Constipation in a baby with mixed feeding: what to do?

In what cases is it transferred to a mixed diet?

Of course, breastfeeding has always been and remains the best for a baby. The composition of milk is unique, containing a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It contains bacteria that help the formation of intestinal microflora.

It happens that due to some circumstances breastfeeding cannot be established or other reasons arise that force the child to be switched to mixed feeding.

Let's look at what reasons there could be for this:

1. Breast milk is not nutritious enough for your baby. This is expressed by a slight weight gain or malnutrition.
2. Hypogalactia (decreased function of the mammary glands), manifested by “empty” breasts and lack of milk flow. In this case, the baby does not gain weight, constantly cries and does not have stool.
3. Reduced breastfeeding due to illness or the nursing mother going to work.

Important! In no case should you stop breastfeeding completely, since no formula can replace the miraculous power of mother's milk.

How to recognize constipation in a baby?

For medical professionals, constipation in infants is defined as a lack of bowel movements or heavy stool passage during bowel movements. This definition is somewhat vague, since much depends on age and feeding method. For example, for a baby in the first month of life when breastfeeding, bowel movements occur as many times as there were meals. And for a bottle-fed baby - no more than 3 times a day.

Sometimes, parents begin to worry ahead of time and mistakenly mistake the physiological characteristics of the body for constipation. But before taking any measures, you should consult a doctor, and even earlier you need to pay attention to the condition of the child as a whole and the consistency of the stool.

Let's look at the most basic symptoms of constipation in newborns:

1. The child cries and is capricious all the time.
2. Restlessness during bowel movements. At the same time, the baby often strains, grimaces in pain and cries.
3. Emptying attempts result in crying and restlessness.
4. The stool that comes out is very hard and usually pea-shaped. Sometimes during constipation, a hard “plug” comes out first, followed by a mushy mass.
5. Regularity of stool retention for 1 or 2 days.
6. Indifference to food.
7. Restlessness of sleep.
8. Bloating of the abdomen, accompanied by pulling the knees towards the chest.
9. No off-gassing.
10. Even vomiting is possible.

Note! The manifestation of one or two signs does not mean constipation. It is necessary to monitor the child’s condition, and if several symptoms appear at once, it is worth starting treatment after consulting a doctor.

Causes

Unfortunately, there are plenty of reasons why a mixed-fed newborn may be diagnosed with constipation:

• Difficult, painful bowel movements can be caused by spasms. In this case, the baby's feces will look like small dry balls. Cramps may occur if the mixture is diluted in insufficiently warm water.
• The cause may be low muscle tone. In this case, difficulties with bowel movements arise due to the inability of the intestinal muscles to contract normally and move fecal matter out of the body. This condition can occur as a result of infection, colds, or dysbacteriosis. The only thing that will help the baby in this case (apart from taking medications) is strengthening the muscles in particular and the body in general. In this case, it will be especially useful to do gymnastics and massage.
• The functional causes of constipation in mixed-fed infants are, as a rule, directly related to nutrition. For example, if an artificial substitute for mother's milk is introduced into the baby's diet too abruptly, then, most likely, digestive disorders cannot be avoided. The fact is that a child’s digestive system is finally formed only by the age of three to five, but in the meantime, failure can be caused by many external factors.
• Frequently changing the formula is why babies also experience constipation when mixed feeding. It often happens that a mother, having discovered that her baby has difficulty emptying, sees the reason in the formula and decides to change it. A different brand of food is purchased, but the picture not only does not change, but becomes more serious. The thing is that the baby’s digestive system needs to get used to new food, the adaptation process is underway. Although it is impossible to exclude the possibility that the disorder arose as a result of the baby’s intolerance to a certain brand of food. Contact your pediatrician, he will choose the right option based on the developmental characteristics of your child.
• Breast milk can also cause constipation in newborns with mixed feeding. We are talking about those cases when a young mother neglects to follow a diet. To avoid bowel retention in a baby, you need to exclude from the diet foods such as rice, legumes, coffee, fatty meat, strong tea, nuts, and white bread. In addition, the mother’s body should receive liquid in a volume of at least 2 liters per day. Moreover, preference should be given to clean still water. It’s also worth paying attention to your condition. If the mother experiences stool retention, then in most cases the baby will experience the same. Why else does a newborn have constipation while breastfeeding, read our other article.
• Lack of water in the body. If the baby is on mixed or artificial feeding, he needs to be supplemented with clean water. The required volume is at least 50 mg per day. Otherwise, the liquid the body needs will be sucked out of the feces, their consistency will become denser, and the process of moving towards the exit will be more difficult. We have already talked about compliance with the drinking regime by a nursing mother.
• Difficulty with bowel movements can be the result of intolerance to lactose, a component found in cow's milk, which, in turn, is included in almost any infant formula. In this case, you need to switch to a lactose-free adapted mixture.
• A child may develop a condition when milk, having passed completely through the entire digestive tract, is absorbed by the body without any residue. This kind of constipation is usually called “hungry constipation.”

