Constipation in a child after the introduction of complementary foods: what to do, reasons

The appearance of a child changes a woman's life, the center of the universe is now occupied by a small ball of happiness. I would like to raise a baby happy, cheerful, smart, healthy. A woman, especially one who has become a mother for the first time, is attentive, sometimes fanatical about everything that happens to the baby. Mothers of babies are especially worried about the appearance of "childish surprise", its frequency, appearance, smell. The concern is justified, because the fact that for an adult a "little nuisance" for a small, fragile organism is a disaster.

Constipation in young children is especially unpleasant:

• firstly, the baby cannot explain to the parents the true reason for the anxiety;
• secondly, a newly born baby has not been sufficiently examined, and the cause of constipation in rare cases is a serious pathology.

What is stool retention in babies and when is it necessary to help?

Let's see what constipation is. It is difficult or insufficient bowel movement. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls stool retention a disease, but most doctors - gastroenterologists are of the opinion that constipation is a symptom that signals problems organism. Parents, in order not to get confused and help in time, need to know for sure that the baby is worried about the difficulty of defecation, and not something else.

Signs of constipation:

• Dry, hard, patchy stool. First, a dense lump comes out, after that the usual stool.
• Irritation of the anus, which does not go away with additional treatment with powder, cream. Stool retention provokes the formation of cracks in the rectum, damaged by hardened feces.
• Discomfort of the baby when emptying the intestines: crying, tension, bloating, redness.
• Absence of gases for a day or more.

Each of these signs individually is not a confirmation of the diagnosis, but their combination should make parents wary.

It is important to understand that the frequency of bowel movements of a small person is individual! If it seems that the child rarely poops, but the baby is calm and cheerful, then this is a variant of the norm.

Causes of constipation

1. A dangerous and rare cause constipation in infants - intestinal pathology (Hirschsprung's disease, Dolichosigma, etc.). These diseases require surgical intervention and, fortunately, are extremely rare, in about 1% of children.
2. Insufficient fluid intake is a common cause of constipation.
3. Food allergies or individual intolerances.
4. Changing the regime and composition of food (complementary foods).
5. Unreasonably early introduction of complementary foods. A baby under 4 months old is not ready to accept "adult food", complementary foods will create too much stress on the immature intestines.
6. Unbalanced diet (predominance of dairy, protein foods).
7. Immaturity of the nervous and endocrine systems. It happens that the brain sends the wrong signals to the intestines or there are not enough thyroid enzymes.
8. The use of medicines. Medicines, especially iron supplements, antibiotics, and anticonvulsants, can cause difficulty in defecation.
9. Psychological constipation. The baby, for the first time experiencing difficulties and pain during bowel movement, begins to try in every possible way to postpone this moment so as not to experience pain again.

Practice shows that in most cases, stool retention in an infant is not a reason to panic, this is only an alarm signal requiring increased attention of parents to diet and physical activity baby.

Most often, constipation occurs when complementary foods are introduced, because up to this point the baby has been eating liquid, easily digestible food, breastfeeding milk or an adapted milk formula, and the appearance of new foods in the diet is a revolution for fragile digestive systems.

Complementary feeding rules

1. It is necessary to start complementary feeding, according to the approved WHO recommendations, no earlier than six months of age. An individual scheme of complementary feeding from an earlier age is possible, however, it should be used according to strict indications, and a competent pediatrician should select it.
2. The scheme of the first complementary feeding according to the WHO recommendations: mashed green unsweetened vegetables, after the introduction of vegetables, the child should try porridge, then fruit purees, meat, dairy products, after entering the main products - fish.
3. If, when the very first product is introduced into the child's diet, constipation appears, it is necessary to abandon complementary foods until the stool is normalized.
4. It is necessary to observe the measure, starting the introduction of a new product with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the portions.
5. You can't rush to try to diversify the child's menu. New products should be offered after the previous product group has been fully introduced.
6. It is better to introduce new products in the morning to track the possible occurrence of an allergic reaction.
7. Meals should be started with the introduced product, and the breast / mixture should be offered after complementary feeding.

Complementary feeding is the most discussed and controversial topic on parent forums. Contrary to the prevailing stereotypes, parents should be guided by the postulate “less is better,” no rush, you need to focus on the individual characteristics of the child, and use a proven information.

Complementary feeding myths:

• Children have taste preferences from birth. This is a common misconception. The crumb learns the palette of tastes, and if one of the products did not like him once, it is not necessary that he will not love it later.
• It is better to make mashed potatoes yourself, rather than buying ready-made in the store. The production of baby food is strictly controlled, and a mother, buying vegetables at the nearest supermarket, cannot be 100% sure of their safety and naturalness.
• The food of children of the first year of life should be bland. Of course, the use of spices, salt, sugar in complementary foods in the first months is harmful, but the digestion of a one-year-old child will not be affected by their presence.
• Complementary feeding should be started in the summer. Complementary foods are needed when the child shows food interest. Now it is not a problem to buy high-quality baby food, fresh vegetables and fruits.

Diet for constipation

The well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky advises, if problems with stool begin, first of all, to control the child's drinking regime. If he categorically refuses to drink, offer dried fruit compote instead of water. A decoction of prunes, dried apricots and raisins can help with constipation, because it is rich in potassium, which has a beneficial effect on digestion. The food that makes up the diet of a child suffering from constipation should be rich in fiber. The predominance of vegetable, fruit and fermented milk components is mandatory.

Experts recommend choosing zucchini, broccoli, pumpkin, beets, cauliflower, plums, prunes, apricots, low-iron apples, buckwheat porridge, fresh kefir or yogurt.

Limit foods that can hinder digestion (meat, rice, pasta, dryers, baby biscuits, blueberries, persimmons, pomegranates, bananas). Oddly enough, constipation can even be caused by vegetables such as potatoes or carrots.

The diet of a baby suffering from constipation should be balanced and carefully selected by the mother and competent pediatrician, and take into account the individual characteristics of the child, taste preferences and reactions to certain groups products.

How to help your baby with constipation

If constipation in a child permanent, often causes severe discomfort, first of all seek the advice of a specialist. Tell the pediatrician about the child's condition, who will help establish the causes of constipation, and, if necessary, prescribe additional examinations and consultation with a gastroenterologist.

Sometimes mothers, feeling a strong desire to help the baby, use "harmless" pharmaceutical laxatives without a prescription - this is a mistake, without the doctor's recommendation this cannot be done.

Often relatives, especially the older generation or users of Internet forums, recommend to a confused mother start "helping" the child mechanically, irritating the rectum with a thermometer, cotton swab or gas outlet tube. When caring for a child, these remedies are taboo, because mechanical stimulation can lead to the fact that the baby "Forget how" to poop without assistance, not to mention the fact that hard objects can damage the delicate intestines baby.

If constipation occurs infrequently and one-time, try to help the baby yourself. At home, the mother can adjust her own diet and the baby's diet, she can make a light tummy massage. Do it on an empty stomach, with gentle stroking movements, with slight pressure, clockwise. Finish the procedure by warming your tummy with a warm diaper, heating pad, or placing your baby's belly against your belly. As a last resort, use a warm enema or a third of baby glycerin suppositories, which are available over the counter without a prescription.

Young parents need to realize that motherhood and fatherhood fills life with happiness, pleasant chores, but difficulties also happen. It is important to be attentive, caring in relation to the baby, to understand that troubles and illnesses can happen to the child, but it is not scary, and while maintaining calm and a competent approach to solving the problem, they pass quickly enough and without consequences.