How to give an enema to a newborn at home

Tags: Komarovsky, Newborn
With the arrival of a small child in the house, everything changes: the environment, routine, habits, etc. All the attention of adults is drawn exclusively to the newborn baby, and not even the smallest detail related to caring for the baby can escape the parents. So, adults are alarmed by everything: the baby’s wet palms, the number of wet diapers, tummy pain, the baby’s activity, appetite. And, of course, such a phenomenon as constipation also cannot go unnoticed. And since constipation can cause discomfort for the baby, parents must know how to cope with it, what to do in such cases. One of the most common ways to combat the lack of stool is an enema for newborns for constipation. Let's consider this method in more detail.

How to recognize constipation in a newborn?

The baby’s body is far from perfect: during the first year of life, the child’s gastrointestinal tract continues to form, and the intestinal microflora is established. Therefore, problems with bowel movements in children may occur more often than parents would like. As a rule, factors such as:

• poor nutrition of a mother who is breastfeeding;
• feeding the baby with a formula that is not suitable for him;
• intestinal pathologies that affect the process of passing feces.

Home methods for treating constipation can be dangerous for a newborn, so it is important to first consult a pediatrician about possible and optimal methods of treating this phenomenon.

As for baby stool, normally a newborn can defecate up to 10 times a day or there may be no stool for about 3-4 days, provided that the baby’s general condition does not change - he also remains active, he is not capricious, and does not press his legs to his tummy due to spasms, the process of defecation takes place without pain, and the stool itself has normal consistency and color. If the newborn is on artificial feeding, he should normally defecate 1-2 times a day. In these cases, the child does not need an enema at all. It is recommended to do it if there is no stool for more than 3 days.

Constipation in a baby can manifest itself with the following symptoms:

• formed or hard feces, even if the baby defecates daily - normally, a newborn should recover from mushy feces;
• the child makes significant efforts to defecate;
• bloating and excessive gas;
• moodiness, tearfulness along with disruption of the feeding process;
• spasmodic phenomena and vomiting in case of intestinal pathology;
• sleep disturbance.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that constipation can only be a symptom of a more serious pathology. Therefore, if your baby is bothered by this problem in the first month of life, immediately consult a pediatrician for advice - only a specialist can determine the real cause of constipation and decide whether the newborn needs an enema.

Constipation in a newborn

Constipation - is your child sick? Newborns often poop after each feeding, but there are babies whose diapers can remain clean for 3-5 days. Does this mean the newborn is constipated? Alla Anatolyevna Shcherbakova, Ph.D., a doctor of the highest category, a pediatrician who sees small patients, working as the deputy head of the Mother and Child Children's Center on Savelovskaya, helped to understand the features of the digestion of newborns and the possible causes of rare stools, and also told How to safely help a very young child with bowel movements.

The World Health Organization defines constipation as systematically difficult and insufficient bowel movements.

— Alla Anatolyevna, many mothers are worried that their child does not have bowel movements for several days. What is the norm and how can one understand that a newborn is constipated?

- During the newborn period and in the first months of life, stool can follow either every feeding or once every three days. Lack of bowel movements for more than three days is considered constipation, less - stool retention. Full defecation, comparable to the amount of food, and cases when the child poops just a little bit - both options are accepted as the norm and do not require treatment.

A newborn is constipated if there has been no bowel movement for 3 or more days.

— For what reasons do children have difficulty cleansing their intestines? Why does a newborn get constipated?

— Constipation in a newborn is a fairly common complaint when seen by a pediatrician and pediatric gastroenterologist. The baby does not poop on his own and does not have stool for several reasons.

1. A newborn baby is in a horizontal position most of the time, and bowel movements occur differently (in adults, defecation begins under physical influence and the action of acids that are released during the digestion process).
2. Immaturity of the anterior abdominal wall, immaturity of the enzymatic system, unformed reflex defecation also lead to the absence of independent stool.
3. Congenital factors may influence the situation, but we can talk about them when the child gets older, begins to move more and receive dietary fiber from plant foods during complementary feeding.

Some children are sensitive to changes in diet. Rare bowel movements can be the result of introducing supplementary feeding, changing formula, starting complementary foods, or switching from vegetables to porridge. This is normal for babies.

— Is constipation more common in newborns when breastfed or when bottle-fed?

— There are no research data on stool frequency with different types of feeding. But, in my practical experience, an artificial child does not have independent stool more often than an infant. There is no connection between the mother's diet and constipation in breastfed infants. And if a woman experiences constipation (this is a common complaint after childbirth), she can be advised to include more plant fiber, fresh vegetables and fruits, and dried fruits in her diet.

Boys and girls experience constipation when fed either formula or breast milk.

— How to distinguish constipation from other digestive problems?

— Difficulties with bowel movements are not as big a problem as diarrhea in infants, which is most often treated. Infantile constipation is often physiological and does not require therapy, since it is caused by the anatomical features of the newborn, which change. If no pathology is observed, then the child, even in the absence of independent stool, usually feels well, has an excellent appetite, and gains sufficient weight.

— When do pediatricians start talking about constipation as a serious problem?

