The baby has no stool for the third day. The main causes of functional constipation in newborns. Congenital diseases in children

05.05.2019

A common cause of sleepless nights for young parents is disruption of the child's developing intestinal tract: colic, flatulence and constipation. According to statistics, every fifth baby suffers from the latter. Usually artificial people or mixed-fed babies are susceptible to an unpleasant disease, but babies are also at risk. What is the reason for constipation and infants, how to avoid this, what emergency measures can be taken and how to ensure the baby's digestion is comfortable are the tasks of paramount importance. A frivolous attitude of parents to this problem or the use of drugs and treatment methods that are not coordinated with the pediatrician is fraught with a mass of complications for crumbs at an older age.

What can be considered constipation in an infant?

From a medical point of view, constipation in a child under one year old is considered to be difficulty in defecation or the absence of bowel movement in the last day. This concept is rather vague, since it is closely related to the specific age of the child: in a bottle-fed baby and in an infant, the frequency and consistency of stools will differ significantly. For example, for newborns under the age of one month, it is normal to have bowel movements in the same amount as there were meals. This is with the option of breastfeeding. For an artificial child, the norm is only 2 - 3 bowel movements per day.

The instability of the baby's intestines is of great importance. Without the help of a specialist, it is quite difficult to determine when a baby is suffering from constipation, and when a decrease in stool frequency is just a physiological feature of the development of a small organism. Therefore, it is important to control not only the number of "adventures", but also the consistency, smell, density and color of feces, the child's behavior before and during bowel movements.

Feces of babies up to six months have a semi-liquid consistency. It is yellow in color, without an unpleasant odor, and may contain particles of undigested breast milk in the form of cheesy inclusions. The artificial stool is denser and may have a characteristic specific odor.

Signs and symptoms of constipation

The main thing to pay attention to is the general condition of the child and the consistency of feces. Symptoms that indicate constipation include:

a child with constipation is naughty, crying;
restless behavior of the child during bowel movements: but straining does not lead to any result, expression of pain on the face, pushing, crying;
any attempt to empty the intestines is accompanied by screams and restless movements of the baby;
feces with constipation in infants are hard: either it looks like a pea, or its first portion looks like a "cork", followed by a mushy mass;
incomplete bowel movement;
regular stool retention for 1 - 2 days;
restless sleep;
refusal to eat;
absence of gases;
unreasonable crying;
bloating;
pulling the knees to the chest;
vomit.

The manifestation of one or two of these signs does not mean that the baby has constipation, but if there are several symptoms, you can be quite confident in the diagnosis and start treatment. First of all, be sure to contact the pediatrician who is observing the child. It is necessary to exclude the likelihood of a bowel reaction to medications, new foods, the beginning of complementary foods and other factors that provoke difficulties in the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Be sure to diagnose dysbiosis, allergic reactions and other digestive pathologies. A nursing mother should urgently introduce into the diet foods that activate the motility of intestinal smooth muscles: boiled prunes, beets, pumpkin. For children after six months, in the absence of allergies, you can also use these products as complementary foods.

If the child is calm, does not refuse a breast or a bottle, and bowel movement does not give him discomfort, then this is definitely not constipation. In newborns, breast milk or formula can be absorbed so well that they simply have nothing to go to the toilet.

If the listed problems are still present, then before treating constipation, it is necessary to find out the reasons.

Constipation reasons

In the early stages of constipation, it is quite easy to deal with it, simply by eliminating the causes that provoked constipation. These include:

Lack of fluid

This is an extremely relevant cause of constipation for bottle-fed babies, especially in hot summer or winter, when the air in the room is dry due to heating appliances. Be sure to increase the amount of water your child uses. The popular pediatrician Komarovsky strongly recommends supplementing even breastfed newborns.

Inappropriate nutrition of a nursing mother, an adapted mixture that is not suitable for a child, a lack of foods that stimulate the digestive tract (beets, pumpkin, dried apricots, figs, apples, peaches, apricots, prunes, and others)

Taking certain medications by an infant or nursing mother

Constipation is possible when taking antidepressants, antispasmodics. antibiotics, bismuth and iron preparations, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants. Reception and cancellation of any medications, both by the mother and by the baby, must be previously agreed with the pediatrician.

Breast milk deficiency

Causes the so-called "hungry constipation" in an infant. In this case, all the food consumed is absorbed into the walls of the internal organs and the blood, and the intestines simply have nothing to process.

Introduction of complementary foods

More often, the introduction of complementary foods helps to normalize the digestive tract, but it can also cause difficulties with stool. The reaction of the intestines to new dishes should be closely monitored. Also early can contribute to constipation.

Abrupt power change

This is possible with a sharp loss of milk from the mother, the replacement of one adapted formula for another, or an incorrect transition from one type of feeding to another. Constipation usually disappears after adaptation to new foods.

Psychological constipation

This is by no means a myth, as some think. The child's body, finding itself in unusual or uncomfortable conditions (for example, when the baby breaks up with its mother), responds to stress in this way. Also, the child may be afraid to recover because of the pain that occurs at this moment. In this case, it is necessary to try to return the normal mushy consistency to the baby's stool, adhering to the diet.

There is another reason for psychological constipation - a child can manipulate adults in this way. If any signs of constipation in a baby cause panic in his parents and the parents begin to constantly regret, comfort and fuss around the child, then the baby can deliberately hold back the chair. The only way to treat this situation is to be calm about the problem.

Colds or infectious diseases

An increase in body temperature can provoke a significant compaction of stool and lead to constipation.

It is extremely important that constipation itself can refer to one of the signs of serious diseases and pathologies, therefore it is important not to engage in self-treatment, but to consult a doctor. Such diseases include:

Genetic predisposition.
Anatomical defects of the gastrointestinal tract.
Diabetes.
Disorders in the digestive tract.
Rickets.
Diseases of the nervous system.
Myasthenia gravis.
Spinal cord dysfunctions.
Liver disease.
Lactose deficiency.
Allergic reaction to protein in cow's milk.
Food allergy.
Hypothyroidism

Diseases that lead to constipation. Fortunately, these diseases are rare. These include dolichosigma, Hirschsprung's disease and lactase deficiency.

