Constipation of infants on breastfeeding. What can be considered constipation in infants? What should parents do?

According to official statistics, it affects every fifth child. The child pushes, tries, but still there is no result. Of course, this state of affairs is very frightening for young parents, because they do not know what to do if their baby is constipated.

There are many reasons for the occurrence of the disease: poor nutrition mothers, small amount of food, lack of water, stomach problems, abrupt transition to another formula or little activity of the child.

Signs of constipation

According to pediatricians, the diagnosis of constipation in infant diagnosed with the following symptoms:

• Hard feces - types 1 and 2 from the table below indicate constipation, all others are considered normal.
• Lack of stool for more than a day.
• Loss of appetite, general restlessness, the child strains strongly during bowel movements.
• The face turns very red, the legs tighten.
• The child is not gaining weight well.
• It is felt that the baby has not completely relieved himself.

But there are circumstances and ages of children when the state of absence of feces is not constipation. Let's describe them:

Dependence of stool on age

First days of life

In the first days of its existence (this is the 1st, 2nd day), the baby rarely empties its intestines (from 1 to 3 times). Appearance stool directly depends on the nutrition received.

If the baby is breastfed, the stool is watery. The color is yellowish brown or just yellow. There may be a greenish tint in the stool. The smell is similar to the smell sour milk. The consistency sometimes shows undigested lumps and foam.

The baby, who is on artificial feeding the stool is darker in color, the consistency is thick and there is a characteristic smell of feces.

First two months

Do you have constipation? one month old baby? Rarely. You need to know that infants at this age can defecate 2 times a day or more.

Formula-fed babies should have bowel movements at least once a day. This is a strict requirement.

Age 2-6 months

With age, the number of bowel movements decreases. If two month old baby The norm is 5 times a day, then at six months of age - 1-2 times.

There are times when a child has a bowel movement only once every two days. The reason is that babies absorb mother's milk very well.

Ages over 6 months and up to one year of age

At six months of age, complementary feeding begins. The baby goes to the potty 1-2 times a day. The stool forms, smells bad, and becomes darker in color.

So, when diagnosing constipation, you must:

• Consider the child's age
• Know that the number of bowel movements per day is strictly individual
• Assess not the number of times, but the general condition: appetite, behavior and weight gain
• Remember that for bottle-fed children, the number of bowel movements should be at least once.

Causes

The causes of constipation are:

1. Incorrect eating behavior mother of the child. The food eaten by the mother is reflected in the milk. Many products have a fixing effect. These include: high fat cheeses, cow's milk, white bread, rice, strong tea, pastry, coffee, nuts (cashews, peanuts). Some medications can have the same effect: iron supplements, diuretics, medications against heartburn and gastritis.
2. Flaw breast milk. Malnutrition is also a cause frequent constipation. The child loses body weight and cannot go big.
3. Incorrectly selected milk formula. It is better to choose a mixture without iron in the composition.
4. Abrupt transition to another artificial mixture. Doctors do not advise immediately switching to a different formula. If such a need arises, do it gradually, over a few days. Then your baby will not experience constipation due to the change in diet.
5. Water scarcity. When breastfeeding, you do not need to supplement your baby with water until he is six months old. Exceptional cases may include fever, hot weather and diarrhea. Unlike infants, bottle-fed babies must be given water.
6. Weather. Constipation often occurs due to hot weather. Feces may be absent for up to 3 days.
7. Insufficient physical activity. Constipation occurs especially often in newborns for this reason. Therefore, it is important to perform passive activities with your child gymnastic exercises: raise the arms and legs, twirl them, make a bicycle with the legs and press them to the tummy area.
8. Violation of the flora in a child due to premature birth and problems during pregnancy.
9. Intestinal diseases. Children have congenital anomalies development of the digestive system. For example, lengthening of the sigmoid loop, Hirschsprung's disease, narrowing of the anus. For this reason, constipation occurs in the baby all the time.
10. Immaturity of the nerve system. Constipation occurs because the nerve endings in the intestinal wall of the body are not fully mature. As a result, the intestines simply cannot move feces towards the exit. Treatment in this case is not required. This condition goes away without intervention by two months.
11. Diseases of various body systems. Defeats nervous system have a very bad effect on the ability of the intestines to empty.
12. Food allergies and lactose intolerance. In this case, constipation may be variable. It is replaced by diarrhea and regurgitation.
13. Other diseases: rickets, myasthenia gravis, spinal cord diseases, hypothyroidism, dolichocolon, dolichosigma. These diseases can cause constipation not only in children under one year old, but also in older children: 3-5 years.

