A baby has appeared in the family! This is a great happiness, but at the same time great anxieties for new parents. There are many causes for concern, especially if the child is the first, and young mother and father still do not know and do not know how. One of the reasons that makes you worry is the stool of the newborn. If he is regular, his parents will not be overjoyed. But what if the baby has constipation?
Who is called the baby
To begin with, it’s worth understanding: who is the baby? It is generally accepted that an infant is a baby who eats mother's milk, in other words, being breastfed. This opinion is fundamentally wrong.
“Artificial” children are also infants. Doctors include in this category absolutely all babies aged from twenty-eight days to twelve months. Another name for such children is newborns.
Features of digestion and stool of infants
In the crumbs that just came into being, all systems are still immature, including the digestive one. In order for everything to take shape and “fall into place”, a certain amount of time will be required, and until then, parents will need to know the physiology of their baby.
The number of bowel movements in children who eat their mother’s milk and the crumbs that are given the mixture varies. The first can go to the toilet "in a big way" after each feeding (or even immediately during it). The second, as a rule, cost one or two "trips" per day. The appearance of the stool in this case is that for some, that for other babies it can be very different - from liquid to thick, until the bowel function is adjusted (by about four months). So, when you see “liquid slurry” in the diaper instead of “thick sour cream”, you should not panic - if the child is active, cheerful and his behavior has not changed, then there is no reason for concern.
In children who are fed with a mixture, feces are usually more dense, and also smells rather unpleasant. In addition, depending on the type of mixture, the color of the stool may vary - from light yellow to dark green. Both artificial and natural scientists can have mucus in their feces - this is normal.
By about six months, the baby will “do things” no more than three or four times a day (we are talking about those who are breast-fed), by the year - even less. But it is important to know the following: it happens that, eating only mother’s milk, the baby poop only once every few days. With his general well-being and a soft tummy, this situation is not critical - this is not constipation.
What is considered constipation
You can talk about constipation in a baby if, along with the absence of bowel movement, the character of the baby's behavior changes. He often cries, even screams, attempts to empty the intestines do not lead to anything, which causes even greater vagaries. The baby’s tummy is inflated, it becomes hard to the touch, as if stone, and the child constantly presses the legs to it. In addition, the baby may become lethargic and begin to refuse food, as well as restless sleep. In some cases, there is also a lack of gas and even vomiting. All these signs eloquently testify to the actual problems with the stool, and here in this case we can safely say: yes, the child had constipation.
If parents found several (or even all) of the above symptoms in the behavior of their baby, you should not expect that everything will go away by itself, especially if this problem is repeated regularly. Thus, you can only harm your child. Therefore, first of all, you must immediately consult a doctor - call an ambulance or a local pediatrician. Only a qualified specialist is able to figure out what is really happening with the baby, confirm or refute parental concerns, and, if necessary, prescribe and / or conduct competent treatment. In addition, it is important to know: in a newborn, feces come out quite easily, and there is no need for a child to push hard like an adult does. If the baby is doing such a maneuver, this is the first “bell” that should be wary.
What is constipation dangerous
You need to understand that such a nuisance can happen in a baby at any age - even in a month, constipation in a baby is not such a common occurrence. However, this problem is not fatal, although it can harm the child enough. Constipation is dangerous in that if the stool stays in the body for a long time, the toxins contained in it enter the baby's body. Because of this, the general condition of the crumbs worsens.
Constipation in infants: what to do?
First of all, do not panic. Many young parents immediately begin to sound the alarm and fuss, forgetting to "keep a face." Meanwhile, this is absolutely necessary - because the baby feels the parental state (especially the mother). Their overexcitation and excitement will be transmitted to him, and yet he is already so ill. Therefore, you should not aggravate the well-being of your own child, you should, on the contrary, calm down, pull yourself together and begin to act.
So what to do with constipation in infants? If this happened for the first time, you can try folk methods of dealing with the problem (they will be discussed in detail below). If nothing helps and / or this situation repeats itself regularly, you should immediately, as already mentioned, turn to the doctor for qualified help.
