Problems with stool in newborns are familiar to every mother. But how to distinguish constipation in a breastfeeding baby from other problems with the gastrointestinal tract? You can understand what is happening with the baby by certain symptoms. On breastfeeding, this phenomenon is quite rare, but still sometimes occurs.
After birth, newborns for 1-3 days pass the original feces - meconium - the remains of digested amniotic fluid. It can be dark brown to black in color, with a thick, oily consistency. Gradually, the feces become softer, light brown or golden in color with an odor sour milk. Various inclusions are possible - greenish, white and others.
In the first month, stool frequency can vary from 3 to 12 times. Pediatricians believe that if the child empties the intestines after each meal, this is normal. By the age of 3-4, the baby does this less often - 5-6 times a day. At 6 months, when complementary foods are introduced, the child can poop no more than twice a day. These norms are conditional, since all children are individual. Someone may go to the toilet more often, someone less often.
If a newborn has a diaper that is not dirty for several days, this is not a cause for concern if the baby feels good, is cheerful and active. The norm of the absence of feces on breastfeeding is considered up to 7 days.
Symptoms of constipation in babies
But the baby has more than just stool retention. Symptoms of constipation during breastfeeding in a child are:
- A strained tight tummy.
- Frequent and ineffectual attempts of the baby.
- The child is pooping and crying.
- Emitted gases with a very unpleasant odor.
- The baby's stool is hard, the so-called "goat".
- When emptying the bowels, a hard “plug” comes out first, and then a softer stool.
In this case, the baby is often observed - sleep disturbance, capricious behavior, crying, anxiety. The symptoms of constipation will not be all at once in a newborn. The presence of 2-3 already means that you need to see a doctor.
Causes of constipation
There are several causes of constipation in infants:
- Underdeveloped nervous system;
- bowel defects;
- Early introduction of complementary foods;
- Improper nutrition of the mother;
- The use of antibiotics;
- Lack of milk.
In the first case, all children are born with underdeveloped nervous system. In the intestines, the nerve endings are also not yet developed, and therefore it reacts poorly and does not push food.
Intestinal defects are: elongation of the sigmoid colon, impaired intestinal innervation and lactase deficiency. These diseases are rare, most often have a genetic predisposition and are treated under medical supervision.
Early introduction of complementary foods is fraught not only with constipation, but also with other intestinal disorders. Intestinal volvulus, increased gas formation and much more are also possible. Pediatricians consider 6 months to be the normal age for the introduction of complementary foods. Until then, the baby has enough mother's milk.
Maternal malnutrition is the most common cause of constipation in infants. You need to adjust your diet, then the child's stool will improve. Many foods cause constipation, while others weaken. The menu needs to be balanced.
The use of antibiotics is a necessity on which the life and health of a child or mother depends. After this, the newborn often has digestive disorders, including constipation during breastfeeding.
Lack of milk - in this case, constipation in baby called "hungry". At the same time, the newborn has a very small weight gain. You can understand whether the baby has enough food by his behavior - if he is looking for a breast after a rather long feeding, crying, then most likely he does not have enough milk. In addition, you can understand this by control weighing - the baby is weighed before and after feeding. If the increase is from 50 grams or more, then this is normal. But this norm is conditional, since 40 grams of milk is enough for one newborn, and 100 grams is not enough for another. At this point, you need to focus on the behavior of the baby.
In addition, it is necessary to distinguish between constipation and colic. If in the first case it is possible to help with the help of drugs and any other methods, then there is no treatment for colic, they disappear with time. You can understand that a child has colic, and not constipation, by several signs:
- The time when the child becomes restless and cries is in the evening. Usually this is from 6 to 11-12 hours and is repeated every day. With constipation, attacks of pain can occur at any time of the day.
- No medicines and methods help. In the case of constipation, with the selection of the right remedy, improvement comes.
- If the baby has constipation, then pressing him to his tummy or applying a warm diaper to him can calm him down. It won't help with colic.
But a pediatrician who can prescribe tests and examinations will help to make the accuracy.
