Constipation in infants - what to do and how to treat at home. Constipation in an infant - what to do

The nature of the stool in infants varies from child to child in the same way as in adults. What is normal for your child may be different from what is normal for someone else. Most children poop 1 or 2 times a day. Other babies may take 2 to 3 days or more before normal stools occur.

The functioning of the intestines will change dramatically over the course of a child's life. At times, these changes may indicate that the baby is constipated.

Constipation is a condition in the body when stools are not as regular as usual. Feces are plentiful, and going to the toilet is painful. Sometimes the stool can be loose, but it can also mean constipation in the baby.

A child who consumes exclusively may not defecate every day. Often almost all nutrients are absorbed. This is very common. Babies who are formula fed may have up to three to four bowel movements a day.

However, normal bowel movement (peristalsis) varies greatly in healthy children. It depends on the type of milk, on the inclusion of coarse fibers in the food, and on what specific foods are consumed.

Understanding the possible signs can help parents spot a potential threat before bowel problems become a big problem.

Constipation in an infant can be identified by several symptoms:

You may notice that the child is crossing his legs, grimacing, stretching, squeezing his buttocks, or twisting in a chair. It may look like the baby is trying to have a bowel movement, but instead they are really trying to hold on to stool.

If constipation is left untreated, it can get worse and cause various complications. The longer the stool remains inside the sigmoid and rectum, the harder and drier it becomes, the more difficult and painful it is to empty the bowels. Your child may be holding back his stool because of the pain. This creates a vicious circle.

Constipation in children is not usually a serious condition. However, chronic constipation can lead to complications or signal an underlying disease.

Take your child to the doctor if constipation lasts more than two weeks or if you have any of the following symptoms:

weight loss;
blood in the stool;
bloating;
vomit;
painful cracks in the skin in the anus (anal fissures);
prolapse of the intestines from the anus (rectal prolapse).

Do not give an infant a laxative or suppository without first consulting a doctor.

The attending physician, to determine constipation, should do the following:

Collect complete information about the medical history. The specialist will ask about past illnesses, nutrition and physical condition of the child.
Conduct an examination, which will most likely include a digital examination of the child's rectum to check for abnormalities, fissures, or hard stools. Stool found in the rectum can be tested for blood.

Extensive research is carried out in more severe cases of constipation. Diagnostics consists of several procedures:

Treatment of constipation in infants

Depending on various factors, your doctor may recommend what to do if your child is constipated. It can be procedures or certain medications.

Dietary fiber preparations. If a child is not getting a lot of fiber from their diet, adding fiber supplements may help. However, the child must drink plenty of water daily for these medications to work well. Check with your doctor to find out what dose is appropriate for your child's age and body weight.

Glycerin suppositories can be used to soften stool in children. The suppository stimulates the child's rectum and helps to empty it. Do not use suppositories regularly, because the child will develop a reflex to the act of defecation only after suppositories.

Laxative or enema. If a one-month-old baby is constipated due to a buildup of stool that creates a blockage, the doctor may suggest a laxative or an enema to help clear the blockage. These preparations include polyethylene glycol and mineral oil. Never give a child a laxative or an enema without a doctor's instructions and instructions for proper dosage and use.
Hospital enema. Sometimes an infant may be so constipated that he must be hospitalized for a short time to receive a more thorough (siphon) enema that will clear the bowel.

How to treat constipation in an infant at home?

In addition to changes in diet and routine, a variety of approaches can help relieve constipation in children at home.

Here are some tips on what to do when your baby is constipated:

Never use soap for constipation. It aggressively acts on the rectal mucosa, leading to erosion and local inflammation, which will only aggravate the situation. In addition, the soap bakes mercilessly, causing severe pain to the baby.

If a child's constipation lasts more than two weeks, the parents are likely to seek medical attention. If necessary, the baby will be referred to a specialist in digestive disorders (gastroenterologist). He will tell you in more detail how to treat constipation in infants.

Here is some information to help you prepare and know what to expect from your doctor.

You can prepare by following a few important steps:

Write down questions to ask your doctor. There are certain key questions to ask your doctor:

What is the most likely cause of my child's symptoms?
Are there other reasons?
What research does my child need?
How long can this go on?
What procedures do you recommend?
How to help a newborn with constipation?
Do I need to make changes to my child's diet?
Should we visit another specialist?
What to give a baby for constipation?
Is there an alternative to the medication you are prescribing?
Can this problem be treated without medication?

