As practice shows, problems with stool in newborns occur with enviable regularity. At the same time, disturbances in the functioning of the intestines also occur in those children who are fed breast milk, and are equally characteristic of bottle-fed infants.
In the first 12 months, constipation occurs in at least a quarter of babies. In this case, in an infant, defecation most often occurs with great difficulty and is a rather painful process. The feces in this situation are somewhat reminiscent of goat excrement. It is just as hard and dry.
At the very beginning of life, the reactions of the human body are not yet fully formed. As a result, bowel or bladder emptying occurs involuntarily and only in cases where the pressure on the sphincters begins to exceed the maximum permissible values.
Features of stool in a breastfed and bottle-fed baby
When a baby is born, its intestines are sterile. During the first two weeks of life, bacteria inhabit it: beneficial and conditionally pathogenic, which under certain conditions can lead to disease. The main source of beneficial microorganisms is breast milk. It fits the child perfectly. That is why in children who are breastfed, the process of formation of intestinal microflora occurs faster.
Breast milk is absorbed by the baby's body 100%. A breast-fed baby's stool has the consistency of a liquid yellow porridge. In the first month after birth, bowel movements occur very often, up to 10 times a day, literally after every feeding. Gradually, bowel function improves, stool changes and the number of bowel movements decreases. There may be 2-3 bowel movements per day. But further, if a month-old breastfed baby defecates once every 5 days, this is also the norm. But only if nothing bothers the baby.
But the stool of a one-month-old baby who is fed an adapted formula has a denser consistency. Artificial nutrition is not completely absorbed by the body, so bowel movements must be done daily. If this does not happen, then constipation occurs. Coping with this problem in children is quite difficult.
What should parents do?
Babies may poop every few days
If signs of defecation problems appear, the best and right choice would be to contact a pediatrician. The doctor must examine the child and make a preliminary diagnosis.
The examination may include the following activities:
- stool analysis - helminths, microflora imbalance;
- Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract;
- X-ray examination;
- blood tests, including thyroid hormones and vitamins.
Treatment tactics depend on the results of the baby’s examination. If the causes of the pathology are not found, then the probable diagnosis is intestinal immaturity or feeding errors, or inappropriate choice of formula.
Causes of constipation in infants
If a child does not defecate for 1-2 days in a row, then his stool becomes dense and dry. At the same time, the process of defecation itself causes discomfort. This is constipation. It is at this moment that the situation most often occurs when the baby farts, but does not poop. The child's feces have become dense, it is difficult for the baby to get rid of it, he begins to cry angrily and kick his legs.
Other symptoms of constipation in infants are:
- bloating;
- refusal to eat;
- restless sleep.
The causes of constipation are related to the following:
- poor nutrition of the mother of a breastfed child;
- non-compliance with the drinking regime for an artificial baby;
- introducing complementary foods too quickly or abruptly switching to adapted formulas.
The reasons associated with natural feeding are easy to solve. To do this, it is enough for the mother to give up foods that cause increased gas formation in the baby. But a child who is bottle-fed really needs the help of his parents.
Additional measures to prevent constipation in children under one year of age
Preventive measures for constipation in children are not particularly difficult. The key to success is their regular implementation. Below are the main ones:
- Drinking enough. It can be water, compote, juices. It is important that the child receives enough fluid.
- Daily regime. A constant schedule of wakefulness, sleep, games and walks forms in the child’s body the habit of cleansing the intestines at the same time. It also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
More details on measures to prevent constipation in babies under one year of age can be found in the article “Prevention of constipation in children of the first year of life.”
Sometimes, despite all the above recommendations, you cannot cope with the problem of constipation, or it takes time to change your lifestyle, but what if your baby needs help right now? Then laxatives come to the rescue.
Baby farts but doesn’t poop – how to help?
If a child does not defecate for a day or more, the following measures must be taken:
- place the baby on his tummy and continue to do this before each meal;
- after each feeding, hold the baby in a “column” position until the air comes out of the stomach;
- massage the belly around the navel;
- apply a warm diaper to the tummy;
- Give your child anti-flatulence medicine.
If the baby still farts but does not poop, a gas tube will help the baby. In order not to harm the child, you must read the instructions for use before use. Having gotten rid of the air in the stomach, the baby will definitely poop. A glycerin-based suppository will also help induce bowel movements.
What can't you do?
Parents, trying to help a screaming baby, often make serious mistakes. Thus, there are cases where a child was given a laxative intended for adults for constipation. Doing this is strictly prohibited. The child’s gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully formed and any medications can only be given to him as prescribed by a doctor.
As for an enema, it is not recommended to give it to a baby. After this, a malfunction may occur in the body, as a result of which natural bowel movements will become a real problem for the child. It is known that people who were often given enemas in childhood suffer from constipation and digestive disorders more often than others in adulthood.
Massage for increased gas formation
You can eliminate the symptoms of flatulence in a baby and help him poop by making stroking movements around the navel. A tummy massage for constipation in a newborn is performed while lying on his back. All movements should be soft and done clockwise. This will allow:
- relax muscle muscles;
- improve blood circulation;
- speed up intestinal motility.
No less effective than massage is the “bicycle” exercise. To perform it, the baby’s legs are alternately bent and unbent at the knee joints. You can bring them to the tummy at the same time and hold in this position for several seconds. It is important that the exercises do not cause discomfort to the child.
Another way to help your baby relax is to bathe him in warm water. After this, the baby’s tummy needs to be massaged again and the baby should be placed on its side. Lying on your back for long periods of time has been proven to prevent bowel movements.
How to help
If a newborn cannot poop for a day or more, massage will help. The baby is placed on his back and the tummy is massaged in a circular motion, clockwise. This allows:
- relax the muscles;
- speed up blood circulation;
- stimulate peristalsis.
