Constipation in newborns. What are the causes of constipation? There may be several. Frequent and frothy stools in a breastfed newborn

Young parents whose child is on artificial feeding, often complain of constipation in the baby. Constipation in newborns in the absence of natural feeding is by no means uncommon. Of course the situation is unpleasant, but everything is fixable. You just need to eliminate the causes causing problems with the baby's digestion artificial feeding.

How to recognize the problem

Many parents begin to worry if a newborn has a rare stool. However, a rare frequency of stool does not always indicate constipation. Children who are fed formula or who are on mixed feeding, go to the toilet less often than their peers who feed on mother's milk. This is due rapid formation enzyme environment, which means in a rare chair, 1-2 times a day, there is nothing to worry about.

First of all, it is not the frequency of bowel movements that should cause anxiety, but the consistency of its contents. If the crumbs are rare, but a soft chair, do not worry and do not run for an enema, everything is in order with your baby. But if you notice that the stool is hard and it hurts the child to go to the toilet, start sounding the alarm.

With a normal stool consistency, bowel movement 1 time in 3 days is considered acceptable norm with artificial nutrition. If there is no stool for more than 4 days, you can suspect that the newborn is really constipated.

According to pediatricians, those infants who are bottle-fed are more likely to suffer from constipation. The reason for this is the composition baby food, which contains fatty amino acids and non-natural additives. The stomach of infants is not designed to digest such components, as a result of which the digestion process takes longer, and the intestines simply do not have time to empty themselves in time.

However artificial nutrition does not always lead to constipation in newborns, the digestive system can fail if there are reasons such as:

Sudden change in the type of food. For example, if you breastfed your baby from birth and suddenly, for some reason, transferred him to artificial mixtures, the intestines may react with constipation.
Lack of fluid. Unlike children who receive breastfeeding, artificial children must be supplemented with water. This will make up for the lack of fluid that leads to constipation.
Frequent change of food brands. The composition of baby food from different manufacturers may vary. It is for this reason that artificial babies need to be fed the same brand of formula. In this case, the baby's stomach quickly adapts to food and digestion normalizes.
Disturbances in the balance of intestinal microflora. Dysbacteriosis can occur from taking antibacterial drugs, with artificial feeding from birth, passive smoking, stress, birth trauma. The diagnosis can only be made by a specialist who will prescribe adequate therapy. Children who receive breast milk, rarely encounter this phenomenon, since all beneficial microbes are transmitted to him with mother's milk. Also, constipation is quite common in children with mixed feeding. Especially if the mother or baby is on antibiotics.
Psychological causes of constipation are also not uncommon. This can happen to a baby older than 8 months. At this time, the baby begins to understand that he wants to go to the toilet and one-time pain during bowel movements can cause fear. For this reason, the child may tolerate and not go to the potty, which ultimately leads to constipation.
Also, the problem can provoke a peculiar structure of the intestine. This problem should go away by itself by school age.

When is born little man, parents are full of desire to take care of him as best as possible in order to prevent the slightest discomfort, and even more so diseases. If the baby is bottle-fed, most modern parents they are very responsible in the choice of mixtures, because the nutrition of the baby in the first months of life is the basis of everything: up to a year proper feeding lays the foundation for health for life. There are several criteria for how well a replacement for breast milk was chosen: how the baby gains weight and height, in what condition is it soft skin, and of course - the stool of a newborn with artificial feeding.

What the baby's diaper is filled with will tell an experienced pediatrician about his state of health. worse than analyzes, but it is not always possible to show the baby's stool to the attending physician. Therefore, this review will help you learn how to independently monitor the consistency, color, smell and regularity of stools in newborns in order to help the baby in time and correctly in case of problems. A bottle-fed newborn eats differently than a breastfed baby. This means that the stool of an artificial baby and the stool of a baby will be different, because the composition of human milk and formula, no matter how hard the baby food manufacturers try, is still not identical. Therefore, let's decide on the criteria by which we will determine whether everything is fine with the stool of a newborn: these are color, texture, smell and frequency.

Color.

