Constipation in a newborn what to do. Proper massage technique. How to help a baby

The nature of the stool in infants varies from child to child in the same way as in adults. What is normal for your child may be different from what is normal for someone else. Most children poop 1 or 2 times a day. Other babies may take 2 to 3 days or more before normal stools occur.

The functioning of the intestines will change dramatically over the course of a child's life. At times, these changes may indicate that the baby is constipated.

Constipation is a condition in the body when stools are not as regular as usual. Feces are plentiful, and going to the toilet is painful. Sometimes the stool can be loose, but it can also mean constipation in the baby.

The child who consumes exclusively breast milk may not defecate every day. Often almost all nutrients are absorbed. This is very common. Babies who are formula fed may have up to three to four bowel movements a day.

However, normal bowel movement (peristalsis) varies greatly in healthy children. It depends on the type of milk, on the inclusion of coarse fibers in the food, and on what specific foods are consumed.

Understanding possible signs constipation can help parents detect a potential threat before bowel problems become a big problem.

Constipation in an infant can be identified by several symptoms:

You may notice that the child is crossing his legs, grimacing, stretching, squeezing his buttocks, or twisting in a chair. It may look like the baby is trying to have a bowel movement, but instead they are really trying to hold on to stool.

If constipation is left untreated, it can get worse and cause various complications. The longer the stool remains inside the sigmoid and rectum, the harder and drier it becomes, the more difficult and painful it is to empty the bowels. Your child may be holding back his stool because of the pain. This creates a vicious circle.

Constipation in children is not usually a serious condition. Nevertheless, chronic constipation can lead to complications or signal an underlying disease.

Take your child to the doctor if constipation lasts more than two weeks or if you have any of the following symptoms:

weight loss;
blood in the stool;
bloating;
vomit;
heat;
painful cracks in the skin in the anus (anal fissures);
prolapse of the intestines from the anus (rectal prolapse).

Do not give an infant a laxative or suppository without first consulting a doctor.

The attending physician, to determine constipation, should do the following:

Collect full information about the medical history. The specialist will ask about past illnesses, nutrition and physical condition child.
Conduct an examination, which will most likely include a digital examination of the child's rectum to check for abnormalities, fissures, or hard stools. Stool found in the rectum can be tested for blood.

Extensive research is carried out in more severe cases of constipation. Diagnostics consists of several procedures:

Treatment of constipation in infants

Depending on various factors, your doctor may recommend what to do if your child is constipated. It can be procedures or certain medications.

Dietary fiber preparations. If a child is not getting a lot of fiber from their diet, adding fiber supplements may help. However, the child must drink a large number of water daily to keep these medications working well. Check with your doctor to find out what dose is appropriate for your child's age and body weight.

Glycerin suppositories can be used to soften stool in children. The suppository stimulates the child's rectum and helps to empty it. Do not use suppositories regularly, because the child will develop a reflex to the act of defecation only after suppositories.

Laxative or enema. If month old baby constipation due to a buildup of stool that creates a blockage, your doctor may suggest a laxative or an enema to help clear the blockage. These drugs include polyethylene glycol and mineral oil. Never give a child a laxative or an enema without a doctor's instructions and instructions for proper dosage and use.
Hospital enema. Sometimes the baby may have such severe constipation that he should be hospitalized for a short time to get a more thorough (siphon) enema, which will cleanse the intestines.

How to treat constipation in an infant at home?

In addition to changes in diet and routine, a variety of approaches can help relieve constipation in children at home.

Here are some tips on what to do when your baby is constipated:

Never use soap for constipation. It aggressively acts on the rectal mucosa, leading to erosion and local inflammation, which will only aggravate the situation. In addition, the soap bakes mercilessly, causing severe pain to the baby.

If the child's constipation lasts more than two weeks, the parents are more likely to resort to medical care. If necessary, the baby will be referred to a specialist in digestive disorders (gastroenterologist). He will tell you in more detail how to treat constipation in infants.

Here is some information to help you prepare and know what to expect from your doctor.

