4 quick ways to relieve constipation in babies

Concerned that your baby may be constipated? First, consider what their normal pattern is. How often they have a bowel movement depends on factors such as what they eat and drink, how active they are, and how quickly they digest food.

Each baby is different; they may poop after every feeding, or they may wait a day or more in between.

Fun fact: Babies who breastfeed exclusively are rarely constipated. Breast milk naturally balances fat and protein, so it produces stools that are almost always soft – even if your baby hasn't pooped for several days.

If your baby is breastfed, there's no "normal" number or schedule – only what's typical for your baby. It's not unheard of for breastfed babies to have one bowel movement a week. If your baby drinks formula or eats solid food, they'll probably poop at least once a day.

How can I tell if my baby is constipated?

Constipation is when your baby has trouble having bowel movements. Signs of constipation include:

• Less frequent bowel movements than usual, especially if your baby hasn't had one for three or more days and is obviously uncomfortable when they do
• Hard, dry stools that are difficult for them to pass – no matter how frequently
• Straining for more than 10 minutes without pooping
• Being fussier than usual or spitting up more than usual

Note: It's common for babies to strain during a bowel movement. If your baby strains and produces soft stool, they aren't constipated.

"When a baby is first learning to poop, they may appear to really struggle – grunting, crying, and turning red in the face prior to a bowel movement," says Liz Donner, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist and member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. "This is normal! It happens because pooping requires the coordinated act of relaxing the pelvic floor while bearing down to flex the abdominal muscles. As long as they are passing soft, mushy stools, there's no need to worry. This should be resolved by about 6 months of age."

Why is my baby getting constipated?

Possible causes of constipation include:

Solid food. Your baby may become mildly constipated as they eat more solid food, especially if the food is low in fiber. (Skip low-fiber traditional first foods like rice cereal in favor of higher-fiber options such as oatmeal.)

Formula. The protein component in formula can cause constipation in some babies. If you're concerned, ask your baby's healthcare provider about switching brands.

"I had [this] problem with my daughter and the doctor said she needed to get a formula with hydrolyzed milk," says BabyCenter Community member Mrsdavidwruck. "It worked immediately."

Cow's milk. "A baby's digestive tract is not ready for cow's milk until 1 year of age," says Dr. Donner. "Even then, you should limit them to 16 to 24 ounces per day at most, as higher volumes can lead to iron deficiency and severe constipation."

Iron drops. While the amount of iron in formula is too low to cause constipation, the higher amount in iron drops can.

Dehydration. If your baby becomes dehydrated, their system will respond by absorbing more fluid from whatever they eat or drink – and also from the waste in their bowels. The result can be hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass.

Weaning. Decreasing breast milk in your baby's diet can sometimes lead to dehydration, contributing to constipation.

Illness or a medical condition. Although it's uncommon, constipation can be caused by an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, or botulism, and certain food allergies and metabolic disorders. If there doesn't seem to be a reason why your baby passes hard, painful stools, talk to your baby's pediatrician to rule out these conditions.

How to quickly relieve your baby's constipation

Here are some home remedies you can try to help ease your baby's constipation:

• Help them get some exercise. If your baby's a crawler, encourage them to do a few laps. If they're not crawling yet, try pumping their legs instead. While they're lying on their back, gently move their legs in a forward, circular motion as if they were pedaling a bicycle.
• Massage your baby's belly. For step-by-step instructions, watch this video about baby massage for helping digestion.
• If you feed your baby formula, ask their healthcare provider about switching to a different brand or type.
• If your baby is old enough to eat a variety of solid foods, cut down on constipating foods like rice and bananas. Try higher-fiber foods such as pureed prunes, peas, apricots or pears, or whole-grain cereals to help loosen their bowel movements. Dr. Donner notes that if you're making baby food at home, make sure to blend the skin of the fruit in the puree for its fiber content.

If your baby is passing such hard, dry stools that you see a little blood or even slight tears (fissures) in the delicate skin near the opening of their anus, you can apply an ointment such as petroleum or nonpetroleum jelly to the area to help it heal. Keep the area as clean and dry as possible, and mention the fissures to your baby's provider.

What about juice or water?

While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not giving a baby younger than 12 months old any juice, a little prune, apple, or pear juice in addition to usual feedings is okay to help relieve constipation. These fruits contain sorbitol, a sweetener that acts like a laxative. Just make sure the juice is 100% with no added sugars.

"Try pear juice, sweet potatoes, and baby oatmeal!" says BabyCenter Community member RyleeA1995. "My baby has had so much constipation (which I was told is normal while their digestive systems mature), but he was a pretty miserable guy and those things seemed to help."

If your baby is 4 months or older, you can offer 2 to 4 ounces of juice per day, but for no longer than a week or two. If your baby is between 1 and 4 months old, talk to the pediatrician before giving your baby juice.

You can give your baby water once they begin eating solids. For babies between 6 to 12 months, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends offering 4 to 6 ounces of water a day.

What about laxatives?

Never give your baby an over-the-counter laxative without consulting their healthcare provider first. The pediatrician may recommend one of these types of laxatives:

• Stool softeners draw water into the stool, making it more comfortable for your baby to poop.
• Glycerin suppositories relieve severe constipation by stimulating your baby's rectum. Using a suppository occasionally is fine, but don't do it on a regular basis because your baby could wind up relying on them to have a bowel movement.

When should I call the doctor?

Call the doctor if your baby is younger than 4 months old and:

• Has very hard stools
• Hasn't had a bowel movement within 24 hours of when they usually go

Call the doctor if your baby of any age:

• Isn't eating
• Is losing weight
• Is vomiting
• Has a swollen belly
• Has blood in their stool
• Is straining really hard without passing soft stool
• Isn't helped by basic treatments, such as an adjustment to their diet

Get the scoop on baby poop:

• Photo guide of baby poop
• Baby poop: Just the facts
• 11 types of baby poop