Normally, the color of the feces of a bottle-fed newborn is naturally yellow or dark orange, and it depends on the mixture you choose.
If you observe white inclusions in the feces, this is not scary: the digestive system of the newborn matures and learns to cope with food, soon it will fully digest and assimilate the entire mixture.
However, if the matter is not physiological features children, but in the fact that you simply overfeed the baby (after all, he cannot tell you when he is already “enough”), in the feces you will observe curdled undigested lumps, and the consistency of the feces itself will become thinner: this means that you need to reconsider the portions after consulting with a pediatrician.
When the stool is bright yellow or orange color, this should be reported to the doctor: such a color indicates a malfunction in the functioning of the liver.
And green feces in babies older than a week- may be a sign unpleasant diseases like dysbacteriosis, staphylococcal enterocolitis, rotavirus infection or congenital inability to absorb lactose (feces of newborns - meconium - greenish in nature, but this is normal only in the first days after birth).
A danger signal is too dark color feces, especially streaks or blotches of blood in it. Blood in the feces may appear due to the presence of microcracks in the anus (a common occurrence after constipation, when dry and dense stool scratch the rectum), but the reason may be different, so a visit to the doctor is also necessary.

Consistency. The stool of formula-fed babies is always denser than that of infants, so it is important for the mother to ensure that it is not too hard - the baby will be very uncomfortable, and in the long run it is fraught with constipation. The normal consistency of the stool of newborns is mushy, the feces become more formed only after the introduction of complementary foods. Liquid stools in artificial babies are also a sign of problems, usually, in addition to a sparse consistency, there are also changes in the frequency of defecation, color and smell - all these are signs of an intestinal infection, and a little later we will talk about this in more detail. In addition, this may be a sign of an individual negative reaction to the mixture. In this case, you will have to choose another, after consulting in detail with your doctor.

Smell. In a bottle-fed newborn, the odor of the stool is more pronounced than in a naturally fed baby, whose feces normally have a slight odor before the advent of complementary foods. A putrefactive odor in combination with a liquid consistency and the appearance of foam can serve as a danger signal - such a chair must be removed by a doctor, it can be a sign of a staphylococcal infection in the intestine.

Frequency. Formula-fed babies empty their tummy up to 6 times in the first days, but gradually the mode of functioning of their body becomes more orderly and predictable, and just a few weeks after the birth of the crumbs, they can already have a stool only once a day, while in baby on breastfeeding it can be several times a day (usually after each feeding). This is due to the fact that, unlike mother's milk, infant formula is absorbed longer and more difficult - the baby just needs more time for this. If there is no stool for more than a day, this can lead to compaction of feces in the intestines and to the occurrence of constipation, which is accompanied by unpleasant sensations and soreness. For formula-fed babies, constipation is the most typical problem (every third artificial newborn is familiar with it), while for babies, problems with loose stools are more common with mom's diet errors. Therefore, if a newborn who is bottle-fed, cries and worries all day, his tummy is hard, the process of pooping is painful, the baby pushes, blushes and screams, pulling his legs to his tummy, and the stool turns out to be hard and dense, in the form of sausages or dense "peas"- this is constipation.

If the frequency of defecation less times per day (but not more than 3), but the feces are soft and the child does not experience discomfort - it may just be individual feature your baby.

What are the causes of constipation? There may be several.

First of all, you should consider the composition of the mixture for artificial feeding: even if it is good and suits many, it may not suit your baby specifically. This is verified empirically: if everything is getting better as soon as the mixture is changed, then this is the reason. Often, children prone to constipation are recommended a mixture with probiotics or fermented milk formula.
However, the mixture itself may be all right, but its expiration date may be coming to an end or even end. Be very careful when buying and be sure to pay attention to the information about the date by which the product should be used: if the expiration date expires, it is better not to take it.
Another one possible reason– the consistency of the mixture is too thick. It may even fully comply with the norm indicated on the jar - it will be too thick for your baby, in which case it is simply necessary to make the mixture more diluted, liquid.
Too much can also lead to constipation. nutrient mixture not appropriate for age. If the newborn has a tendency to constipation, then it is better not to rush to replace the mixture with a more “adult” version.
The introduction of complementary foods can also cause constipation, because the child is offered food of a completely new, denser consistency and often higher calorie content. In this case, be sure to keep a food diary and note the body's reaction to each new dish: if constipation is noted after taking certain products(for example, rice, bananas), it is better to exclude them from the menu until the baby grows up. And whole cow's milk it is generally contraindicated for a child under one year old (one of the problems that it provokes is also constipation).
A newborn who is malnourished can also have a problem with constipation: feces simply do not have anything to form in sufficient quantities, they “stale” in the intestines, compacting and making it difficult for themselves to move out. In this case, check the portions that the baby eats in one feeding: are they appropriate for the age and weight of the child? It is also important to pay attention to the nipple on the bottle: if it is too tight, with a very small hole, it will be difficult for the baby to suckle and he will stop sucking without even eating enough - simply because of fatigue.
Among the causes of constipation and lack of fluid in the body. Babies on artificial feeding must be supplemented with water, after 3-4 months - with baby tea, and after 6 months - compote. If the newborn was breastfeeding, and then he was transferred to the mixture, the parents can act as they are used to - that is, only feed, without adding liquid, and then the stool is simply difficult to be excreted from the body, it becomes too dry and dense. A stay in winter period in a hot house with dry air, or exposure to dry summer heat for several days in a row leads to dehydration of the body and can also cause constipation.
Constipation is also found in babies as a reaction to stressful situation: separation from mother, fear of losing her, getting into an unfamiliar environment without parents (for example, in a hospital) often also provokes a similar condition.
There are also physiological anomalies: anus it may be too narrow, or the rectum too wide, in any case, the development of such children is closely monitored by a pediatrician.

