Does your newborn baby have digestion issues? Does he/she have lots of wind, or suffer from constipation? As a parent, there is no need to worry. These are the natural small problems observed in the development process of each baby, because your baby’s digestion system is simply adjusting to a new environment.
We will give you some hints about this normal process, which many parents worry about a lot. We have listed things to do to alleviate digestion problems in your baby. Here are the golden rules to apply in such cases:
- Your baby will have gas pains within one week after the birth, so don’t panic! These pains may happen several times a week and sometimes last more than three hours. In this case, try to calm him/her down by, for example, gently rocking him/her in your arms while singing lullabies.
- There are interesting examples of ways to deal with babies with wind. For example, it is suggested that babies who have gas pain and are restless become calm with noises similar to those created during life in the womb, such as being in a moving car, or hearing a hair dryer or vacuum cleaner. Even though they are just examples, they may provide temporary solutions – but no solutions are guaranteed.
- Don't forget that wind is a natural condition in babies and will end in time. Most babies overcome this problem after approximately three months.
- Apart from the newborn period and early milk period, during which it is natural to have gas pain, another digestion problem is diarrhea. More like a viral problem, it can be caused by bacteria, drug use and digestive parasites. If your baby is breastfed, continue to do so when he/she gets diarrhea; if he/she is formula-fed, you may need to change the brand, or stop giving it to your baby. If your baby's development and digestion system allow, you could try probiotic foods.
- Another problem suffered by babies with digestive problems is reflux, which causes vomiting during or after feeding. However, you should not assume that vomiting is always caused by reflux. Try changing the angle at which your baby lays or sits during feeding. If your baby is breastfed, continue to do so, but little and often. Try the winding method by putting the baby over your shoulder and gently bobbing up and down, and rubbing its back. Babies always bring up wind and often a bit of vomit this way!
-Another potential source of the problem may be formula milk (if relevant): try changing the brand, if that is the case. If the reflux continues, you should consult a doctor without delay.
- Constipation is a common problem in babies. It is defined as an inability to defecate, or difficulty in doing so, and may last two or more days. Frequently seen in babies who start to eat foods with semi-solid or solid consistency, this problem may be overcome by using liquidised ‘pulpy’ vegetables and fruits such as leeks, courgettes and apricots.
