Anxiety about neonatal constipation needs to be treated and stopped as soon as possible as it can lead to serious health consequences such as eating complications, stunting, growth retardation and illnesses. other digestive tract.
Infants are constipated. What should I do to help my child get rid of constipation and have a healthy digestive system?
Babies don't stoop for many days - Is it because they're constipated?
Infants 0-12 months old can experience constipation for many reasons. Depending on the month of age, diet and physical physical characteristics, the degree of constipation and the source of this phenomenon will have different characteristics.
Constipation phenomenon of babies 0-6 months old
At this point, your child's main food is still milk. Therefore, if the child is constipated, it is mainly due to:
If breastfed is constipated, it is likely that the mother's body does not provide enough nutritious milk for the baby. For example, the average growth rate of a child is 150g / 5 days, but currently the increase is less than 100g. Thus, breast milk is not enough for the baby. A child who eats less means he pooped less and will take several days to poop.
With formula-fed babies, babies are more prone to constipation than babies who eat breast milk. If the type of formula is not suitable for the baby's digestive system or geomorphology, the baby can not absorb nutrients from formula milk, which can cause worrying that constipation can last.
Some children become constipated because of the nature of their digestive system. Statistics show that nearly 10% of babies are born with long colon. Therefore, these babies from birth often suffer constipation.
Newborn constipation
Does it mean that if a child does not poop for many days he is constipated?
The frequency of bowel movements and the fecal characteristics of breastfed infants differ from formula milk. The mother needs to pay attention to the type of milk fed by the baby, combined with observing the shape and color of the stool, the level of weight gain of the baby to be able to accurately conclude that the baby is constipated or not. Babies aged 0-6 months can only be considered as being in neonatal constipation if:
• Child's stool is hard, dry into a large or small lump and discrete like a pebble.
• Baby's stomach is stiff. I often fussy and cry, manifesting as abdominal pain. After going to the toilet, no more upset or fussy.
• Baby is passing blood in the stool.
Thus, if the child has been outside for a long time but the stools are still soft and do not have the above phenomena, then the child is not constipated at all. Therefore, if the baby is breastfed or formula milk without poop for many days, the mother needs to observe more other phenomena so as not to worry in vain.
How to improve infant constipation for babies 0-6 months old?
Treatment of constipation for babies 0-6 months old should be based on the main cause of this phenomenon in the baby.
Solution for newborn constipation with breast milk feeding baby
Mom needs to remember that, with babies under 6 months old, giving babies water to improve constipation is not recommended because the baby's digestive system is still young. Children can become infected if they drink water too soon.
Instead, mothers need to increase the amount of milk for the baby to provide more water. At the same time, the mother herself must also increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables such as plum juice, cooked carrots, papaya, ... and drink plenty of water.
Baby eats formula
For these babies, changing the type of formula can help them improve constipation better. If your baby is drinking cow's milk, you can change to goat's milk, refer to special formulas for constipation such as Nan, Aptamil, Morinaga, ...
In addition, whether it is breastmilk or formula, the mother should also enhance exercise exercises for the baby. After bathing, mothers need to massage the baby's abdomen to stimulate peristalsis to work.
Abdominal crunching and cycling exercises are also very suitable to push air out and affect the intestinal tract, helping your baby to digest better.
Newborn constipation can be improved through massage and exercise
Newborn constipation in children 6-12 months old
Starting from this stage onwards, if your baby is just starting to experience constipation, most of the reason is due to his diet.
My child is constipated due to the change to solid food
Being from the main source of food is milk, after 6 months most babies will switch to solids. Flour, porridge with starch make up the most easy to prevent children from getting enough fiber, so they can become constipated.
The child's body lacks water
From 6 months of age onwards, entering solids, the amount of breastmilk may be less. Without adequate water supply, the child's digestive system will work harder. The stool becomes dry and hard, making it not as easy for the baby to pass out as before.
The diet lacks fiber
During the first few months of weaning, not all children will eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Flour and porridge are more starchy than vegetables, so your child's body does not get enough fiber. Therefore, constipation is quite common for a baby.
Improving constipation for babies 6-12 months old is not as difficult as mothers think
After 6 months onwards, the mother can treat the baby's constipation more effectively because now the baby can eat and drink a variety. The most important thing to improve this condition for children is to change the appropriate diet and increase physical activity for the baby.
Therefore, with babies at this age, mothers can apply the following ways to deal with the anxiety of newborn constipation.
1. Continue to feed your baby more breastmilk
For babies who have not weaned, the combination of weaning and breastfeeding is still the first choice for constipated babies. Easily digestible breast milk can provide your baby with the necessary amount of water.
2. Have your baby sip water every morning, noon or afternoon after waking up
Your baby just needs to sip the water, not drink too much so as not to affect the amount of food and milk.
3. Add to the meal of a plum or crushed plum juice
Plums are extremely effective food for children with constipation. When the baby is ready to eat, this is one of the popular ways that many mothers apply.
4. Increase your child's fiber-rich foods
Such as vegetable soup, vegetable soup, puree fruit mixed with milk such as butter, banana, papaya, ...
Eat yogurt daily to improve neonatal constipation
5. Every day should give your baby a box of yogurt
Note, if there is time and conditions, mothers should make their own yogurt at home for children to eat is the best. Commercial yogurts usually do not have the best levels of live bacteria.
Therefore, many mothers who feed their children with yogurt bought back cannot help their children improve constipation. Select quality yogurt for your baby to have the opportunity to eat nutritious yogurt. As a result, the child's digestive system will gradually work better. Eat yogurt every day to improve constipation.
6. Use movement exercises
Massaging the abdomen, cycling for the baby as with 0-6 months of age to stimulate the child's intestines.
7. Take a warm bath regularly
When you see your baby is constipated, you need to take a warm bath for your baby or let your child soak it in warm water several times a day.
8. Practice the habit of using the potty to use the toilet regularly
As soon as your baby wakes up, mother put him in the potty so he will soon learn how to control his pee need. Thus, as soon as I can give up the diaper, my secretory system has also formed a good habit.
Also, do not forget to let your baby regularly sunbathe and exercise outdoors. This way both helps strengthen the skeletal muscles and improves constipation effectively.