The main causes of bowel dysfunction in newborns

There can be many reasons for constipation in newborns. Let's look at the most common of them:

1. When breastfeeding a baby, the mother may have insufficient milk supply, which very often causes intestinal dysfunction.
2. If the feeding regime is violated (replacing formula, switching to artificial feeding, incorrect introduction of complementary foods).
3. Dysbacteriosis, the consequences of which directly depend on the severity of the disease;
4. Lactase deficiency, in which the sugar contained in milk is not absorbed by the body.
5. With elevated body temperature caused by infectious diseases that reduce intestinal tone.
6. Pathologies in the structure of the organs of the digestive system (absence of the anus, congenital intestinal obstruction).
7. Decreased tone of the intestinal walls and all muscles in general.

It is important to remember that the digestive system of infants is not fully developed, there is a lack of certain enzymes, and the intestinal muscles are still very weakened, which greatly complicates the passage of feces. Therefore, constipation is common at this age.

How to quickly help a baby with constipation?

Treatment of constipation in infants primarily involves correcting and eliminating the simplest and most obvious causes:

1. Eliminate deficiencies in the nutrition of a nursing mother.
2. Maintain drinking regime.
3. In winter, use a humidifier indoors.
4. When mixed feeding, it is necessary to change the formula.

If the above options do not lead to improvements, the baby will need to be examined by specialists such as a gastroenterologist, neurologist, or endocrinologist to identify pathologies and diseases. When diagnosing disorders, it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor’s instructions.

When treating constipation, you should not immediately use enemas or laxatives, which weaken the natural bowel reflex and loss of many useful elements.

It is worth giving your child time to train independently, using the safest and simplest methods:

• Place frequently on tummy.
• Do a light abdominal massage in a circular motion in a clockwise direction and immediately after that turn over onto your stomach.
• Light gymnastics consisting of pressing your legs to your tummy. You can make a “bicycle” movement with your legs.
• Apply a slightly heated diaper to the tummy or place the baby on the mother's stomach.
• Having noticed that the child is trying to push, you should also immediately press his legs to his tummy. When passing bowel movements, it is necessary to continue motor exercises.
• When the baby reaches six months of age, apricot, apple or prune puree can be introduced into the diet. You can also try introducing freshly squeezed, but always pre-diluted, juices. You should not purchase store-bought products, as they may often turn out to be unnatural.

Sometimes, until the causes of constipation are eliminated, the child needs quick help. To do this, there are several methods for stimulating the emptying process:

1. Actions that irritate the anus. To do this, use a special gas outlet tube, pre-lubricated with Vaseline or an ordinary cotton swab treated with glycerin.
2. Glycerin suppositories, which are considered the safest for infants. But still, pediatricians recommend using this remedy only as a last resort. It can often cause allergic reactions, accompanied by itching and burning of the skin.
3. A viscous solution for administering Microlax microenemas, which can be used even for a month-old baby.
4. Lactulose is a prebiotic that is recommended by doctors even for the prevention of constipation.