Your doctor may ask you a few questions. You need to be ready to answer them. Your doctor may ask for the following information:

When did your child first show signs of constipation?
Were these symptoms constant or random?
How severe are the symptoms?
What, in your opinion, improves the condition of the child?
What worsens the condition of the baby?
Do you see blood in your stool or on your diaper?
Does the child strain during the act of defecation?
Does an infant have a hereditary predisposition to digestive problems?
Has the child started any new medications or changed the dosage of current medications?
Can you describe the experience of potty training your child?

Since each child's bowel function is individual, familiarize yourself with the conditions for a normal bowel movement for your baby. Note the usual size and consistency of the stool. This will help you and your pediatrician determine when constipation occurs and how serious the problem is.

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

What can be considered constipation in a baby?

From a medical point of view, constipation in a child under one year old is considered to be difficulty in defecation or lack of bowel movement over the past 24 hours. This concept is rather vague, as 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 the stool will vary significantly. For example, for newborns under the age of one month, the norm is to empty the intestines in as much quantity as there were meals. This is with breastfeeding. For an artificial child, the norm is only 2 - 3 bowel movements per day.

Of great importance is the instability of the intestines of the baby. Without the help of a specialist, it is quite difficult to determine when a baby suffers 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 behavior of the child before and during defecation.

Feces of babies up to six months old 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 feces are denser, may have a characteristic specific smell.

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 defecation: but straining does not lead to any result, expression of pain on the face, attempts, crying;
any attempt to empty the intestines is accompanied by cries and restless movements of the baby;
feces with constipation in infants are hard: either it looks like peas, 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;
lack of gases;
causeless 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 sure of the diagnosis and begin treatment. First of all, be sure to contact the pediatrician observing the child. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of an intestinal reaction to medications taken, new foods, the start of complementary foods and other factors that provoke difficulties in the gastrointestinal tract. Be sure to diagnose dysbacteriosis, allergic reactions and other digestive pathologies. A nursing mother should urgently introduce into the diet products that activate the motility of the smooth muscles of the intestine: boiled prunes, beets, pumpkin. For children after six months, in the absence of allergies, these products can also be used as complementary foods.

If the child is calm, does not refuse the breast or bottle, and bowel movements do not cause him discomfort, then this is definitely not constipation. In newborns, mother's milk or formula can be absorbed so well that they simply have nothing to go to the toilet with.

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

Causes of constipation

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 liquid

This is an extremely relevant cause of constipation for formula-fed babies, especially in hot summers or winters when the air in the room is dry due to heaters. Be sure to increase the amount of water your child consumes. The popular pediatrician Komarovsky strongly recommends supplementing even breastfed newborns.

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

Taking certain medications by an infant or breastfeeding mother

Constipation is possible when taking antidepressants, antispasmodics. antibiotics, bismuth and iron preparations, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants. Acceptance and cancellation of any medication, both by the mother and the baby, must be pre-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 blood, and the intestines simply have nothing to process.

The introduction of complementary foods

More often, the introduction of complementary foods contributes to the normalization of the digestive tract, but it can also cause difficulties with the stool. You should carefully monitor the reaction of the intestines to new dishes. Also early can contribute to constipation.

Sudden change in diet

This is possible with a sharp loss of milk from the mother, replacing one adapted mixture with another, or an incorrect transition from one type of feeding to another. Usually constipation disappears after adaptation to a new food.

Psychological constipation

This is by no means a myth, as some people think. The body of a child, finding himself in unusual or uncomfortable conditions (for example, when a baby breaks up with his 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 his parents to panic and the parents begin to constantly regret, comfort and fuss around the child, then the baby may deliberately delay the stool. The only way to treat this situation is to be calm about the problem.

Colds or infections

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

It is extremely important that constipation itself can be one of the signs of serious diseases and pathologies, so it is important not to self-treat, but to consult a doctor. These diseases include:

genetic predisposition.
Anatomical defects of the gastrointestinal tract.
Diabetes.
Disorders in the digestive tract.
Rickets.
Diseases of the nervous system.
Myasthenia.
Violation of the functions of the spinal cord.
Liver diseases.
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 disease and lactase deficiency.

Dolichosigma is an extension 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 innervation of the intestine. 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, constipation in the baby will be replaced by diarrhea.