A doctor will help determine the exact cause and cure the disease.

Treatment options

First of all, parents should take the following actions:

1. Seek advice and help from a doctor.
2. When breastfeeding, the mother needs to reconsider her diet and put the baby to the breast more often.
3. An artificial baby needs to be given water between feedings.
4. A child over six months old should be given vegetables and apples (grated).
5. A child whose age more than a year, you should definitely feed him soup for lunch. This recommendation applies to both adults and children over 2 years of age.
6. Buy a humidifier and use it according to the instructions.

If these actions do not improve the picture of the disease, visit a gastroenterologist, neurologist, or endocrinologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and rule out serious diseases.

For treatment you need to use the following methods:

1. Massage.
2. Taking medications.
3. Usage mechanical means (glycerin suppositories, gas outlet pipe).
4. Adjustment of nutrition of mother and child up to one year.

Massage

The intestines of a newborn baby are underdeveloped, so he needs help. How to help a baby with constipation? You need to massage, thereby stimulating intestinal motility. Massage not only helps with constipation, but also helps release accumulated gases. Daily massage should consist of the following techniques:

• First appointment. Place the baby on his back. Massage in a circular motion around the belly button and tummy. The number of movements is 15. Such movements also help older children (1-5 years) and adults.
• Second appointment. Place the baby on his back. Bend the legs and pull them towards the tummy area, then straighten them. Number of movements - 5.
• Third reception. The baby also lies on his back. The massage consists of straightening and bending the legs. Actions must be performed one by one. It is important to hold the child's legs by the ankle joints. Try to keep the baby's thigh touching the stomach. Number of movements - 5.
• Fourth reception. The child is laid out on his stomach. You can put it on the bed or on your lap. Perform the massage with your palm in a clockwise direction. You need to start the movements from the area of ​​the shoulder blades and continue down to the sacrum.
• Fifth reception. After each feeding, place the baby on his tummy. He should remain in this position for 2-15 minutes. The time depends on the child’s mood, physical development and age.

This massage should be used to treat problems with fecal waste in newborns (regardless of nutrition).

Taking medications

If massage does not help, doctors prescribe the following drugs: Duphalac, Plantex, Espumisan, Sub-Simplex, Bobotik, Glycelax suppositories.

For treatment, they must be given to the child according to the instructions or recommendation of the doctor. Medicines also work well for children over 3 years of age.

Use of mechanical means

Mechanical means can urgently help if a problem arises.

Often, in order to cure constipation, children are prescribed glycerin suppositories. They irritate the rectum and provoke stool. In addition to this effect, they facilitate the passage of feces due to the fact that they melt in the body and turn into a lubricant.

The gas outlet tube can also have the effect of irritating the rectum and provoke defecation.

A good way is to stimulate the intestines. To do this you need to use cotton swab, which will be generously lubricated with cream or Vaseline. It is inserted shallowly and carefully into the anus, then turned several times. Because of high risk injury, this method should be used extremely rarely and carefully.

Sometimes the answer to the question of what to do for constipation is: use an enema. Note that this method is the most extreme and is used last in children under one year of age. This can only be done after all other methods have been tried. Treatment of constipation in newborns is carried out using the smallest syringe No. 1. Its tip should be soft. Enema solution is boiled water with a few drops of oil.

Sometimes our grandmothers advise doing an enema with laundry soap. Please know that this is unacceptable. Especially before a year. This remedy for constipation can lead to chronic inflammation, bleeding and ulcers.

Maternal and child nutrition

When feeding, you need to take into account that constipation before the age of one year occurs due to the fact that some foods in their body are too well absorbed. Therefore, you need to feed foods that are retained in the body.

When breastfeeding a child under one year old, the mother needs to add foods that have a laxative effect to her menu. These are dried apricots, boiled beets, poultry, salad from the set fresh vegetables(especially with dill, parsley and vegetable oil), prunes, pumpkin, kefir and unsweetened yogurt.

If a child is fed formula for up to one year, then it is worth trying the following: dairy products: Nutrilak, Nutrilon, Nat.

Fiber eliminates fecal retention well. Therefore, to treat constipation in children from one to 3 years of age, bread, bran, cereals, fruits, and vegetables should be included in the diet.

When treating constipation, cereals should be given undercooked. This recommendation does not depend on the age of the child.

If constipation occurs in a child 5 years of age or older, then, in addition to the recommendations described above, it is important to exclude fried, fatty and starchy foods, and give more fermented milk products, dried fruits and dairy-free cereals.

