One of the important points that not only newly made parents pay attention to, but also the observing doctor is the quantity and quality of the stool in the baby. Its nature determines the well-being of the baby, as well as how much milk or mixture is absorbed by him. Children whose mother breastfeeds receive everything they need from her and, as a rule, they are less likely to have problems with stools than those who are breast-fed. Nevertheless, sooner or later, questions arise: "What to give a baby from constipation and how can it not be harmed?"
Constipation or normal?
It is known that bowel movement in a newborn baby occurs several times a day. Fecal matter is odorless, usually yellow or mustard in color. This indicates the normal functioning of the intestines. As the baby grows and develops, the color and consistency of feces change, with the introduction of complementary foods, a smell may appear.
If the parent observes that the excreted feces become dense, dry, like balls, then this is a clear sign of constipation. Most likely, during a bowel movement the baby is uncomfortable, he may be capricious or even cry during the process. In such cases, adults are wondering what to give the baby from constipation in order to help him quickly. However, it is not always necessary to immediately take drastic measures. To begin with, doctors recommend a massage, monitor mom for your diet or the quality of the mixture that is fed to the baby. In some cases, this allows you to cope with problem stools without additional intervention.
What should alert an adult?
The norm is the absence of a bowel movement in a child for 3-4 days, provided that his health remains normal and does not cause anxiety. One-time cases of fecal delay are also acceptable when the child begins to try a new product, in particular, this applies to the time of feeding.
The natural process of defecation, in the absence of gas formation in the baby's body, does not cause discomfort in him. Therefore, cases of deviations from the norm can be considered a sign of constipation. For example, if a child’s stool becomes irregular (once or twice a week) and is accompanied by a pain symptom, bloating. You can understand this by following the reaction of the child before defecation occurs.
If the baby begins to act up, bothers with legs (which indicates gas formation in the intestine) and the amount of excreted excreted is very small, then this is most likely a sign of developing constipation. What can be given to the baby in this case? If the baby is still very small, then you should wait a bit and give nothing before proceeding with radical measures. A developing organism is only beginning to respond correctly to natural urges. If the baby is breast-fed, then do not separately milk it with water. The feces are probably liquid inside, and the problem is gas formation, which causes a pain symptom in a child, so he instinctively compresses the sphincter, preventing normal bowel movements.
If the child has no stool for more than 5-7 days, then it is necessary to be wary and not to ignore the alarming symptom. Subsequently, this may lead to the need for the use of a drug or microclysters (as a last resort).
The cause of stool problems in a newborn
Before an adult wonders about what can give a baby from constipation, it is necessary to determine the cause of its appearance. Not always the problem lies in the nutrition of the baby or mother. If you do not do gymnastics with your child, then the lack of motor activity can affect the deterioration of the intestines. To help him do this, just do a tummy massage, an exercise to bend and unbend legs (popularly called a "frog").
But it happens that this does not help, then you need to look for other methods, for example, it is possible to use candles or folk recipes that stimulate the intestines. In most cases, this solves the problem. Then the question: “What to give a baby from constipation?” Will lose its relevance.
Contraindications for the use of candles
There are a number of restrictions under which the use of this dosage form for infants is not recommended:
- Intestinal bleeding.
- Lactase deficiency.
- Tumor of the gut.
- Intestinal inflammation.
- Individual intolerance.
- Spastic constipation.
Doctors advise against abusing the frequent use of suppositories to treat constipation in infants. This can lead to addiction, disruption of the normal functioning of the intestinal microflora, skin reactions (allergic), loss of protein, potassium.
Candle action
One of the most popular and simplest methods of getting rid of a baby from constipation is the use of candles. They either have no contraindications, or their list is completely insignificant. Before determining what to give the baby from constipation, it is worth consulting a pediatrician. Not every drug is suitable, because there are age restrictions and differences in the active ingredient. In particular, the effectiveness of suppositories is justified when it comes to stagnation of feces in the rectum.
The active component of the drug is irritating to intestinal motility, due to which there is a process of emptying it. This effect is due to stimulation of the sphincter, irritation of the intestinal mucosa due to the active components and mechanical effects.
Before embarking on such a method of influencing the body, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician monitoring the health of the child. Only then, having received approval and prescription, acquire the appropriate drug.
Types of candles
If parents have stopped on the need to use candles, it is important to understand what to give the baby from constipation in 3 months, which components will not harm him. The safest drugs are those based on glycerin and sea buckthorn oil. These substances have a positive effect when used in the morning (once a day).
The medicine "Bisacodyl" is available in the form of drops, it is well suited for young children. However, it should be borne in mind that age and dosage should be strictly observed. You should not give more, since the effect of this kind of drugs is long, it persists for 6-9 hours after the desired effect. Moreover, if you give the baby a drug in the form of drops, then exceeding the recommended dosage can cause cramping and pain.
