Baby Doesn't Poop: Causes, Remedies and Massage
Index
- Introduction
- Baby does not poop: Constipation and Constipation
- Newborn baby does not poop: causes of constipation
- How to help your newborn poop
- What (NOT) to give if the newborn does not poo
- How long can an infant go without pooping?
- When to worry if a baby does not poop?
- Newborn baby does not poo but only air (farts)
1. Introduction
It often happens that, in the first months of life, infants struggle to evacuate and poop.
In addition, the gastrointestinal transit disorderssuch as dyschezia, constipation, colic and reflux are the order of the day for thousands of infants.
As we will see later in this article, causes and remedies at the basis of these disorders are always the same.
Let us therefore delve into the topic ''baby does not poop: causes, remedies and belly massage''.
2. Newborn baby does not poop: Constipation
Constipation and Constipation of the newborn child are two synonyms indicating the child's difficulty in evacuating, i.e. the difficulty in pooping and emptying all or part of the colon (final part of the intestine).
These problems are found in about 5-7% of newborns but, more generally, it is estimated that children suffering from gastrointestinal disorders in the first months of life may be up to about 35%.
The term constipation of the newborn child refers to the difficulty evacuating associated with constipation (baby does not poop) for at least 2-4 days.
The consistency of stools in cases of constipation may be soft or slightly harder.
Most easily, babies suffering from constipation are artificially breastfed, but breastfed infants can also suffer from it.
Constipation can cause a child to experience symptoms such as belly pain, crying, irritability, a swollen abdomen and reduced appetite.
These symptoms should improve following evacuation but, in particularly constipated children, may persist (symptomatology similar to that of gaseous colic).
3. Newborn baby does not poop: causes of constipation
Usually, parents are told that a baby does not poop due to a lack of coordination between the bowel movements necessary to evacuate and the release of the anal sphincter.
For this very reason, paediatricians tend to define the constipation as a functional, almost 'normal' disorder.
However, I think this definition is completely incorrect because it implies that it is normal for the child not to poop and to be constipated.
Nothing could be more wrong.
Constipation, as well as dyschezia and gas colic, are not caused by intestinal immaturity or deficient intestinal coordination.
Constipation, dyschezia and colic are the result of a inflammatory bowel picture which alters the intestinal peristaltic capacity (bowel movements), creates bloating, air and intestinal pain (more or less marked).
Yes, you got that right.
The real cause for a newborn baby to start not pooping (and having tummy ache) is the continuation of an inflammatory bowel condition that alters peristalsis and intestinal contractile capacityresulting in difficulty evacuating (and pain).
That is why most babies who do not poop also have a swollen, sore tummy and cry often.
That the newborn baby has an inflamed intestine is proved beyond doubt by a recent scientific study from 2018 ( "Infantile Colic, New Insights into an Old Problem", published in the magazine Gastroenterology Clinics of North America)
In a nutshell, they took the infant's poo, analysed it in the lab and found levels of faecal calprotectin increased, which is an objective sign of intestinal inflammation.
Le gaseous colic, constipation and dyschezia are NOT caused by intestinal immaturity but are caused by an inflammatory and irritative framework that causes pain and bloating.
Based on this scientific knowledge, I explain what to do if your newborn baby does not poo and how to help him or her feel good (and evacuate).
4. How to help your baby poop: Constipation remedies
Only after realising that constipation in a newborn child is caused by a protracted inflammatory framework, can we Understanding how to really help a newborn baby poop.
To help your child evacuate (and stay well), first of all we must act on the real causes of the inflamed intestine and disinfect it.
Only then can we help the child get used to pooping on its own again, through belly massage (Osteo-Massage).
The parameters that create intestinal inflammation in the newborn are:
- if the infant is breastfed, it is essential to investigate and improve maternal nutrition
- If the baby is artificially breastfed, the type of formula, how the milk is delivered (position), the type of bottle, the teat and much more must be evaluated...
- The mobility of the thoracic and pelvic diaphragms, which play an important role in gastric emptying and intestinal peristalsis, must always be assessed; very often there are severe limitations in children caused by intrauterine malpositions or difficult birth;
- the presence of objectifiable tensions of the gastric and intestinal smooth muscles that create pain in the child and slow down transit; to notice this, one only has to palpate the child's abdomen.
- the presence of contractures in the neck and back that could bother the child and make him irritable.
- many other parameters you will find in the video course ''Treatment and prevention of gaseous colic, constipation, dyschezia and gastro-oesophageal reflux'' in which I explain how to solve them easily one by one, also teaching you an extremely effective belly massage, it is called osteo massage.
5. What (NOT) to give if the baby does not poop
Usually, the most commonly used remedies for constipation and constipation in babies are milk enzymes (often insufficient to solve it - here I explain why), the tube and/or microclimates (e.g. Melilax).
Unfortunately these remedies are symptomatic but they do not really solve the cause why the child is constipated, on the contrary; often worsen the situation if not combined with all the precautions listed in the previous chapter.
Inserting a rectal tube or using a microclism to facilitate evacuation do not solve the cause of the child's bellyache and constipation but, on the contrary, disabuse him of his own discharge.
The more we use them, the less the child will be able to learn to poo on its own.
NB: sometimes can be useful for particular episodes but to solve constipation effectively, one must trace the origin of constipation and the causes of the baby not pooping.
6. How long can an infant go without pooping?
There is no precise time that a newborn baby can go without pooping.
In general, paediatricians say not to be alarmed and to wait at least 3-4 days for the infant to poo on his own; otherwise help him with a tube, thermometer or microclimates.
As reiterated in this article, these instruments represent short-term solutions which must be associated with the resolution of the real causes as a result of which the child became constipated.
7. When to worry if a baby does not poop?
In most cases, the parent is told not to worry if the newborn does not poo; sooner or later it will poo on its own and get used to it.
We realised that this sentence untrueOn the contrary; there are many things the parent can do to help the child evacuate and be well.
Although there are hardly any serious health risks for a baby who does not poo, constipation can have considerable negative consequences.
Increased stool consistency, fatigue to discharge, a bloated abdomen and bellyache associated with painful defecation can trigger a vicious circle as a result of which the child develops gaseous colic (crying and pain) as well as a real fear related to the act of evacuation.
I have treated many children who have had this great difficulty; that is why I fight daily for solve promptly constipation of the newborn baby with massages (see Osteo-Massage to the newborn baby) and the right care offered to parents.
8. Newborn baby does not poo but only air (farts)
Many infants suffering from colic and constipation do not poop but manage to make air (farts and farting).
E' normal?
The answer is yes but let me explain.
The inflammatory picture intestinal causes swelling and air in the infant's belly (which is swollen and often tense).
That is why, despite the fact that altered peristaltic movements make it difficult for the child to evacuate faeces, the infant still manages to emit air.
Often, making air represents a mild palliative for the newborn baby; at other times, the baby does not calm down until it poops.
In any case, to make your child well, you have to work on all the parameters mentioned so far and perform theOsteo-Massage to Baby's Belly 1-2 times a day.
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