Much has been said in the infant care literature that it is natural for babies to defecate on their own after almost every feed. If a newborn does not poop for a day, two days, or he constantly has a rare bowel movement, then the parents begin to worry, try to find out the cause of the problem, and may start doing something to correct the situation. Is it worth resorting to any kind of treatment for a small child, or is what happens is considered normal?
Newborn baby changing diaper
Features of emptying babies
Each baby has its own norm. If the baby does not poop after each feeding, or his stool does not have a yellowish tint, then this does not mean that there are some problems with the baby.
The conditions and type of bowel movement depend on various components:
- maturity of the digestive system;
- type of feeding;
- what were the births;
- are there any pathologies in development and health;
- how mom eats;
- what mixture is fed to the baby, or what composition is breast milk.
Important! If the baby's stool has become rare, but at the same time the baby continues to write at least 10 times, is active, vigorous, gains weight well, then you should not panic right away. It is likely that the situation will level out soon.
It is possible to determine the rate of bowel movements not only by the amount and type of feces, but also by indicators:
- well-being of the child;
- painless bowel movements;
- absence of impurities, mucus in excrement.
The emptying mode depends on:
- Bowel frequency.
- The amount of stool. In the first month of life, it is only 5 grams. (15-20 - per day). In a year, in one sitting, the amount reaches 100-200 grams.
- The consistency of excrement. In infants, it is a mushy substance, but it can also be thicker or thinner. Ideally, the stool is uniform, evenly smeared, sometimes with lumps. It gets harder with age.
- Colors. It can be golden yellow, greenish yellow, with white lumps. Upon completion, the gv turns brown.
Stool color and causes
- Smell. In babies on gv, feces have a sour aroma, in babies on artificial feeding - an unpleasant, putrid rotten smell.
- Impurities. Lumps of undigested mixture are acceptable. There should be no pus, blood.
When breastfeeding
Why doesn't the baby poop on the guards? The main reason for this is the complete assimilation of milk. Breastfed babies can defecate up to 7-10 times a day (the same as the frequency of feeding). But there is a stool delay up to a week.
Note! Evgeny Komarovsky, a Russian pediatrician, urges parents not to worry if the baby has not had bowel movements for several days. Abroad, they sound the alarm only when there has been no stool for more than a week.
The nutrition of the baby on the guards directly depends on the mother's diet. She needs to think carefully about her nutrition, exclude fatty foods and sweets, so that there are no lumps, impurities in the feces of the newborn, he is not disturbed by constipation and gas.
Additional Information. An excess of carbohydrates in the mother's menu will intensify fermentation in the baby's intestines, he may develop colic, flatulence, defecation will intensify and have a foamy appearance.
Some foods in the diet of a nursing mother cause allergies in the baby, rashes on the skin, the stool becomes liquid, with mucus. With a lack of milk, the baby may become constipated.
With artificial feeding
If a bottle-fed newborn poop poorly, then the most important reason for this may be an incorrectly selected mixture. Children begin to have constipation, self-defecation is difficult, the baby is constantly screaming, and the tummy is straining.
Bristol feces scale
Artificialists defecate 3-5 times a day in the first months. Their stools are more viscous, dense, dark yellow in color, heavily smeared, and has an unpleasant odor. If the parents transferred the baby to the mixture abruptly, then stool delays are likely, or, conversely, diarrhea will appear.
Note! Feeding with iron mixtures may turn yellowish-green in the stool.
In no case should newborns be fed with cow's milk. The stool in such cases becomes liquid, digestion deteriorates, the smell resembles the aroma of moldy cheese.
Why does a baby defecate badly
Why does the newborn not poop if its nutrition has not changed in any way, and is it worth worrying? In this case, it is recommended to observe the baby abroad. If he gains weight well at the same time, urinates regularly, then the delay in defecation can reach 10 days.
On hv, the chair can be delayed for a week due to the complete assimilation of milk
The direct reason for the lack of regular bowel movements lies in the fact that the mother has good breast milk, so it is completely absorbed. The crumb simply has nothing to defecate with. If the artificial person suddenly began to poop irregularly, you should try to replace the mixture.
Additional Information. In the first months, the work of the digestive tract is adjusted for the baby, it adapts to different types of milk ("back" and "front"). Often, mothers are advised to go on a strict diet (because their milk is too fat for digestion), if by three months the process of defecation has not leveled off the crumbs.
At the time of teething, defecation may be absent for 2-3 days.
