How to Help Your Baby Poop and Occasional Constipation in Babies

What should I know about constipation in babies and toddlers

• Tips to help your baby poop
• Know the signs of occasional constipation in infants and toddlers
• Understand why occasional constipation happens at these ages
• Can probiotics help with constipation?

It can be tough to watch our little ones experience occasional constipation. All the grunting, pushing, and little red faces! But the good news is that constipation in babies is usually temporary and can often be eased at home with a few helpful tips.

While constipation in children is defined as fewer than 2 bowel movements per week and/or difficulty passing stools that are small, hard, and dry - every child’s stooling pattern is different.¹

Pay attention to whatever seems regular for your little one, because any deviation from your child’s “normal” may be unpleasant and leave you both feeling uncertain about what to do next.

Tips to help your baby poop

Give your baby a massage. The gentle ?I love you? abdominal massage for babies and toddlers can be helpful in reducing constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.

1. Give your baby a massage. The gentle “I love you” abdominal massage for babies and toddlers can be helpful in reducing constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
2. Positions to help your baby poop Place your baby on their back on a firm, stable surface and then: Gently bicycle their legs, or Gently press baby’s knees into their chest and back. Repeat a few times.
3. Correct formula preparation. When preparing baby formula, add water first, then the powder, to ensure baby is getting enough fluids.¹⁴ Adding powder to the bottle first concentrates the formula and may result in baby not getting enough water. If constipation is consistent even with correct preparation of the formula, speak with the pediatrician about additional signs that your little one may not be tolerating the formula well. Follow the instructions on the can of formula you have, as preparations can differ by brand.
4. Get enough fiber. If your baby is older than 1, aim for 14 grams of fiber per day (19 grams if older than 2 years). [13]
5. Hydration! More fiber requires good hydration. If your baby is younger than 1 year, breast milk or formula is a primary source of hydration, and no extra water may be needed. After 1, water, milk, and continued breast milk feeding will help with hydration. Check out How much Water does my Baby or Toddler Need?

Get enough fiber. If your baby is older than 1, aim for 14 grams of fiber per day (19 grams if older than 2 years).

Is my infant constipated?

While constipation may occur in babies younger than 6 months, it’s also very common for your baby to grunt, strain, and turn red while passing stool. This is because their abdominal muscles are still weak, so they must work harder to have a bowel movement.¹²

As they become older and their muscles get stronger, they’ll be able to pass stool much more easily!

What causes constipation in infants?

Primary reasons infants may become constipated include:

• Incorrect preparation of formula. Always make sure to add water first, then the formula powder after so that baby is getting enough fluids and to ensure the formula is not concentrated.¹⁴
• Underdeveloped digestive system. Some babies seem constipated when the reality is they naturally have more difficulty passing stool under their body matures.
• Intolerance or allergy. Certain proteins may cause constipation if your baby is not tolerating them well. And while rare, a breastfed baby may experience constipation if allergic to some of the foods mom is eating.^{3, 4}
• Starting solid foods
• Low fiber diet

Contrary to popular belief, recent studies have found that formulas with iron do not necessarily cause more constipation than formulas without iron, and iron is a very important nutrient for baby’s brain health.^{5, 6}

Does hydration play a role in infant constipation?

It is important for babies and toddlers to drink enough fluids to keep their bodies properly hydrated and bowels moving regularly.²

• For babies under 6 months: all the fluid they need comes from breastmilk and properly prepared formula.
• For babies over 6 months: formula and breast milk should remain their primary source of fluids, calories, and nutrients. However, introducing 4 to 8 ounces per day from a sippy, straw, or open cup can help them get used to the taste of water and help them develop the skills needed to drink from a cup.¹⁵
• For babies who eat solids : When increasing the amount of fiber in your infant’s diet, it is important to also increase the amount of water to help process the added fiber.

What are the signs of infant constipation?

• Excessive fussiness
• Spitting up more than usual
• Unusually hard stools, sometimes with blood
• Straining for more than 10 minutes without passing stool
• Having considerably fewer bowel movements than normal⁷

Will starting solids cause constipation?

Firmer, less regular bowel movements are common once your little one starts solid foods (usually around 6 months).

This is because the digestive tract needs time to adapt to digesting.¹² Think about it this way: more solid foods in equals more solid poops out!

Your child’s normal stooling will change from being softer on an all-liquid diet to becoming firmer and less frequent on an increasingly solid diet.¹⁵ Note that some straining during bowel movements is normal, as babies still have weak abdominal muscles.¹²

How do I help my infant with constipation?

Always reach out to your child’s healthcare provider if a change in your little one’s stool habits is concerning.

Is my toddler constipated?

Once in toddlerhood, constipation can occur if your child holds in his stools. The longer the stool stays in the colon, the harder it becomes since the body continues to absorb fluids from it. As more stool gets backed up, the colon stretches, making it more difficult for the colon to push the stool out.

Some children delay passing stool because they don’t want to stop playing, others feel embarrassment or stress about using the bathroom, while sometimes stool-withholding stems from fear of a painful bowel movement.¹

Constipation may also occur if a toddler’s diet is low in fiber.¹⁵ Be sure to introduce fruits and vegetables at every meal, along with whole grains, beans, and legumes, to help your little one get enough fiber.

What are the signs of toddler constipation?

• Dry, hard stools with pain upon passing
• Blood streaks along the outside of the stool
• Abdominal pain with hard and infrequent stools
• Swollen or bloated abdominal
• Pellet sized stools passed with straining or grunting
• Standing on tiptoes and rocking back and forth
• Clenching buttocks muscles
• Making dancelike movements
• Stool or urine in underwear¹

Although constipation is more common in toddlers than babies, most cases aren’t serious and generally last a short amount of time. Even though most cases aren’t dangerous, it is important not to ignore symptoms or leave constipation untreated because it can lead to more serious health problems.

Do probiotics help baby poop?

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria in foods, formula, or supplements that can help promote our health in different ways by colonizing our gut with these healthy microorganisms and bacteria.

While current research is not firm on whether probiotics may help alleviate occasional constipation, results are starting to look promising.^{9, 10}

Chat with your child’s healthcare provider about introducing probiotic-rich foods into your child’s diet.

If constipation persists, contact your healthcare provider

If your child is experiencing persistent constipation for 2 weeks, or constipation accompanied by fever, vomiting, blood in stool, swollen abdomen, or weight loss you should contact your child’s pediatrician.

Do not use treatments such as mineral oil, stimulant laxatives, or enemas without consulting your child’s pediatrician.

Let's Chat!

We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond.

Our Happy Experts are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitian nutritionists certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they’re all moms, too, which means they’ve been there and seen that. They’re here to help on our free, live chat platform Monday - Friday 8am-6pm (ET). Chat Now!

Read more about the experts who help write our content!

For more on this topic, check out the following articles: