The Most Common Causes of Infant Constipation are:

Introduction of solid food(s) - breastfed babies may be more prone to constipation when solid foods are introduced. This is because their tiny tummies are used to processing the easily and highly digestible mother's milk Diets low in fiber Diets of excessi e dairy products (yogurt! cheeses! milk) "oods such as #ananas! $pplesauce! %ereals! #reads! &asta and 'hite &otatoes may contribute or cause constipation

$ change in diet usually relie es a baby with constipation. The following tips may also help the constipated baby get things (mo ing(.

)emedies and *ow to Treat %onstipation in #abies

There are many things you can do to help relie e baby's constipation. +ou can change baby's feeding pattern and,or engage in some physical exercises.

-xercises to *elp )elie e Infant %onstipation include.

Tummy /assage - 0ently massage and rub baby's tummy in a clockwise direction. &lace your hands at baby's na el and massage in a circular motion! mo ing your hand(s) out and away from the center of baby's belly. Warm Bath - 1ome medical professionals suggest gi ing your constipated baby a warm bath. The thought is that this may help relax baby and (get things mo ing( again. 0i e a tummy massage as you are drying baby. Bicycle Legs - &lace your baby on her back and lightly hold her legs in a half-bent position. 0ently begin to mo e your baby's legs as if she is riding a bicycle. $lternate (#icycle 2egs( with Tummy /assage. 3(#icycle 2egs( also may help to relie e a baby who is gassy.

Relieving Constipation in Babies Younger than 4 Months: Try gi ing one to two ounces of diluted fruit 4uice such as grape! prune or apple-prune twice daily and practice some of the abo e exercises. ($lways consult your pediatrician about the appropriateness of new foods,li5uids to help alle iate constipation) 2earn about ruit !uice in your baby's diet.

Relieving Constipation in Babies 4 Months to "# months $ by %hanging the "ood Diet Try strained foods that contain high fiber such as. apricots prunes peaches plums pears peas spinach In older infants who are 4ust beginning solid foods! you may want to a oid baby foods such as rice cereal! applesauce and bananas as these may aggra ate constipation. #arley or oatmeal cereals! prunes! peaches! plums! apricots and most egetables are preferred when baby has constipation.

6uices are helpful! especially apple or prune! but use in moderation! as they are not as nutritious for babies as formula or breast milk.

If +our #aby is %onstipated! )emember the #)$T diet.

The BR%T diet is used for the treatment of diarrhea in infants - BR%T stands for Bananas! Rice! %pplesauce and Toast. $n easy and natural way to remember how to alle iate baby's constipation is to cut out the foods that contribute to it - rice cereals! bananas! and applesauce. If you e er forget which foods to cut out! remember BR%T. Why can I give %pple !uice but &'T %pplesauce (hen baby is constipate)* There is a difference in the amount of sugars and pectin in apple 4uice and applesauce.

$pple 4uice contains more sugars and li5uids so it helps relie e constipation. $pplesauce is the whole of the fruit. It contains a higher le el of pectin - which firms up stools and may thus lead to constipation.

($pple 4uice also has a mild laxati e effect that may help pro ide relief from constipation commonly experienced by little ones. $pple 4uice fortified with itamin % may help children absorb more iron! an important nutrient for growth and de elopment.( About Apple Juices $pples contain pectin! which will add bulk to your stools! and their cleansing action will encourage bowel mo ements. They ha e a laxati e effect yet are also used for to help people get back on a regular diet after suffering bouts of diarrhea. The pectin in the apple fiber apparently is why whole apples will firm up bowel mo ements. Think of 7aopectate - a popular o er-the-counter diarrhea remedy. 7aopectate ! actually contains an oxidi8ed form of pectin. $lso! that same fiber pectin is what dietitians ha e been telling us for decades is necessary to keep us regular and to pre ent constipation. 'hile it will help pre ent constipation by helping to keep the bowels regular! it will not help alle iate constipation.

'hen it comes to bowel regularity! apples contain two types of fiber9 insoluble and soluble. The insoluble fiber works like roughage! while the soluble fiber (pectin)! which is found primarily in the skin! acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. #ecause pectin firms up an excessi ely loose stool! it:s also used to treat diarrhea