How to help the baby?

Give him enough physical activity and mobility, make vigorous movements with the legs, pulling them up to the tummy (as when riding a bicycle) and pressing them tightly against it, and also spread them on the stomach before each feeding;
Massage the tummy by moving your hand in a circle in a clockwise direction;
Let him drink more (other than ordinary water, maybe Dill water, fennel tea, and for babies who are already receiving complementary foods, prepare prunes compote, freshly squeezed plum juice or plum puree);
Often help warm baths because they have a relaxing effect;
Try also to use glycerin suppositories: they help soften hardened stools and lubricate the anus, making it more elastic and slippery, facilitating the passage of hard stools;
In any case, if there is no stool for more than 3 days, and all the “light” measures you have taken do not help, be sure to tell your pediatrician about this. If the child does not have anatomical pathologies of the intestinal structure, leading to constipation, most likely, the doctor will prescribe an enema as an extreme measure: it cannot be abused, as it washes beneficial microorganisms from the intestines. Also, the doctor can prescribe mild laxatives created specifically for babies up to a year old, for example, Duphalac (drugs for adults from constipation should not be given to babies).

Diarrhea for artificial babies is much less common than constipation, but it also occurs, and mothers need to be prepared to deal with this situation correctly.

Diarrhea is considered completely liquid stool(not mushy, but rather the consistency of liquid sour cream and even more rare). Often, diarrhea is accompanied by bloating, frequent bowel movements, an unpleasant sour smell, and skin irritation in the diaper area, as such stools are highly acidic.

More often causes of diarrhea are dysbacteriosis, intestinal infection, too early introduction of complementary foods, changing the mixture for feeding, teething period and intolerance to certain foods and dishes.

In the first case, it is necessary to take prebiotics and probiotics, preparations based on bifidobacteria will be an excellent solution. The fact is that dysbacteriosis is a violation of the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the stomach and intestines: if antibiotics are prescribed to a child, the beneficial microflora dies, and it has to be repopulated. This explains the fact that after suffering diseases with antibiotic treatment, the child often gets "after" new problems: dysbacteriosis and diarrhea. To prevent this from happening, when treating the underlying disease, be sure to also take drugs that will preserve the intestinal flora (for example, Bifidumbacterin or Lactobacterin).
If the cause of the diarrhea is an infection (with food poisoning or problems with hygiene), then the baby will also experience vomiting and a high temperature. Due to inflammation of the walls of the small intestine, streaks of mucus and blood may also appear in the stool. Intestinal infection in newborns with artificial feeding is a common occurrence, because they do not receive immunomodulators that breastfeeding babies absorb with mother's milk, and therefore their immunity is less strong and the body is less protected. To defeat the infection, the doctor will prescribe antibacterial drug a wide range actions.
Problems with diarrhea during the introduction of complementary foods - also enough ordinary thing. Until now, there are "specialists" who recommend too early feeding, in 2-4 months, to which the body very often reacts with diarrhea, since the stomach is not yet ready for such a load. But even if complementary foods were introduced on time (for artificially fed children, it is recommended by WHO from 5 months old), certain products may not be digested, and they will have to be abandoned. Just keep a diary of complementary foods and note what exactly the baby gave a negative reaction to. And products such as whole milk of animals (cows, goats) and fatty food generally should be excluded from the diet of the baby up to a year. Give juices with caution - they have a lot of sugar, and it contributes to the formation of more loose stools, as it is difficult for the body to digest.
If you decide to change the mixture, weigh the pros and cons, and do not do it without good reason, just out of curiosity and a penchant for experimentation. The baby's stomach is very delicate, it is harmful drastic changes, and therefore often babies react to a change in the mixture with diarrhea. Between two equally good mixtures for newborns, always choose the usual one.
When babies are teething, their body becomes especially vulnerable to infections, moreover, it is sensitive to any irritants, and therefore diarrhea often occurs these days.
However, the most difficult cases requiring medical intervention, long-term treatment and constant control, there are some diseases characterized by intolerance to certain types of food: celiac disease manifested with the introduction of cereal complementary foods (caloric, shiny and fetid) and congenital dysfunction endocrine system- cystic fibrosis (extremely frequent fetid stools of increased viscosity). In both cases, treatment is prescribed by a doctor.
It is also important to know that diarrhea can be one of the symptoms of appendicitis, peritonitis, and volvulus, so in any case, with diarrhea, it is important to consult a doctor who will evaluate all the symptoms in a comprehensive manner and prescribe the necessary treatment.