19.03.2017

How to help a baby with constipation - almost all parents have encountered this problem. What do you need to know about constipation in newborns so as not to be caught off guard? In this article we will look at the most necessary information, which can be useful in practice.

In infants, constipation is quite common, especially in the first months of their life, since the functioning of the intestines is not yet properly adjusted and stable. From the very first days, babies breastfeeding go to the toilet up to 8 times a day in accordance with the number of feedings, and artificial babies - up to 4. Gradually, as you get older, the number of bowel movements decreases. It should also be taken into account that this process is very individual phenomenon. Not all babies have bowel movements every day. Since at this age the child is under constant supervision of adults, it will not be difficult for them to notice any changes in the frequency and quality baby chair taking into account individual characteristics your baby.

Constipation symptoms

If more than 1 or 2 days have passed since the last bowel movement, and at the same time the baby’s appetite and sleep have disappeared, he constantly screams, gets irritated for no reason or strains, grunts heavily, jerks his legs, pulls them towards his tummy, arches, and the tummy has become more dense, swollen and as if hardened, which means the baby is constipated. At the same time, fecal masses are also subject to changes; they become more viscous and thicken. When a child cannot go to the toilet, he is faced with unpleasant internal painful sensations, which give him anxiety, which is outwardly manifested in his behavior. He sleeps poorly, refuses food, constantly cries and is capricious, which in turn leads to disruption of sleep and the rhythm of life of his parents. In such situations, mothers often resort to folk remedies at home, but they may be unproductive.

If the frequency of constipation recurrences is high, you should definitely consult a pediatrician to accurately determine the cause of the problem, and take further measures into account. active actions to help your baby.

Types of constipation in infants

Organic constipation (Hirschsprung's disease) is a rather rare phenomenon associated with congenital pathological abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the infant's intestines, detected even in maternity hospital. Simply put, a child cannot and does not know how to poop. The problem of such constipation can only be solved by surgical intervention.

Functional constipation is a more common condition associated with retention of baby stool. The problem of such constipation can be solved with both medications and non-drug means(massage, enema, beet juice). For the right choice method of treatment, it is necessary, first of all, to promptly and correctly determine the cause of constipation.

Causes of constipation

Digestion of a baby directly depends on the composition and quality of maternal breast milk, that is, on what and how a woman eats. Excessive consumption by a nursing mother of foods such as meat, rice, baked goods, tea, coffee and others can cause constipation in the baby. The mother's diet should be approached carefully and selectively, with some restrictions. She should eat more foods containing plant fiber. In addition, if the mother took antibiotics, the newborn’s microflora is disrupted, which can also cause difficulty in defecation.

Lack of milk during breastfeeding

The child's body is tuned to digestion required quantity food, in case of shortage of food due to lack of milk from the mother, gives a reaction in the form of constipation.

Changes in your child's diet

Often with a shift baby food, for example, when switching from breastfeeding to formula, the baby’s digestive system does not have time to readjust and produces problems in the form of constipation.

Too early or incorrect introduction of complementary foods into the children's diet

Often mothers are in a hurry to let their child try the usual adult food, which causes disturbances in the child’s digestion. Pediatricians recommend introducing complementary foods to babies no earlier than six months of age. Sometimes, even after the baby reaches the appropriate age, mothers go overboard with the amount of complementary foods. The children's digestive system cannot cope with such a volume of new food.

Insufficient amount of water in the child's body

Lack of water is most often experienced by children who are bottle-fed. Also, in hot weather, your child may sweat more, which in turn can lead to dehydration and hardening of the stool. To avoid problems with difficult bowel movements, children should be provided with a sufficient and regular supply of moisture to their body throughout the day. In summer it is necessary to humidify the indoor air.

Teething in children

This natural, inevitable, but such a painful process is often accompanied by side effects. associated symptoms, such as decreased immunity, increased body temperature and even constipation.

Physical inactivity of a child

Constipation can be caused by inactivity little man, to avoid which parents should definitely do physical exercises with their kids. In such cases, it is useful for children to crawl more on their tummy.

Psychosomatic disorders

Retention of stool in infancy It can also be caused by disturbances in the child’s psycho-emotional state, for example, during prolonged separation from the mother.

Serious illnesses

Constipation in infants can be a symptom of diseases such as dolichosigma or lactase deficiency, so if the child encounters this problem, it is strongly recommended to show the child to a doctor.

How to help your child with constipation at home

Laxatives are contraindicated for newborns! First of all, you should consult with a specialist.