You can prepare by following a few important steps:

Write down questions to ask your doctor. There are certain key questions to ask your doctor:

Which one is the most possible reason my child's symptoms?
Are there other reasons?
What research does my child need?
How long can this go on?
What procedures do you recommend?
How to help a newborn with constipation?
Do I need to make changes to my child's diet?
Should we visit another specialist?
What to give a baby for constipation?
Is there an alternative to the medication you are prescribing?
Can this problem be treated without medication?

Your doctor may ask you a few questions. You need to be ready to answer them. Your doctor may ask for the following information:

When did your child first show signs of constipation?
Were these symptoms constant or random?
How severe are the symptoms?
What, in your opinion, improves the condition of the child?
What worsens the condition of the baby?
Do you see blood in your stool or on your diaper?
Does the child strain during the act of defecation?
Does an infant have a hereditary predisposition to digestive problems?
Has the child started any new medications or changed the dosage of current medications?
Can you describe the experience of potty training your child?

Since each child's bowel function is individual, familiarize yourself with the conditions for a normal bowel movement for your baby. Note the usual size and consistency of the stool. This will help you and your pediatrician determine when constipation occurs and how serious the problem is.

Every mother who closely monitors the health of her child is able to instantly notice changes in his body. Noticing the lack of regular bowel movements or a change in the qualitative or quantitative composition of feces, parents are alert and rush to help the baby. But don't jump straight into medications unless absolutely necessary. To begin with, it is important to understand the situation and find out the reasons that led to the disorder of bowel movements in young children.

Is it constipation?

Not every episode of missing stool in an infant can be considered constipation. It is believed that newborns of the first months of life can normally empty about as many times as there were feedings. It is also considered normal if the number of acts of defecation is 1-2 times a day. In children who are on breastfeeding, mother's milk can be so well absorbed that they simply have nothing to poop.

At one year old babies stool should be at least once a day.

In this case, you need to focus not so much on the number of emptyings, but on the general condition of the child. If a newborn does not have a stool during the day, but he feels good, eats and sleeps normally, gains weight, then there is no reason for concern.

You should also pay attention to appearance and the smell of feces. Babies who are exclusively breastfed have mushy stools yellow color with a characteristic milky odour. In children who are on artificial feeding, the stool is thicker, the color is closer to brown, it has more Strong smell. If the baby has already begun to receive complementary foods, then this will inevitably affect the quality of the stool. In this case, both the color and consistency of feces become close to those of an adult.

Constipation is accompanied by worsening general condition baby and is manifested by the following signs:

The chair is absent for a day or more.
The child is restless, often cries.
Baby doesn't eat well, starts crying after eating
In the absence of a chair in children, sleep is disturbed due to pain and bloating.
When palpating the tummy, bloating is detected, the stomach is hard, the baby behaves restlessly when palpating the abdomen.
To poop, the baby has to push hard, his face becomes red, he bends his legs to his tummy, while grunting and crying.
If the child managed to poop, then the feces look like peas or pebbles, dark in color, bad smell. Sometimes you can see streaks of blood on the feces, due to damage to the rectal mucosa by hard feces.
Complete emptying of the intestine does not occur, the baby poops in small portions and with great difficulty.

The condition cannot be ignored, as untimely emptying intestinal tract harmful to the health of the newborn. With stagnation of feces, absorption occurs harmful substances and toxins into the blood. This causes intoxication of the whole organism.

Often, children suffering from constipation are afraid to empty themselves and deliberately retain feces in the body. This happens due to painful attempts to poop. Having experienced severe pain in the anus, the kids are afraid to empty themselves in the future, and the so-called " vicious circle". This condition is very dangerous, and the baby needs to overcome the psychological barrier. Sometimes you can't do without the help of a specialist.

Why is there no chair?

Before proceeding with active steps to eliminate the problem, let's figure out why the newborn does not have a chair. A lot of reasons can lead to constipation, which are divided into several groups by origin.

Improper nutrition of a nursing mother.

What a nursing mother eats inevitably affects the composition of milk. Constipation in a newborn can be caused by improper and unbalanced nutrition of the mother. This can occur with excessive consumption of meat, white bread, pastries, sweets, tea and coffee. A nursing mother should eat more vegetables and fruits, vegetable soups or broth from lean meats should be present in the daily diet. Mom should drink at least two liters of pure non-carbonated water per day. It is better to exclude coffee and tea in the first months of a baby's life altogether. From sweets, give preference to dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes, raisins). Use instead of whole milk dairy products.