How to help the baby?

by the most dangerous consequence diarrhea will be dehydration. The baby becomes lethargic, drowsy and weak, his skin dries up and a rash may appear on the body, a large fontanelle sinks, and the urine becomes very dark and he rarely pees. To help in this situation, they often supplement it (every 10-20 minutes), prescribe a special drug - Regidron, and try to eliminate the causes of the situation: they treat dysbacteriosis or intestinal infection, or remove complementary foods that caused diarrhea from the diet.
The doctor also prescribes drugs to the child that kill the intestinal infection. The most effective are Furazolidone, as well as Nifuroxazide and Levomycetin. When choosing a medicine for newborns, do not self-medicate and do not prescribe dosages for yourself, all the more so - do not use drugs intended for adults, always consult a doctor in doubtful cases (if you do not call the doctor at home, take a diaper with a chair to the clinic ).
For feeding, prepare the mixture much more liquid than usual - you will return to a normal consistency only after recovery.

In addition to the usual diarrhea, parents are often afraid of its especially unpleasant variety - green feces in breastfed infants. During the neonatal period (that is, the first 5-7 days after birth), the baby, as we already know, can have dark stool. greenish color- this is meconium, the original feces, which is absolutely normal: in this way the intestines are cleared of residues amniotic fluid, epithelial tissues and so on. But if green tint appears in the stool of older children, it danger sign, but there can be many reasons for it:

Lactose indigestion (in this case, the stool will not only be green, but also with foam and a very unpleasant sour smell) - dangerous state, in which the chest is observed severe toxicosis the whole organism. In this case, the use of any whole milk is excluded.
Foamy green stools are also observed in another disease dangerous for the baby - staphylococcal enterocolitis, which requires immediate medical attention;
Also dangerous is diarrhea with greens, accompanied by vomiting and high temperature- these are signs of rotavirus infection in infants, treatment is prescribed by a doctor.
If the green stool has black blotches (thickened traces of blood) - we can talk about problems with the digestive system as a whole (possible congenital pathologies), and this also requires prompt medical attention.
Green loose stools with mucus and sometimes grains of blood, which is accompanied by frequent regurgitation(not only after feeding), the incessant anxiety and crying of the baby due to constant pain in the tummy, as well as skin rashes, is a symptom of dysbacteriosis.
When the formula you choose is high in iron, green diaper contents are also possible. If general state the baby is good, the consistency of the poop is normal and there are no more complaints, there is nothing wrong with this color of the stool. But if any other warning signs appear, consult your pediatrician and change the mixture.
If the stool is green and with mucus, this signals to us that the digestive system is immature - it does not have enough enzymes to process and ensure the absorption of food. Green color (along with undigested pieces) can be observed after the introduction of complementary foods to which the body has not yet adapted. This means that you need to wait a bit with complementary foods, or give your body time to adjust to the new kind food.

How to help the baby?