Possible reasons
Why is babies constipated? This question is of interest to all young parents. Almost anything can affect the stool of a newborn baby. Some causes of constipation in infants (so to speak, common to different types of feeding) are as follows:
- the transition from the chest to the mixture (and quite sharp and unexpected);
- an infection or a cold picked up by a child;
- insufficient amount of water drunk per day (of course, especially for babies on the mixture);
- the introduction of complementary foods is not normal or not on time;
- lack of tone in the rectum;
- allergy to cow protein - casein, which is found both in breast milk and in some infant formula;
- taking drugs by mom or the baby itself;
- dysbiosis.
If the baby has rickets (metabolic disturbances, improper bone development caused by a lack of vitamin D), then he may have chronic problems with stool. Also, some psychological processes can cause constipation in infants - for example, developing schizophrenia.
A lot of different diseases can cause a baby’s digestion. Among them are diabetes mellitus, bowel obstruction, problems with the thyroid gland, nervous system or brain, and so on.
In addition, artificial babies and naturalists have their own, special causes of constipation. Read more about them below.
Breast-fed
Could there be constipation in an infant who eats only breast milk? Of course, it can, and the reason for this in the first place is the corny diet of mom. A woman during lactation should adhere to a certain diet - but it is so difficult to do when all kinds of goodies are beckoning from all sides. As a result, the mother eats the “forbidden fruit”, and the baby suffers. It must be remembered that products such as white bread, bananas, milk, coffee, rice, meat and even nuts (which many doctors, by the way, recommend to increase lactation) can cause constipation in a child.
In fairness, it should be noted that constipation during breastfeeding is not too common. Mommy’s milk is well digested in the infant’s tummy, as it contains many useful enzymes that promote proper digestion. However, when constipation does occur, the reason for this, in addition to the already indicated, may be a lack of breast milk. Quite often, a woman does not have much milk, and if the baby does not receive supplementary food in the form of a mixture and, accordingly, does not eat up, he has nothing to go to the toilet - constipation occurs.
On mixed feeding
Mixed feeding is called such feeding, when the baby first sucks the mother’s breast, and then it is fed with an artificial mixture. Crumbs are often transferred to this type of feeding when the mother has little milk, and it can cause constipation in the newborn. The baby managed to get used to her mother’s milk and it can be difficult for him to switch to other foods. Now two different types of milk enter his body, for the digestion of which different enzymes are required. The fragile digestive system of the crumbs is difficult to cope with this difficult task - and constipation happens.
In order to somehow solve the problem of constipation in infants with mixed feeding, you can try changing the mixture. Now there are many different mixtures aimed specifically at improving the digestive system. There are special fermented milk mixtures - which contain "live" bifidobacteria. However, you should not independently experiment with the health of the baby, picking him a mixture. It is better to consult a pediatrician who will tell you what is best for the child.
Some advise children to give a decoction of prunes and raisins - they help improve intestinal function, and constipation can occur due to a shortage of water in the body. To prevent constipation in infants with mixed feeding, he should receive a sufficient amount of fluid. Dried fruit infusions are recommended because they are rich in various useful substances, but if parents are afraid to give this to their baby, you can limit yourself to ordinary boiled water in the right quantities.
On artificial feeding
Many say that constipation in infants with artificial feeding is a fairly common problem precisely because of the type of food. The mixture is absorbed by the small ventricle heavier than light breast milk, which causes constipation. In addition, the cause of this trouble may be non-compliance with the proportions in the dilution of the mixture. As a rule, the manufacturer on a jar warns that it is necessary to clearly regulate the ratio of water and measuring spoons with the mixture, but some do not pay attention to it, because of which, again, the child suffers.
Some mixtures contain palm oil, which can also cause stool crumbs. This problem can also appear if the baby has a sharp change in the mixture or if he always eats different mixtures.