Insufficient amount of fluid in the child's body.

Lack of stool in children can be caused by insufficient fluid intake in the body. If the newborn is on breastfeeding and breastfeeds on demand, this cause is ruled out. With mother's milk, the baby receives a sufficient amount of fluid and nutrients. Before the introduction of complementary foods, it is not necessary to supplement babies with water.

With "artificial" the situation is slightly different. Every day these babies need to drink clean water. room temperature from a spoon or bottle. No need to boil water! Boiling water loses minerals involved in the regulation of water balance in the body. It is best to buy special baby water at a pharmacy or store. Today it is available to absolutely everyone.

After the child began to receive complementary foods, it is necessary to gradually introduce drinks into his menu. Water should be given daily, and it is also useful to introduce juices and compotes. To normalize digestion and to prevent constipation, carrot and pumpkin juice are perfect. Compote cooked from raisins and dried apricots, without adding sugar, will perfectly cope with the problem.

Congenital diseases in children.

If constipation appeared in the first months of life, and it is not possible to establish the cause, the problem is probably in the body of the baby. This happens in some congenital bowel diseases.

Hirschsprung's disease is a disease of the large intestine, which is based on a violation of the innervation of certain parts of the intestine. As a result, children are disturbed by the natural movements of the intestines, which contribute to the promotion of feces and their removal from the body. There are frequent constipation and intoxication of the body.

Dolichosigma is an intestinal disease in which the sigmoid colon has more long sizes than normal. The intestine forms numerous loops that overlap each other, making it difficult for the passage of feces. The newborn has constant constipation.

Diseases are dangerous to health and life baby and require timely diagnosis and treatment in medical institution. If qualified assistance is not provided to sick children in time, complications can lead to death.

Incorrect introduction of complementary foods.

Often the cause of constipation can be untimely or misintroduction complementary foods. Previously, it was recommended to start introducing juices and yolk from the age of one month. Now we have moved away from this. Pediatricians do not recommend the introduction of complementary foods until 6 months if the newborn receives mother's milk and gains weight well.

It is necessary to introduce complementary foods according to the rules. Start with one teaspoon and gradually increase. As complementary foods, only cereals should not act. It must be vegetable and fruit purees, juices, baby biscuits, cereals and vegetable soups. From eight months you need to introduce meat products.

Mixture change.

It happens that it is necessary to transfer the newborn to another mixture. If the mixture is not suitable for the child, then constipation may occur. The choice of the mixture must be agreed with the doctor. It is better to make a choice in favor of fermented milk mixtures. It is necessary to prepare the mixture strictly in accordance with the instructions, without reducing or increasing the amount of liquid.

Prepare a single dose of the mixture in an amount corresponding to the age of the child.

Reception medicines.

Constipation may be a reaction child's body for medicinal products. Often this phenomenon is observed when taking antibiotics. In this case, together with antibacterial drugs take probiotics that normalize the microflora.

Stressful conditions of the baby.

Young children also have the ability to experience stress, which can lead to constipation. The most common cause- fear of defecation, which was mentioned above.

What should parents do?

What to do if the baby cannot poop? First of all - to exclude bowel diseases. If the study does not reveal congenital diseases, then parents should exclude external causes leading to frequent constipation.

Mom needs to adjust her own diet by including vegetable fibers and required amount liquids. Exclude fatty foods, tea, coffee, alcohol.
Give the newborn a daily massage of the abdomen and laying on the tummy to stimulate peristalsis. Also useful with early age do gymnastics and do not limit motor activity children. If the baby wants to crawl, then let him do it. No need to put him in an arena or walker.
Strictly follow the rules of complementary foods, drink enough fluids for both mother and baby.
If the above recommendations are ineffective, you should consult a doctor for an appointment. medicines(suppositories, laxatives).

Do not use "grandmother's" methods aimed at irritating the colon with foreign objects (a bar of soap, cotton buds, enemas, etc.). The use of these methods is dangerous by damage to the colon mucosa and threatens with serious complications.