Treatment
At the first symptoms of constipation in a child, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician. He will prescribe the right treatment that will help the baby and not harm his health. This is done after a thorough examination with the delivery of the necessary tests. At the same time, the doctor checks the symptoms, because the same symptoms can be signs various diseases.
In extreme cases, when it is not possible to contact a doctor, constipation in newborns while breastfeeding can be treated independently in the following ways:
- Dill water - you can make it yourself by brewing dill seeds, or buy it ready-made at a pharmacy.
- Duphalac, Espumizan, Bobotik and other drugs - in this case, the choice is very wide, but you need to select individually.
- Glycerin suppositories.
- Microclysters Microlax.
In addition to dill water, everything else requires confirmation by a doctor.
You can also massage the tummy, apply a warm diaper.
Massage is done as follows:
- Put the child on the back and stroke the tummy with soft circular movements. This relaxes smooth muscles, relieves spasm and simply psychologically brings mother and baby closer.
- Also put the baby on his back. Bend the legs at the knees and press them to the tummy, then lower them down. Repeat 10-15 times.
- The baby lies on its back. Bend each leg in turn at the knee and make a circular motion with it, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
- Put the baby on the tummy and gently with light movements make a rhythmic massage along the spine.
Many grandmothers in this case are advised to give an enema or, even worse, insert a bar of soap. In no case should this be done, as this threatens to “wash out” the intestinal microflora, damage the mucosa and microtrauma of the intestine. Enemas are also often not allowed, this is an extreme method of dealing with constipation.
If the baby has constipation from breast milk, or rather, from the mother’s malnutrition, then you just need to adjust the diet of the nursing mother. To do this, remove from the diet everything that causes constipation, and add laxatives and improve digestion.
| Foods that cause constipation | Laxative foods | Foods that improve digestion |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Knowing which foods cause constipation, they should be limited in use for the period of breastfeeding. You do not need to completely remove these foods from the diet, just reduce their number, while eating foods from the third column as much as possible. Laxative foods may be helpful in acute cases. When breastfeeding, this option works well. Especially often they say that you need to eat prunes (dried or fresh), it improves intestinal motility well.
Prevention
It is possible to prevent constipation in an infant while breastfeeding. The main thing is to listen to the advice of a doctor and follow the recommendations that prevent constipation:
- The mother of the baby needs to eat properly and fully, adhering to the diet of a nursing mother.
- You also need to drink enough water. And not only mothers, but also the baby. Yes, many pediatricians are against it. But if it is hot at home (summer, heating season), the child simply needs additional liquid.
- Place the baby on the tummy as often as possible. In addition, every morning to perform simple exercises - this charges the baby with additional energy, and the body makes it work as it should.
- When introducing complementary foods, the main thing to remember is the same list of foods that cause constipation. It is necessary to focus on age, because early feeding is not beneficial. But late feeding does not bode well.
- Overheating must be avoided. After it, constipation is also possible.
Having understood why the baby has a tummy ache, you can properly help him by choosing a treatment. But we must remember that the irregular stool of a child is not always a cause for concern. Sometimes this is the norm for this particular baby. It is not necessary on the very first day of the delay to sound the alarm and run to the doctors. First you need to give the baby time to try to cope on his own, so that the baby’s body understands how to properly deal with difficulties, including these. But if it didn’t work out even after two days, then you need the help of a doctor.
Constipation in children is most often caused by malnutrition. There is a list of products that make it difficult for the passage of feces through the intestines. To protect the child from constipation, parents should know that you should not give the baby in large quantities.
red meat
This constipating product contains almost no fiber, but it is very high in fat. Due to this, red meat is the cause of constipation. It, getting into the intestines, slows down digestion. It is not necessary to completely exclude it from the child's diet. It is necessary to supplement the meat with a side dish of beans or rice. In combination with each other, vegetables and meat contribute to good digestion and normal defecation.