Dolichosigma is an elongation of the sigmoid colon. Bowel emptying is slowed down due to kinks and excessive pressure of the sigmoid colon on itself and the rectum;
Hirschsprung's disease occurs due to a violation of the intestinal innervation. This leads to the fact that some parts of the intestine do not work and are in a spasmodic state;
Lactase deficiency appears due to the absence or small amount of an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar (lactase). In this case, the baby's constipation will be replaced by diarrhea.

Only a doctor will be able to identify such constipation in a baby, and only a doctor decides what needs to be done in this situation.

Constipation treatment

The first challenge in treating constipation is to determine the cause and eliminate it. To establish the normal functioning of the intestines of a newborn, you need:

Medical examination.
More frequent breastfeeding with breastfeeding.
For a child on artificial feeding - supplementing with special baby water (not boiled) between meals, while the volume of liquid should be equal to the volume of one serving.
For an infant over 6 months old - an introduction to the diet of apples and vegetables.
For a child after a year - soup, as an obligatory dish in the daily diet.

General recommendations for combating constipation also include: correcting the nutrition of the mother and baby, increasing the amount of fluid consumed, changing the nature of complementary foods, or changing the adapted mixture to one that contains more lactobacilli.

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Separately, we should dwell on the issue of complementary foods. Independent experts have long proven that store juices, purees and other "jars for children", regardless of the manufacturer, are made with the addition of quite harmful substances and preservatives and are the strongest allergens for a child. Try to find some time to prepare really healthy complementary foods. From ordinary carrots or apples, you will get many times more useful and fortified puree or juice. The money saved on buying the dangerous Agusha can be spent on a handy blender or juicer that will make it easier to prepare meals for complementary foods.

Enemas and laxatives should only be used as a last resort. They flush out the beneficial microflora from the intestines: potassium, vitamins, protein, trace elements; help to reduce the tone of the intestinal muscles, lead to a violation of the reflex of natural bowel cleansing, impede the absorption of nutrients. Before using these emergency measures in a panic, you should try milder and harmless methods, which in most cases give a positive result. These methods include:

Tummy massage

It is aimed at relieving spasm, increasing intestinal tone and activating its peristalsis. It is performed with gentle strokes with light pressure on the baby's abdomen. Movements must be performed clockwise. You can additionally put an iron-ironed towel or diaper on the crumbs' tummy. Just make sure that it is not hot, but warm. Warm baths and the warmth of the mother's body also help well: just gently press the baby's tummy against your own belly.

Abdominal massage for constipation:

Mechanical bowel stimulation

Performed by irritating the anus. Can be done with a cotton swab, generously greased with baby cream. The stick is inserted shallowly into the anus and gently turned several times. A bowel movement usually occurs after a few minutes.

During the procedure, there is a risk of scratching the epithelium of the anus with a stick, so you need to act extremely carefully, with light movements, do not abuse this method.

For similar purposes, a special vent tube is provided. It is also gently inserted into the rectum, which makes it possible to activate the process of defecation.

Glycerin candles

You can use special rectal suppositories for newborns. They quickly soften stool and help cleanse the intestines. For a newborn, 1/3 of the suppository is enough. It must be carefully cut and, smoothing the sharp ends with your finger, slowly and carefully insert it into the anus.

If an hour after the introduction of the suppository, the child has not yet emptied the intestines, you should call a doctor. Sometimes suppositories can cause discomfort: burning, itching, allergic reactions, so glycerin suppositories are also referred to as emergency measures.

There is an old and supposedly effective "grandmother's" method of treating constipation, in which a bar of soap is used instead of a glycerin suppository. You need to know that this is a very dangerous method: soap contains alkali and other harmful substances that can burn the rectum. Even when using baby soap, it is difficult to ensure that it is made without hazardous ingredients.

Enema

Enema is considered an emergency measure to relieve constipation. A syringe (20-30 ml) with cooled boiled water or a decoction of medicinal chamomile is introduced to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm into the anus of the baby and all the liquid is slowly injected. The required liquid temperature is about 37 ° C. It is advisable to dissolve a pinch of table salt in water for an enema and add a couple of drops of pharmacy glycerin. When buying a syringe, stop choosing not a plastic, but a rubber or silicone tip, they are less traumatic. First, the tip of the syringe must be generously lubricated with baby cream or oil. Too warm water should not be used: it will simply be absorbed into the intestinal walls, and the desired result will not be achieved.

A modern analogue of an enema with a milder effect - designed specifically for newborns. It is a micro enema based on a water-salt solution with the addition of glycerin. The effect of Mikrolax comes in a quarter of an hour after application. You must first read the instructions for use, and do not insert the tip into the rectum beyond the drawn line.

These methods can be used as an emergency measure, especially with regular constipation. Frequent use of enemas disrupts the work and the favorable microflora of the intestinal tract and causes dysbiosis, which will have to be treated with probiotics.

Laxatives

Taking laxatives is only necessary when nothing else helps. Most laxatives are contraindicated for an infant under one year old. The exception is Duphalac syrup and similar preparations based on lactulose. To cause bowel movement, Duphalac must be given to the baby in a volume of 5 ml. If the baby feeds on breast milk, then a nursing mother can also use the remedy.

A six-month-old child can take Forlax. Its great advantage is the duration of use up to three months.

Before using any remedy, remember that medications can only be prescribed by the attending physician, and emergency measures are allowed to be used only when absolutely necessary: when all methods of treating constipation have been ineffective.

Often, young children have tummy pains. How can I help my child? What are the best treatments for constipation for an infant? Do I need to use drugs or can you do with folk remedies? All these questions are answered by the pediatrician of the "Home Doctor" with extensive experience Orlova Galina Viktorovna:

Preventive measures

The simplest and most effective method of treatment is disease prevention. The health of children under the age of one year requires constant monitoring and attention. Do not wait for the first signs of constipation, start preventive measures right away.

