Constipation Remedies

Natural Mama Nurse
Jun 2
3 min read

Updated: Jun 5

The Mayo Clinic defines constipation as less than 3 bowel movements a week or having difficult bowel movements. Holistic providers looking at ideal health agree that people should be pooping at least once a day (including breastfed babies)!

Constipation can cause more problems than belly pain. It can cause:

Painful BM (a problem especially in children as they may fear going poop)
Pelvic strain and prolapse with regular straining
Hemorrhoids and fissures
Urinary retention / UTI
Toxins that should be excreted remain in the colon and can be reabsorbed. This can lead to skin breakouts, depression/anxiety, memory loss.
Estrogen dominance: the liver breaks down estrogen and excretes it through the colon. If it sits there, it can be reabsorbed and lead to hormonal imbalance

The goal is to have 1-3 soft BMs a day. For children and adults, aim for type 3-4. Those with constipation often have types 1-2. One of the easiest ways to have softer BMs is to increase hydration. When not drinking enough, the body absorbs what is needs which leaves very little in the colon. This causes stool to be hard and difficult to pass.

Miralax

Miralax works by helping the digestive tract to absorb more water, leading to softer poops. The chemical responsible for this is polyethylene glycol 3350 or PEG.

The FDA has only approved Miralax for use in adults. It is not approved for children and is not approved for use longer than 7 days, yet it is often prescribed to children with constipation. While it can help short-term with hard BMs, it does not solve the root cause of the constipation in the first place. If dealing with acute constipation, miralax can be a useful tool, but should NOT be used long term.

Some of the side effects in children include:

anger & aggression
mood swings
tremors/seizures
dehydration
stomach pain/bloating

Acute Constipation

If dealing with acute constipation, the stool closer to the rectum is likely hard and impacted. Drinks and tinctures will likely not help loosen that stool.

What to try instead:

Saline enema: Fleet enemas contain sodium phosphate salts, which work by drawing water into the colon to stimulate a bowel movement. These are fine to use occasionally in my opinion, but not on a regular basis.
Glycerin suppository
Epsom salt and baking soda bath
- Mix 1 cup of Epsom salt (magnesium flakes) with 1/2 cup of baking soda into warm bath water. Can soak for up to 30 mins (10-15 mins for baby). Be sure to hydrate after

After the hard stool is cleared, work on adequate hydration and preventing constipation from reoccurring.

Chronic Constipation Root Causes

Liver or gallbladder problems
Dehydration
Stress
Anatomy of colon and sphincters
Poor gut microbiome (pre-mature birth, C section, antibiotic use, poor diet)
Sedentary/lack of movement
Food sensitivities
Low fiber diet
Hormonal shifts
Electrolyte imbalances
Side effect of certain medications (iron supplements, opioids)
Vagus nerve dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction

Prevent Chronic Constipation

Hydrate! Can add electrolytes or minerals to water to enhance absorption
Chiropractic care. We learned how to massage the sigmoid colon from our chiropractor when our son was an infant
Belly massage: In babies or young child, try the "I LOVE YOU" massage. Lather coconut oil or a lotion and massage several times a day
Consider limiting dairy. In breastfed babies, have mom go dairy-free for a few weeks
High fiber diet
A pre/probiotic

Natural Remedies

Just a reminder that because there are so many causes of constipation, not every remedy may work for each person. It may be worth trialing a remedy or two for a few days before trialing the next.

Magnesium citrate
- Pill for adults
- Powder to mix in water for kids
Magnesium lotion on belly
- Natalie10 for 10% off
Castor oil pack on belly or a few drops in the bellybutton
Gut health oil: Natalie10off for 10% off
- Start slow, just a drop or 2 and increase slowly
Poo Motion: Natalie10 for 10% off
- gentle, mild laxative for kids
Squatty potty or a stool when pooping. A squatted position helps the anal sphincter to open so stool can pass through easier
Epsom salt and baking soda bath
- mix 1 cup of Epsom salt (magnesium flakes) with 1/2 cup of baking soda into warm bath water. Can soak for up to 30 mins (10-15 mins for baby). Be sure to hydrate after
Prune or pear juice, mandarin oranges
Red Light Therapy: put a red light device on the tummy for 10-15 mins.
- code 'naturalmamanurse' for 40% off
"I love you" massage in babies and foot massage (don't knock it till you try it!)