If your baby has constipation, the best thing is to take your child to the pediatrician and have the specialist tell you what to do, because the longer the situation continues, the harder the stool will get and the harder it will be to expel it.
Has your baby not pooped for days, moves his legs insistently, cries non-stop, gets annoyed and turns red trying to push? If the answer is “yes” to one or more of these questions, your child is most likely suffering from constipation.
This problem, although very uncomfortable, is very natural in the baby’s first months. It’s related to the immaturity of the digestive system. Of course, in this situation, the best thing is to take your child to the pediatrician and have the specialist tell you what to do, because the longer the situation continues, the harder the stool will get and the harder it will be to expel it. But in addition to following the doctor’s advice, there are certain guidelines that can relieve the child from this discomfort. These are the following:
- If constipation is caused by the milk formula, you can put a little more water in the mixture, even if you break the ratio of 1 scoop of powder to 30 ml of water. The reason we advise you to do this is because the more water the little one drinks, the softer and better the stool and the easier it will be for him to expel it.
- If constipation is very common, try offering specially formulated milks to relieve this problem.
- Another way to relieve the feeling of heaviness is to bathe your baby in lukewarm water to stimulate intestinal transit.
- Orange juice can also be a good remedy for the little one to overcome this small bump. Of course, the juice must be very reduced in water, as the acid from the orange can damage your baby’s tummy.
- And if the little one is already in the complementary feeding phase, don’t hesitate to give him vegetable and fruit purées rich in fiber to help him expel the stool.
- Introducing a glycerin suppository may also be a good alternative for the little one to evacuate.
- Finally, you can take your child to a pediatric physiotherapist for a gut massage. The movements will stimulate him, and you will see how soon the little one will begin to expel the feces. During the session, make a note of the exercises so that you can practice them yourself at home.
Furthermore, here we explain some of the most effective movements:
- Face up and slide your hands from ribs to groin with the legs up
- Move your child’s legs up and down and flex them gently against the belly, maintaining the posture for a few seconds. Then, stretch the legs and repeat the movements.
- Take advantage since the legs are already up high, turn them around in circles or pedaling as the bicycle as an alternative movement.
- Put your hands on both sides of your child’s flank at the level of belly button and press lightly.
- Another exercise is to make circles with your child’s hands on their belly clockwise. First, with one hand and then, with the other one.
- Constipation can often be caused by an accumulation of gases. A good exercise to help expel them is to draw an “I” on the right side of the baby’s belly; then draw an inverted L, and then an inverted U, in this way we manage to remove the gases slowly helping to eliminate or dissolve them.
- And to finish with the massage session, do it with a fun exercise that in addition to effect, the child will like it by the tickling that means walking on the baby’s belly with your fingers. Simple, isn’t it?