A simple but effective method is very useful: before feeding, after eating, carry the baby in a column for several minutes;
Exercise regularly. To do this, lay the baby on the back, gently and smoothly lift its legs bent at the knees and gently press it against the tummy. Repeat several times, avoiding sudden movements. It is also helpful to do the "bicycle" exercise;
Provide the baby with the required amount of liquid. Instead of tea and juices, it is better to drink special bottled baby water. You do not need to boil it. When introducing complementary foods, juices must be diluted with water;
If the baby is more than 4 months old, prune juice is excellent for constipation. Two teaspoons are enough. After six months, you can use prune puree. Both fresh fruit and dried fruit are equally effective. You can add prune berries to compotes;
Do not wrap your baby up. Overheating, along with dehydration, is one of the main causes of constipation. It is also important for colds and infectious diseases: if the baby has a fever, water him as often as possible, otherwise constipation after an illness cannot be avoided;
Effective drinks for constipation - dried fruit compote with dried apricots and prunes, raisin water. To prepare it, it is enough to pour a spoonful of pure raisins with boiling water and insist in a thermos;
Give preference to vegetables with a "laxative effect" and high in coarse fiber, fruits, rich in potassium. These are figs, green apples, prunes, dried apricots, beets, carrots, peaches, apricots, pumpkin. The same foods should be introduced into the diet of a nursing mother;
Preparations with bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, fermented milk products, natural yoghurts are extremely useful for the intestinal microflora. They are shown to both the child and the mother;
Try to give your baby breast as long as possible, the first six months are especially important. If this is not possible, give preference to adapted fermented milk mixtures;
If antibiotic treatment is necessary, at the same time as taking them, start giving drugs for the prevention of dysbiosis.

No need to panic if the baby is constipated. The first step to recovery is identifying and eliminating the causes of the disease. But do not self-medicate and do not use grandmother's methods of treatment without consulting a doctor. Most often, it is enough to establish nutrition, drink more fluids and do not forget about massage and gymnastics so that the ailment recedes. In emergency situations, Duphalac, glycerin suppositories or an enema will help. Pay close attention to treating constipation. Formation and normalization of the digestive tract in the first year of life is the guarantee of the child's future health.

On the topic of newborn stool:

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Among all the existing ailments, children under one year old are most often worried about constipation. In newborns, problems with bowel movements occur 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 normal functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and intestines, the act of defecation occurs daily. The process most often occurs in the morning and does not cause discomfort or pain. Feces have a soft structure and a person does not need to exert effort to release them.

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

Stool problems occur at different ages. Most often, newborns and elderly people suffer from this pathology. Poor bowel movements can last from a few days to months. The appearing urge to defecate causes severe abdominal pain and often ends in nothing.

Also, a psychological factor often becomes the cause of poor bowel movements and a complete absence of defecation. It can be provoked by the long separation of the baby from the mother, for example, due to her illness.

Lack of bowel movements in babies due to mixed feeding

It is laid down by nature so that the baby is supposed to feed exclusively on mother's milk. So constipation in a newborn with mixed feeding a very common occurrence.

Introducing additional artificial formula to the child is often due to a lack of breast milk or its poor quality. Sometimes it happens that children do not gorge themselves on mother's milk, since it has insufficient fat content. In this case, the kids behave restlessly, sleep poorly and are capricious 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 new food causes 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 improper food temperature. Your baby's food should not be hot or cold. It is best to focus on the temperature of your breast milk. This will help prevent 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 is there stool retention during breastfeeding?

Constipation in breastfed infants is often 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 movement only by introducing additional complementary foods.

Malnutrition of the mother can provoke a stagnant process in the intestines of a newborn. After all, what she is necessarily enters the child's body through milk. Therefore, during breastfeeding, doctors strongly recommend that women eat a light diet, avoiding:

legumes;
fatty and fried;
smoked meats;
white bread and fresh pastries;
bananas;
coffee;
milk;
sugar;
strong tea;
meat, etc.

All foods 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 intestinal stagnation

The clinical picture of constipation in infants depends on the cause of its development. The ailment itself is manifested by the absence of bowel movements for more than a day or by a heavy release of feces. Most often, with poor bowel movements, the baby has:

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

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

nausea and vomiting;
temperature increase;
allergic rash;
changes in skin color;
an admixture of mucus or blood in the feces;
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 the doctor knows.

How to help a newborn with constipation

The first thing to do in case of a prolonged absence of a chair 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 carry out laboratory and instrumental studies.

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

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

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

Let's consider some of them in more detail.

Drug therapy

Medical treatment for newborns is prescribed only if massages and diet do not bring the desired result. To improve the functioning of the intestines and the release of feces, children under one year old are prescribed the following funds:

Espumisan.
Rectal Glycerin suppositories.
Duphalac.
Plantex.
Enema.

Duphalac and Plantex helps to activate intestinal motility. Espumisan - eliminate bloating. Rectal suppositories soften the accumulated stool and facilitate its easy release.

As for the procedure for cleansing the intestines with an enema, it can be carried out no more than once a week. Otherwise, the child may develop, as well as a lack of minerals and vitamins. As a solution for babies, use ordinary water, 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 the mother do? First of all, a woman who is breastfeeding should give up all bad habits and adjust her diet. Improving 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 a drinking regimen. It is also important not to forget to give water to the baby after meals or between feedings.

Therapeutic massages and exercises for stool recovery

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

Massage the newborn gently and gently, adhering to the following instructions:

take off the clothes from the child and put on the back;
apply a small amount of oil to your 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 several 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 your legs not in turn, but simultaneously (about 5 times);
put the child with his tummy down on the parent's lap and do a few circular strokes starting from the shoulder blades and going down to the sacrum.

In addition, doctors advise before each meal to lay the baby on the tummy and keep 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 tools include:

What not to do!

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

This is a misconception and an unacceptable method of bowel stimulation! This soap contains a large amount of alkali, which will negatively affect the healthy intestinal microflora. In addition, this treatment can cause ulceration, bleeding and severe irritation in the rectum.

If a child has problems with a chair and you do not know how to behave, you do not need to follow the lead of grandmothers and other advisors. It is better to contact a specialist and follow his recommendations.

Baby chair is one of the problematic moments for many mothers. In the middle of the 20th century, when formula feeding became more common than breastfeeding, a new stereotype of "normal" bowel movements emerged. Children who are fed with formula poop differently than infants: the stool of "artificial" is relatively infrequent, comes out shaped and smells bad, resembling the stool of adults. While the stool from breast milk in the first 6 weeks of life is usually thin and frequent, and in the future, on the contrary, it may be of normal consistency, but with delays. At the same time, often people who do not know that this is quite normal for babies begin to treat the baby either for diarrhea or for constipation ...