Fast food and food products
If the child has constipation, what to do first is to stop giving the baby food fast food(noodles, jelly from bags) and fast foods. They do not contain fiber, like other useful substances. But empty calories and carcinogens in them great amount. Such products are strictly prohibited for baby food. At the same point, you can add chips, crackers and various dry snacks.
Products containing wheat
These include pasta, flour products, fresh bread. These constipating foods can worsen the condition of a child who has a digestive disorder. With intestinal infections, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, it is strictly forbidden to eat these products. Only dried bread is allowed. What to do if a child has constipation is to give only homemade crackers.
Iron preparations
If a child suffers from constipation, taking iron supplements, then the reason lies precisely in them. They interfere with normal digestion, especially in children. Preparations should be replaced with products - lentils, beans, buckwheat, dried apricots. This point should be discussed with the pediatrician in order to resolve the issue of indigestion.
Milk
The most common food that causes constipation in children is milk. It contains a lot of calcium. Most of the element is absorbed into the body, but at the same time, the child may have constipation from milk. Difficulties with defecation are especially common after consumption. dairy product with high fat content. During illness digestive system or intestinal disorders, milk is completely excluded from the diet.
If the baby has digestive problems, the entire list listed is completely excluded from his diet. And it does not matter if the child is constipated from milk, meat or another product.
All of the listed products (except for the second point) can be included in the diet of children, but in moderation. If the baby suffers from constipation, then they are completely excluded.
Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova
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Last update articles: 01.05.2019
Constipation in infants is manifested by slow and difficult emptying of their intestines. At the same time, the number of acts of defecation is an absolutely individual number until the introduction of complementary foods for children who are breastfed. For infants who are fed artificial nutrition, the normal amount of bowel movements is 1-2 times a day.
To make a diagnosis of constipation, one should rather rely not on the number of bowel movements, but on the weight gain of the baby and his general condition. If the child feels great and does not feel discomfort from his diet, then you should not worry and panic in vain.
If infant along with the absence of a stool, he shows excessive anxiety, gains weight poorly, emits putrefactive gases, cries and tightens his legs when feeding, strains heavily when trying to perform an act of defecation, then you can suspect constipation and start treatment.
The main causes of constipation in infants
Only an experienced pediatrician can determine the exact cause, since there are several reasons that can cause difficult bowel movements in infants:
- the use of products that fix feces in infants;
- insufficient maturity of the central nervous system;
- various bowel diseases;
- teething;
- transfer from breastfeeding to artificial;
- insufficient work of the thyroid gland, which leads to weak production of hormones;
- allergic reactions;
- lack of milk in a nursing mother;
- taking antibiotics, antispasmodics, antidepressants or iron-containing drugs by a nursing mother.
In the womb, the baby gets used to close bodily contact with his mother. Therefore, after birth, he may experience psychogenic constipation due to the lack of this contact! Try in every possible way to maintain this connection with the baby, take him in your arms more often, hug and cuddle him.
What foods can cause constipation in babies up to a year of age
There are several types of foods that cause constipation in infants:
- rice porridge (polished rice is especially dangerous);
- unripe bananas;
- meat with a high fat content, canned meat;
- hard and fatty cheeses;
- hard-boiled chicken eggs;
- milk drinks made from whole milk;
- strong fish or meat broths;
- bakery products;
- pasta, mashed potatoes and semolina;
- boiled carrots, eggplants, mushrooms;
- chocolate;
- some types of nuts (cashews, Greek, peanuts);
- sweet dough products and other confectionery products;
- strong coffee, tea and mint drinks, as well as cocoa.
Some medications can also cause difficult bowel movements in children! You should not self-medicate your child, and the manifestation of signs and symptoms of constipation should seek help from your pediatrician.
There are a number of reasons for constipation in formula-fed babies. The milk mixture must be individually selected for each baby, since the wrong one can cause problems with the intestines. You should select the most suitable mixture according to the recommendations of pediatricians and your own observations of the well-being of the baby.
An abrupt change in nutrition to a different type of mixture can provoke difficult defecation. This procedure should be done slowly over several days.