Don’t neglect the opportunity to talk with your pediatrician, who knows exactly what you can do at home if your baby is constipated, and will give you practice-tested advice. Many doctors are not supporters drug treatment constipation in very young infants, but they can recommend medications such as “Dufolak” based on lactulose, which can be taken from the moment of birth, and in the future - “Bifidumbacterin” and “Linex” containing beneficial probiotic bacteria to restore healthy intestinal microflora. There are safe and effective medications, which you can use at home.

Massage for constipation

For mild constipation, massage helps a lot. First, the baby's belly needs to be warmed up with a warm towel. The rule for performing such a massage is: gently stroke the baby’s tummy in a smooth circular motion clockwise, pressing lightly on it; do not make strong or sudden movements! You can also hold the baby very gently and gently. The warmth of a mother's embrace has a very beneficial effect on psycho-emotional state child. Also, in combination with the massage, you can do several physical exercises with children's legs, such as scissors or a bicycle.

After such mechanical influences Gases will leave the child’s intestines, and long-awaited relief will come. Massage is an excellent preventative measure for getting rid of stool retention in the future and improving the functioning of children's intestines in general. Before starting a massage, you should also consult a doctor so as not to damage such fragile and not yet sufficiently strong children’s organs. It is better if the first massage is performed by an experienced specialist and shows you how to do it properly.

Beet juice

Also, with mild constipation and as a preventive measure, beetroot juice can help, as it improves the functioning of the children's digestive system, but with painful and prolonged stool retention, it may be ineffective. In addition, this remedy can only be used if the child is already familiar with adult food.

Enema

One of the common parental misconceptions is that an enema is a panacea for constipation. This is wrong! An enema should only be used when as a last resort and only with the doctor's permission. At first glance, this effective remedy has only a short-term effect, while washing away the natural microflora from the child’s intestines with the help of water, which aggravates the problem in the future. When using an enema, constipation will recur in the future. True, there are advanced situations when you cannot do without an enema.

In such cases, wash your hands thoroughly and take an enema. small size(No. 1), filled with warm boiled water to a volume of 25 ml. The tip of the enema tip is lubricated with sterilized vegetable or vaseline oil using a cotton swab and very carefully inserted into the baby’s rectum 3-4 cm. The air must first be released from the enema. Water is released into the intestines very gradually, gently. After you remove the tip with one hand, with the other you should hold the baby’s buttocks squeezed for 3-5 minutes so that the water does not leak out. This procedure will lead to rapid emptying and relief of the children's intestines. Sometimes in difficult cases, like extreme measures resort to using glycerin suppositories, butter or vegetable oil at the end of the pipette, which irritate the walls of the intestinal sphincter and soften feces.

Prevention

Regular prevention of constipation will save you from the need to treat this problem in the future. The following recommendations will help you with this:

• carefully monitor the nutrition of the baby and nursing mother, giving preference to light, but nutrient-rich foods (fruits, vegetables) and avoiding harmful products(fatty, sweet).
• Don’t be lazy and regularly give your offspring a light and soft massage without strong or sudden movements after the next meal. This will not only stimulate the peristalsis of the children's intestines, but will also increase the overall tone of the growing organism and will contribute to its physical development. You can invite a specialist to perform a massage, but do not forget that gentle tactile touch mothers also bring significant benefits for maintaining mental health baby.
• Periodically let your child drink beetroot juice in small quantities. Attention: this can only be done after the child has become familiar with adult food, otherwise you will provoke an even more serious disorder of the child’s fragile intestines.

If you still have the problem of constipation in infants, do not panic, do not resort to self-treatment, show the baby to the doctor. In order to pick up correct treatment In order not to harm the child even more, it is necessary to know exactly the cause of stool retention. You should also not delay solving the problem, since untimely relief from constipation can lead to poisoning by food breakdown products and intoxication of the body.

Introducing new foods into an infant's diet requires adaptation of his digestive and immune systems. It is necessary to observe a gradual transition to normal diet by type and quantity of products. Signs of constipation in a baby when complementary foods are introduced mean inattention to diet and nutrition. It is necessary to help the baby by adjusting his diet. Preventive actions will help prevent stool retention.

Defecation of breastfed children is individual: from several times a day to 1 time a week. Breast milk provides the baby's body with necessary substances, which gives him the opportunity to fully develop.

After 6 months, mother's milk and formula for artificial infants are insufficient in terms of energy content and nutritional elements. Dietary changes are needed. The child needs more calories, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates.

After starting complementary feeding, defecation should be done daily so that the feces do not harden and do not injure the walls of the intestines, rectum, or anus.