For a child under the age of 6 weeks, it is normal to empty the intestines several times a day, little by little, with a mass of yellow or mustard color, without an unpleasant odor. At the same time, the stool may well have a heterogeneous consistency, or cheesy inclusions, or - after a while, if the mother does not remove the diaper or diaper for a long time - you will notice that the yellow stool turns green, this is a completely natural oxidation process. These are all signs that are characteristic of a healthy infant! If you see white "pellets" in your child's chair - do not be alarmed. Most likely it is just an immaturity of the intestines. Therefore, if the child is gaining weight well and nothing bothers him, then there is no reason for your concern either.

Signs that can make mom wary:

too frequent watery stools - 12 to 16 bowel movements per day, with a strong odor indicates that the child really has diarrhea (diarrhea). It is imperative to consult a doctor, while it is very desirable to continue breastfeeding, because breast milk best of all makes up for the deficiency of substances necessary for the baby.

frequent stools (8-12 times a day), which are green and watery, often caused by sensitivity to food or treatment of the child or mother; often this reaction is caused by the protein of cow's milk.

Green, watery, foamy stools are usually a sign of what is known as an anterior-posterior milk imbalance, which doctors like to call "lactase deficiency." True lactase deficiency is relatively rare, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, this condition of the baby can be corrected by allowing each breast to be emptied to the end before transferring to the next. In this case, the baby will receive a large portion of fatty "back" milk, which contains little lactose (in contrast to the "front" portion rich in it) and therefore is easier to digest. Clarification so as not to be confused in terms: lactose is the milk sugar found in breast milk, and lactase is an enzyme that is required to break down lactose. The reserves of lactase in the baby's body are relatively small, and if he receives a lot of "front" milk, then the lactase is not enough for its normal assimilation, so the baby is tormented by gas, and the stool takes on a characteristic appearance. Another problem that often occurs after 5-6 weeks of a child's life is a relatively rare bowel movement, which is often mistakenly considered constipation and begins to actively treat the baby. At this age, the milk finally becomes mature and the laxative colostrum component leaves it, and therefore most children begin to poop less often. By itself, a rare chair is not a cause for concern, just the child's body finds out how much it can accumulate in itself before pooping. If the process is not interfered with, the child may not poop even up to 7 days once or twice, after which the normal frequency will be restored. If you constantly interfere, forcing the intestines to empty when it is not yet ready, constipation will become habitual. BUT: Indeed, the child may not poop for up to a week, and the mother may not worry under the essential condition: the child TOO do not worry! If the child is obviously annoyed by this, the mother, of course, should not hope that everything "will be formed by itself."

Constipation in a breastfed baby

Constipation in a breastfed baby is hard, dry, formed stools, so-called "goat balls", which are very painful for the baby.
The consistency of NORMAL feces, even with its relatively rare appearance, cannot be considered constipation. These are only the physiological characteristics of this particular organism, such as eye color, nose snub angle or the shape of nails. We will not treat the body because its eyes are blue, and not brown, like most?

Why does such a physiologically rare stool ("not constipation") appear in babies?

For the urge to defecate, the little man needs to experience a chain of certain sensations. The most important of which is the pressure of feces on the intestines, it is the degree of pressure that forms the skill to relax the sphincters in response to tension, and not to contract them. A young, not fully formed intestine is just learning to react to any external changes, and breast milk, the only native and adapted product, helps it gently and not stressfully at this stage of its formation. Like any student, the gut passes a series of tests or even self-tests. Therefore, the baby's feces of the first half of the year are heterogeneous - sometimes thick, sometimes liquid, sometimes often, sometimes rarely. And our adult standards for such a young student are unacceptable, the adult intestine is very different from the intestines of a baby.

The main indicator with such a rare stool is the child's well-being and the discharge of gases, the most dangerous sign of constipation is the absence of gas, then you can fear for intestinal patency, but if the baby “farts like a machine gun”, then the patency is excellent. If the consistency of feces after defecation is normal, without "balls" - then the child has no problem.
The intestine is simply in a state of testing the degree of pressure of feces inside on the intestinal walls for optimal bowel movements, after completing such a test, the body will choose a certain period for defecation. This deadline will be set until ... the next test, after which everything will change dramatically again.
That is, the main thing is to objectively assess the condition of the child, to look at the discharge of gases, and not at the calendar.
And yet it is so strange and scary when the chair is not regular and young parents so want to attend to something. What can be done so that the body is "tested" faster, and the parents would see the coveted poop and at the same time not harm the child and not resort to medications.

1. Give extra liquid.

But the problem is not in the consistency of feces !!! The feces inside are soft, the additional liquid makes it generally liquid and ... postpones the period of natural bowel movements. As a result, additional mechanical stimulation is required (with a cotton swab in oil, a thermometer), but more often it turns out that due to additional fluid and an extended period, the “front” part of the feces has formed into a dense solid “cork”, and the “above” is a very liquid watery stool. It is very painful and unpleasant for the baby to pop out the "cork".
That is, in the case of a physiological rare stool, supplementation with any liquid can worsen the situation.

Here you need to take into account that juice is a very large irritant with a high acidity factor. The complete absence of fiber, but a deadly carbohydrate environment, due to sugars. The intestines of a child simply cannot digest such things, additional enzymes are needed to digest the juice, which are not produced by the pancreas of a child in infancy. And it turns out in the intestines there is an irritating product - sugar from juice. Up to a certain age, the mucous membrane of the baby is very perceptive and sensitive, through its walls, the small cells penetrate into the blood, and the sugars begin to strongly irritate the mucous membrane, the body receives a signal to get rid of the aggressors as quickly as possible, the pancreas tries to form enzymes to break down carbohydrates in the juice. The intestine collects additional fluid to partially neutralize aggressive sugars and begins to contract, removing the irritant. Outwardly, the child may have stools quickly enough after the infusion of juice. But at the cost of tremendous stress to the pancreas, mucous membranes and the body as a whole. At the same time, the necessary minerals and vitamins are washed out from the body, the child loses a lot of fluid. The carbohydrate component sucks in the intestines an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic flora (candida, stuffylococcus), therefore, after copulation, thrush in a child's mouth is so frequent.
Juice is one of the most cruel methods of influencing the baby's body.

