My daughter has suffered constipation since she was born. I had low milk production, and she became jaundiced in the first few days of life. Her lack of bowel movement didn’t help the situation. While in the hospital, exhausted from giving birth, and in the middle of the night worried about my baby, I suddenly remembered a massage technique video.

I quickly searched and found it. Within a couple of hours, she pooped so much! I did it a couple more times within those 12 hours under the bili-lights (those blue hospital lights that help break down the skin protein for babies who are jaundiced).

Once, she just kept pooping while I was wiping her. My husband put on gloves (this was a hilarious moment) to help me keep wiping and discarding the dirty ones until she was done.

I was so relieved. She was doing better, was less yellow, and had pooped a few times. I knew we were on the way to getting released.

At home, I kept doing the massages daily, but found she still kept getting constipated. The pediatrician we loved (who sadly moved) massaged her guts and said he didn’t feel anything hard or odd. He also informed me a study done discovered kids could 28 days without pooping and still be considered to have “healthy guts.” The study did not take into account the comfort of the child. If I can find the study, I will link it here.

Things got a little better briefly once she learned how to roll onto her tummy. The extra pressure from her playing like that seemed to help.

But it was short-lived. The constipation returned once we started solids around six months.

My poor baby would scream and cry, pushing so hard. She would get small, hard lumps out. It would take days and sometimes a few “screamers,” as I took to calling them. She would make a face, and I knew I’d have to grab her.

I’d cradle her to my chest, forcing her to bend her hips and knees into more of a squatting position so it would be easier. She tended to keep her legs straight and tense, I’m sure from the pain of it all. She would grip me anywhere she could. Screaming and crying so hard. One time, her rectum left a tiny amount of blood on the wipe.

I didn’t know what to do, and every time she had a painful bowel movement, it hurt my heart.

We had gone to the chiropractor several times, so I knew she was well-aligned. The chiropractor had even massaged her tummy deeper than I had.

We had tried giving prunes. They helped sometimes. My mom and I continued the massages. After consulting a reflexologist to see if there were any spots that might help, I even massaged the soles of her feet.

Still, she would be in so much pain.

Things that start with the letter “P”

My mom shared with me that she’d read an article from another mom whose son suffered for four years with constipation. (I am sorry, I don’t have the post to share!) She learned that foods that start with a “P” are usually good for encouraging pooping.

Pears, pumpkins, prunes, papaya, etc. Papaya was out of season, but she was already regularly getting those foods. And still, she had so much discomfort.

She normally slept through the night unless she was constipated. Sometimes, this was my first sign that she was becoming uncomfortable. Instead of sleeping 8-10 hours, she would wake up about every 2-3 hours whining.

I had increased the prunes to every couple of days. It helped, but not enough.

Noteworthy for this post is that “papain enzymes in papaya can make protein easier to digest.”

Franziska Spritzler, “8 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Papaya” Dec. 4, 2018

Oatmeal

My pediatrician had not recommended oatmeal additives, so she wasn’t getting those.

Oatmeal and other filler foods, to me, just would make my day more convenient. Meaning my baby would stay full longer, and I wouldn’t have to feed her as often. That didn’t sit right with me. I know she has a small stomach and needs to eat frequent meals full of proper nutrients to maintain health and grow well. Additive fillers are nearly empty of nutritional value. I said so to my pediatrician, and he agreed with me. Hence, the reason he didn’t recommend them.

But my mom mentioned that maybe Ember needed more fiber in her diet. I had been tossing around the idea on my own for a little while. I was not keen on giving her the stuff in the baby food aisle, though. Motherhood has me listening to my intuition so much more these days. And the longer it goes that I look at our food ingredients, the more disappointed I am in our government regulations in the United States and the utter poison in our food.

This post is not about conspiracy theories, and we won’t dive down that rabbit hole right now.

When I get a message from spirit and all but ignore it, someone else gets it to and keeps bringing it up. Sometimes it’s literally shoved in my face (like when my dog needed allergy medicine.) And usually comes through my husband or my mom.

So, because I was ignoring my baby needing oatmeal, my mom had to keep bringing it up.

Finally, I gave in and decided to make her oatmeal one morning.

I did NOT give her infant-specific oatmeal. Instead, I gave her Bob’s Red Mill Organic quick-cooking oats. I already had them at home. I thought maybe the texture would be too much for her straight out of the bag, so I blended the quick-oats into a powder consistency. Mixed them with hot water from my gooseneck kettle (we’re trying to use the microwave less often.) Then, I added in some leftover banana berry puree my mom had given her the morning before.