Treatment of constipation
So, if nevertheless such a nuisance happened, how to help the baby with constipation? First of all, you can try to alleviate his suffering with a massage of the tummy - gently pushing it with his palm in a clockwise direction. They also recommend putting a warm rag or heating pad on the baby’s tummy. In addition, you can play "bicycle" - work with crumbs legs, first alternately, and then together pressing them to the stomach.
Another method is to take a warm bath, but it is more suitable for older children than for babies aged one to two months. You can try to put the baby on her tummy (by the way, it is advised to do this before each feeding, because the food in this case will be absorbed better and the gases will become easier to escape).
Be sure to monitor the frequency of feeding. If a baby who eats mother’s milk should be fed at his request, then the artificers are usually fed according to the regimen. It is necessary to establish a certain time period and try to strictly adhere to it. If you feed the baby more often than the selected period, his tummy will not have time to digest heavy food - hence the constipation.
For a baby who is already over six months old and who is getting complementary foods, prunes or beets can be given to stabilize the intestines - of course, having prepared them beforehand. These products maximize the improvement of the digestive system. You can also try to feed the child with apple, zucchini, cauliflower - it is best if they are not shop mashed potatoes, but made at home with their own hands.
The extreme measures for treating constipation in infants include taking medication. It must be firmly remembered: almost all laxatives are contraindicated in infants until they reach one year of age. There are only a few drugs that parents of newborns can use without fear (but again only as a last resort!). This, for example, is Duphalac syrup based on lactulose (a single dose of 5 milliliters is allowed for children from the first months of life). For babies who already have six months, there is another medicine - “Forlax”, which can be taken with a sufficiently long course - up to three months.
But to insert a child into the anus of soap (this is a very common folk method) is not worth it. It contains an alkali that can cause burns to the mucous membrane.
Enema - a solution to the problem?
It is generally accepted that the fastest and most effective method of dealing with obstructed bowel movements is an enema. It really is. However, is it possible to put an enema in infants with constipation?
The answer will be yes, but only in the most exceptional, difficult cases. Like taking laxatives, an enema is not recommended for regular use for infants. In this case, you need to pick up a soft syringe, which should be filled with no more than thirty milliliters of warm boiled water. The tip should be generously lubricated with petroleum jelly and introduced into the anus of the baby very carefully and no more than one and a half centimeters.
Enema is a very effective and emergency measure of help, however, it must be remembered that its frequent use leads to the destruction of beneficial microflora in the intestine and the disruption of the natural process of its release. The child will get used to constant stimulation and will not go to the toilet on his own, which is why you should not abuse this tool.
Using a vent pipe
As an analogue of an enema, it is often proposed to simply stimulate the intestines of the child. For this purpose, the anus of the baby is irritated either with a gas pipe, with a cotton swab, or with a finger in general. This is not to say that this is a very good method - after all, the rectum of the crumbs is very tender, and it is very simple to damage it. However, in isolated cases, you can help the baby in this way. It’s better to use it not with your finger, but with a special vent pipe - they are sold now in any pharmacy and have the most positive reviews. Constipation in the baby is easily eliminated if one end of the tube is lowered into a container of water, the other, narrower, previously lubricated with petroleum jelly, carefully inserted into the anal opening of the baby. First, the child’s gases go away, then - feces.
The use of rectal suppositories
Rectal glycerol suppositories are also used to treat constipation in infants. There are those specifically for babies - they are absolutely safe, have a mild effect and help to quickly fix the problem, literally within an hour. However, candles, like an enema, like a tube, should not be carried away either - for the same reasons. By the way, the child does not need to stuff a whole candle - only one third will be enough for him. But if the candle is set, but the “miracle” did not happen, it is imperative to call a doctor.
Useful Tips
It’s best not to treat constipation, but to prevent it. To do this, you can:
- Massage the tummy.
- Putting on the tummy more often.
- Do gymnastics, including the "bike".
- Give drink more fluid.
- To children receiving complementary foods, give mashed prunes.
One way or another, constipation in infants is a common occurrence. However, with a competent approach and the absence of panic on the part of parents, it is quite easy to cope with this problem.