Constipation in infants aged 2 to 6 months
In fact, there are not many funds that you can safely give a baby from constipation, which is at 2 months, which is at an older age. This is caused by the "immaturity" of the growing body of the baby and age indications. Not all components can benefit the child, but can, on the contrary, have a negative effect.
The optimal age from which an adult can use candles to treat constipation in a baby is 3 months. This is due to the fact that at an earlier age there is a very high risk of developing an allergic reaction. In the ranking of the most popular drugs are candles "Sea buckthorn." They have natural components in their composition and gently act on intestinal motility. The recommended dosage is 1 suppository per day, and no more than 3 days in a row. The desired effect comes quickly.
How to help a baby 6 months and older
When a baby is given complementary foods, problems with stools can occur more often. In order not to force the child to suffer from problems with stools, adults can help him by adding drops to the mixture or with breast milk, for example, Guttasil. It is noteworthy that this drug is given before bedtime. Therefore, we should expect a natural bowel movement by the next morning. The dosage is selected based on the requirements of the instructions: 2 drops per 3 kg of the child’s weight. The duration of admission is usually one-time, but if necessary, is extended to three days, but no more.
Wonderful prune
If we talk about folk methods, then before deciding what to give babies from constipation from food, it is necessary to determine the likelihood of developing an allergy. One of the most common dried fruits that naturally stimulates the intestines is prunes. It provokes allergic reactions in a child less than others. At the same time, it has the same positive effect both in case the mother and the child eat it (in the form of a decoction).
For those who do not know how to give prunes to infants with constipation, here is a simple recipe:
- 4-5 pcs. prunes
- 200 ml of boiling water.
Rinse the prunes in advance, then pour boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, maybe more. If the mother is breastfeeding, then the resulting infusion can be divided for both. Mom drinks one part herself, and fruits can be eaten to enhance the effect. The question may arise: "How much to give prunes to babies?" In case of constipation, the baby whom the mother is breastfeeding is sufficient for 50 ml, if the baby is breast-fed, then 100 ml.
What to do with gas and stool problems?
If the baby has gas, and what the adult does not know about constipation, then it is better to consult a doctor first. Only then can you look for similar drugs that have a similar effect and are not contraindicated in children in early infancy.
One of the most popular pharmacy medicines is Espumisan. It helps reduce spasms that occur due to gas formation in the baby, and also promotes natural bowel movement. As a rule, at the age of 4-5 months, the baby's intestinal microflora normalizes, and it is less and less worried about gas workers. But if the problem lies not only in this, but also in the lack of enzyme production, then such drugs as Normase, Lactase, Maxilact and others are recommended. They are suitable for children of the first year of life. The rule of admission is indicated in the instructions, usually the drug is mixed with breast milk or a mixture.
Bowel problems due to dysbiosis
What if the cause of constipation and stool problems is caused by dysbiosis? This is also true for those children who are forced to take medications from an early age due to existing diseases. Then they come to the aid of drugs such as "Bifidumbacterin", "Lactovit", "Acidolact", etc. They contain useful bacteria that are designed to "populate" the intestines of the child and establish its smooth operation. They are also relevant when an adult raises the question of what to do if the gaziki do not go away and what to give the baby from constipation. How can one deal with these two problems at the same time?
Parents of babies who are breast-fed should be careful about how the baby's body responds to a new product or mixture. In some cases, the cause of dysbiosis may be a mixture.
Lactulose Syrup
A fairly common drug that was still known to our parents was Lactulose Syrup. But it is necessary to give the baby correctly. You should start with a small dose and gradually bring it to the maximum recommended. This tool has a gradual effect and is aimed at normalizing the work of intestinal microflora. It is recommended to take it 1-2 times a day (infants up to a year in the amount of 5 ml at a time). It is also necessary to cancel the drug gradually. This will avoid the burden on the intestines and will not allow the body to get used to the components of the product.
Probiotics based drug
Of the number of probiotics, the Hilak Forte drug has proven itself well. It differs from other means in that it does not affect the work of the intestine, but normalizes its microflora. When introducing a new product into the infant’s diet and there are problems with stools, you can safely recommend “Hilak forte” to those who have thought about such a thing as what to give the infant from constipation during complementary feeding. The course of taking this drug is long, since the expected goal is not a single act of defecation, but the normalization of the intestines. Therefore, the duration of admission as a whole is about two weeks. Young children are prescribed 20-40 drops, it all depends on the doctor's recommendation. It is noteworthy that “Hilak forte” is suitable for infants from birth.