An exercise called “bicycle” is also very effective. The baby's feet are held in the hands and each leg is bent and unbent in turn.
As Dr. Komarovsky notes, a bath also helps intensify digestive processes. It should be warm (up to 37 degrees). Moreover, the effect will be much more pronounced if the mother takes it along with the baby. The positive result is enhanced when the child eats there too.
A warm bath will help your baby relax, and food will most likely trigger a bowel movement. After this, the newborn should be massaged with a soft towel and rubbed with oil. It is important to ensure that the baby does not lie on his back for a long time - this position negatively affects bowel movements. It would be much more correct to lay him on his side or stomach.
If none of the above helps, you can use the mechanical method. To do this, you need to insert the tip of a thermometer or a cotton swab into his anus. It will be enough to go deeper a centimeter. After this, the object is turned several times and taken out. Then the baby is put on a diaper and placed on his stomach. Usually, bowel movement does not take long to happen in this case.
A glycerin suppository will also help with bowel movements.
Traditional treatment
The use of any medications can lead to serious problems with the digestive system, intestinal upset or constipation. Even seemingly harmless bifidobacteria, which are not taken as prescribed by a doctor, can lead to irreversible functional disorders. Therefore, you can only take medications that are prescribed by your doctor. If any changes in the body are observed while taking them, you should immediately inform your doctor about this.
The drug “Linex” for children in drops has proven itself well. The instructions for use indicate that it has no side effects, since it is designed specifically for young patients. As for the effectiveness of treatment, this drug is ideal for normalizing microflora.
Medicines
Parents should always remember that the use of medications in all cases leads to changes in digestion. As a result, they often provoke both diarrhea and chronic constipation. At the same time, medications containing bifidobacteria often lead to processes in the gastrointestinal tract that provoke functional disorders and irreversible disorders.
They are allowed to be taken only as prescribed by the attending physician. In the event that, after using the drugs, any disruptions in the infant’s digestion occur, the pediatrician must be informed about this.
After the child has passed “largely”, it is imperative to examine his feces. First of all, you need to pay attention to its consistency. If no noticeable changes are observed, then there is nothing to fear.
When does bowel function improve in infants?
The most common symptoms for children in the first months of life are colic and gas. They arise as a consequence of intestinal microflora that is not fully formed and a fragile gastrointestinal tract. Despite the fact that colic causes a lot of discomfort for both the baby and parents, it is temporary. If we talk about when the gastrointestinal tract improves in infants, then this happens after the baby reaches three months of age.
The main reason for excessive gas accumulation and colic in newborns is the swallowing of air during feeding. Colic can also be triggered by the mother’s poor diet or inappropriate formula. To reduce the amount of gas in the intestines, you need to listen to the recommendations of pediatricians.
Preventing flatulence in babies
To reduce gas formation in the baby’s intestines, you need to take the following measures:
- Maintain drinking regime. Provide bottle-fed babies with extra fluids. This can be plain or dill water, chamomile tea, which will help quickly eliminate the symptoms of flatulence.
- Massage. Simple stroking movements of the abdomen will help the baby get rid of colic and improve intestinal motility.
- Daily gymnastics. Systematic exercises like “bicycle” are an excellent prevention of tummy problems.
- Timely complementary feeding. There is no need to try to transfer the baby to the adult table as quickly as possible.
It is worth noting that the following situation also happens: a newborn farts often, and almost every time, simultaneously with the release of gases, he defecates a liquid consistency. The problem here is rather an intestinal imbalance associated with poor nutrition. The difficulty is that usually, against the background of constant bowel movements, irritation appears around the anus.
In this case, the pediatrician may recommend Linex drops for children. From the instructions for use you can find out that it contains beneficial bifidobacteria, which contribute to the rapid establishment of intestinal microflora. A standard bottle of medication is designed for a 28-day course. The recommended dosage for children under two years of age is 6 drops. It can be diluted in breast milk, formula or compote. The main thing is that the temperature of the liquid does not exceed 40° so that the bacteria do not die.
Laxatives
If the child is calm, there is no need to worry
The list of laxative medications allowed during the neonatal period is small.
The doctor will suggest either drugs for oral administration - lactulose syrup, drugs based on dill oil, suppositories for rectal administration with glycerin, or Microlax mini-enemas.
Important! Do not use laxatives without a doctor's prescription. Do not use traditional methods such as a bar of soap in the rectum. You will harm the baby!
Duphalac: dosages for a newborn baby
The active substance of the drug is lactulose syrup. It promotes the release of water into the intestinal lumen, stimulates the natural motility of the organ, and softens stool.
The drug is not addictive and normalizes the composition of microflora. In addition, lactulose inhibits the growth processes of salmonella and other pathogenic microorganisms.
The drug is not absorbed in the stomach, but is broken down in the intestines. The drug is approved during the gestational period and for lactating women.
The use of Duphalac is prohibited for:
- individual intolerance;
- hypersensitivity to sugars;
- with volvulus;
- pathologies of the pancreas.
The effective dosage for babies 1 year of age is 5 ml per day. It should be divided into several steps. The drug can be taken whole or diluted in breast milk or an adapted formula.
How to feed a baby correctly?
As noted above, excessive formation of gases in the intestines is directly related to the baby’s nutrition. To reduce the symptoms of flatulence, you need to take the following measures:
- When feeding from a bottle, make sure that the baby does not swallow any air bubbles. If this happens, then after eating the baby should be held upright until he burps.
- When breastfeeding, make sure that the baby grasps not only the nipple, but also the areola with his mouth. It is equally important for mother to adhere to proper nutrition.
- From the first day of life, place the baby on his tummy before each feeding. This is how his intestines get rid of excess gases.