The first step will be the delivery of tests - guessing about the reasons and wasting time on the selection of options in this case it is forbidden. You will need to take a diaper with a stool and bring it to the laboratory for analysis, but inform your doctor first. If the baby has an infection in the body, tests will reveal it and it will be possible to prescribe adequate treatment.
The second point is bacterial culture, which will determine the composition of the intestinal microflora, identifying pathogenic organisms and determining the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria for the body. With dysbacteriosis (lack of useful natural microflora), the baby will be prescribed drugs that will help beneficial bacteria settle in the intestines (usually Linex, Lactobacterin, Acipol and other drugs).
Reduce the portions of feedings and make them more often - so it will be easier for the child to cope with the digestion and assimilation of food. For the future, also try not to overfeed the baby, so as not to disrupt the digestive system. “I ate well” and “ate a lot” are not synonyms!
Anyway, diarrhea, temperature and general bad condition child (lethargy, capriciousness, constant crying) are the reason to consult a doctor without self-medication.

Be attentive to your children and take care of them. Good luck!

It is well known that the quality of the stool and the frequency of bowel movements in infants cause a lot of trouble and excitement to parents. Chair for babies is one of the problematic moments, not only because of the widespread feeding with artificial mixtures in recent decades, but also due to the features of the functioning and structure gastrointestinal tract baby.
Stomach child under one year old has a poorly developed bottom, and the digestive system as a whole is not yet fully formed (which is why the baby often spits up). From the moment of birth, the salivary glands of the child still secrete little saliva. Saliva contains the enzyme ptyalin, which helps break down carbohydrates. And the composition of the baby's gastric juice includes enzymes that break down fats (lipase), proteins (pepsin, cathepsin), decomposing carbohydrates (amylase, sucrose, lactase, maltase), as well as the rennet enzyme chymosin, which forms rennet coagulation of milk. The amount of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice of the baby is small (increases as the child grows and develops).

Child under one year old often experiences pain in the stomach and colic due to the constantly present fermentation process, which supplements the breakdown of food by enzymes, as a result of which gases accumulate in the intestines of the baby.
Chair for babies breastfed has a mushy texture bright yellow with a sour smell.
From birth, the baby's digestive system is practically sterile, but already in the first few hours, the baby's intestines gradually begin to be populated with microflora that produces essential vitamins and involved in the digestion of food. Mother's milk contains a sufficient amount of protective components that suppress opportunistic microflora and promote the development of beneficial microflora, which prevents the activity of pathogenic bacteria.
Chair for babies who are bottle-fed, has a pale yellow, thicker consistency and unpleasant smell.

If feces in infants have green color and a watery consistency with foam, then most likely there is a so-called imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk. To fix this problem, let the baby empty the breast completely before transferring to another. In this case, the baby will receive a sufficient portion of fatty "hind" milk, which is easier to digest and digest (unlike lactose-rich "forward" milk).

Another common problem in babies, which can appear at 5-6 months after birth, is relatively infrequent bowel movements. Many parents mistakenly believe that constipation in the chest and begin to intensively treat the baby.
The fact is that during this period, the laxative colostrum component almost completely leaves the mother's milk and the baby poops less often. At 6 months of age, the baby's body finds out how much feces can accumulate in itself before a bowel movement. During this period, the baby may not even poop for a whole week. But you should not worry if the child himself does not show concern. After some time, the process of defecation in the baby will be restored with the usual frequency. If constipation in the chest continues for a long time, the baby does not eat willingly and his behavior has noticeably changed, you should seek advice from a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Immediately after birth, the first stool for babies, which is a homogeneous, dark green, odorless consistency and is called meconium. Meconium consists of desquamated intestinal epithelium, secretions digestive glands and swallowed by the baby amniotic mucus and water. Meconium is excreted within 3 days from the moment of birth, which is initially sterile, and then bacteria appear in it that form the intestinal microflora.
Gradually, within a week, meconium is replaced by feces. Feces in breastfed babies have a mushy texture with bright yellow color. If the baby has diarrhea (diarrhea) and is reluctant to take breast milk, you should seek help from a pediatric gastroenterologist.
Mucus in the feces of the baby in the first months after birth normal phenomenon. Due to an insufficient amount of lactase (an enzyme that breaks down the milk sugar lactose), the baby's stools can be frothy, but for most babies this phenomenon disappears after a few months.

stool frequency baby very individual, but in the first 2 months from the moment of birth, the baby usually poops after each feeding. Then the baby's digestive system adapts, the intestinal microflora normalizes and the stool frequency decreases to 3-4 times a day, and after 6 months - up to 2-3 times a day.