3. Give an enema.

The liquid will create additional pressure, the same that the intestines were waiting for and before the physiological readiness of the body there will be a chair. The "self-test" of the organism is knocked down. The defecation was caused by a mechanical stimulator, a contraction of the intestines, but the child himself needs to learn to relax. I think everyone has heard stories from two-three-year-olds who have problems with a chair. Often (not always) these are babies who were either artificially fed, or the period of "learning" in a safe chair from breast milk passed against the background of stimulation of defecation.

So what do you do? Nothing. Wait. If the child behaves as usual and farts well, then this is another "test".
But if the child is pushing, blushing, gas does not go away, the stomach is hard, and the child cries on palpation - this is a completely different matter. You definitely need help here.

If the child does not walk for a long time and it worries him

The first step is to massage your tummy. Massage clockwise with full palm. Or exercise like a "bike".
A warm bath - it does not help anyone to relax. Mom and baby are immersed in warm 37 degrees of water, breastfeed right in the water, then they quickly crawl out, mom or dad will rub their arms, legs and tummy with baby oil, then you can put the mole on your mother’s tummy relaxed, it’s worth remembering that it’s easier to poop while lying down on the tummy or side, than on the back, or the mother can feed in the landing position (so that the ass is sagging and the child is almost vertical) and in 80% you can expect the "coveted poop".
It is very good to hold a child complaining of a tummy over the sink under the knees, lubricating the anus with baby oil ... The posture is the same as when landing.

Only when these methods did not help, you can use the first step of mechanical stimulation. Take a hygienic stick, grease the tip liberally with petroleum jelly or baby oil and insert a little into the ass. No more than a centimeter! It is to enter and twist a little. Put away. Put on a diaper and put your mom on her stomach, tummy to tummy ... Or press your knees to your stomach in a position on your back ...

And only if this did not help, then the next step is a glycerin candle.
But as a rule, in the first step, everything already works out.

I would like to highlight the purpose of any treatment, parents should analyze - what are they treating - the child's condition or analysis? Does your doctor prescribe bifidobacteria for you? Is there a correlation with the onset of intake and the onset of stool retention? Were you warned that bacteriological preparations containing bifidocultures affect the stool and can cause chronic constipation, which will already be constipation, and not physiological reactions? ... Always watch the child's stool very carefully when using any medication.

Breastfeeding mistakes

As practice shows, for problems with stool in infants, it is often not bacteria that are to blame, but improperly organized breastfeeding. Here are the most common breastfeeding mistakes that interfere with the development of a baby's normal gut flora:

Late attachment of the newborn to the breast.
Rare feeding "by the hour", limiting the duration of breastfeeding by the baby.
Supplementing the baby with water, teas.
Early introduction of formula supplements or gradual transition to full bottle feeding.
Introduction of complementary foods earlier than 6 months.

Misconceptions associated with problematic bowel movements in infants

1. In the same place, everything rots inside if he does not walk for more than a day !!

We hear from many mothers. We hasten to dispel this myth!

We recall the school chemistry course. Oxidation, reaction with oxygen. Now we take the child and examine the belly for holes. There is not? just the navel? So oxidation does not threaten you. If someone says "rots" - also refer him to the school chemistry course, where it says that decay is a slow burning reaction, in which the access of oxygen is a prerequisite. To do this, at least you need a hole in your stomach. And it, as already found out from a higher experience, is not there.

2. This is dysbiosis !!!
Dysbacteriosis is becoming more popular, however, as are the drugs aimed at treating it. In the minds of many parents, the wrong opinion has formed that every baby has dysbiosis, and biological products are no longer the means that a doctor should prescribe - they can simply be bought and given to your baby: maybe it will help? Let's take a look at some of the facts about this condition and speculate about them. After all, as you know, "he who is forewarned is armed."

The Truth About Dysbiosis:

Dysbacteriosis Is not a diagnosis according to the Tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) - the generally accepted international diagnostic classification of the World Health Organization. This is a state of imbalance of the intestinal microflora that accompanies its various diseases (for example, acute intestinal infection). Also, dysbiosis develops after surgical operations on the gastrointestinal tract, treatment with antibiotics, cytostatics, and immunity suppressants. Therefore, if a child was born healthy, gains weight well, grows and develops according to age, you should not look for dysbiosis from him.
In babies who have just been born, the period of colonization of the intestine with microbes is called transient dysbiosis and it belongs to the borderline states of newborns. The main protection and medicine for the baby during this period is the mother's breast milk. Colostrum contains a huge amount of antibodies, anti-infectious proteins and secretory immunoglobulin A, which provide the infant with primary immunological protection. In addition, the bifidus factor in human breast milk is involved in the formation of normal intestinal microflora, and lactoferrin binds iron and prevents the multiplication of those bacteria that need iron. That is why it is extremely important that nothing but mother's milk gets into the mouth of the baby from birth! Dysbiosis is not terrible for a healthy baby.

The analysis for dysbiosis does not reflect the true state of the intestinal microflora. Let's remember that microflora is a dynamic environment, the number of microbial units is in the millions, and these units themselves multiply (and die) rather quickly. By the time the parents receive the result of the microflora analysis (and this is at least 7 days from the date of its delivery), the microbial "picture" in the intestine will change radically. In addition, microorganisms colonize the intestines unevenly: there are more of them near the walls of the intestine, and not in its lumen, and when taking a feces analysis, only "luminal" colonies fall into the "field of view". That is why experienced and competent specialists do not trust this analysis and are in no hurry to treat children if it is changed and there are no clinical symptoms.

Constipation in a child is unpleasant, but, unfortunately, common. Difficulties in emptying the intestines are experienced by children of different ages: from infants to schoolchildren.

Why does a child have constipation? How to help at home with safe methods and proven drugs? For you - advice from gastroenterologists and pediatricians.

What is constipation

Disruptions in the work of the intestines, in which children cannot calmly, painlessly empty the intestines. In severe cases, there is no stool for two to three days, sometimes for about a week or more.