The enema is last method fight against constipation. The procedure should be prescribed by a doctor, and it is better to entrust the enema to the nurse.

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

During the normal functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and intestines, the act of defecation occurs daily. The process usually takes place in morning time and does not cause discomfort or pain. Fecal masses have a soft structure and a person does not need to make an effort to get them out.

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

Problems with stool occur in different ages. Most often, newborns and elderly people suffer from this pathology. Poor bowel movements can last from a few 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 total absence defecation often becomes psychological factor. It can be provoked by a long separation of the baby from the mother, for example, due to her illness.

Lack of bowel movements in children due to mixed feeding

By nature, it is laid down in such a way that the baby is supposed to eat exclusively mother's milk. That's why constipation in newborn mixed feeding a very common occurrence.

Introducing additional artificial mixtures to the child is often 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, as it has insufficient fat content. In this case, the kids behave restlessly, sleep poorly and act up all the time.

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

Also, stool retention during formula feeding can occur due to incorrect food temperature. 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 during the introduction of complementary foods often appears due to insufficient intake 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 hungry 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 stagnant process in the intestines of a newborn. After all, what she eats necessarily enters the body of the child through milk. Therefore, at the time of 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 ailment itself is manifested by the absence of a bowel movement for more than a day or by a heavy exit of feces. Most often, with poor bowel movements in a baby, there is:

anxiety and tearfulness;
capriciousness;
bloating;
refusal of food;
colic;
tension and redness of the face when trying to defecate;
hardening of the abdomen.

With problems with the intestines, children behave passively and do not sleep well. If constipation is caused serious illnesses, then the main symptoms can join:

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 with constipation in newborns , especially if they are caused by pathologies in the digestive tract, only a doctor knows.

How to help a newborn with constipation

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

A newborn has constipation, what to do if there were no deviations in the diagnosis? In such cases, the causes of problems with defecation are: the abrupt introduction of formula, poor quality milk or immaturity of the nervous system.

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

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

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

Drug therapy

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

Espumizan.
Rectal Glycerin suppositories.
Duphalac.
Plantex.
Enema.

Duphalac and Plantex help to activate intestinal motility. Espumizan - eliminate bloating. Rectal suppositories soften the accumulated feces and facilitate its easy exit.

As for the bowel cleansing procedure with an enema, it can be carried out no more than once a week. Otherwise, the child may experience, as well as a lack of minerals and vitamins. As a solution for babies, ordinary water is used, which must be boiled and cooled to body temperature. The addition of glycerin oil is recommended.

Mother's diet

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

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

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

Therapeutic massages and exercises to restore the stool

the best and in a safe way to activate peristalsis and cause the release of accumulated gases in a newborn is a massage of the abdomen. You can not resort to this manipulation if, when touched and pressed on the tummy, the baby cries. In this case, it is best to contact your pediatrician.

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

remove clothes from the child and put on his back;
apply a small amount of oil on the palms;
check if the baby is allergic to oil;
further, make light strokes around the navel (clockwise) for about 5 minutes;
at the end, you need to do a few straight pulling strokes from top to bottom of the abdomen.

After the massage, you can start exercises to restore bowel function and peristalsis:

put the baby on his back;
alternately bend and unbend the legs, pressing them to the stomach, holding them by the ankles;
repeat the exercise, only bend the legs not in turn, but at the same time (about 5 times);
put the child with his tummy down on the parent's knees and make several circular strokes starting from the shoulder blades and descending to the sacrum.

In addition, doctors advise putting the child on the tummy before each meal and keeping it in this position for 3-8 minutes.

Oils

For the prevention and elimination of existing constipation, newborns can be given a few drops daily, on a plant basis. These funds include:

What not to do!

Often lovers traditional medicine advise young mothers, in case of constipation in a child, apply laundry soap. Some are really sure that if you put a bar of soap in the anus of a child, then all problems with defecation will be removed as if by hand.

This is a misconception and invalid method intestinal stimulation! The composition of such soap includes a large amount of alkali, which will negatively affect the healthy intestinal microflora. In addition, such treatment can cause ulceration, bleeding and severe irritation in the rectum.

If a child has problems with a chair 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.

