What should mothers eat when babies are constipated?

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Bui Thi Ha - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

Constipation in a newborn baby is a concern for parents, but it is a common symptom in both breastfed and formula-fed babies. In addition to treating constipation in children, the mother's nutrition is also very important.

In infants who are exclusively breastfed, their stools are usually liquid or thick, yellow in color, foamy or speckled with white seeds such as lilac and mustard flowers. Children can have bowel movements several times a day, sometimes while feeding while having a bowel movement, however, children have no symptoms of abdominal pain, gain weight and lead normal activities. In formula-fed babies, stools are usually thicker and less frequent because breast milk is easier to digest than formula.
Newborn baby with constipation is a condition in which the child has little bowel movement, many days (more than 3 days) without defecation, the stools are often dry and hard, when defecating, they have to push to pass. The main cause of constipation in babies is often due to the baby sucking less, not drinking enough milk, leading to dehydration in the body.

In exclusively breastfed babies, to overcome the newborn baby's constipation, the mother should pay attention to the following diet:
Increase vegetables and fruits to supplement fiber excreted in breast milk for nursing infants . Drink lots of water, juice, milk. The total amount of water a mother needs to drink during the day is about 2-3 liters including water, milk and juice to ensure enough milk for the baby. If the mother is also constipated, it is necessary to add grapefruit juice, or chia seeds to overcome constipation, and increase the amount of fiber in breast milk for the baby.

Breast milk is easy to digest and has little body. If the baby absorbs it well, it can be slow to pass stools, only once every 5-6 days. In this case, if the child's stool is still soft, not dry, hard, the child is not fussy or uncomfortable, the mother should rub the child's belly clockwise several times a day, combining cycling with her legs. children, performed on an empty stomach to stimulate bowel movements. If the newborn baby is constipated due to low milk intake, the mother needs to increase the number of feedings (1-2 hours/time) to increase the amount of milk, to ensure that the baby is supplied with enough milk, enough water, and helps the digestive system. works better. If the mother has less milk, the baby needs to be fed more, about 12-15 times a day. If the baby is formula-fed and constipated, parents need to pay attention to how to mix milk, should mix according to the recipe instructions, avoid mixing too thick, so that the baby can absorb the milk best. However, to cure constipation for children, parents should note that children should not be pumped frequently. In addition, if you do the above, your baby is constipated with symptoms such as bloating, spitting up milk, irritability, or crying, parents should take the child to see a doctor.

To avoid the newborn baby being constipated, the mother should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, such as chia seeds, grapefruit, ... and make sure to drink enough 2-3 liters of water per day.
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