Prune Juice In Formula (How It Benefits A Constipated Child)

Prune juice in a toddler’s formula is one of the things that many parents rely on for their toddler’s constipation. It has a digestive property that helps tone and breaks down food in the stomach. It’s also a laxative that softens the stool and promotes its ease of release. So, for toddlers straining poop, prune is a beneficial herb for relieving and promoting regular and easy bowel movement. It’s a safe treatment for babies over one year of age.

Why babies get constipated

A young infant boy is crying and not happy because he's feeling constipation discomfort.

Constipation is a common nuisance for children under five years of age. It is inevitable once the toddler gets to start taking solid foods.

Babies taking formula milk may also experience firm poop due to product sensitivity or intolerance.

It’s rare in breastfed babies until they start eating solids. However, it is still possible if they have sensitivities from their mom’s diet that pass through the breastmilk.

After introducing your baby to solid food, you should expect changes in your baby’s poop. It could get watery or get firmer, and he will have trouble passing it out. It is mainly because of his immature digestive system responding to solid foods.

But since babies cannot communicate what they are feeling, parents may not notice their discomfort.

Not until they evacuate hard pebble-like poop that parents begin to recognize the baby is constipated.

Here are some other signs to tell that your baby is having difficulty with stool removal:

  • Infrequent bowel movement (less than three times a week)
  • Straining when pooping
  • Hard stools that sometimes comes with blood
  • Stomach bloating
  • Irritation due to painful cramps

And did you know that as babies experience pain when straining, they are likely to withhold their bowel movement? Thus, it will make their constipation even worse.

Prune juice in formula

Mixing juices in babies’ milk is an easier way to get them to drink their needed nutrients. Adding prune juice into it for relieving constipation is not a bad idea either.

A young toddler boy is drinking prune juice out of his bottle, to help with his constipation.

Prune juice, which comes from dried plums, is effective in stomach cleansing. It also has diuretic, laxative, and digestive properties. Thus, it will provide babies relief from straining to ease their bowel movement.

When using prune juice in a formula, it is important to dispense it gradually and a little at a time. It may contain substances that may trigger an allergic reaction. If your baby seems fine with it, you can increase the dose so he can consume a cup of prune juice a day, at most.

Safe use of prune juice for baby age

Plum juice is a safe constipation remedy for toddlers over one year of age. Mixing it into their formula will lessen their burden in potty training.

You can also give plum juice directly in a cup or bottle if your baby does not have an aversion to a new taste. But limit their intake because too much prune juice may also cause stomach irritation.

You should also not use prune juice in newborns or babies up to two months of age by any means.

They do not have a normal pooping habit yet, so they may go for long days without moving, and it is okay. However, even if you think your child is constipated, do not give any liquid – even water. Bring the child to a doctor for a proper prescription.

Infants or those whose ages are between two to twelve months should not be given prune juice without the doctor’s permission as well. Talk to your doctor for proper dosage if you want to include prune juice in a formula for a constipated infant.

Some doctors are good with it and may recommend no more than 4 ounces of prune juice a day.

FAQs

Is it safe to give prune juice to my baby?

Giving prune juice to your baby will depend on his age. Do not give prune juice to babies under two months old. Babies between two months and 12 months old may be given prune juice, but it is subject to approval by your child’s pediatrician. For children over one-year-old, it is safe to give prune juice for constipation if you limit intake.

Takeaway

Constipation is a normal experience for toddlers who are just starting to eat solid foods. Keeping your baby hydrated by giving him plenty of water is an effective way of preventing it. But if your child is having trouble with moving poop, adding prune juice to formula milk may help.

It can help stimulate the digestive tract and promotes easy bowel removal. However, parents should also take precautions when giving juices based on their child’s age and the amount that they can give.

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Ann Marie is a licensed nurse in the Philippines. She experienced handling and assisting deliveries of newborns into the world. She also trained in labor rooms and pediatric wards while in nursing school - helping soon-to-be mothers and little kids in the process. Though not a mother by nature but a mother by heart, Ann Marie loves to take care of her younger cousins as well as nephews and nieces during her free time.

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