With prolonged retention of stool (up to 3 days) due to the introduction of new dishes, intoxication of the body begins: skin rashes appear.

The main causes of constipation

A congenital cause of fecal retention in the intestine may be Hirschsprung's disease. Pathological change section of the intestine prevents stool from moving towards the rectum. 1% of infants suffer from the disease. Diagnosed at birth.

Constipation in an infant can occur if he is inactive due to illness, has physiologically immature intestines, and weak abdominal muscles. Taking antibacterial agents by a nursing mother or baby disrupts the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, which first leads to dysbacteriosis and then to stool retention.

Causes of constipation not related to complementary feeding include:

• stressful situation (change of residence, unfamiliar surroundings);
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• increased dryness of air in the apartment, on the street.

When breastfeeding at the same time, the mother's diet can provoke disturbances in the intestines. With the introduction of complementary foods, problems with bowel movements may arise due to a lack of fluid or poor nutrition. Symptoms of constipation appear after the first feeding.

Fluid deficiency

A breastfed baby does not need additional fluid. New nutritional supplements and the reduction of mother's milk without compensation with water will make the stool thick. The baby must be taught to drink water at the same time as taking new foods.

The less milk he receives from the breast, the more he must drink water and learn to quench his thirst. Eating baked goods must be washed down with sufficient quantity of water. When switching to solid food the volume of liquid (dried fruit compote, water for babies) is minimum – 125 milliliters, maximum – 200 milliliters.

Inappropriate diet

Errors in complementary feeding begin with determining the foods for an infant’s diet.

The baby receives meals rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and fats:

• beans;
• peas;
• pork;
• cream;
• sour cream.

It is not advisable to introduce potatoes, bananas, or sea fish at first. A single serving should correspond to the volume of the stomach and intestines. Immature digestive tract will not be able to process the entire volume of food.

Violation of the feeding schedule

There is a certain sequence of introducing new foods into a child’s diet. At six months he should receive vegetable purees, at 7 months he should try porridge and vegetable oil, at 8 months he should try crushed fruits. Meat reaches the baby’s table at 9 months, kefir at 10 months, fish products- at 11 months.

This sequence in time is explained by the peculiarities of the development of the enzymatic system of the child’s body. At 6 months, not every baby’s body will be able to digest meat or fish, which will cause constipation.

Food allergy

Introduction to the baby's diet of some food ingredients causes stool retention due to an allergic reaction.

The child’s body may not be able to assimilate:

• milk;
• eggs;
• fish;
• vegetables, berries, red fruits.

Cow's milk is one of the most common reasons food allergies. It contains 25 antigens that can cause an increased immune response. Boiled milk partially loses its allergenicity, with the exception of two proteins: casein and P-lactoglobulin.

Chicken protein contains a strong allergen - albumin, which provokes the production of immunoglobulin. Yolk does not have such an effect on immune system. Cause of allergies to tomatoes, pomegranates, strawberries, red bell pepper, watermelon, cherries, grapes, red currants - the pigment lycopene, due to which the peel and pulp have a rich red color.

How to understand that your child is constipated - symptoms and signs

Stool retention can be determined by the child’s condition. Active, cheerful baby, with good appetite and sleep, does not experience abdominal discomfort. Attention should be drawn to anxiety and crying for no reason, sleep disturbances, and aversion to food. When the urge to defecate begins, the child tenses, blushes, and cries. The baby's abdomen is tense.

Constipated stool has characteristic features: fecal plug at the beginning of defecation, liquid substance at the end. In advanced cases, with a delay of more than 3 days, the stool comes out hard, falling apart, with blood clots.

An indirect sign that constipation is beginning is a decrease in the number of urinations. After six months, normally there should be at least 15 per day. Decreased urine volume and thick stool– signs of lack of fluid in the body.

How to help your baby

An infant, including a newborn, needs effective help for bowel movements during constipation.

To activate peristalsis, certain manipulations must be done:

1. Massage your baby's belly clockwise for a few minutes.
2. Then place it on a hard surface with your back facing up and leave for 5 minutes.
3. Turn it over, bend your knees and press it to his chest.
4. Rotate your legs alternately, performing the “bicycle” exercise.

In cases where constipation lasts more than 2 days, infants are given medications in the form of laxatives, suppositories, and enemas. Laxative medications for young children should be prescribed by a doctor. Glycerin suppositories and enemas with warm boiled water will help remove thick stool.

Adjusting your diet

Adjusting your diet includes three elements:

• eliminating foods that cause constipation;
• increasing the share of vegetables and fruits;
• compliance with the diet.