Treatment of constipation in newborns with mixed feeding depends on many factors. This requires not only the recommendations of a pediatrician, but also the attentiveness of parents, monitoring any changes in the behavior and general condition of the baby.

How can you tell if your newborn is constipated?

The number of bowel movements helps determine whether your baby is constipated. But there is another side to the coin. Each organism has an individual development, so their number is an ambiguous concept. Some children defecate after each feeding, others once or twice a day. Attention is mainly paid to the consistency of the stool and the condition of the child. If he feels great and there is no pain in the intestinal area, there is no cause for concern.

You can determine whether a baby is constipated during mixed feeding by the following signs:

• irregular bowel movements;
• the tummy is swollen and hard;
• increased gas formation is observed;
• stool is too hard;
• stool passes with a scream.

If you do not respond to these symptoms in a timely manner, you will have to take serious measures.

Changing formula milk and introducing supplementary feeding

As mentioned earlier, constipation in infants primarily requires a change in formula or the introduction of supplementary feeding. It is important to make dietary changes correctly and without haste.

How to switch to another milk formula correctly

The main reason for introducing formula milk into a child’s diet remains the mother’s problem with lactation or the impossibility of her constant presence due to work or therapy prescribed by a doctor. Sometimes it also becomes necessary to change the milk formula to another.

In order to avoid stress in the child and disorders in the digestive system, you should follow the following rules:

• You cannot introduce a new mixture before and after vaccination, as this will significantly worsen the child’s condition.
• It is forbidden to change the formula during the period of illness of the child or at the time when teeth are being cut.
• Carefully read the instructions for preparing the mixture and do not deviate from them.
• It is prohibited to mix two types of mixture in one container.
• The transition should be made smoothly, the dose of the new mixture should be gradually increased over two weeks.
• It is imperative to offer the child water, since this is necessary when feeding with artificial milk formulas.
• Follow a diet in accordance with age.

Often, even when all the requirements are met, some difficulties arise. A new diet can cause stool upset. It is necessary to massage the tummy and try to pick up the baby in your arms as often as possible.

Important! If symptoms do not disappear after a week, you should contact your pediatrician. Perhaps the new product is not suitable for the baby.

Introduction of supplementary feeding

When introducing complementary foods, it is important to remember that you should not be persistent and forcefully try to push new food into your baby. If he turns away from the spoon, you need to postpone the acquaintance for a couple of weeks and then try again. You need to know that the first complementary foods should not be combined, but consist of only one product.

The following recommendations should be followed:

1. For each child, the first product is selected individually. But if you are prone to constipation, you should stick to vegetables;
2. The most favorable time for introduction is the second feeding during the day. So, there will be time to observe the baby’s reaction;
3. You need to start with a minimum volume: for the first time, 1 teaspoon will be enough. Gradually the volume needs to be increased.

The second product can be started no earlier than a month later.

Diet for mixed feeding

Constipation in newborns with mixed feeding requires adherence to a diet. In order to correctly calculate the volume of formula needed for supplementary feeding, you will need to weigh the baby before and after breastfeeding.

The mixed feeding diet is based on the following principles:

1. It is important to exclude all overfeeding and underfeeding. It is important for the child to receive the amount of formula that will satisfy his needs. The child must be weighed after each meal;
2. A nursing mother needs to monitor her diet: do not overuse proteins and fats, as they adversely affect intestinal function. It is worth limiting the intake of animal fat, replacing it with vegetable oil.

The mother will need to consume foods that stimulate the gastrointestinal tract: fermented milk products, vegetables, cereals, fruits, dried fruits and liquids in large quantities.

