Often, due to impaired intestinal motility, an infant may experience constipation, causing pain and discomfort in the tummy. Undoubtedly, this phenomenon negatively affects the well-being of the baby and may become the reason for his crying. Sleepless nights and screams in a baby are often associated with this ailment. In the article, we will find out how to help a baby go to the toilet and how often he should do it.
Causes of constipation in newborns
Not only the frequency of bowel movements, but also its general condition indicates constipation in the baby. If the baby looks active and cheerful, and his tummy is soft, then in this case you should not take any action. It is worth noting that all children are individual, and constipation in a month-old child and older is common. In the first year of life, the baby's stool is usually liquid or mushy. To understand the question of how to help a baby go to the toilet, first you need to understand the main causes of this problem. Stool delay may occur due to:
- teething;
- infectious diseases or rickets;
- reactions to complementary foods;
- low activity;
- incorrect diet;
- dehydration and malnutrition;
- low body weight;
- transition to artificial feeding;
- immaturity of the intestinal microflora.
It should be noted that constipation in infants can appear due to many factors, but before treating this ailment, it is worthwhile to find out the cause. For example, if it is noticed that the delay in the stool is associated with a change in the mixture or the introduction of a certain product, then it is necessary to monitor the reaction of the baby and its condition for several more days. If the stool delay is repeated more than twice a week, then you need to temporarily stop giving these products, and you should also consult a doctor.
How to determine?
Constipation is determined by the absence of stool for 1-3 days. In this case, the child becomes restless. This phenomenon may be temporary or quite often repeated. In the latter case, it is necessary to show the baby to the doctor, perhaps there are violations in the diet or deviations in the development of the intestine. In addition, due to the sterility of the intestinal microflora, children under one year old often suffer from colic. They are revealed in the following way: the baby has a hard and swollen stomach, he can not release gases and go to the toilet. Treatment is carried out independently with a massage of the tummy, dill water or special pharmacy drops.
On a note
Many mothers are interested in the question of how many times a baby should go to the toilet. Normally, a child up to one year old should be emptied one to three times daily. But it is worth considering its individual characteristics. It is believed that the baby has constipation when he does not go to the toilet for three days. If after examining the doctor there are no deviations in the development of internal organs, then there is no reason for concern - this is treatable.
It is important to pay attention to the general condition of the infant, how much it is cheerful, calm, whether it has an appetite, whether its stomach is soft. In addition, the consistency of the stool should be observed, since it is considered normal when the stool has a liquid or gruel-like consistency. Hard stools may indicate a violation of the digestive system, which is a signal for contacting a pediatrician.
Influence of nutrition on stool in infants
At such a young age, the digestive system in infants is still imperfect. In this regard, it is worth paying great attention to the quality of the mixture or to your own nutrition, especially if the mother breast-feeds the baby.
Nursing mom's nutrition
During breastfeeding, experts recommend excluding salty, spicy, smoked and fried foods from their diet. In addition, it is worth taking special care to sweets, white bread, rice, meat and boiled potatoes. During constipation in a baby, many mothers ask themselves what to eat so that the baby goes to the toilet. Doctors advise to include prunes, boiled beets and apples in the diet, and also do not forget to drink enough warm water.
Artificial Feeding
Frequent changes in infant formula during infancy can lead to dysbiosis or disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, when changing the mixture, it is desirable to make the transition as smooth as possible. A new baby food should be introduced gradually, about a week, and it is better to do this under the supervision of a doctor who can choose the best option.
Mixed feeding
Constipation in infants is often due to a mixed type of diet. To solve this problem, it is necessary to establish a lactation process. With certain difficulties, a mother can always consult with a breastfeeding specialist or pediatrician. It is worth noting that not only the quality of food can cause constipation, but also malnutrition.
Starting from six months, children who suffer from constipation need to introduce complementary foods from fruit and vegetable purees, and add porridge to the diet later. In addition, you can include beetroot or prune puree in the menu. But what if the one-month-old baby cannot go to the toilet, because it is too early to give him complementary foods? Everything is simple here! If the mother is breastfeeding, then you just need to eat these products yourself, and the effect will be the same.
Treatment and prevention of constipation in infants
What to do when the baby is constipated and how to help go to the toilet? First of all, it is necessary to find out the cause of this problem, and then you can begin to take measures to eliminate it. There are a large number of tools and methods that help to cope with constipation in infants. We suggest considering some of the most popular, effective and harmless ways.
Medication
Many pediatricians prescribe lactulose-based medications to their young patients to eliminate constipation. Such agents tend to improve intestinal motility and soften feces. But you should not expect instant results from these drugs, since the desired effect manifests itself only a few days after application.
