Constipation in infants while breastfeeding is a rare but uncomfortable problem for the infant. How can you tell if your baby is really constipated and help cope with it?
Signs
The number of emptyings of the baby per day is not so important as the behavior of the baby and the consistency of feces. If the stool is very dense (often in the form of hard balls), and the baby cries and shows anxiety during bowel movements, then these are really signs of constipation in a breastfed baby.
Causes
The main causes of constipation in breastfeeding babies are:
- Difficulty defecating can be caused by congenital problems with the digestive tract.
- If the child is in pain during a bowel movement, he may specifically restrain himself so as not to feel pain. This provokes psychological constipation.
- Another reason for constipation in a breastfed baby is a lack of fluid. If the baby overheats, he needs extra fluid, for example, in hot weather.
- Constipation in infants can also be caused by food allergies, drug use, and thyroid disease.
- Constipation in a baby receiving breast milk can be caused by the introduction of supplementary foods (mixtures) or complementary foods.
Solving the problem depending on age
The reaction of parents to the development of constipation in a child of the first year of life will depend on the age of the baby.
The first days after birth
First of all, the baby should be examined in order to eliminate serious diseases that can cause constipation. If a mother is faced with constipation in a baby at an early age, then congenital pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and diseases with impaired metabolism should be immediately excluded. To do this, you need to go with a baby to a pediatrician. As a rule, in such diseases, constipation is not the only symptom, so if, in addition to difficult emptying, the baby has some other painful manifestations, a doctor's consultation is certainly needed.
Lactase deficiency can rarely cause constipation. In this case, difficulty in defecation alternates with diarrhea and is often accompanied by a large amount of regurgitation. To determine this reason, the child is prescribed a special examination.
The use of any medication for constipation in newborns should be consulted with a pediatrician. Glycerin suppositories can be used for babies older than 3 months, but sometimes the pediatrician allows their use in newborns in a lower dosage. In early childhood, you can also give the baby dufalak, which is based on lactulose, which is safe for babies.
2 to 6 months
At this age, constipation can be triggered by early feeding or the addition of formula milk to the infant's diet. If complementary foods become the reason for the difficulty in defecation, it is recommended to exclude it until 6 months of age. If a mother wants to feed the baby with a mixture, it is worth consulting a pediatrician who will help you choose the most optimal nutrition. If the baby receives exclusively mother's milk, you need to pay attention to the menu of the nursing mother, as well as a sufficient intake of fluid in the crumbs' body.
Child up to a year
In infants over 6 months, the most common causes of constipation are changes in their diet, as the child begins to try many foods and his digestive tract can react with constipation to any complementary food. To avoid this, it is important to introduce complementary foods gradually, noting the baby's reaction.
At this age, forlax can be used against constipation. It is a mildly acting drug that does not develop into addiction. Dufalak and glycerin candles are also acceptable remedies.
Will revising mom's diet help?
Many breastfeeding mothers notice the effect of their diet on the baby's stool. Constipation in a baby can be provoked by such products in the mother's menu as cow's milk, rice, pear, peas, flour products, smoked meats, cabbage, beans, pickles, black bread, spicy dishes, grapes, mushrooms, nuts. Constipation-provoking foods also include cocoa, black tea, and coffee.
If mommy noticed that any product negatively affected the baby's stool, it should be excluded for a while and the child should be observed.
How to help?
First of all, you need:
- Adjust mom's nutrition.
- Encourage crumbs to move.
- Do gymnastics with the baby.
- Massage the abdomen clockwise.
- If it's hot, give the baby water.
If such measures do not help, the baby can be given a remedy with lactulose or vegetable oil (olive, castor, almond or other). In extreme cases, you can resort to glycerin suppositories or an enema. Do not try to induce a bowel movement with a bar of soap or a cotton swab. These methods are unsafe and can injure the rectum.