My Baby Oatmeal “recipe”:

-2 Tbsp of powder form Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick-cooking Oats

-hot water from my Gooseneck Kettle (pour and mix until a smooth consistency)

-add seasoning or fruit puree to thin more and flavor

Adding sugar NOT recommended. I sometimes sweeten with a half-teaspoon of local Maple Syrup.

Honey carries a higher risk of botulism since it’s not cooked and is NOT recommended for under the age of 2, typically.

Other options beside Puree: Frozen Weiman’s Wild blueberries or other berries (you can microwave them, or thaw them overnight), smashed banana with some maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon, or homemade applesauce (be sure it’s been canned and stored properly with no added sugar)

Ember absolutely loved it! She ate all that I had prepared for her. Later that day, she started having bowel movements. Now, full disclosure: I am not 100% certain that it was just the oatmeal. She also had broccoli for lunch for the first time (more fiber!). We also began another measure that I’ll discuss next.

I buy Bob’s Red Mill at Giant Eagle, but I’m sure other grocery stores sell it. If you cannot find it at your local stores, you could order this four-pack of 16-ounce packages on Amazon Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats.

Magnesium Lotion

I so wish I could credit the mama who shared this piece of information online, but I cannot find the blog post. If you are the one who wrote it, I am eternally grateful! (Please share the blog with me, and I will link it!)

One day, while doing some research while I had a few minutes, I happened upon another mom’s blog post about magnesium lotion that had helped their child with sleep. They also shared that magnesium also helps with constipation!

Now, as a nurse and holistically minded woman, I know many of us lack magnesium and the amazing benefits that supplementing it can have. I also remembered that applying it topically sometimes helps the body absorb it better. Also, how else am I going to get magnesium into my baby, right?

I started applying it at bedtime to her belly in a clockwise motion with gentle pressure. I also applied it along both of her legs. She’s only 8 months old, so she has a small surface for applying the recommended 1-2 teaspoons.

1-2 teaspoons to the belly in a clockwise motion. Apply down both legs or on the soles of the feet if the belly is small (infants).

We’ve been using the lotion for approximately 3 weeks. It took about 10 days until I started seeing softer and more frequent bowel movements. I did this in conjunction with adding oatmeal 2-3 days a week, and continuing the prunes about once or twice a week.

Now we’re in week three and she has pooped every day for the last 5 days. A large, full, and SOFT bowel movement. No screaming and no discomfort!

I don’t know if it’s just the magnesium helping or a combination of all three things helping. All I know is that my baby is now more comfortable and having regular bowel movements. I will keep rubbing magnesium lotion on her and giving her oatmeal, and occasionally prunes if needed, to keep it that way.

I hope this post helps some other parent’s out there and their little ones. I do not know if this will work with older children because I only have Ember right now. If you try it and it does, let me know and I will share the information here in an update.

More about Magnesium

What is Magnesium? Magnesium is an electrolyte that our bodies use for many things. It is taken into the body by eating or drinking foods that have magnesium in them. Due to soil depletion, the magnesium content in food is lower than it has been in the past, and many people are suffering (usually unknowingly) from hypomagnesemia, or low levels found in the bloodstream.

What does Magnesium do? Magnesium is responsible for several things. It affects the amount of other electrolytes in the blood, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. It is a key component of many body functions. The brain, heart, and other muscles rely on adequate magnesium levels in the body.

Where is it stored? Magnesium is mostly stored in the bones but only the magnesium that has been dissolved (or transferred) into the blood and other fluid systems can be used. The level is regulated by the small & large intestines (absorption), bones (storage), and kidneys (excretion or release through peeing.)

This information can be found on the Cleveland Clinic website. It is good basic information, but let it be noted that I disagree with the information of the prevalence of hypomagnesemia. I believe much of it is undiagnosed. The blood level may be showing normal, but how much is still left in bone-storage?

You can follow through to the Cleveland Clinic page to view their listed symptoms.

I like this article here by the Mayo Clinic Press. Particularly this statement here:

“A blood test of magnesium may not provide a helpful answer. Magnesium is a charged mineral in the body and resides primarily inside the cell. When you test for magnesium in the blood, you are checking the level outside the cell. If the level is low, your magnesium is low. If it’s normal, you don’t know. There is a lab test that checks intracellular magnesium. However, it’s expensive and not typically covered by insurance.”

Denise Millstine, M.D. from “Magnesium: Are you low, but don’t know?” Nov. 10, 2021 (Mayo Clinic)

Causes of low magnesium: It outlines that some risk factors include certain medications, drinking alcohol, and certain diets (like the American diets), which can all lead to a lack of consumption AND absorption of magnesium. Inflammatory bowel disease can also decrease absorption, even if you’re consuming enough (another reason to use lotion supplement, perhaps?)

Side note: You’re probably inflamed in many ways, and this is causing many of your physical problems. I recommend this book here and a better diet right away!