Only a doctor can identify such constipation in a baby, and only a doctor decides what to do in this situation.

constipation treatment

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

Medical examination.
When breastfeeding, more frequent breastfeeding.
For a child on artificial nutrition - supplementing with special baby water (not boiled) between meals, while the volume of liquid should be equal to the volume of one serving.
For a baby older than 6 months - the introduction of apples and vegetables into the diet.
For a child after a year - soup, as a mandatory dish in the daily diet.

General recommendations in the fight against 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-bought juices, purees and other "jars for children", regardless of the manufacturer, are made with the addition of rather harmful substances and preservatives and are the strongest allergens for a child. Try to find some time to prepare really healthy complementary foods. From an ordinary carrot or apple, you will get many times more healthy and fortified puree or juice. The money saved on the purchase of the dangerous Agushi can be spent on a convenient blender or juicer, which will make it easier to prepare meals for complementary foods.

Enemas and laxatives should only be used as a last resort. They wash out beneficial microflora from the intestines: potassium, vitamins, protein, microelements; contribute to a decrease in the tone of the intestinal muscles, lead to a violation of the natural bowel cleansing reflex, and prevent the absorption of nutrients. Before using these emergency measures in a panic, you should try milder and more 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 soft strokes with a slight pressure on the baby's stomach. Movements must be performed clockwise. You can additionally put a towel or a diaper ironed with an iron on the tummy of the crumbs. Just make sure that it is not hot, but warm. Warm baths and the warmth of the mother's body also help well: just lightly press the baby's tummy to your own stomach.

Abdominal massage for constipation:

Mechanical stimulation of the intestine

It is performed by irritating the anus. It can be carried out with a cotton swab, richly lubricated with baby cream. The stick is inserted shallowly into the anus and gently rotated several times. Usually after a few minutes there is a bowel movement.

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 gas outlet tube is provided. It is also gently inserted into the rectum, which allows you to activate the process of defecation.

Glycerin suppositories

You can use special rectal suppositories for newborns. They quickly soften the feces 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 gently insert into the anus.

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

There is an old and allegedly 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 lead to a burn of the rectum. Even when using baby soap, it is difficult to guarantee that it is made without hazardous ingredients.

Enema

An enema is considered an emergency remedy for constipation. A syringe (20 - 30 ml) with cooled boiled water or a decoction of medicinal chamomile is injected to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm into the anus of the baby and slowly injects all the liquid. The required liquid temperature is about 37 °C. It is advisable to dissolve a pinch of salt in the enema water and add a couple of drops of pharmaceutical glycerin. When buying a syringe, opt not for a plastic one, but for a rubber or silicone tip, they are less traumatic. Pre-syringe tip should 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 microclyster based on a water-salt solution with the addition of glycerin. The effect of Microlax occurs a quarter of an hour after application. You must first read the instructions for use, and do not insert the tip into the rectum further than the drawn line.

These methods can be used as emergency measures, especially with regular constipation. Frequent use of an enema disrupts the functioning and favorable microflora of the intestinal tract and causes dysbacteriosis, which will have to be treated with probiotics.

Laxatives

Taking laxatives is only necessary when nothing else helps. Most laxatives are contraindicated for a baby under one year old. The exception is Dufalac syrup and similar preparations based on lactulose. To call a bowel movement, Duphalac must be given to the crumbs in a volume of 5 ml. If the baby is breastfed, then the remedy can also be used by a nursing mother.

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

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

Often in young children, the tummy hurts. How to help a child? What are the best treatments for constipation in an infant? Do I need to use drugs or can I get by 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 the prevention of the disease. The health of children under the age of one year requires constant monitoring and attention. Do not wait for the first signs of constipation, immediately begin preventive measures.

