The baby's first months of life, the digestive system is not yet fully formed, this explains the frequent dyspeptic disorders. A newborn baby may suffer from flatulence, frequent loose stools, or constipation (About constipation: signs and causes of constipation in an infant) The inability to completely empty the intestines leads to abdominal pain, crying, and naturally, each parent is looking for a cure for constipation for newborns.
What to do with constipation
First you need to understand exactly what constipation is. Some mothers believe that if their child has not emptied their intestines for three to four days, then this is a serious problem that must be consulted by a doctor. In fact, this is not entirely true, in some babies a rare bowel movement is considered a normal option and if the general well-being does not suffer, the baby is cheerful, eats well and sleeps, then you can put off your anxiety. (How many times a baby should poop)
True constipation is a condition in which the baby, taking all his efforts, that is pushing, straining and grunting cannot get rid of accumulated feces. At the same time, he cries, presses his legs to his stomach, worries, refuses to feed.
The inability to empty the intestines can bother just a few days or every day, it depends on the physiological characteristics of the body and on what you feed your baby - breast milk or mixtures.
With constipation, solid feces are released, sometimes with an admixture of mucus or blood streaks. During defecation, the baby cries, his face turns red from exertion, there is a strong anxiety and this continues until the intestines are completely empty.
After the first constipation, you should not immediately run to the pharmacy and look for a laxative for newborns, any medicine is still chemistry and it is unlikely to be useful for the baby's body. First you need to deal with the diet of the child and eliminate the identified errors.
Pediatricians are often advised to adhere to the following recommendations for young mothers:
- If the baby eats mother’s milk, then you need to be especially careful in drawing up your diet. It is not advised to use strengthening products, nutrition should be varied with plant components (Nursing mom's nutrition).
- The child, both on artificial and breastfeeding, needs additional portions of boiled water. Every day, the baby needs to give several sips of water from a small spoon in between feedings.
- The kid needs to move actively - daily exercise and light tummy massage positively affect the condition of the intestine. From constipation, laying on the stomach also helps.
- Babies in the first months of life with problems with stool should be given dill water or a few drops of a prune decoction.
If all the measures taken do not help, then you need to visit a pediatrician - the doctor will evaluate the general condition of the child and offer one of the safest laxatives for newborns.
Laxatives recommended and approved for use
Laxatives for children in the first months of life are available in several dosage forms and most often they are syrups, solutions or suppositories.
Most often, with rare problems with emptying and to provide quick assistance to the tummy, pediatricians are advised to resort to the use of rectal laxative suppositories, you can purchase them at any pharmacy.
- Rectal candles act at the local level, therefore they do not have a negative effect on the whole organism. Candles with glycerin are considered the safest, they can be used already from the first days of the baby's life, so the expectant mother can stock up on them in advance. For newborn babies with constipation, 1/8 of the suppository should be used, for children from a month and older, the dosage is doubled. Laxative suppositories soften feces, make bowel movements painless and easy. It is only necessary to remember that any medicine is used only in extreme cases, otherwise the intestines will get used to working with its stimulation.
- Syrups and solutions. The pharmaceutical industry produces a wide variety of drugs to facilitate bowel movements. Moms need to remember that you only need to choose where the age of the child is indicated and the instructions are completely painted.
- Prelax - The main active ingredient of the syrup is lactulose, which improves intestinal motility and has a positive effect on its microflora. Prelax is also used as a prophylactic against constipation, the effect of its first use begins to appear within an hour. Syrup Details
- Dufalac the drug belongs to laxatives made on the basis of natural components of whey. Tasty syrup can be given to the baby from the first days of life, you need to remember that the maximum effect of its use most often develops on the next day. In the first days of taking the baby, flatulence may intensify, usually passes after a few days. Dufalac has a positive effect on the normalization of intestinal microflora, this leads to the stabilization of its work. Article about Dufalac
- Normolact - Another laxative based on lactulose. Taking the drug begins with high doses, then when the desired effect is achieved, they are gradually reduced. The medicine can be used for a long time.
- Microlax - a new generation drug acting as a microclyster. The effect of its use comes quite quickly, the only thing that stops many mothers from buying is a rather high price. Details about Microlax - instructions for use, pros and cons, price
Self-selected medicines for constipation for newborns should be only an emergency aid. With frequent constipation, the baby's parents need to see a doctor, this will help to identify some hereditary or congenital bowel diseases. With constipation in the first weeks of a child’s life, young mothers should not panic - the baby’s body adapts to the changing living conditions for him and adapts to food.
Read on: How to make a baby an enema
Useful article, I wish I had come across it before. When my son was six months old, I started to give complementary foods and faced with the problem of constipation, the child did not go to the toilet for two days, they put an enema with microlax, thank God it did not last long, the constipation went away within two weeks.
When I was only breastfeeding, if the child was not cocoa, then I simply ate fresh cucumbers, prunes, apples, and did a tummy massage. Then, when I started feeding, I gave the child beetroot juice and an apple.
Until 1 year, the son had constantly problems with the digestive system. Constipation was added to the constant diathesis. A decoction of dill and fennel seeds really helped us out. They also gave pumpkin porridge, a little boiled beets. Prunes insisted and gave this water. Fortunately, after 1 year, more or less everything returned to normal.
Up to a year, constipation bothered periodically, although they drank some water, and did massages, but all the same, the child suffered for three days and could not properly poop. On the advice of a pediatrician, glycelax candles were used. They are harmless and very well help and from them no discomfort, as from other laxatives.
I did not give any microlaxes, duphalac and other drugs to the child. Only glycerin candles. I believe that this is the most effective and safe way to get rid of constipation. Glycelax acts exactly where it is needed. But it does not travel through the intestines and irritates the mucous membrane. And so I inserted a small candle in the ass and after a few minutes there is no problem. Beauty!!!!
Of laxatives like Export. He is both childish and adult, so I take it for the child. I like that after going to the toilet he goes stably no later than a day later. Without straining and pain, the process proceeds and is not addictive. In my opinion, it combines all the most important.
I have been friends with Exportal for children for a long time. Constipation in a baby almost from birth. Therefore, we tried a lot of things and different. I liked the exportal because it acts very gently, the child does not hurt when going to the toilet. In addition, the result of the reception inevitably occurs no later than 24 hours.
The best laxative ever bought for a child is Children's Export. Without taste and smell, it eliminates constipation very gently, no cuts, swelling, frustration, after use there is no. The child pooping as usual, without even straining and not experiencing any discomfort.
I don’t understand why they won’t make a medicine like regulax for kids. That it was tasty to drink that helped just as well.
It is strange that you can not give regululax to young children, it seems to be like natural