If there is a tendency to constipation, fatty, high-calorie, viscous foods should be removed from the infant's menu:

• milk 3.2%;
• cottage cheese 18%;
• kefir 3.2%;
• pork;
• mutton;
• salmon;
• herring;
• semolina;
• fresh baked goods;
• boiled carrots.

Instead of foods rich in fats and carbohydrates, the child is given skim milk, cottage cheese, kefir, dietary meats, fish, and bran bread. The diet includes purees of cauliflower, zucchini, prunes, apricots, and pumpkins, which have a laxative effect on the intestines. Oatmeal and buckwheat are rich in fiber, which prevents stool from thickening. Vegetable oil It is used as a laxative, adding a few drops of it to prepared dishes.

A meal schedule helps improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The child is given laxative products at certain hours to help cleanse the intestines at the same time. The combination of products helps improve the taste, adjust excretory function: fruit additives are added to porridges, meat dishes– vegetable.

Preventive measures

Constipation is a consequence of poor nutrition. Due to impaired bowel movements, there will be problems with metabolism, stomach, and intestines, which will be more difficult to correct with age.

To avoid constipation, complementary feeding begins with minimal doses: half a teaspoon. Every day the volume increases by 10-15 grams.

At first, zucchini is suitable for vegetable purees, cauliflower. Shouldn't cook fruit puree from apples with red peel, raspberries, red currants. Grated pears, green apples, apricots, plums – suitable option on initial stage complementary foods

The period for introducing a full norm of the product into a child’s diet is at least 2 weeks. To make the task easier, you need to create a menu for this period, in which you indicate when, how much and what the baby should receive. At the first signs of constipation, you can determine which product was introduced into the problem in order to change your diet.

Among all the existing ailments, children under one year of age are most often bothered by constipation. Newborns experience problems with bowel movements within a few days after birth. It is important to eliminate this pathology in time, otherwise it can lead to worsening general condition baby.

During normal organ function gastrointestinal tract and intestines, the act of defecation occurs daily. The process most often occurs in morning time and does not cause discomfort or pain. Feces have a soft structure and a person does not need to make any effort to pass them.

If the process of defecation does not occur every day or the act of defecation requires strain, and the feces become too hard and dry, then in this case we can talk about constipation.

Problems with stool occur in at different ages. Most often, newborns and elderly people suffer from this pathology. Their bad bowel movements can last from several days to months. The urge to defecate causes severe pain in the stomach and often end in nothing.

Also the cause of poor bowel movements and complete absence defecation often becomes psychological factor. It can be provoked by a long separation of the baby from his mother, for example, due to her illness.

Lack of bowel movements in children due to mixed feeding

Nature has it in such a way that a baby is supposed to eat exclusively mother's milk. That's why constipation in a newborn mixed feeding a very common occurrence.

The baby is often given additional artificial formula due to a lack of breast milk or its poor quality. Sometimes it happens that children do not get enough of their mother’s milk, since it has insufficient fat content. In this case, the kids behave restlessly, sleep poorly and are capricious all the time.

The reason for the accumulation of feces in the intestines during mixed feeding is the mixture itself. Such food is unusual for small organism and he cannot cope with its digestion. Often, the introduction of new food causes a reflex spasm in infants, which provokes stagnation of feces in the intestines and leads to constipation.

Also, stool retention when feeding with formula may occur due to wrong temperature food. The child's food should not be hot or cold. It is best to focus on the temperature of breast milk. This will help avoid problems with bowel movements.

In addition, constipation when introducing complementary foods often occurs due to insufficient consumption of dietary fiber, which affects the stimulation of the muscles of the digestive tract.

Why does stool retention occur during breastfeeding?

Constipation in breastfed newborns often develops due to insufficient milk production. This lack of stool is called starvation constipation. In this case, you can get rid of the problem with bowel movements only by introducing additional complementary foods.

Improper nutrition of the mother can provoke a stagnation process in the intestines of the newborn. After all, what it is definitely enters the child’s body through milk. Therefore, during breastfeeding, doctors strongly recommend that women adhere to a light diet, avoiding:

• legumes;
• fatty and fried;
• smoked meats;
• white bread and fresh pastries;
• bananas;
• coffee;
• milk;
• sugar;
• strong tea;
• meat, etc.

All products that affect gas formation in the body cause constipation in infants. Therefore, to prevent this problem, the mother should adhere to proper nutrition.