— If a child has a bowel movement once every three days, this is normal. But if constipation leads to changes in well-being - the baby does not sleep, does not eat, tightens his legs, he is tormented by colic - in this case we need to help. You should contact a pediatrician when parents cannot cope with the problem themselves. Most often, independent bowel movement in a baby can be established at home, but it happens that parents lose their nerve and begin to invent illnesses.

— How to help a newborn with constipation?

— The parents’ task is to achieve independent bowel movements once every three days. The main recommendation for newborns is a microenema or a laxative suppository, which will help form a reflex bowel movement. A baby who has not formed this reflex simply does not know how to empty his intestines. The use of mechanical means, as a rule, leads to emptying and relief of his condition, as well as to an improvement in the microclimate in the family, because the child ceases to experience discomfort.

— How long does it take for a baby to adapt to artificial nutrition and is it possible to change the formula that caused constipation?

— Artificial nutrition is not a treatment for constipation, and to prevent it, mixtures of the “comfort” category are prescribed. Serious conditions, when a child cannot defecate on his own and has a bowel movement only after a microenema or suppository, is a reason for prescribing drug therapy.

After breastfeeding, they started giving formula, but the baby became constipated - wait 3-5 days until the body’s adaptation to the new milk protein is completed.

— Alla Anatolyevna, is the initial choice of the mixture or its replacement always the prerogative of a specialist?

— It’s better when the mixture is selected by a children’s doctor. Without health complaints, any formula according to age, intended for feeding healthy babies, can be selected.

The adapted MAMAKO® Premium mixture made from goat milk without palm oil contains prebiotics and probiotics and promotes the formation of soft stools. It can be offered to healthy children and babies prone to constipation.

If a newborn complains of infrequent stools, anxiety during feeding, regurgitation, or abdominal pain, you should definitely contact a doctor. Taking into account all the factors, the doctor will choose the mixture that is aimed at the specific problem of a particular child.

For example,

The doctor will look at the child’s reaction, schedule a follow-up examination 7-14 days after introducing the formula, and then decide whether it is suitable or not, and, if necessary, continue to select nutrition.

A newborn has constipation: what to do to form a bowel movement reflex

Disturbances in bowel movements in young children are a common complaint. Constipation, as a rule, does not change the condition of the newborn: he feels well and gains normal weight. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, you need to see a doctor to get treatment or to calm down, knowing that everything is normal with the baby and nothing needs to be done.

Pediatrician Alla Anatolyevna Shcherbakova

*The ideal food for an infant is mother's milk. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. MAMAKO® supports this recommendation. Before introducing new foods into your baby’s diet, consult a specialist.

Types of enema

Every mother should be able to do an enema. But the parent should also know what an enema is, because there are 4 types:

1. Cleansing. It is recommended to do it for constipation and before administering medications rectally for their rapid action. The main condition for a cleansing enema is the use of clean boiled water with a temperature below 36.60C.
2. Medicinal. Such an enema can be done for various intestinal diseases, when there is a need to administer medications rectally. It should be done after a cleansing enema. A medicinal enema is done with pre-boiled water and cooled to 36-370C.
3. Siphon. Home conditions are not suitable for performing this type of enema - it should only be done by a specialist. Prescribed for severe poisoning.
4. Oil enema is ideal for newborns. Oil heated to 370C is injected into the baby’s intestines. This microenema softens feces and promotes their smooth and painless exit.

It should be remembered that an enema is a last resort. Experts categorically do not recommend doing this often, since in this way the intestinal flora, which is just beginning to form, is washed away. In addition, regular enema can disrupt intestinal motility, after which the newborn simply will not be able to bowel movement on his own.

How to give an enema to a baby correctly?

Newborn babies are recommended to do cleansing and oil enemas - home conditions are quite suitable for carrying them out. For the procedure, an adult should have on hand: boiled water (oil) cooled to the required temperature, a bulb (syringe) with a soft tip, Vaseline (can be replaced with baby cream), oilcloth. The procedure should be performed according to the following instructions:

1. The first condition is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
2. Boil the syringe for 30 minutes.
3. While the pear is being disinfected, you need to prepare a solution for the enema: boil and cool the water, adding a few drops of petroleum jelly or hemp oil. The solution temperature should be within 28-300C.
4. The prepared syringe must be squeezed so as to remove the remaining boiling water from it and release all the air. Take 20-30 ml of solution - this amount will be enough for a newborn baby.
5. Lubricate the nose of the pear with Vaseline.
6. Place the baby on a previously prepared oilcloth in a position on his back or left side, press his legs to his tummy. If a newborn is capricious, try to calm him down: talk to him, sing a song, turn on pleasant music, distract him with a rattle.
7. Lubricate the baby's anus with cream.
8. Before giving your baby an enema, squeeze the syringe to release excess air. Then, carefully spreading the baby’s buttocks, insert the tip of the bulb into the baby’s anus no more than 2 cm.
9. Introduce the solution slowly, and just as slowly remove the bulb without unclenching it. Squeeze your baby's buttocks.
10. After 30-40 seconds, the child should have a bowel movement - be prepared for this.