If child under one year old behaves restlessly, screams, twitches his legs, his tummy swells, then most likely gases have accumulated in the intestines and it is necessary to help the baby get rid of them by causing a bowel movement by irritation of the final section of the rectum or by making an enema. To do this, draw warm boiled water into a small syringe (about 50 ml) with a soft tip and make an enema. First, lay the baby on his left side and slightly bend his legs. Do not forget to release the air from the syringe before the enema (press until water appears).

Problems with stool in infants, in the event of which you need to contact a pediatric gastroenterologist:
1. Breast has diarrhea(diarrhea) and frothy stools without mucus impurities, unpleasant sour smell. Perhaps the baby has lactase deficiency;
2. The baby has a rare stool with dark color feces. At the same time, the baby has a good appetite, he greedily sucks the breast, but at the same time he does not gain enough weight. The specialist will do control weighing and the necessary examination - perhaps the child needs supplementary feeding due to insufficient amount for the body mother's milk;
3. Breast has diarrhea with a significant admixture of mucus. The child becomes moody and restless. It is necessary to conduct an examination - the baby may have dysbacteriosis ;
4. Breast has diarrhea(up to 10-12 times a day) green color mixed with blood and mucus, accompanied by vomiting and high fever - characteristics intestinal infection.

Constipation in an infant

The chair in the baby should be 2-5 times a day. Breastfed babies usually have a bowel movement after each feed, babies lacking maternal breast- less often, once or twice a day.

Pediatricians consider constipation to be the absence of a stool for one and a half to two days and a condition in which the feces become so dense that the child has to make too much effort to empty the intestines.

The cause of constipation in infants is most often the use of unadapted artificial mixtures, less often - the weakening of the body caused by teething, infections and other diseases. Often, lactulose deficiency, dysbacteriosis, allergies and dehydration, which occurs when the drinking regimen is violated in hot weather, lead to a change in the stool.

How to help the baby?

If constipation occurs during breastfeeding, the mother is advised to reconsider her diet, excluding fatty, fried, spicy, spicy dishes from it and supplementing it with fresh vegetables and fruits.
With difficulty emptying the intestines of the "artificial" it is recommended to change the milk mixture and choose a more adapted one, without sugar. In addition, it is necessary to constantly supplement the baby, offering him a clean drinking water, rosehip or apple decoction.
It is necessary to promote as much as possible motor activity child, refuse to swaddle and leave the baby without clothes more often - air baths coupled with the movement will do their job.
Before feeding, it is useful to massage the baby's abdomen and lay it on the tummy for a few minutes - this helps to activate intestinal motility.
As the first complementary foods, it is necessary first of all to introduce foods rich in vegetable fiber, that is, vegetables and fruit purees and juices with pulp.

Constipation in a child from one to 3 years

A child from one to three years old should have a stool every day. Among the main reasons chronic constipation in children of this age, the habit of holding stool is more common. It is worth a couple of times for the baby to experience pain when emptying the intestines, as the relationship between painful sensations and defecation. As a result, the child begins to endure, refuses to sit on the potty, or sits on it for a long time to no avail, squeezing his legs.

Sometimes the cause of constipation is psychological trauma: weaning, difficult addiction to the potty, inattentive attitude of parents and punishment. To adjust the chair, in this case it is enough to create comfortable conditions for the child and briefly plant him three times a day on the potty, encouraging success.

At the age of one to three years, the mode and nature of the child's nutrition acquire special significance. Constipation may be associated with the predominance of mechanically processed and carbohydrate foods in the diet, such as mashed potatoes, kissels, finely chopped meat, flour products and sweets. Sometimes problems with stools arise from the abuse of cottage cheese, pears, pomegranates, rice, chocolate.

To have a chair by the clock

It is necessary to reconsider the child's nutrition, enriching his table with raw vegetables, fruits, coarse cereals, whole grain bread, sour-milk products.
Need to follow up drinking regimen child, often offer him clean water. It should be borne in mind that juices and sweet compotes are not able to replace this valuable source of moisture.
Dishes made from beets, raw carrots, cabbage with the addition of vegetable oil, prunes, dried apricots, figs.
The child should move a lot, do not scold him for seemingly excessive activity and pranks. Sedentary children need to be taught to gymnastics, to involve them in outdoor games.
Sometimes a violation of the stool is accompanied helminthic infestations, therefore, the prevention of helminthiases and their timely treatment should be part of the constipation plan.