Constipation in a newborn is associated with bowel problems. Occurs in both acute and chronic form. Normally, a child's stool should be regular and not be accompanied by any discomfort.

You can judge the presence of constipation in a newborn by the following signs:

the child cries and kicks its legs;
the stool is in the form of small lumps without moisture;
the child is not gaining weight well;
there is blood in the feces.

The child should go to the toilet at least once a day. When breastfeeding, the baby can be emptied after each feeding. With artificial feeding, it is considered normal if the stool in the newborn is once a day.

It is important to pay attention not only to the number of acts of defecation, but also to the consistency of feces. If the baby goes to the toilet on his own every 2 or even 3 days, his feces are in the form of a yellow slurry, without blood impurities, a fetid odor, bowel emptying itself is not difficult, then there is no reason for concern.

But if the stool is daily, but in small quantities, resembles sheep feces, and even at the same time the baby twists its legs and cries loudly, we can talk about constipation.

Causes of constipation in newborns

The main causes of constipation in a breastfed newborn are:

Bowel diseases, which include congenital pathologies Gastrointestinal: Hirschsprung's disease, dolichosigma, absence or narrowing of the anus. In this case, conservative or surgical treatment is indicated.
Pathologies of others internal organs and systems, including hypothyroidism, CNS lesions. These conditions negatively affect intestinal motility and provoke constipation. In such babies, the underlying disease needs to be treated.
Immaturity of the nervous system. Most newborns have immaturity of the nerve endings of the intestinal wall, so it cannot contract as it should and move the chyme to anus. This condition is physiological and will pass as soon as the baby reaches 2 months of age.
Errors in the mother's diet and the use of fixative foods. In this case, mom needs to adjust the menu.

When breastfeeding, it is necessary to exclude from the diet:

cashews and peanuts;
fatty pork and lamb;
muffin;
high fat cheeses;
White bread;
strong tea, coffee.

A common cause of constipation is increased gas formation. Bubbles of gas accumulated in the intestine interfere with its normal peristalsis.

This may be due to an imbalance in the intestinal microflora or malnutrition mother.

In the first case, the intake of prebiotics and probiotics, such as Hilak forte, is indicated.

In the second - it is necessary to exclude raisins, bananas, black bread, cabbage, legumes, radishes, cucumbers, onions, garlic from the diet.

Constipation in a newbornwho is artificially fed,may be caused by:

incorrectly selected;
abrupt replacement of one mixture with another;
insufficient amount of water.

Causes of constipation in a newborn who is on a mixed diet:

Formula feeding, as this food is unusual for the baby. In most newborns, the intestines are hypodynamic, as a result of which stool. New foods cause intestinal spasm, which provokes constipation in a newborn.
Incorrect maintenance of the temperature balance of the child. Most parents, afraid of catching a baby, wrap it up tightly, which leads to heavy sweating and fluid loss. As a result, the child has problems with bowel movements.

How to alleviate the condition of the child?

How to help a newborn with constipation? The first thing parents should do is make an appointment with a doctor. The doctor will prescribe a number of tests, among which may be biochemical analysis blood, radiography, feces for dysbacteriosis. Based on the results, the specialist will prescribe treatment.

If as a result of the examination it was not possible to detect any pathologies, most likely problems with the stool are associated with the immaturity of the central nervous system, the quality mother's milk or adaptation mixture.

When the stool is delayed, the following are shown:

massage;
adjusting the mother's diet or switching to a different formula;
pharmaceuticals;
mechanical methods (suppositories with glycerin, vent tube).

Basic massage techniques

Tummy massage should be done daily 2-3 times a day. Massage is done warm hands using baby cream or oils. Massage should be done on a hard surface, 1.5 hours after feeding.

Lay the child on his back and stroke with an open palm clockwise around the navel. Do up to 10 sets.

Lay the baby on his back, take the child by the ankle and alternately bend and unbend his lower limbs at the knees. At the same time, make sure that the front surface of the thigh touches the tummy. Repeat 5 times.

Place your baby on your stomach before each feed.