A simple but effective way is very useful: before feeding, after eating, wear the crumbs for several minutes in a column;
Do gymnastics regularly. To do this, lay the baby on its back, gently and smoothly lift its legs bent at the knees and lightly press it against the tummy. Repeat several times, avoiding sudden movements. It is also useful to do the exercise "bike";
Provide the crumbs with the necessary amount of liquid. Instead of tea and juices, it is better to drink special bottled baby water. You don't 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 is enough. After six months, you can use mashed prunes. Both fresh fruits and dried fruits are equally effective. You can add prunes to compotes;
Don't wrap your baby. Overheating, along with dehydration, is one of the main causes of constipation. This is also true for colds and infectious diseases: if the baby has a fever, drink it as often as possible, otherwise constipation after 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 a high content of coarse fiber, fruits rich in potassium. These are figs, green apples, prunes, dried apricots, beets, carrots, peaches, apricots, pumpkins. The same products should be introduced into the diet of a nursing mother;
Extremely useful for the intestinal microflora are preparations with bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, fermented milk products, natural yoghurts. They are shown to both the child and the mother;
Try to breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, the first six months are especially important. If this is not possible, give preference to sour-milk adapted mixtures;
If necessary, antibiotic treatment, at the same time as taking them, begin to give funds for the prevention of dysbacteriosis.

There is no need to panic if the baby has constipation. The first step to recovery is to identify and eliminate the causes of the disease. But do not self-medicate and do not use grandmother's treatment methods without consulting a doctor. Most often, it is enough to improve nutrition, drink more fluids and do not forget about massage and gymnastics so that the ailment recedes. In emergency situations, Dufalac, glycerin suppositories or an enema will help. Pay maximum attention to the treatment of constipation. The formation and normalization of the gastrointestinal tract in the first year of life is the key to the future health of the child.

On the subject of newborn stools:

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Constipation in infants or constipation is difficulty passing stools, sometimes accompanied by pain. Every child has minor violations: the baby's intestines are not yet sufficiently developed and are not always able to cope with incoming food. When breastfeeding, it can be caused by some product that the mother ate. That is why it is important for mom to eat right!

To do this, you should not get carried away with any one product, the food should be varied. You need to carefully read the composition on the label, pay attention to the amount of vitamins, minerals.

It is useful to take special tableted vitamins for nursing mothers, which positively affect the digestion of both mother and child.

The frequency of stools in a baby directly depends on the method of feeding. When breastfeeding, the number of meals coincides with the number of bowel movements. At the same time, the appearance of the feces is not formalized, it looks like gruel, yellowish in color. With artificial feeding, the frequency of stool should be at least 2 times a day. The appearance is mushy, the formation of not hard "sausages" is allowed.

More rare bowel movements indicates that the child suffers from defecation disorders.

Constipation in newborns with artificial feeding is also associated with food. It happens that the child does not tolerate some kind of mixture. In this case, it is better to try to replace it.

Causes

The cause of constipation can be increased or, conversely, reduced fat content of breast milk. In children, the system of enzymatic activity has not yet been debugged, so their intestines react to increased / decreased fat content with constipation or diarrhea.

Other major causes of constipation in infants include:

Irregular feeding, violation of the diet.
Too early start of complementary foods or the wrong amount.
Incorrectly selected mixture (if the child is artificial).
Microflora disorders, both congenital and acquired.
Anomalies in the development of the intestine.
Allergic reactions to food or medicines.
Metabolic disorders.

Even nervous disorders can affect constipation in a baby.

When choosing artificial mixtures, you should not change them very often - this can also cause constipation in the baby.

Symptoms

The main signs of constipation in newborns are a rare stool, accompanied by the crying of a child, a decrease in appetite. A similar reaction occurs due to the fact that the feces are too hard, it is difficult for the baby to empty the intestines.

How to help the baby:

First of all, change mom's diet.
You can put a small enema with chamomile.
Get a tummy massage.
With mixed feeding, you can bypass it by changing the mixture for complementary foods.

Constipation in breastfed newborns is most often caused by foods that "strengthen". Mom needs to limit the consumption of the following products:

hard cheeses;
rice dishes;
boiled and fried potatoes;
sweet pastries;
hard cheeses.

Completely exclude from the diet such foods that cause constipation in a newborn baby, such as:

coffee;
cocoa;
chocolate;
nuts.

Constipation in infants with artificial feeding most often stops with the replacement of the mixture. The same advice will help prevent constipation in a newborn with mixed feeding.
From the age of 6 months, additional foods are introduced into the child's diet. At this stage, the causes of constipation in newborns lie precisely in them. There are a number of foods that can interfere with the passage of feces.

apples;
bananas;
pears;
semolina;
rice porrige;
boiled carrots;
eggplant;
bread.

How to treat constipation at home

Special exercises will help cure constipation in a month-old baby. The well-known "bicycle": gently and gently taking the child by the legs, you need to make progressive movements, as if pedaling. The baby will like this exercise and normalizes blood circulation in the pelvic organs.