How long can there be no bowel movement
How many days can a baby not poop? On breastfeeding, such situations are very rare, but the delay can be within 7-10 days. Artificial children with a properly selected mixture should not have constipation and related problems.
Is it worth worrying
Doctors all over the world agree: if the baby is vigorous, active and gaining weight well, then everything is in order with his health.
What to do if the baby does not defecate:
- Day. When a newborn baby does not poop for a day, you should not worry at all. This can be due to a variety of reasons, ranging from lack of sleep, anxiety, and ending with a deterioration in well-being. Maybe it’s just that everything that he sucked from my mother’s chest was assimilated.
- Two days. When a newborn does not poop for the second day, but does not show any anxiety, then you should not panic either. You can feel the tummy, track how the gazes come out.
- Three days. You can stimulate the intestines with massage, exercise "bike" and lifting the legs, spread it on the tummy.
Important! When a newborn does not poop all day, but at the same time lets out gas, it means that everything is in order with its patency in the intestines.
What symptoms should alert you:
- The child is pushing, cannot get out, cries and worries;
- The tummy has become "stone", when you press on it, a strong crying and pain appear in the baby.
- The cry is harsh, caused by pain, not fatigue and hunger.
- The baby does not want to eat, refuses.
It is also important to understand that with constipation, the feces become hard, it is difficult for it to leave the intestines. If a child defecates every 4-5 days with a mushy substance, then everything is fine with him. You should wait for a bowel movement up to 7-10 days, only then consult a doctor.
Why doesn't a newborn baby poop for a day or more? This can signal the onset of the disease. Since the incubation period of some diseases lasts several days, they may manifest themselves somewhat later. You should wait up to 7-10 days, then consult a doctor if necessary.
What to do if there is no bowel movement
If the baby himself does not poop, then you cannot immediately reach for the medicine. Enema should also be discarded. As practice shows, children and even adults who suffer from constipation are those who were often given an enema in infancy.
7-10 days of no bowel movement is normal, but you shouldn't let these days go by themselves. You can and should help the baby to poop.
Massage
If a newborn baby does not poop for a day, while the gases do not leave him, it is worth giving him a gentle massage. In a circular motion clockwise with a full palm, slide over the tummy. This will improve the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, increase blood circulation, and relax the muscles.
Tummy massage
Exercises
If the baby poop badly and rarely, then as a preventive measure, light exercises should be constantly performed with him:
- "Cyclist". Perfectly complement the massage. The legs at the knees are bent alternately, imitating riding a bicycle.
Exercise "Cyclist"
- Hold the baby in the landing position. The baby is held under the knees, the butt sags. The body is kept strictly in an upright position - this is how the process of bowel movement is stimulated. To prevent the newborn from crying, you can lubricate the anus with baby cream. This will help avoid irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.
Warm baths
If the baby does not poop for more than a day, then a warm bath comes to the rescue. If at the same time you also feed the baby in the bathroom, then the process will accelerate. Warm water (up to 37 degrees) will relax the baby, soothe, and feeding will start the bowel movement.
Council. After bathing, you can massage the baby, rub the arms and legs, apply baby oil.
Other methods
If a baby does not poop at 1 month, and all methods have already been tried, you can proceed to mechanical stimulation options:
- Insert the gas outlet tube. It helps if the gazes don't come out;
- Glycerin candle;
- Sanitary stick lubricated with baby oil. Before the introduction, preparation should be carried out: wash your hands, lubricate the baby's anus with oil, the devices must also be clean.
- Medicines in consultation with the pediatrician.
Note! When a month-old baby does not poop for a day or more, mothers are very worried and strive to immediately resort to dangerous methods of exposure. Some of them make the biggest mistake: they give a few drops of fruit juice, because this will start digestion. However, it can irritate the intestinal mucosa and lead to severe dehydration.
What not to do
What not to do:
- Give enemas. The microflora that has just been established is violated. This could have consequences in the future.
Microlax for children
- Sticking pieces of soap into the anus - this can burn both the passage and part of the mucous membrane.
- Giving fresh juices from berries or fruits will not only irritate the intestines, but also the multiplication of staphylococci and candida fungi in the child's body.
- Give adult medication in micro doses. The older generation advises to "mix" laxatives into mother's milk, this should never be done.
Delayed bowel movements in infants can occur for a variety of reasons. Initially, you need to consult a pediatrician on this issue. The doctor will analyze all the data, suggest performing massage, exercise or other treatments. If dysbacteriosis is found in the crumbs, they will prescribe medications to restore the flora.