Adjustment of maternal nutrition and selection of an adaptive formula

When a baby is breastfed, the mother must adhere to a strict diet. It is necessary to exclude products that have a fixing effect and provoke increased gas formation, introduce into the diet dishes that have a laxative and carminative effect:

fresh vegetable salads seasoned with olive oil;
dill, parsley;
buckwheat, oatmeal and pearl barley;
lean soups;
chicken breast;
dried fruits, namely prunes and dried apricots;
beets and pumpkins;
dairy products .

If your baby is formula-fed and has problems with bowel movements, it may be worth changing the formula. On sale you can find fermented milk mixtures, for example, Nan.

When feeding a mixture of a child, it is necessary to supplement with water in the amount of 2 teaspoons per day for each month of the baby's life.

Medical therapy

If it was not possible to cope with constipation, neither massage, nor adjustment of the mother’s diet, nor replacement of the mixture, will come to the rescue. drug treatment prescribed by the doctor.

The specialist may issue:

preparations based on lactulose;
pharmaceutical products based on simethicone;
plantex.

If oral medications are ineffective, you can use Glycelax suppositories for constipation for newborns. Their treatment is based on irritation of the mucous membrane of the final section of the intestine, as a result of which there is an increase in peristalsis, and even melting from body temperature, they act as a lubricant and facilitate the discharge of feces.

The nature and frequency of infant stools is a matter of concern for most mothers, as stool is a visible indicator of a child's health. Since the baby's enzyme system is not yet fully formed, a variety of stool problems are common to all newborns. That is why mothers carefully study the contents of the diaper and compare the result with the norm.

Most mothers know what the baby's feces should be in terms of consistency, color and smell, but the number of bowel movements, depending on the age of the child and the nature of the food, is often alarming. Adults, out of habit, believe that the chair should be once a day, and during the neonatal period - at least 4 times, so the absence of a chair is perceived by many as constipation. However, the intestines of babies work differently than in adults, so it is important to understand what constipation is in babies, what to do in case of constipation, and why it is dangerous.

What can be considered constipation in infants?

The number of bowel movements in children normally ranges from 4 to 12 times a day during the neonatal period and the first three months of life, and by the year it is considered to be the norm once a day. Based on these data, mothers perceive the absence of stool as constipation and seek to help the baby using candles, etc., although not in all cases, assistance is required in such situations.

The absence of a stool for a day or two in itself is mistakenly considered constipation, even in adults, and for a breastfed toddler, it is generally a normal option if there are no other symptoms.

Signs of constipation in babies are:

Lack of bowel movements for a couple of days, if the baby is naughty at the same time, feels discomfort, strains and cries. If the child is cheerful, does not show anxiety and his appetite is normal, the absence of defecation indicates good digestion of food (usually this happens with breastfeeding, and rarely with artificial feeding);
The consistency of feces that looks like separate hard balls (sheep feces), or balls decorated in a sausage. Normally, the consistency of feces should resemble mashed potatoes with breastfeeding and soft sausage with artificial;
Difficult defecation. Tension during bowel movements cannot be considered a sign of constipation separately from other symptoms - if the feces are soft, the child does not suffer from a lack of appetite and does not show anxiety, he does not need treatment, enemas and suppositories. The intestinal functions of the baby are still in the process of formation, so you should not worry.
The combination of two factors suggests that the baby has constipation. Statistics say that about 25% of babies suffer from constipation. If this situation is rare, you can help the baby using folk methods(The most common is tummy massage). At frequent constipation it is necessary to find out their cause, and in case of an incomprehensible reason, contact a pediatrician so that he can prescribe an examination and appropriate treatment.

Possible causes of constipation in babies

constipation infant most often it is functional, that is, it is not associated with intestinal diseases and is caused by a violation of its functions. May be:

Atonic, in which the peristalsis of the colon worsens. The first portion of dense feces is excreted with painful sensations and significant stress, and has a large diameter. This is followed by voluminous and often puréed stools.
Spastic, arising from spasm of the intestine. Dense feces are excreted in balls (sheep). Often this type of constipation accompanies bloating.