The frequent laying out of the child on the tummy will also help - this perfectly activates the work of the intestines.

At home, treatment includes taking warm baths. Chamomile can be added to the water, which has a beneficial effect on all the organs of the child, and also soothes him.

To liquefy hard feces, it is recommended to put microclysters. To do this, a decoction of chamomile is collected in a syringe and injected into the baby's anus. In order not to injure the anus, before the introduction of the syringe, both the ass and the tip are lubricated with baby cream.

The enema solution must be cold! Warm water will quickly be absorbed by the intestinal walls and will not have time to reach the feces.

Constipation in babies causes a lot of inconvenience to both mother and baby. The pharmacy industry produces special gas outlet tubes. If the causes of constipation in infants are gases, then inserting such a tube into the anus will help them move away.

All the ways to heal constipation in infants did not help, what to do next?

Try glycerin suppositories. They are sold in a pharmacy without a prescription, are completely harmless and help to empty the intestines well.

When to go to the doctor

If constipation in an infant lasts more than 1 day, it's time to sound the alarm and contact a pediatrician.

The main symptoms of constipation in infants, in which it is necessary to be examined by a doctor:

Rare stools, less than 2 times a day.
Extremely rare stool (1 every 2 days).
Before defecation, the child twists his legs, cries.
Crying during or after stool.
Blood impurities in the stool.
Mucus impurities.
Very hard stools.
Offensive stools of atypical color.
Bloating.
Vomit.
Refusal to eat.

The above manifestations may indicate the presence of serious diseases, in which - this is just a symptom. Therefore, if constipation in an infant happens often, you do not need to guess what to do, it is better to immediately consult a doctor.

Treatment of constipation in children

Treatment of constipation in newborns begins with a careful history taking. The doctor will examine the baby, palpate the tummy. The mother should be ready to talk about all the violations in the child's behavior in as much detail as possible. To exclude the development of dysbacteriosis, feces will be sent for analysis. The doctor will also prescribe blood and urine tests to assess the general condition of the child's body.

Constipation in infants is not uncommon, however, only a complete examination of a small organism will help to find the exact cause. X-ray examination is prescribed to identify tumors and disorders in the structure of the sacral spine. Ultrasound will show the condition of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis. An examination by a neurologist will identify or rule out neurological failures.

Prevention of constipation in infants

To avoid such violations, you must definitely walk a lot: fresh air benefits every person. In this case, it is not necessary to wrap the child, he must be dressed according to the weather.

Every mother tries to be a little doctor: a light massage of the tummy and exercise will benefit the child.

Nutrition adjustment, timely and dosed introduction of complementary foods is the most important direction in the treatment of constipation in children under 1 year old. Whatever the causes of constipation, you can't do without following the basic principles of the diet, and in some cases, just changing the diet can normalize your baby's stool.

When compiling a diet, it is necessary to take into account age characteristics; this is most true for infants.
The menu sharply reduces the number of products that inhibit intestinal motility, and increases the proportion of products that promote bowel movement; drinking regime is corrected.
The diet should be complete in terms of calories, vitamin and mineral composition, contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The transition to a diet in children with already formed taste preferences should be carried out gradually so as not to provoke tantrums and food refusals.
The main recommendations for the nutrition of the child will have to be observed constantly, and not just until the constipation is eliminated.

Age features

Loading the child's digestive system with foods that immature enzyme systems are unable to digest, you provoke all kinds of functional disorders (constipation, periodic vomiting and regurgitation), lay the foundation for the development of serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the future.

Unfortunately, we have to admit that even caring, educated and well-read parents sometimes allow malnutrition. What can we say about socially maladjusted families or mothers who listen only to the advice of friends and grandmothers.

Alas, I still encounter simply egregious cases of irresponsibility or illiteracy of parents. Every month in my practice there are babies who are fed from the common table almost from the age of one month: the baby eats cabbage soup, salted fish, sausage, etc. The motivation of parents to switch to such food is very different: from “well, he looks like that, how we eat! to “I, too, was fed this way as a child, and nothing.”

Menu composition

Yogurt with banana promotes bowel movements and, moreover, does not cause allergies.

Products from different groups affect the rate of bowel movement in different ways: some increase it, others reduce it, and others do not have any effect. In the menu of small patients with constipation, food that promotes bowel movement in any way should prevail (activation of peristalsis, the ability to increase the volume of feces, etc.). Foods that slow down emptying should be excluded from the diet or reduced to a minimum.

