If your baby is constipated, don't be alarmed. The solution to the problem may be as simple as changing your infant's diet. Certain types of baby food may cause constipation, even though they're nutritious and tasty for your little one. Replacing those kinds of baby foods with high-fiber foods can help your infant's bowel movements return to normal, says MayoClinic.com.
Cereal
Even though rice cereal is a popular food for parents to feed their babies because it's easy for infants to digest, rice cereal doesn't contain much fiber, so it sometimes causes constipation, reports MayoClinic.com. The University of California San Francisco suggests feeding your baby either barley cereal or oatmeal cereal to increase his fiber intake and reduce the risk of constipation.
Bananas
Bananas are a great finger-food for babies, who often love their sweet taste. But bananas may also cause constipation for your baby if he isn't getting enough liquids and fiber to balance his diet, DrGreene.com says. If you give your baby some bananas, be sure to also feed him other fruits like peaches and pears that contain more fiber, and have your baby drink either apple juice or prune juice twice each day to soften your infant's stools, recommends DrGreene.com. You should avoid giving your baby bananas when he is constipated, University of California San Francisco states, and you can give your infant one to two ounces of diluted prune juice every time you notice that he is constipated. MayoClinic.com suggests adding pureed prunes or pears to your baby's cereal to increase fiber and try to decrease constipation.
Applesauce
Your baby may suffer constipation from eating too much applesauce, states University of California San Francisco. If that happens, you may be able to clear up the problem by simply substituting another fruit with more fiber, such as plums, for the applesauce. DrGreene.com suggests giving your baby high-fiber fruits like plums, apricots, prunes, pears and peaches if applesauce or another low-fiber food is causing him to struggle with constipation. Be sure to contact your baby's pediatrician if dietary changes don't clear up his constipation, or if the constipation is accompanied by irritability or vomiting, MayoClinic.com advises.