Danger of constipation:

poisoning of the body with decay products;
hardening of feces, irritation of the intestinal walls;
with the release of dense feces, a crack in the rectum appears, bleeding, there is severe pain during bowel movements;
with frequent constipation, the child has to push hard, spend a long time in the toilet. The result is hemorrhoids, psychological stress, nervous disorders;
bloating appears, intestinal activity is disrupted, and digestive problems develop.

Note! A particular danger is chronic constipation, when stool retention is noted for three months or more. Problems arise with the activity of the digestive system, and nervous tension increases. A doctor's consultation is required.

Normal stool frequency:

from the period of newborn to six months. From twice a day, the stool is soft, puree-like;
from 6 months to one and a half years. No more than twice a day (the mass is more dense, well-formed);
after 3 years. The normal frequency of emptying is at least three times in 7 days;
children 6-10 years old. Norm - from 4 times a week;
teenagers. Bowel movements - 5 or more times during the week.

Types of ailment

In children, experts diagnose:

anatomical constipation. The problem arises after surgery in the intestinal area, with congenital pathologies;
functional constipation. The pathological condition develops in the waters under the influence of many reasons associated with nutrition, psychological state, and malfunctioning of various organs.

Causes of occurrence

Constipation is easy to recognize, especially in babies: stool frequency is always under parental control. Older children are often embarrassed to say about the problem with the intestines, they endure, they bring the condition to a critical one. Only with severe bloating, intestinal pain, parents notice that the baby is constipated.

The main symptoms of constipation are:

rare stools / complete absence for several days;
soreness during bowel movements;
discharge of solid feces with blood;
after a bowel movement, it seems that there are remnants of feces in the intestines;
bloating, pain in the intestines;
change in the consistency of feces;
in severe cases - deterioration in general health, headaches, lack of appetite, sleep problems.

After three years, when the child becomes more independent, goes to kindergarten and school, regularly ask if there are any problems with the intestines. Do not dismiss complaints of abdominal pain, pay attention to the reluctance to go to the toilet, even if more than a day has passed. When changing underwear, check for blood droplets on the panties. Be wary if the laundry is perfectly clean, although only a week ago there were traces when the child went "big".

Diagnostics

What to do with constipation in children? Stool problems in children of different ages are a reason for contacting a pediatrician. After clarifying the complaints, the doctor will refer the little patient to narrow specialists.

Help is often needed:

pediatric gastroenterologist;
a psychologist;
endocrinologist;
surgeon;
neurologist.

The main methods of treatment

The method of treating constipation depends on the type and cause of the problem. It is important to take into account the age of the child, the type of food, the nature of preschoolers and schoolchildren, the general condition of the body.

The main methods of treatment:

anatomical constipation requires surgery;
use laxative for constipation as little as possible so that there is no irritation of the mucous membrane, the intestines do not become "lazy";
micro enema Mikrolax is a good remedy for constipation in children, if the problem occurs infrequently;
to improve intestinal motility, doctors often prescribe Duphalac;
changes in diet and diet for constipation. Rapid bowel movement, soft consistency of feces is facilitated by the use of black bread, bran, prunes, boiled beets with butter, oatmeal, carrots, dairy products;
when breastfeeding, mom should follow a diet. Forbidden: rice, semolina, onions, garlic, legumes, cow's milk. You should not eat white cabbage, mushrooms, black bread, drink strong tea;
for artificial people, special mixtures with probiotics, lactulose, oligosaccharides are recommended;
in the morning, give the children vegetable oil (sterilized in a water bath). Dosage - from 2 drops to 1 tsp. according to age;
massage for constipation is another way to reduce soreness, improve intestinal motility. Stroke your tummy clockwise without pressing hard, but so that you can hear: you are massage.

Laxative enema

Sometimes the feces with persistent constipation are so hard that candles and prunes alone are indispensable. To remove toxic residues, a flushing or laxative enema is performed on an oil, salt or glycerin base. In some cases, a decoction of chamomile is used.

Nuances:

the temperature of the water for the washing enema is from 25 to 27 degrees; for a laxative enema for constipation, the water is heated to 28–35 degrees;
volume of liquid. For a newborn - up to 30 ml, at 1 year - no more than 180 ml, at 2 years - up to 250 ml, at 6 years - no more than 300 ml. A seven-year-old child can enter up to 400 ml of solution, a ten-year-old - half a liter of liquid.

What is needed for the procedure

Prepare:

for babies - a small syringe with a rubber tip, for children from one to two years old - a rubber can, after three years use Esmarch's mug;
diaper or large oilcloth;
boiled water of a certain temperature or a medicinal solution. The temperature of the liquid depends on the type of enema;
baby cream, special oil or petroleum jelly;
a clean soft cloth, cotton wool or cotton pads;
a large rag to wipe the floor if water accidentally spills out of the basin (for procedures for children from one year old).

How to put an enema correctly

The nature of the procedure depends on age: there are many similar points, but psychological preparation is important for older children. Read the instructions, proceed with caution. It is desirable that enemas are given by a health worker, but parents should know how to properly carry out the procedure.

Advice! If you are worried that you will not be able to cope with the Esmarch mug, use the Microlax micro enema. With the help of a convenient spray, the procedure is easy and painless, children worry less about the consequences due to the small size of the container. The only negative is that the laxative composition is forbidden to use for a long time.

Cleansing procedure for children under 1 year old

pick a moment when the baby is calm;
boil the syringe;
prepare an enema product in a clean jar;
wash your hands with soap, cover the changing table with oilcloth, put a diaper on top;
squeeze the syringe, collect a certain amount of solution, grease the tip liberally with cream, petroleum jelly or sterilized oil;
release the air (the syringe is located with the tip up, press down on the bottom of the container until the liquid appears);
put the baby on the back, raise the legs a little, gently spread the buttocks;
without strong pressure, insert the tip 2.5 cm into the anus;
gently press down on the syringe so that the water gets into the intestines, monitor the child's behavior;
try to inject liquid only while inhaling;
after the introduction of the entire portion of the solution, firmly squeeze the buttocks with your left hand, carefully remove the tip with your right;
hold the buttocks from a minute to five so that the liquid penetrates well into the particles of feces;
release your hand: emptying should occur. After the procedure, remove the dirty diaper, thoroughly wash the baby.