Input drinking water is necessary condition for breastfed babies. Lack of fluid can cause thickening of stool masses and make it difficult to defecate.
What to feed a child with constipation
If there are problems with defecation in a child of a nursing mother, you need to adjust your menu and the diet of feeding the baby. Do not completely abandon foods that can provoke constipation in infants. For example, a large number of calcium is found in curd and hard cheeses. Therefore, you do not need to give them up, since calcium is extremely useful for both the baby and the mother herself.
What to feed a child with constipation? Include more fruits and vegetables in the menu, which are rich in fiber and contain a lot of potassium. This will help improve the patency of the baby's intestines and cope with this problem. You also need to replace dairy dishes from whole cow's milk with fermented milk products, goat's milk. Experts recommend reducing the consumption of sweet rolls, fresh white bread, biscuits, other flour and confectionery products, replacing them with crackers or biscuits. Nursing mothers should pay attention to the use of a large amount of liquid in their menu in order to breast milk was not too thick and greasy, which in turn can lead to constipation in a child.
Don't cut out meat completely! You need to eat it in combination with vegetables, herbs and fruits. The same rule applies to cereal soups and cereals.
unripe bananas, green apples and pears cause constipation due to their high starch content. And in these fully ripe fruits, part of the starch passes into pectin, which can weaken the work of the intestines of children. Breastfeeding mothers can take this fact into account in order to be able to draw up correct menu and control normal stool The child has.
Prevention of difficult bowel movements in infants
If your child has problems with bowel movements, be sure to visit the local pediatrician with him. He is obliged to examine the baby, find out the cause of this problem and give a full consultation on the further treatment of constipation. Do not delay going to the doctor until a later date, hoping that everything will go away on its own. Also, do not do home treatment. Remember that the health of your child depends on your actions!
To avoid the recurrence of this unpleasant phenomenon, mothers should adhere to some preventive basics.
Balance your own nutrition and your baby's nutrition so that he can eat fully and get all the necessary nutrients. Remember to keep a food diary in which you record your child's reactions to certain foods. This will help to avoid constipation, diarrhea and manifestations allergic reactions The child has.
Do a little gymnastics or a light massage for the baby. While playing with him, press his legs and “turn the bike”. With gentle circular motions of the palm, massage his tummy in a clockwise direction. Don't forget to put your baby on your stomach more often. These simple procedures can help strengthen muscles abdominal cavity baby and easily cope with bowel problems.
Don't forget to be close with your child! Be sure to find plenty of time to cuddle him or put him on your chest. This will definitely calm the baby and normalize the work of all his organs!
You should not treat such problems in infants with soap, thermometers and others. folk methods”! It has been scientifically proven that such stimulation of the intestines is extremely harmful and can lead to addiction.
Read more:
Milk is useful product for the body of each person. People begin to use it from birth.
Dairy products contain a large number of useful substances, thereby beneficially affecting the body.
Can there be constipation from milk? Attention should be paid to this issue.
This product has many useful properties, namely:
Also, dairy products help to get rid of extra pounds. Therefore, in the fight against them, it is required to include milk in the daily diet.
This product is also useful for people who have been diagnosed with gastritis with hyperacidity. Daily consumption of milk in such cases helps to normalize acidity. gastric juice and also remove inflammatory processes mucous membrane of the stomach.
Its combination with fruits or berries helps to normalize the functioning gastrointestinal tract. Very useful are cereals cooked in milk. To do this, you can use buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and semolina.
Can milk cause constipation?
Both cow and goat milk can be introduced into the diet. Consider their effect on the body in more detail.
Goat
The benefits of this product have been proven through clinical studies. But not always goat's milk has a positive effect on the body.
This product has a high fat content. Therefore, people who suffer overweight and diseases of the pancreas, it is better to refuse it.
As for constipation, goat's milk can cause this ailment. Because it slows down the digestion process. To avoid problems with bowel movements, you should not drink goat's milk immediately before or after eating a meal.
Cow
This product is often given to young children.
Too much of it can lead to constipation. Especially cow's milk with a high percentage of fat.