Healthy foods:

vegetables (the laxative effect is most pronounced in and, followed by cauliflower and);
buckwheat and barley groats;
black bread;
sweet and sour fruits and berries (plums, prunes, apples, apricots);
, curdled milk, yogurt;
fruit and vegetable juices with pulp;
jams, jams, syrups (homemade, no thickeners).

Unwanted products:

strong tea, cocoa;
semolina and rice groats;
jelly;
mucous soups;
pasta;
sweet pastries;
fresh wheat bread.

Indifferent products:

meat and fish;
stale wheat bread;
cottage cheese.

Drinking regime

Children suffering from constipation should daily. First of all, this is water - unboiled, filtered is better, but now the probability of microbial contamination is too high, so it is better to boil the water. You can give bottled non-carbonated drinking water.

Additional fluid intake is also provided by first courses, compotes, juices, mineral water.

Diet for a child under 1 year old with constipation

The optimal food for a baby is mother's milk, and it is this and only it that he should receive at least up to 4 months, and ideally up to six months. Women's milk is the best prevention of constipation and other digestive problems. If natural feeding is impossible for some reason, the child is transferred to artificial feeding, but not to cow's milk, and even more so not to the general table.

Breastfeeding is the best way to prevent constipation in children under 1 year of age.

If you are constipated while feeding on breast milk alone, pay attention to the following points:

the diet of the mother herself - it should contain enough products that activate the work of the intestines (for example, my child responded perfectly to my use of steamed prunes, 5-6 berries daily);
drinking regimen of mother and child - a lot of liquid is required (more than 2 liters per day); the child should be supplemented only in hot weather, at high temperatures and dry air in the room, as well as against the background of other diseases.

For artificial children suffering from constipation, adapted mixtures are individually selected. Sour-milk mixtures, mixtures with prebiotics and marked "comfortable digestion" are good at restoring the normal frequency of bowel movements.

Rules and features of the introduction of complementary foods for infants suffering from constipation:

Complementary foods are introduced at the same time as for healthy children (not earlier than 4 months), and gradually: from 1 tsp. per day, adding daily ½ tsp. New products should appear on the menu no more than once a week.
The first to be introduced is zucchini, from other vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, green peas, cauliflower, broccoli will be preferred.
the work of the intestine is stimulated by corn, buckwheat, oatmeal; you can use porridge with fruits and vegetables. Rice and semolina porridge are undesirable.
Fruit purees and juices are also introduced according to age. It is good to include in the menu mashed prunes, apricots, plums, apples; vegetable (carrot, pumpkin) and fruit (plum, apricot, apple) juices with pulp.
From 9 months, a fermented milk product appears as a third complementary food - kefir, always for children.

Sample menu for an 8 month old baby

1st breakfast - buckwheat porridge with apple, breast milk or formula;
2nd breakfast - breast milk;
lunch - mashed zucchini and carrots with beef and breast milk;
afternoon snack - cottage cheese, prune puree;
1st dinner - cauliflower puree with vegetable oil, plum juice;
2nd dinner - breast milk.

All children suffering from constipation will need to follow a special diet constantly. Disruptions in the diet, the introduction of a product that is out of time for age or a product prohibited under this condition of the intestine, and even a return to the previous diet usually ends with the resumption of constipation.

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Article last updated: 02/04/2019

Constipation in infants is manifested by slow and difficult emptying of their intestines. At the same time, the number of acts of defecation is an absolutely individual number until the introduction of complementary foods for children who are breastfed. For infants who are fed artificial nutrition, the normal amount of bowel movements is 1-2 times a day.

To make a diagnosis of constipation, one should rather rely not on the number of bowel movements, but on the weight gain of the baby and his general condition. If the child feels great and does not feel discomfort from his diet, then you should not worry and panic in vain.

If the infant, along with the absence of stool, shows excessive anxiety, does not gain weight well, emits putrefactive gases, cries and tightens the legs when feeding, strains heavily when trying to perform an act of defecation, then constipation can be suspected and treatment should begin.