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Sequence of actions for children over 1 year old

to soften the stool in a one-year-old or two-year-old baby, replace the syringe with a rubber can;
from the age of three, an Esmarch mug is allowed (a device with a volume of 1-2 liters looks like a heating pad with a long tube);
the general rules of the procedure are similar to setting an enema for a baby, but there are nuances;
if the child does not agree, never force an enema: you injure the baby's psyche. Talk, make sure that there will be no pain. You can show on the doll what you are going to do, be sure to explain that after the procedure the stomach will stop hurting;
put an oilcloth on the bed, lower one edge into a large basin or bowl;
prepare the solution, pour it into a rubber container. Open the tap, wait for the air to come out;
act in the same way as during the procedure for children under one year old, but the child should lie on its side (be sure to let the legs bend at the knees);
keep Esmarch's mug at a distance of 50 to 70 cm above the baby;
carefully insert the tip 5–7 cm, be careful not to injure the anus;
do not open the tap completely, regulate the fluid flow so that the child does not feel severe discomfort;
after the introduction of the solution, the baby should lie on its side for 5 to 10 minutes, it is forbidden to get up;
after 10 minutes ask the child to push: the softened stool will come out well with the water.

The problem of how to treat constipation in an infant arises in almost every parent who first encounters a lack of bowel movement.

It doesn't matter if this happened on the first day of stay at home, or on any day of the period while the baby is breastfed or artificially fed.

Most of the anxiety arises from a lack of awareness, lack of specific medical knowledge about the structure of the child's digestive system.

The frequent misconception of parents about the presence of constipation in the baby leads to unqualified help, the use of medication and mechanical means to eliminate a dangerous, in their opinion, phenomenon.

This also occurs at a time when constipation, as such, has not yet begun. Let's find out more about constipation in an infant.

The absence of natural dispensations in a newborn does not always indicate a problem.

This can be the almost complete absorption of breast milk, the most natural and healthy food for a small child, and the individual characteristics of the body and its digestive system, and a consequence of artificial feeding, when the mother does not have breast milk and has to resort to food mixtures.

It is a common misconception based on extraneous evidence to think that a nursing baby should have frequent bowel movements, and occur after each feed.

Constipation, as a pathology of intestinal activity, is diagnosed on the basis of certain symptoms, and only after their manifestation arises the need for its professional treatment.

Features of stool in a newborn depending on age

The physiological work of the intestines in a newborn child normally manifests itself in different ways, not only depending on his age, but also on the individual characteristics and general state of the infant's body.

Any medical norm is a generalized and average indicator derived from clinical observations of a certain number of children.

The medical norm in pediatrics is not an indicator that a baby should reach at any age, but a mark that can be used to determine health or ill health.

In one child, the frequency of the administration of natural needs can be equal to the number of feedings, in another it can be 2-3 times a day, in a third, who is bottle-fed, and does occur once a day.

In none of these cases is it possible to speak not only of constipation, but also of minimal intestinal dysfunction.

All 3 babies are at the border of the conditional norm of their age, because they do not have the characteristic signs of constipation.

Until the age of one year, the features of a child's bowel movements change so often that uninformed parents take changes in the stool for signs of pathology.

Therefore, it is so important that young parents have a certain amount of medical knowledge and know how to use it.

This also applies to the natural discharges of the infant - often the only way to detect deviations from physiological activity or to establish the normal functioning of the intestines.

Normally, in a nursing baby, the emptying of the digestive system looks like this:

the first 60 days - from defecation after each meal up to 1-2 times a day;
from 2 months to six months - the daily rate gradually decreases from 5 times to 2, but maybe 2 times every 2-3 days (not often, and not typical, but physiological for a particular child);
after six months, when complementary foods are already introduced to breast milk, it is considered normal to empty the intestines 1-2 times.

The above data testify only to the fact that the concept of natural bowel movement in an infant is individual in nature, and it is impossible to make an erroneous diagnosis of constipation only on the grounds that there was no stool for some time.

You need to start worrying when a child on a natural diet has no stool for more than a day, and a baby on artificial feeding has not pooped for about two.

But even in this case, the diagnosis of constipation can be made only if it is accompanied by all the other symptoms, or most of them.

Signs of constipation in infants

More recently, some pediatric schools used the term constipation to denote the absence of defecation for a period of 1 day or more.

The features of the physiology of each person, especially an infant, consist in the individuality of his metabolism, and in the rate of digestion of food, and in the frequency of natural excretions.

Observations have shown that the frequency of bowel movements can depend on many factors, and to judge the abnormal functioning of the digestive system only on the basis of the number of times the bowel is emptied per day is a fundamentally wrong approach.

If the child is behaving normally, cheerful and cheerful, does not show signs of anxiety, and his stool is of a normal consistency, there is no reason to say that he is constipated.

Moreover, there is no reason to take any measures, whether it be drug treatment or mechanical action on the rectum.

You need to start doing something only when there are external signs of constipation, which the most inexperienced parent can easily see. Symptoms of constipation in a child include the following:

complete lack of appetite, refusal of breast, complementary foods, favorite delicacies;
lethargy and lethargy, poor sleep, capricious mood, unreasonable crying;
swelling of the tummy, rumbling and increased gas formation, colic, swirling legs from pain;
strong attempts to push and a peculiar smell of flue gases. Stool of dense consistency, poorly coming out of the anus, offensive, uncharacteristic color;
lack of appetite and refusal to feed leads to delayed weight gain, and sometimes the baby also experiences weight loss.

According to various sources, the period when there is reason to say that the baby has a pathological condition varies from 2 to 2 days.

But on the third day, with accompanying symptoms, constipation is definitely present.

It should be borne in mind that any one symptom cannot serve as a basis for a diagnosis, even if the baby shows strong signs of anxiety during the administration of natural needs.

If the rest of the time he behaves as usual, then the matter is in the diet, which should be monitored, but he does not have constipation.

The causes of the appearance of pathology

The reasons why such a deviation from the normal state is manifested in a baby is divided into three conditional groups, among which anatomical defects of the intestine and congenital developmental pathologies are the fewest.

