Constipation in Toddlers

Let’s talk about poop!

Your baby’s poop changed from soft and creamy to hardened pebbles and they’re crying when pooping? They may be constipated.

Signs of constipation in babies can include:

• Stools formed like small, hard pebbles

• Hard, dry stools or large, wide stools

• Infrequent or fewer bowel movements than normal

• Stools that are difficult to pass causing your baby to arch their back or cry

• Fussiness & spitting up more often

• Belly pain & bloating

• Not wanting to feed

• Bloody, hard stool

When and how often stools are passed can vary from child to child depending on their age and food habits. So what’s normal for your baby, may be different from what’s normal for someone else’s baby.

Your baby’s poop schedule can be all over the map depending on mode of feeding and type of formula.

• In the beginning, breastfed babies tend to go more often than formula-fed babies, because breastmilk is easier digested.

• Around 3-6 weeks of age though, breastfed babies may start having fewer bowel movements - sometimes only 1-2 times a week, while formula-fed babes often continue to have daily bowel movements.

Constipation in newborns often starts when a baby starts eating solid foods.

Some remedies you can try to help include:

• Offer your baby a little bit of water or some apple, prune or pear juice in addition to their usual feedings.

  • Those juices contain sorbitol, which can help alleviate constipation. Make sure to this under the guidance of your pediatrician because offering water to newborns can be very dangerous.

• Adding more fiber to their diet if your baby started solids.

  • Try switching from rice cereal to barley or multigrain cereal, which have more fiber.

  • You can also try high-fiber fruits & veggies, like pureed prunes or peas!

• Activity can help encourage a bowel movement.

  • Try gently pumping your baby’s legs back & forth as if they’re riding a bicycle!

• Giving your sweet babe a tummy massage!

Do not give your baby enemas, laxatives, or suppositories unless you are told to do specifically so by your doctor! These can be dangerous and risky to use. If your baby is under 1 and constipated a lot, talk to your pediatrician as that may require further investigation.

If your baby still seems constipated despite dietary changes, contact your pediatrician for advice!

P.S. For more information, you should tune into our episode on constipation on our podcast and on our YouTube channel!

Your PediPals