Glycerin suppositories, which can be used from birth, are also harmless. They have many advantages:
- contribute to enveloping the walls of the intestine;
- soften feces;
- are administered easily and painlessly;
- help fix problems for a long time;
- not addictive;
- the remains of the candle come out with feces;
- are harmless to all human organs.
If there are no children's candles at hand, then you can use the adults, after dividing them into several parts. Despite the fact that these drugs are dispensed without a doctor’s prescription and can be found in any pharmacy, it is recommended that you consult a pediatrician in advance.
ethnoscience
There are many different ways to help babies go to the toilet. Eliminate constipation will help stewed raisins, prunes or dried apricots, which should be served to babies from six months. The healing broth is cooled, poured into a bottle and given to children in the amount of two teaspoons before meals. The first improvements can be noticed after twelve hours.
A good remedy for constipation is oatmeal infusion, which is easy to prepare: pour two tablespoons of oatmeal into a thermo-glass or thermos and let it brew for two hours. After it is necessary to cool, strain through a sieve or cheesecloth, and give this drink to the baby before eating in the amount of fifty milliliters.
Gymnastics
Speaking about what to make a baby so that she goes to the toilet, one should not bypass gymnastics, since it is she who is an effective remedy for constipation. Before exercise, it is necessary to warm the lower body by applying a warm diaper to it. Then you should massage the tummy of the baby as follows: gently massage it clockwise. Then you can start the exercises. Due to the fact that the baby is not able to do them on their own, adult help is required. Each exercise is performed lying on your back:
Knee lift
We stretch the legs of the baby and grab the heels with the palm of your hand. When moving your hand forward, bend your knees with pulling up to the stomach, and then straighten the legs. This exercise helps not only to eliminate constipation, but also improves the passage of gases and helps to relieve flatulence.
“Feet up!”
It is carried out similarly to the previous one, but it does not need to bend the legs at the knees, it is important that they remain straight. Raise the limbs, and then bring them to the tummy. Figuratively speaking, the baby "folds" in half. This exercise is recommended for children older than six months, since raising straight legs can cause spastic constipation.
"Scissors"
Speaking about how to help the baby go to the toilet, one can not say another effective exercise. It consists in the following: it is necessary to take the heels of the child in the palm of your hand, raise and lower his legs.
"A bike"
Probably, everyone knows the following exercise, which can be done crumbs from birth. Holding the baby by the heels, we simulate a movement that resembles pedaling while riding a bicycle. Such gymnastics helps to remove gases, after which the intestine is easily emptied.
Exercise complex
Undoubtedly, massage will be doubly effective when performing a set of exercises. It is not difficult to do it and each parent will be able to cope on their own:
- About ten times an adult spins clockwise around a belly button.
- On the lateral lines of the tummy, you need to run your hands in a direction from the bottom up and vice versa.
- In addition to stroking the abdomen, you need to do exercises that include flexion and extension of the legs. Do ten repetitions.
- Before each feeding, it is advisable to lay the baby on the tummy for a short time.
- When moving the palm of your hand clockwise, pinch the surface, combining with light pats.
Massage helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which significantly improves blood circulation, eliminates pain, colic and constipation.
Do I need an enema?
Prolonged constipation leads to the fact that toxins from the rectum begin to be absorbed into the bloodstream and poison the children's body. Sometimes dense feces can cause microtraumas, which entails pain. In the case when the delay in the stool of the baby is three days, and the hard tummy does not rest, and the above options do not help, then pediatricians recommend an enema. For this child, you need to put it on its side, bend its legs slightly and carefully enter an enema. Preliminary, the tip of the syringe should preferably be lubricated with petroleum jelly or baby cream.
Prevention
In order to prevent constipation in a month-old baby and older children, it is necessary to systematically do prophylaxis. Exercise, warm herbal baths and massages are a must for daily routines. In addition, experts advise as long as possible to maintain breastfeeding.
Finally
So, now we know what to do so that the baby goes to the toilet. In this matter, for starters, it is important to find out the cause of constipation, eliminate it, and only after that start appropriate treatment if necessary. Prescribe and conduct a course of treatment is necessary only to the attending physician. In order for this ailment to visit the baby as little as possible, it is worthwhile to regularly carry out gymnastics, variably feed the baby, and also eat high quality mother.
It is worth noting that the use of foods rich in plant fiber significantly reduces the risk of constipation. Subject to all the above rules, the child will improve overall well-being and mood, so that mom becomes calmer.