So that a child does not suffer from constipation in the future, from an early age one should instill in him a culture of nutrition, accustom him to physical education and sports and show by example how important it is for a person healthy lifestyle life.

Often, parents inadequately assess the stool in the baby, referring to the criteria for artificial feeding. This leads to errors in the nutrition of mother and child, as well as to incorrect and unreasonable treatment.

Features of the chair in infants

The stool of a breastfed baby can be anything. Unlike a newborn who is on artificial mixtures, the quality and quantity of the baby's stool changes regularly. The decisive role in this case is played by the age and behavior of the kids.

In the first week, newborns have stools at least 3 times a day, sometimes the figure reaches 12. If there is no stool for more than a day, this indicates that the baby is receiving little milk.

After 6 weeks, the baby, as a rule, begins to empty the intestines less often. However, some continue to go “to the toilet” after each feed. There is nothing unusual about this. Much depends on the diet of the nursing mother, the number of feedings, and even psychological state baby.

During this period, the absence of stool for up to a week is allowed if the baby behaves calmly and gains weight normally. The consistency and color of the stool is different. At the same time, the smell is often sour-milk or there is no smell at all. White lumps and a small amount of mucus are also possible.

With the introduction of complementary foods after six months, stools occur less frequently and decrease to 1-2 times a day. Please note that color and texture are strongly influenced by complementary foods.

If before or during a bowel movement the baby cries and behaves restlessly. Changes in behavior and well-being, change appearance newborn - a reason for heightened attention to the baby's digestion.

Color

Babies may have feces various shades: bright and light yellow, orange, light and dark green, light brown. What affects the color:

Type of feeding. When breastfeeding, feces will be green;
Medicines taken by the mother. Digestion responds to antibiotics Activated carbon and preparations containing iron or dyes. The stool becomes much darker than usual, it can even become black. The black chair is nothing to worry about!;
Start feeding. The color is influenced by the products with which the mother begins to feed the baby. At the beginning of weaning, the stool turns green. There may be yellow, white or green blotches;
The baby does not absorb breast milk well, which causes green or orange stools;
Bilirubin is a bile pigment that appears due to the destruction of blood proteins. It gives stools a yellow-brown or orange tint. This reaction occurs in 70% of babies. It passes without treatment, since bilirubin is independently excreted from the body with urine and feces;
Dysbacteriosis. If an imbalance occurs in the intestinal microflora, then the stool becomes lighter. However, feces acquire light shades and during teething.

Pay special attention if the baby white feces(discolored chair)! This is a symptom of hepatitis! This disease is rare in children of the first two years of life, but has an unfavorable prognosis. Therefore, with a discolored stool in an infant, consult a doctor immediately!

If only the color changes in a newborn, but the smell, texture and presence of impurities remain the same, then the problem is in the type of food.

Consistency

The consistency of the stool in infants is also different. Basically, it is liquid, because for the first six months of life, the baby receives milky liquid food. With artificial or mixed feeding the stool is thicker and darker.

But how to understand if the baby has normal loose stools or diarrhea? A newborn has diarrhea if:

The stool is both thin and watery;
The frequency of bowel movements increases;
The stools have an unpleasant odor, expressive green or yellow color;
The temperature rises in the baby;
Vomiting begins;
There is a lot of foam and mucus in the diaper, there are streaks of blood;
The baby is lethargic and weak.

However, not always yellow or green chair mixed with foam or mucus means diarrhea. Always look at the condition of the baby. If there is weakness, temperature, increased gas formation, then it is worth sounding the alarm. If the baby sleeps well and feels cheerful, then there is no cause for concern.

impurities

The presence of impurities in the stool is the norm if the baby feels good. However, when elevated temperature, loss of appetite and weight, be sure to visit a doctor.