In order to avoid this, experts recommend diluting cow's milk with a small amount of water. this is especially true for children, whose body reacts dynamically to the food they eat.
How to fix the problem?
Since dairy products can cause constipation, you should know how to deal with this ailment. Dairy products are very beneficial for the human body. Therefore, they should not be completely excluded from the diet. To eliminate constipation, you can use the following tips:
- Reduce the fat content of milk. This indicator slows down the metabolic processes in the body, thereby contributing to the appearance of constipation. Therefore, to eliminate them, it is required to choose skim milk or a product with a low percentage of fat content.
- Kefir instead of the main drink. For some time, to eliminate constipation, you should drink this fermented milk product. It also has a beneficial effect on the body. And, at the same time, it has a laxative effect. In addition to normalizing the stool, kefir improves the intestinal microflora.
With these alternatives, you can get rid of problems with fecal excretion without eliminating the dairy product from the diet.
What to give the child?
Any milk drink can be given to a child only after 1-1.5 years. Until this age, it is better to feed the child with milk mixtures or with the help of breastfeeding. After this time, milk can be introduced into the diet.
Consider which product is the most useful and safe for children:
If constipation in a child or an adult is caused by this particular drink, then it is better to contact a specialist to eliminate it. Because long-term problems with bowel movements can cause many health problems in the future.
Proper use of this product will help saturate the body with the substances necessary for comfortable life. But you should not drink it uncontrollably, like any other drink.
What to do if after the introduction of complementary foods the child has constipation? 
The main signs of constipation in infants. What symptoms should you see a doctor for? 
Can there be temperatures with constipation in a child or adult: the main causes and symptoms of the disease
Fast food and semi-finished products with frequent use cause constipation and generally do not contribute to the healthy functioning of the digestive tract. Such food includes: fast food, purchased frozen semi-finished products - cutlets, dumplings, pancakes, etc., beloved by many pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs. This can also include snacks in dry bread sandwiches.
Fast food, as a rule, contains low quality products and a lot of harmful fillers and additives, very little fiber. Therefore, such food is poorly digested, dehydrates the body and lingers in the intestines for a long time, causing constipation.
Baking and sweets: sweet and fatty pastries from the highest grades of flour, sweets and chocolate, especially milk, sugar. These products are completely free of fiber and fibers. Therefore, intestinal peristalsis with the abundant use of this kind of food without vegetables, fruits and soups freezes, and feces remain in the intestines for a long time.
Meat - veal, beef and pork, if consumed (vegetables, herbs and fruits), also causes excruciating constipation. Things are even worse when meat is combined with cereals, potatoes and pasta. It is very difficult for the intestines to digest such different and heavy foods together. Which naturally leads to constipation.
Fatty foods also contribute to constipation, especially after 30 years. Deep-frying (oil frying), fatty smoked sausages, bacon, cakes and pastries with butter cream slow down digestion.
Milk and dairy products also contribute to the occurrence. In milk, cottage cheese and cheese, there are a lot of fats and there are no dietary fibers at all, which increase intestinal motility. In addition to cases of lactose intolerance, when.
One of the main causes of constipation is simple dehydration. Therefore, you should refuse strong coffee and tea or drink them in a minimal amount. The caffeine in these drinks causes fluid loss. The same applies to pickles and marinades, foods richly flavored with salt and the use of a flavor enhancer - nartium glutamate.
Healthy eating for constipation
If constipation is a frequent occurrence for you, review your diet and eliminate or limit foods that contribute to this problem. In addition, start introducing into your daily menu those foods that help increase intestinal motility and good digestion.
First of all, it is food rich in fiber - vegetables and fruits: carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, greens; apples, apricots, plums. It is a diet enriched with fiber and fibers that will make your lazy go faster.
Fermented milk products contribute to the normalization of the intestinal flora, which brings its work to a normal state. To do this, eat live yogurt, biokefir and bifidok. Also, for the normal functioning of the digestive tract, drink up to 1.5 liters of clean water per day to prevent dehydration.