Infant Diet Constipation
Constipation means infrequent, hard stools. It does not mean grunting or straining, although your baby may certainly exhibit these behaviors when having a bowel movement. So the first question to ask is, “Is my child really constipated?”
Tummy Massage - Gently massage and rub baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction. Place your hands at baby’s navel and massage in a circular motion, moving your hand(s) out and away from the center of baby’s belly.
Another thing you can do to help battle constipation is to make sure baby is receiving enough liquids and movement. Move baby’s legs by doing the “bicycle” and if baby is crawling, allow plenty of crawling and moving time. Increase “watery” fruits and veggies such as pears, peaches and prunes as well. Offering baby more water and fruit juices may help baby’s constipation as well.
Most people who choose a vegetarian diet in the western world don’t know how to do it right, and end up suffering from protein deficiency (and hence exhaustion). The only protein they eat comes from nuts and seeds, and that isn’t enough. In India, where almost everyone is a vegetarian, including the wealthy top class Brahmins, they serve ‘dahl’ at every meal. That is, a dish made from lentils or beans.
If your baby is on formula milk, you should follow the instructions on the package carefully. Making the mixture too thick by putting in more than the recommended amount of powder can lead to constipation and other medical problems. There are different brands of formula milk on the market, and they are basically of equal quality. It is important that you follow the instructions for making up the formula very closely, particularly if you change brands as different formulas may require different dilutions
Another important dietary change is increasing the amount of fiber in your child’s diet. How much fiber does your child need? The usual recommendation is that children should have 5-6 grams of fiber plus their age in years each day. So a 4 year old should have 9-10 grams of fiber each day.