The causes of functional constipation can be:

Improper nutrition of the mother with GV. Provoke constipation rice, bakery products, thick rich broth, meat products, etc.
Fluid in insufficient quantity for the child's body. Often it is this reason that provokes constipation during artificial feeding and during the hot period.
Early introduced complementary foods. The gastrointestinal tract of a newborn digests breast milk and adapted infant formula well, but is unable to cope with other products for up to six months.
An abrupt change in the mixture or transfer from breastfeeding to artificial. The earlier you had to change the diet of the crumbs, the more often this change provokes constipation.
After a successful introduction of complementary foods, constipation can cause a lack of dietary fiber in the diet.
The use of certain medications by a baby or mother during breastfeeding (antibiotics, preparations containing iron, etc.).
stress and serious emotional experiences crumbs.
Lack of mother's milk (hungry constipation). Everything eaten by the child is absorbed without a trace, so there is simply nothing to allocate to him.

Episodic cases of constipation do not cause a change in the general condition of the baby, he develops well and gains weight, therefore, in such cases, medicine for constipation is not required for newborns - it is enough to correct nutrition, the amount of fluid and the emotional background.

If constipation is chronic, the baby has a developmental delay, he is not gaining weight well, lethargic and lethargic, you should definitely consult a doctor, as the child may suffer various diseases gastrointestinal tract, rickets, diseases associated with nervous system and etc.

Rare, but occasionally occurring causes of constipation include organic constipation arising from the first months of a child's life and regularly recurring, caused by anatomical defects in the colon. Treatment of organic types of constipation is carried out by doctors (folk methods are excluded, since these diseases are well treated with timely diagnosis, and in a neglected form are dangerous for the life of the baby).

How are constipation in babies treated?

functional constipation

Before treating constipation in an infant, it is important to establish the cause of the disorder. Treatment for functional constipation includes:

Elimination of inaccuracies in nutrition (correction of the mother's diet with HS and selection suitable mixture with artificial feeding).
After taking antibiotics, bifidobacterin or lactobacterin is indicated, which restores the intestinal flora killed by the antibiotic. Bio-Gaia also works well.
With spastic constipation, relaxing the intestines massage the tummy. The massage is performed with light strokes. in a circular motion. Hand ( open palm) should move clockwise. You can’t do massage immediately after eating, you need to wait about an hour. You can also hold the baby close to you so that your body warms the baby's belly - the heat should help the intestines relax.

Actions for atonic constipation

Stimulating massage and laying out the little one on the belly. It is necessary to start the massage with preparatory light circular strokes, repeating the course of the hour hands. Then, with more intense movements, a spiral is “drawn” - from the navel to the edges of the abdomen. It is not necessary to press on the belly, the palm should be fully open. Further, a deep stroking is performed with the edge of the palm along the colon - outwardly, this resembles the letter P drawn on the stomach. The pressure should increase as it approaches the end of the line. Then the massage continues with alternating rubbing and soft jerky movements performed with the fingertips in a spiral. The massage ends with laying on the stomach and kneading the area from the shoulder blades to the priests.
A warm-up is done, including a "bike" and squats. Children who can crawl are laid out on the floor and crawling is stimulated with interesting objects.
Use for children older than 6-8 months as a complementary food puree of apricots, apples, peaches or prunes. It has a good effect on the intestines and dried fruit compote.

Sometimes massage does not have the desired effect, and the mother, seeking to help the baby, tries to use folk methods (stimulation of bowel movements with soap introduced into anus etc.). Such methods can harm the child (soap causes irritation, a thermometer can injure the intestines, etc.), so they should be excluded.

It is much safer and quite effective to use such a remedy for constipation as candles - in newborns, the use of Glycelax (candles with glycerin) is acceptable. Children can put these candles no more than 1 pc. per day using a quarter adult dose. Glycerin suppositories can cause profuse repeated stools, itching and allergies, so they should be used rarely and with caution. You can put sea buckthorn candles for babies (these candles act as a mild laxative) or a one-time microclyster Microlax (enemas are allowed in last resort). The rest of the candles are contraindicated for babies.

Treatment with irritant laxatives in the first year of life is contraindicated, as are saline osmotic laxatives. It is acceptable to use drugs containing lactulose (Duphalac, etc.).

Treatment of constipation caused congenital anomalies, at home is unacceptable, as it usually requires surgical intervention.

Take a look at the video tutorial in which medical worker tells in detail how to massage with colic and constipation in infants.