The main causes of constipation in infants

Only an experienced pediatrician can determine the exact cause, since there are several reasons that can cause difficult bowel movements in infants:

the use of products that fix feces in infants;
insufficient maturity of the central nervous system;
various bowel diseases;
teething;
transfer from breastfeeding to artificial;
insufficient work of the thyroid gland, which leads to weak production of hormones;
allergic reactions;
lack of milk in a nursing mother;
taking antibiotics, antispasmodics, antidepressants or iron-containing drugs by a nursing mother.

In the womb, the baby gets used to close bodily contact with his mother. Therefore, after birth, he may experience psychogenic constipation due to the lack of this contact! Try in every possible way to maintain this connection with the baby, take him in your arms more often, hug and cuddle him.

What foods can cause constipation in babies up to a year of age

There are several types of foods that cause constipation in infants:

rice porridge (polished rice is especially dangerous);
unripe bananas;
meat with a high fat content, canned meat;
hard and fatty cheeses;
hard-boiled chicken eggs;
milk drinks made from whole milk;
strong fish or meat broths;
bakery products;
pasta, mashed potatoes and semolina;
boiled carrots, eggplants, mushrooms;
chocolate;
some types of nuts (cashews, Greek, peanuts);
sweet dough products and other confectionery products;
strong coffee, tea and mint drinks, as well as cocoa.

Some medications can also cause difficult bowel movements in children! You should not self-medicate your child, and the manifestation of signs and symptoms of constipation should seek help from your pediatrician.

There are a number of reasons for constipation in formula-fed babies. The milk mixture must be individually selected for each baby, since the wrong one can cause problems with the intestines. You should select the most suitable mixture according to the recommendations of pediatricians and your own observations of the well-being of the baby.

An abrupt change in nutrition to a different type of mixture can provoke difficult defecation. This procedure should be done slowly over several days.

The introduction of drinking water is a prerequisite for infants who are breastfed. Lack of fluid can cause thickening of stool masses and make it difficult to defecate.

What to feed a child with constipation

If there are problems with defecation in a child of a nursing mother, you need to adjust your menu and the diet of feeding the baby. Do not completely abandon foods that can provoke constipation in infants. For example, a large amount of calcium is found in cottage cheese and hard cheeses. Therefore, you do not need to give them up, since calcium is extremely useful for both the baby and the mother herself.

What to feed a child with constipation? Include more fruits and vegetables in the menu, which are rich in fiber and contain a lot of potassium. This will help improve the patency of the baby's intestines and cope with this problem. You also need to replace dairy dishes from whole cow's milk with fermented milk products, goat's milk. Experts recommend reducing the consumption of buns, fresh white bread, biscuits, other flour and confectionery products, replacing them with crackers or biscuits. Nursing mothers should pay attention to the use of a large amount of liquid in their menu so that breast milk is not too thick and fatty, which in turn can lead to constipation in the child.

Don't cut out meat completely! You need to eat it in combination with vegetables, herbs and fruits. The same rule applies to cereal soups and cereals.

Unripe bananas, green apples and pears cause constipation due to their high starch content. And in these fully ripe fruits, part of the starch passes into pectin, which can weaken the work of the intestines of children. Nursing mothers can take this fact into account in order to be able to make the right menu and control the normal stool in a child.

Prevention of difficult bowel movements in infants

If your child has problems with bowel movements, be sure to visit the local pediatrician with him. He is obliged to examine the baby, find out the cause of this problem and give a full consultation on the further treatment of constipation. Do not delay going to the doctor until a later date, hoping that everything will go away on its own. Also, do not do home treatment. Remember that the health of your child depends on your actions!

To avoid the recurrence of this unpleasant phenomenon, mothers should adhere to some preventive basics.

Balance your own nutrition and your baby's nutrition so that he can eat fully and get all the necessary nutrients. Remember to keep a food diary in which you record your child's reactions to certain foods. This will help to avoid constipation, diarrhea and manifestations of allergic reactions in the child.

Do a little gymnastics or a light massage for the baby. While playing with him, press his legs and “turn the bike”. With gentle circular motions of the palm of your hand, massage his tummy in a clockwise direction. Don't forget to put your baby on your stomach more often. These simple treatments can help strengthen your baby's abdominal muscles and help with bowel problems.

Don't forget to be close with your child! Be sure to find plenty of time to cuddle him or put him on your chest. This will definitely calm the baby and normalize the work of all his organs!

You should not treat such problems in infants with soap, thermometers and other "folk methods"! It has been scientifically proven that such stimulation of the intestines is extremely harmful and can lead to addiction.