When giving an enema to a newborn baby, you need to be very careful. Do not insert the syringe very deeply - this can damage the baby's intestinal walls. In any case, before performing home enemas, consult a specialist about the rationality of their use. This is the main condition that will help avoid complications if the procedure is performed incorrectly.

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How can you not do an enema?

Due to their inexperience, young parents often make mistakes when giving their baby an enema. To prevent this from happening, never do the following things:

1. Do not try to make the enema faster by actively introducing the solution into the baby’s intestines - this will cause unpleasant pain to the baby and can damage the intestinal walls.
2. Do not use an unsterile syringe, do not perform the procedure with unwashed hands - this way you can infect the baby through the intestines.
3. Do not give an enema with a solution at the wrong temperature - there is a risk of burning the intestinal walls, as a result of which their inflammation will begin to develop and intoxication of the whole body will increase.
4. You should not do an enema with sudden movements - you can damage the delicate tissues of the baby's intestines.
5. Do not introduce more crumbs of solution into the intestines than experts recommend - a microenema for a newborn should contain no more than 30 ml of water, otherwise the intestinal walls will stretch.
6. Do not introduce air into your baby's intestines as it will cause flatulence.

An enema is a serious procedure that requires careful preparation, not only physical, but also emotional. In addition, a preliminary consultation with a pediatrician is required - an enema is not recommended for young children for regular use, it can be used if other alternative methods (glycerin suppositories, tummy massage , changing the diet for mother and artificial baby, drinking large amounts of liquid, etc.) turned out to be ineffective. Remember that constipation is a pathology that cannot be ignored. And if there is a need for an enema, try to do it correctly.

Comments ()

Constipation in a newborn or infant is an extremely unpleasant problem for parents. And it is not always possible to quickly determine the cause of constipation in a baby. Most often, problems with bowel movements in babies are functional in nature and are directly related to the child’s nutrition.

Signs of constipation in a child of the first year of life

• Rare dry and hard stools
• Sleep disturbance
• Restless state
• Strong odor of feces and gases

Causes of constipation in a newborn baby

The causes of constipation in newborns and infants, as a rule, are not associated with serious pathology of the internal organs or the central nervous system. The main cause of constipation in a baby is poor nutrition, early transfer of the child to supplementary feeding with infant formula, and frequent changes of products during artificial feeding.

When breastfeeding, the formation of constipation in children in the first year of life is influenced by the mother’s ill-considered diet, for example, consumption of large amounts of animal fats and lack of fiber in the diet. One possible cause of constipation in newborns is dehydration.

What to do if your child has problems with bowel movements

1. If a baby under one year old has acute constipation and there is restlessness, straining and arching, we actively massage the abdomen in a clockwise direction, so that hand marks remain on the skin (but not bruises!). We lay it on the stomach, do an exercise - legs to head, for children under one year old you can massage the anus, if all this does not help - a baby candle with glycerin from the refrigerator.
2. If such situations occur frequently, a mandatory consultation with a pediatrician is required.
3. When introducing complementary foods to a baby with a tendency to constipation, first introduce fruits and vegetables into the diet.
4. If the child is older than one year and the process is chronic, evaluate the nutrition - whether there are the required 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day (a serving is the size of the baby’s palm or fist). Estimate - how much water does the child drink per day? Is there enough physical activity during the day? What is the psychological climate in the family and attitude - do not demand a chair from the child, do not swear or scream, do not discuss problems with other people in his presence, do not force him to sit on the potty, do not scold him for dirty panties when stooling.
5. It is better to choose laxatives based on macrogol or lactulose with the help of a doctor.
6. In parallel with laxatives, we conduct psychological work with the child at home and with a specialist - books about bowel movements, toilet games, etc.

When should you be very concerned about constipation in a child?

Red flags for constipation in children are constipation from birth that does not respond to treatment. Namely:

• if there is no passage of meconium in the first days of life;
• developmental delays and constipation;
• vomiting and tense stomach;
• blood in stool;
• changes in hair growth and pigmentation of the sacrum and coccyx area,
• developmental disorder of the sacrum;
• changes in the anal area - fistulas with discharge, hematomas, inflammation;
• changes in the muscular framework of the anterior abdominal wall - lack of muscles or insufficient development.

If a baby under one year old is breastfed for several days (3-5 days, but not weeks!) without pooping or fussing - if he is cheerful and cheerful, eats well, does not spit up or soil his diaper, and farts well, in this case not parental intervention required! The stool should be soft and not cause discomfort when defecating.

When treating constipation, toilet training is important - every day at the same time, preferably after eating and drinking - calmly and kindly go to the potty (if there is a toilet, then there should be a support under your feet so that your knees are higher than the level of your butt) and try to poop. If you haven't had a bowel movement for several days, you can first put a glycerin suppository.

If there is painful defecation, cracks and blood, urgently show the child to a doctor (gastroenterologist or proctologist) and begin treatment - baths, suppositories and laxatives are applied locally. This is absolutely necessary in order to soften the stool and prevent the formation of a persistent fear of defecation, which is then very difficult to remove. Before defecation of dense stool, you can additionally lubricate the anus with baby oil.

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