Constipation in infants with artificial feeding

Unfortunately, constipation is a common occurrence in newborns who are bottle-fed. This is an alarming manifestation of the discrepancy between the composition of food and the needs of the baby’s body. It is difficult to judge the norms of bowel movements for infants, because the rhythm of life and cycles of food chains are individual for everyone. The best way to detect constipation is to observe your baby's behavior.

If the usual rhythm is not disturbed, the child sleeps well, eats and is not capricious, but simply begins to defecate less often - there is no reason to worry. On the contrary, this indicates that the mixture was selected correctly and the composition is well absorbed.

Guidelines for handling powdered infant formula (from WHO)

Symptoms

• Refusal to eat.
• Crying and irritability.
• Vomiting manifestations.
• The child raises or tucks his legs during feeding and bowel movements.
• Strained bowel movements with discoloration of the skin. The baby turns red or blue.
• Bad dream.
• Low weight gain.
• Unpleasant odor of gases and feces.
• No gases.
• Tight belly. Bloating.

Don't forget about the risks associated with difficult bowel movements. This is fraught with intoxication and intestinal obstruction, as well as the manifestation of a chronic form of diseases of the digestive system.

What to do if a newborn is constipated from formula

In this case, you need to contact your pediatrician or nutritionist for recommendations on replacing the composition. There is no point in experimenting on your own. Remember that the health and life of your child depends on this!

Which mixture is best for constipation in infants?

When choosing artificial nutrition for a newborn, you need to rely on the pediatrician’s recommendations and take into account the following factors:

• Choose adapted formulations.
• Consider the age of the baby.
• Study the composition carefully. It’s good if there is carnitine and taurine in high concentrations.
• Keep an eye on the expiration date.
• If the baby is not healthy, you need to have the mixture prescribed by a doctor.
• Watch your child's reaction. If you suspect something, change the composition.

Proper nutrition will help eliminate the likelihood of constipation and ensure full development. It is difficult to answer which mixture causes constipation in newborns. The problem will be resolved if the food is chosen correctly.

A mixture for constipation for newborns should be selected with a composition of the following components:

• prebiotics;
• probiotics;
• symbiotics;
• combiotics;
• antireflux;
• fermented milk

Types of formulas for artificial feeding. Photo: lechenie-zapora.ru

Prevention

Prevention of constipation in a mixed-fed infant is as follows:

1. Exclude cow's milk, gluten, food coloring, additives and flavorings, rice, potatoes, green bananas, strong tea, cocoa, and white bread from the diet of a nursing mother. It is advisable to exclude fried foods and smoked foods.
2. Add foods that have a laxative effect to the mother’s diet: zucchini, pumpkin, beets, oatmeal, fermented milk products, seaweed, prunes.
3. Offer your child water as often as possible. Mothers should also drink as much water as possible, because with a lack of fluid in the body, milk becomes fatty and is more difficult to digest in the baby's stomach.

By following these recommendations, it becomes possible to avoid constipation in infants.

How to help

It is necessary to help the baby go to the toilet, you can give a cleansing enema or use any laxative that is allowed for babies. Dill water or lactose-based syrups are especially popular among young mothers. Many doctors believe that lactose is the most effective and safe remedy in the fight against constipation in young children. Treatment should begin in stages, starting with 2 ml and gradually increasing to 5 ml. Lactose at the beginning of treatment increases gas formation, but this will pass over time.

So, what are the main preventive measures in the fight against constipation? Following simple rules will help prevent constipation in infants with mixed feeding.

1. Particular attention must be paid to the mother's nutrition. Fried, salty and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet of a nursing mother. Use vegetables and fruits with caution, oddly enough, but these healthy foods can undermine the baby’s digestive system. Mom needs to eat food rich in potassium, it has a beneficial effect on the child’s digestive system. This component is found in sufficient quantities in fish, pumpkin, bananas, kiwi, avocado, and Brussels sprouts.
2. When feeding children with a bottle, make sure that the child does not swallow air or eat too quickly.
3. The temperature of the mixture should be 35-37 degrees.
4. Prepare the mixture according to the instructions, use only boiled water.