Symptoms of stagnation in the intestines

The clinical picture of constipation in infants depends on the cause of its development. The disease itself is manifested by the absence of bowel movements for more than a day or heavy passage of feces. Most often, with poor bowel movements, the baby experiences:

• anxiety and tearfulness;
• moodiness;
• bloating;
• refusal of food;
• colic;
• tension and redness of the face when trying to defecate;
• hardening of the tummy.

If there are problems with the intestines, children behave passively and sleep poorly. If constipation is caused by serious illnesses, then the main symptoms may include:

• nausea and vomiting;
• temperature increase;
• allergic rash;
• changes in skin color;
• an admixture of mucus or blood in the stool;
• severe hiccups.

In such cases, it is necessary to show the child to the pediatrician as soon as possible. What to do for constipation in newborns , especially if they are caused by pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract, only a doctor knows.

How to help a newborn with constipation

The first thing to do when long absence stool in a baby - visit a pediatrician. It is very important to exclude all serious and life-threatening causes of constipation, therefore, the baby needs to undergo laboratory and instrumental studies.

A newborn has constipation, what should you do if no abnormalities were found during the diagnosis? In such cases, the causes of problems with bowel movements are: sudden introduction of the mixture, poor quality milk or immaturity of the nervous system.

To improve the condition and restore stool, newborns are prescribed complex therapy, consisting of:

• massage;
• proper nutrition of the mother;
• medicines;
• enemas;
• gas outlet pipe.

Let's look at some of them in a little more detail.

Drug therapy

Drug treatment for newborns is prescribed only if massages and diet do not bring the desired result. To improve intestinal function and fecal output, children under one year of age are prescribed the following medications:

1. Espumisan.
2. Rectal glycerin suppositories.
3. Duphalac.
4. Plantex.
5. Enema.

Duphalac and Plantex helps activate intestinal motility. Espumisan - eliminate bloating. Rectal suppositories soften accumulated stool and facilitate its easy passage.

As for the procedure for cleaning the intestines with an enema, it can be done no more than once a week. Otherwise, the child may also experience a lack of minerals and vitamins. Used as a solution for babies plain water, which must be boiled and cooled to body temperature. It is recommended to add glycerin oil.

Mother's diet

How to help a newborn with constipation? What should the mother do? First of all, a woman who is breastfeeding should give up all bad habits and adjust your diet. The following will help improve digestion and bowel movements in infants:

• dill and parsley;
• fresh vegetables;
• adding a couple of drops of olive or vegetable oil to food;
• vegetable soups with water;
• prunes;
• dried apricots;
• boiled pumpkin and beets;
• low-fat fermented milk products (without food additives).

In addition, the mother should adhere to drinking regime. It is also important not to forget to give your baby water after meals or between feedings.

Therapeutic massages and exercises to restore stool

The best and safest way to activate peristalsis and cause the release of accumulated gases in a newborn is to massage the abdomen. You should not resort to this manipulation if the baby cries when you touch and press on the tummy. In this case, it is best to contact your pediatrician.

Massage to a newborn should be done carefully and gently, following the following instructions:

• remove the child’s clothes and place them on their back;
• do not apply a large number of oils on palms;
• check if the baby is allergic to oil;
• then, lightly stroke around the navel (clockwise) for about 5 minutes;
• at the end you need to do several straight pulling strokes from top to bottom of the abdomen.

After the massage, you can begin exercises to restore intestinal function and peristalsis:

• put the baby on his back;
• alternately bend and straighten the legs, pressing them to the stomach, holding them by the ankles;
• repeat the exercise, only bend your legs not one by one, but simultaneously (about 5 times);
• Place the child tummy down on the parent's lap and make several circular strokes starting from the shoulder blades and going down to the sacrum.

In addition, doctors advise placing the baby on its tummy before each meal and keeping it in this position for 3–8 minutes.

Oils

To prevent and eliminate existing constipation, newborns can be given a few drops daily, plant-based. These means include:

What not to do!

Often amateurs traditional medicine advise young mothers, if their child experiences constipation, to use laundry soap. Some people really believe that if you place a bar of soap in anus child, then all problems with defecation will disappear as if by hand.

This erroneous opinion and an unacceptable method of intestinal stimulation! This soap contains a large amount of alkali, which will negatively affect the healthy intestinal microflora. In addition, such treatment can cause ulcers, bleeding and severe irritation in the rectum.

If your child has problems with bowel movements and you don’t know how to behave, you don’t need to follow the lead of grandmothers and other advisers. It is better to contact a specialist and follow his recommendations.

In order for a child to feel good, he must eat well and have bowel movements regularly. The latter directly depends on the former. If a child eats little, then he rarely goes to the toilet. Correct good nutrition can provide regular bowel movements.

