. So don’t give steamed apples to your baby. Also avoid giving applesauce to your baby as it contains pectin protein, which hardens the stool.
7. Cheese
Cheese is an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals and is a superfood for babies. It is usually given to babies as a snack. However, cheese is low in fibre and can cause constipation.
8. White Bread
White bread, made with all-purpose flour, is a processed form of grain and is low in fibre. Fibrous foods are known to improve digestion. However, white bread lacks fibre in substantial quantity and can cause constipation in babies.
9. Potatoes
Regular potatoes with skin have about 3 gm of fibre and can prevent constipation. If you give your baby potatoes with other veggies, then it won’t be a problem. However, if you give him potato chips or potatoes with butter or sour cream, then he may suffer from constipation.
10. Yoghurt
Yoghurt contains good bacteria that facilitate digestion. But, it also has a binding effect on food substances and sometimes may cause constipation in children.
Foods That Help Relieve Constipation in Infants
Now that you know which foods cause constipation in babies, so avoid incorporating them into your baby’s diet. If your baby is already suffering from constipation, then include these high-fibre foods in your baby’s diet. These foods will not only relieve the condition but also prevent it from occurring in future.
1. Prunes
Prunes are rich in fibre and a great source of multivitamins. Being a good source of fibre, they can ease and speed up the bowel movements. Prunes can be soaked overnight and given to a baby first thing in the morning. You can also give your baby prune juice. Prunes and prune juice are an excellent remedy for constipation.
2. Beans
Beans are packed with fibre and can be included in a baby’s diet if he is suffering from constipation. Eating beans will improve his bowel movements. As beans contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, it will help in digestion of food and help your little one excrete properly.
3. Green Peas
Fresh green peas available in winters are loaded with fibre – they are a perfect food to include in your baby’s diet if he is constipated. Peas can be given as a simple snack by just boiling and seasoning. Infants can be given boiled peas in the pureed form to aid bowel movements.
4. Apricots
Apricots are another seasonal fruit used for treating constipation. It can be given raw or in the form of juice. Dried apricots are also available in the market, which can be soaked overnight and given to babies.
5. Oatmeal
Oatmeal, a common and widely preferred food for babies, is an excellent food for children with recurrent episodes of constipation. Oatmeal can provide your baby with much-needed fibre and can prevent constipation.
6. Pears
Pears are rich in fibre and Vitamin C. Both fibre and Vitamin C aid in proper digestion and relieve constipation. Babies can also be given a few drops of fresh pear juice to cure constipation.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli, a superfood for babies, is a rich source of protein and fibre. Broccoli is also a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and folate. Green vegetables like spinach and broccoli add weight to stools, making them easier to pass through the gut. You can give small steamed broccoli florets to your baby as finger food. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, which may protect the gut and aid digestion.
8. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes, unlike other tubers, are one of the best baby foods and they do not cause constipation. Sweet potatoes can help in relieving constipation and provide essential nutrients and carbohydrates to your growing baby.
9. Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidants and are an excellent food for babies and toddlers. They are also high in fibre, which is why they are a must-include in your baby’s diet. You can give berries to your baby in pureed form. By eating berries, your little tot won’t complain of constipation.
10. Whole Grain Bread
Whole grains foods have high fibre content in them, which is good for the heart as well as for the digestive system. You can give whole wheat bread to your baby – it is high in fibre and will prevent constipation in your little one.