Constipation in Babies – How to Help Them Poop

Constipation in babies can be frustrating for a parent, I know from experience. It’s amazing how much energy I have spent around my children’s poop. Before you were a parent, did you ever think you would think about poop so much? Is my baby pooping enough or too much? Is it the right color? So much poop! I seriously didn’t realize that so much of these early days revolve around poop.

Ever since starting solids, my baby’s whole digestive system seemed to slow down. I tried increasing how much we were breastfeeding, decreasing solids, giving small amounts of water (no more than 2oz) and it just didn’t work for his constipation. So I had to look at what he was eating.

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Foods that can Cause Constipation in Babies

Banana (unripe)
Rice (white)
Applesauce
Toast (white)

These “B.R.A.T.” foods are low in fiber and bind a baby’s stool, increasing constipation in babies and making it harder for them to poop. So, I started to avoid these and saw a little difference.

Food that can Relieve Constipation in Babies

Peach
Pear
Plum
Prune
Pineapple (note: be careful with this, it can cause a nasty diaper rash!)

Notice a trend? “P” fruits tend to be higher in fiber and therefore help to get things moving. There are other foods that are high in fiber like whole wheat (only white bread is binding), brown rice (again only the white variety contributes to constipation in babies, broccoli and beans. Foods that are easy to digest can also help constipation in babies. These include avocado and sweet potato.

My Baby Poop Juice

Using these guidelines, I made “poop juice puree” that makes a perfect breakfast to relieve constipation in babies!

Pro Tip: Why do I say it’s a good breakfast? It’s because this should be only fed in the morning. It takes a few hours for this concoction to work. I made the mistake of feeding it at dinner once and my baby woke up in the middle of the night with a big stinking mess in his diaper! That’s the last thing you want to experience! So, learn from my mistake and make poop juice a breakfast item!

To Make Poop Juice for Constipation in Babies

Take 7oz pitted dry prunes, 1 pear, 1 peach (sliced and pitted), and any other “p” fruits you want and steam them for about 10 minutes until the prunes start to look plump. Then, I will add the cooked fruit to the water that I used to steam (as some nutrients escape into that water) and add 1 pitted avocado.

Using an immersion blender, I puree the mixture until it’s smooth. Sometimes you do need to add a little more water to thin it out, you know your baby best and can make it to the consistency of their liking. I find that I get a better consistency and have an easier time making baby purees using my immersion blender. However, if decide to use a stand blender, remember to let it cool before blending!

Now, there will be a LOT of poop juice. I freeze portion sizes in a silicone mold. This makes it easy to pop out and store in the freezer. Then, I can just pull one out into the fridge at night and it’s ready for breakfast in the morning! Giving this every other morning helps keep things moving and relieve constipation in babies.

A Note about Baby Led Weaning

If you follow my Instagram, you know that we are doing baby led weaning where my baby always feeds himself. So how do I accomplish this with purees like poop juice? The trick is to pre-load a spoon and then let them put it into their mouth themselves. Babies can amaze you with how much they can do!

Check out my fruity breakfast recipe for baby led weaning!

You can also use reusable pouches, but with “poop juice”, I recommend the spoon method as it is potent stuff and too much of it can cause a major poop blowout! They make special kinds of spoons that help to “grab” the puree, and others that are the perfect size and shape for little ones to use.

If you are like me and always thinking about baby’s poop (or rather their lack of it) this is a great natural way to get things moving and relieve their discomfort. This “poop juice” is great for constipation in babies!