Causes of constipation in infants

If a child has not had a bowel movement for a long time, and his temperature rises and vomiting begins, he needs to be seen by a doctor.

Causes of constipation in infants: lactase deficiency, colon duplication, Hirspring's disease, hypothyroidism, rickets, and so on.

Signs of constipation in babies

If the child's stool is hard and there is blood in it, and the baby does not feel well, then he is constipated.

Breastfed children rarely suffer from constipation. If your child feels unwell and cannot have a bowel movement, you should talk to your doctor.

A baby receiving formula may suffer from constipation. In order to help the baby, you need to buy a new formula.

During the introduction of complementary foods, it is necessary to ensure that new products have enough fiber. For example, if the food contains rice flour, constipation is guaranteed for the child.

Signs of constipation in a baby may appear due to dehydration. Sufficient amount of liquid may solve the problem.

In order to relieve a child of constipation, you need to adjust his diet. A massage will also help. To carry it out, you need to lay the baby on his back and gently move his legs, pretending to ride a bicycle. You can also tuck your legs towards your tummy and then straighten them. Massage should be done carefully, without pressure or sudden movements.

What to do about constipation in a baby?

The frequency of stool depends on many indicators, for example, on the individual characteristics of the child, his age, diet, and so on. Infants have loose stools with lumps resembling mustard. As food passes through the intestines, water and nutrients are extracted from it. What is not digested comes out through the anus. The feces will come out without problems if there is some liquid left in it.

What to do about constipation in a baby? It is necessary to fight this ailment, because after a while the baby will begin to be afraid to poop, because the process of emptying will cause him painful sensations. Since defecation causes pain, the child begins to retain feces in the body in order to at least slightly remove what causes him discomfort. Feces accumulate, stretch the rectum and cause relaxation muscle tone. The intestines become sluggish and do not work as well as they should.

How to help a child? First, you need to exclude from your diet foods that strengthen you: cheese, rice, milk, bananas and boiled carrots. In order to soften the stool, you need to constantly water the baby.

Glycerin suppositories help some. They can be bought at any pharmacy without a prescription.

Natural laxatives you can use are prunes, plum juice, peaches, pears, apricots and so on.

How to treat constipation in a baby?

Constipation is unpleasant phenomenon, both for an adult and for a child. However, if an adult understands and knows what is happening to him, then the child is terribly afraid of pain. It is not at all clear to the baby why it suddenly hurts him so much.

How to treat constipation in a baby? If a mother is breastfeeding a baby, then she should reconsider her diet. Everything that strengthens the mother strengthens the child. The baby should be given boiled water and drink as much water as possible. If the child is bottle-fed, then it is better to abandon the formula used and feed something else.

An enema should only be used as a last resort. Its introduction causes discomfort, and the process is of little use.

Foods that cause constipation in infants

In the first weeks of life, the baby should poop as many times as he eats. Feces have a uniform consistency, yellow and milky smell. If with digestive system Everything is fine, the child empties his bowels without effort.

Products, causing constipation for infants: rice, cheese, bananas, nuts, meat, bread and bakery products. It is clear that no one gives this to babies, but the mother eats it herself, and then through milk she passes on to the baby what strengthens him. You need to drink cocoa, black tea, coffee and whole milk less often.

Products for constipation in infants

In order to help your child get rid of constipation, it is necessary to establish the real reason its occurrence. Problems with stool can occur due to dysbiosis, lack of water, muscle weakness abdominal cavity and so on.

Products for constipation in infants: plum, apricot or pear puree, peach juice, prunes and so on.

Pharmacies sell many medications that can help relieve constipation. You can’t buy them yourself; first you need to go to the pediatrician.

Remedies for constipation in infants

In the first year of life, children should not be given irritating laxatives. Enemas should also not be done, only as a last resort.

The most safe means for constipation in infants - these are drugs with lactulose. For example, Duphalac can be given not only to a child, but also to a nursing mother.

From six months you can use the mild laxative “Forlax”. The medicine is not addictive and does its job perfectly.

Suppositories for constipation with glycerin have long proven themselves. When treating a baby, you need to remember that constipation is not a cause, but a consequence, so first of all it is necessary to look for the source of the disease and eliminate it. It’s not easy to do this on your own, so it’s better to go to the doctor and start helping the child together. After all, the cause of constipation may lie in serious illnesses that cannot be cured with water or plum puree.

Constipation only at first glance seems like an insignificant disease. In fact, it causes the child a lot of trouble, makes him unhappy and provokes the development of fears.