There’s nothing worse than seeing your baby suffer from constipation, and if you’ve ever struggled with it as an adult, you’ll know just how uncomfortable they’ll be feeling.
Constipation is fairly common in babies and children under five, especially if they’re potty training, and if you notice your baby isn’t pooing as often as normal and seems distressed, they may be struggling with constipation.
It’s important to pay attention to the below symptoms if you suspect your baby might have constipation:
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Infrequent bowel movements (less than three times per week)
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Pain in the tummy
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Straining
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Bloody or dry stools
For us grown ups, there are many natural remedies to treat constipation. One age-old trick which people have been using for centuries is drinking prune juice to stimulate bowel movement.
Is it safe to give my baby prune juice for constipation?
If your baby is under 1, you shouldn’t give them prune juice unless you’ve been advised by a doctor. If you suspect they’re struggling with constipation, it’s best to visit your GP and follow their advice.
If your child is over 1 year old, it’s generally safe to give them small amounts of prune juice to combat any constipation.
How much prune juice should I give them?
When giving prune juice to small children and toddlers, it’s important to administer it gradually in small doses, remembering that prunes have a high sorbitol content which has laxative and diuretic properties.
This can cause many people to bloat after consuming it and a very small percentage of people are allergic.
Only give your toddler (over 1 year old) a maximum of one cup of prune juice per day to treat constipation. At first, you may want to dilute it with water to help them drink it and hydrate at the same time. Any more than this amount and it may irritate your child’s bowels.
Prune juice isn’t the only remedy for constipation, and there are plenty of other things to try, from upping water intake to having a nice warm bath, check out more remedies for constipation here.