Types of impurities:

White lumps are particles of curdled milk that appear when a baby overeats. Digestive system simply can not cope with the amount of food when feeding. In addition, indigestible food often appears after the start of complementary foods. This leads to a rapid increase in the weight of the baby .;
Mucus is present in the feces of every newborn in small quantities. An increase in mucus indicates the beginning inflammatory process. This is due to improper attachment to the breast, unsuitable milk formula, overfeeding, medication, early introduction complementary foods and for other reasons;
Foam - functional impairment, which does not speak of any disease or pathology. Foam appears due to colic or increased gas formation at the baby. However, abundant foam can be a symptom of dysbacteriosis or intestinal infection;
Blood is a serious symptom that requires a mandatory visit to the doctor. Often this is an indicator of dermatitis, rectal fissures, inflammation or intestinal pathology, protein allergies.

Frequency

In the first month at breastfeeding stool occurs after each meal. Then the frequency is reduced by 2-4 times, the baby can generally start going to the “toilet” once a day or two. This is due to the renewal of breast milk.

During this period, the baby is naughty, sometimes refuses to breastfeed. This is a temporary phenomenon, in which there is nothing to worry about. If the stool does not occur for 2-3 days, but there is no discomfort during bowel movements, the baby does not lose weight, then the delay is not constipation.

Signs of constipation in a newborn:

Difficulty emptying the bowels;
Stool retention for more than 1.5 days;
Significant discomfort during bowel movements.

By the way, constipation is rare during breastfeeding. They are typical for newborns on artificial mixtures. However, if constipation occurs in a baby, then pay attention to the nutrition of a nursing mother. With such a problem, plums, dried apricots and prunes will help perfectly if the newborn does not have allergies. And remember to measure!

Massage will also help. But with the use medicines better to wait. Be sure to consult your doctor before taking medications!

Normal or time to see a doctor?

normal stool

Age and conditions	Characteristic
First three days after birth	Black or black-green, tarry, odorless
3-7 days	Grey-green or grey, semi-fluid or ointment
More than a week while breastfeeding	Color from yellow to brown or mustard, mild sour-milk smell. The consistency resembles liquid semolina porridge. There may be blotches of white grains, impurities of mucus or greenery
On artificial or mixed feeding, at the beginning of complementary foods	Dark brown or light brown shade, sometimes interspersed with greenery, mushy or thick consistency, sharp unpleasant odor
When eating colored fruits and vegetables	Unusual shade with color blotches

Needs attention

Characteristic	Causes	What to do
Yellow, brown or green stools of a liquidish or frothy appearance with a sharp sour-milk odor; there is often irritation around anus	Mom has too much milk the baby receives a lot of front sweet milk.	Change breasts less frequently while feeding
Brown, green or yellow with a lot of mucus	The kid has recently been ill with ARVI or teeth are starting to cut	The stool returns to normal after a while, but if this condition continues for several days, consult a doctor.
Thick and soft or mushy dark Brown	Taking medications that contain iron	If the stool has changed due to medication, there is nothing to worry about. Otherwise, see a doctor!

To the doctor!

Characteristic
Frequent yellow, green or brown stools bad smell. Baby losing or not gaining weight	Disorder due to allergies, infection, or poisoning
Hard "cool" feces come out in portions with a tense stomach. In the process, the baby screams.	Constipation due to the introduction of new foods into the diet
Green color with a lot of foam, a sharp sour smell, appears with “cotton”. Around the anus - irritation. The baby is restless and slowly gaining weight.	Often indicates the development of primary or secondary lactose intolerance baby
With blood	Allergy to cow protein, symptom of intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoids or bacterial infection
Stool discoloration or white stools	Infectious disease, hepatitis

How to normalize stool

If there are minor violations in the baby's stool, and they do not require a visit to a doctor, then you can adjust the stool yourself. First of all, the nutrition of a nursing mother affects the feces of a baby.

How to set up a chair:

Turn on the menu dairy products, dried fruits, vegetable dishes. If the baby has constipation, exclude the use of nuts, fatty cheeses, flour products, white bread, strong tea and coffee;
Drink more fluids. The minimum rate is 2.5 liters per day;
Keep breastfeeding as long as possible. As practice shows, children on artificial mixtures suffer more from indigestion, colic and constipation;
Introduce new foods into your diet gradually and in small doses. Carefully monitor the reaction of the baby, as such food can cause allergies, colic, stool disorders;
Give your baby a tummy massage regularly. Stroke your belly in a circular motion clockwise;
Encourage your baby to active movements and games. This will improve intestinal contractions.

These recommendations will help not only to improve the chair, but also to prevent many problems. Therefore, even if the newborn's stool is normal, the methods will be a good prevention.