They are usually detected during examination while still in the maternity hospital.

In rare cases, abnormal lengthening of the sigmoid colon (dolichosigma), or Hirschsprung's disease, in which a fragment of the colon is not supplied with nerves (which leads to persistent constipation, but is extremely difficult to diagnose) may remain unnoticed and will manifest itself from the first days.

The second group of reasons for a child's difficulties is much more extensive and concerns food disturbances.

The reasons may be both a lack of certain food components, and a violation of the regimen by a nursing mother, an insufficient amount of drink.

The third group unites uncharacteristic reasons, which include:

too early introduction of complementary foods in the child;
psychological stress;
taking certain medications;
infectious diseases;
change of climatic conditions;
a sharp transition from breastfeeding to artificial.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that constipation during the formation of the digestive system can be atonic, occurring against the background of disturbed intestinal tone (solid, sausage-shaped feces), or spastic, caused by spasms of intestinal muscles (feces resembles sheep's).

This is an important factor that must be taken into account if parents want to take the right therapeutic measures and quickly eliminate the pathology in the child.

Constipation as a symptom of a serious illness

If the malaise, on the basis of all the symptoms manifested, can be attributed to constipation, and it recurs with frightening frequency, you should definitely consult your family doctor or district pediatrician.

Congenital malformations are not easy to identify, but a medical examination will allow you to do this, and your doctor will tell you what steps to take.

Things will be slightly better if the examination reveals:

With these types of diagnoses, home treatment and a food diet will not work. Constipation in such cases acts only as a symptom of the underlying disease, and the course of treatment will have to be very serious.

An even more dangerous option is to study medical reference books and take any steps yourself. With a serious diagnosis, only a doctor can decide what to do.

A comprehensive method of treating constipation in a baby

Inexperienced parents, when diagnosing constipation in a newborn, are limited to one method of treatment, and stop there if the desired result is achieved.

This is the wrong tactic, because a drug laxative sooner or later comes to a breakdown in the natural function of excretion from the body, and the child eventually has even more complex problems.

For an active therapeutic course, you should resort to several effective methods that can have more than a bowel-relieving effect.

It is also necessary to establish the digestive process in an infant through physiotherapy, correction of the diet and other preventive measures.

The complex method consists in:

as effectively as possible to cleanse the rectum from feces by means of oral medications, or mechanical irritants rectally (use rectal suppositories);
correct irregularities in the baby's diet (eliminate untimely complementary foods, introduce fiber or a complex of biologically active substances into the diet;
find out if the baby gets enough water per day and make up for the missing amount;
daily carry out a complex of therapeutic exercises and tummy massage, you can even use the services of a professional massage therapist. if there is no one to do;
stimulate the immune system so that the baby's body activates the development and improvement of the digestive system and learns to cope with this problem on its own;
when breastfeeding, adjust the food set used by the mother, with artificial - change the nutritional formula if it is not suitable.

The primary measure in this situation is getting rid of feces, which must certainly be carried out, having decided by what means it is better to do it.

If the baby is already receiving complementary foods, minor constipation can be eliminated using mechanical means or products with a laxative effect.

To treat a serious problem, it is better to use medicines for children of the appropriate age, which can be given to him without problems.

In some cases, the doctor prescribes folk remedies, infusions or decoctions. Such methods are relevant if the child is already receiving a lot of medications, which can lead to the development of dysbiosis.

Preventive and preventive measures

If the baby periodically has constipation, but the examination did not reveal any developmental pathologies and systemic diseases, preventive measures can be taken to help avoid intestinal stagnation.

Fruit juices (pear, apricot or peach juice) will help to prevent constipation at an early stage of its onset by strengthening the smooth muscles of the intestines and preventing spasms.

An excellent relaxing effect is possessed by a decoction of prunes, which can be given instead of usual drinking, gradually diluting with water.

There are special formulas for formula-fed babies, and they can be given for some time instead of the usual ones, after consulting a doctor.

You can use such remedies until the constipation stops appearing at alarming frequency.

You can give your child warm baths with soothing herbs, they not only tidy up the nervous system, which is irritated by pain, but also relax the abdominal muscles and intestinal smooth muscles.

After six months, when the introduction of complementary foods begins, prunes, apricots and pears can already be given to the child in grated form or in the form of mashed potatoes, which will enhance peristalsis more effectively than juice diluted with water.

A complex of exercises for the abdomen is very effective in such cases, which can easily remove mild and unrelenting forms of difficulty with defecation, and a professionally performed abdominal massage sometimes works better than all patented medicines.

It is possible to prevent the occurrence of constipation in a baby who is breastfed by choosing the right foodstuffs used by the main food source.

If a nursing mother regularly eats beets, dried apricots, prunes, figs, apples and pumpkin, breast milk will act as a natural regulator of stool consistency, and there will be no need for laxatives.

For breastfeeding women, refined and baked goods, fatty foods, rice, nuts, and any other food components that strengthen the stomach and prevent bowel movement should be excluded from the diet.

Anything that a mother incorrectly introduces into her diet negatively affects her baby's imperfect digestive system.

Squeezing and limiting your nutritional needs is much easier than treating a crumb with a gastroenterologist or proctologist.

Massage is an effective way to treat mechanical constipation in children under one year old

Different pediatric schools have their own views on ways to eliminate mechanical constipation. One of the most famous and widespread is massage, the skills of which are passed down from generation to generation.

At the first signs of intestinal dysfunction, a number of massage procedures are performed with the child:

laying out on the tummy;
smoothing the back from the shoulder blades to the coccyx;
bike legs;
pulling the knees to the stomach alternately;
flexion and extension of the legs at the knees;
smoothing the tummy clockwise, first with light, and then with stronger movements.

Do not warm up the baby's belly with a heating pad. Sometimes, to achieve the result, it is enough to wear it on your hands, holding it to yourself, bathe in a warm bath, or use a heated diaper.

Infancy is not only a time of adorable photographs, smart strollers and smiling children's faces.

This is a time of anxiety and testing for parents, which can be safely avoided only if all medical recommendations are followed.

The health of the digestive system is established during infancy, as it passes through the formation stage, and special attention should be paid to food and stool.