Most newborns have bowel movements several times a day. However, in some babies during the first months of life, digestive disorders occur, which manifest themselves in the form of regurgitation, constipation or intestinal colic. This is a completely physiological phenomenon, it is associated with the immaturity of the child's digestive system.
Stool frequency can vary, and if your baby has infrequent bowel movements, this does not mean that he or she is constipated. Look at the quality of the stool, if it is soft and the act of defecation is not accompanied by crying and anxiety of the child, then this is quite normal. But if the stool is hard, in the form of balls, the baby is crying, and cracks appear in the anus, then you need to take action.
If your baby is breastfeeding, pay attention to the composition of your diet. Eliminate foods that can cause constipation in your baby from your mom's menu. This is milk, fatty meats, butter. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals and wholemeal breads in your diet.
Constipation often occurs as an adaptation of the intestines to new food, for example, when switching to artificial feeding or to the introduction of a mixture as complementary foods. In this case, start giving your child a fermented milk mixture once a day. Constipation can be caused by dehydration, be sure to give your child warm boiled water without added sugar between feedings. You can use a special pharmacy tea to relieve constipation in newborns, but do not get too carried away with it. It is necessary to establish the child's stool in natural ways, regulating nutrition and drinking regimen.
To increase intestinal motility, make the child move more. Do not swaddle him tight, put on loose romper. Do exercises for him that imitate cycling: lift and bend his legs at the knee joints, move them in the position of the baby lying on his back. Apply a light massage of the abdomen in a clockwise direction, use this method not immediately after feeding, but in between meals.
If, despite all measures, the baby still has problems with stool, examine him with pediatricians. Perhaps constipation in your case is a symptom of a disease, for example, a congenital bowel pathology or problems with the thyroid gland.
