Are you frequently discussing about contents of baby diaper, reflux and spit up? Yes, then that’s a major sign that you are a new parent. Every grimace and every cry can take you into a state of panic. Being worried about your baby’s digestive health is not a very uncommon thing among new parents. It is certainly not easy to figure out digestive problems in babies as all they do is cry to communicate. You need to keep an eye on each and every expression and movement of your baby and discover for yourself what it could mean. Let your motherly sixth sense move here and there.
So let’s bring new parents a relief by placing down on the table some common tummy issues that babies go through:
- Diarrhea
So your baby’s diaper is soiled with runny poop. He is probably suffering from diarrhea which is mostly caused by a virus. The most common virus that inflicts kids with diarrhea is called Rotavirus. It accompanies children from 6 to 24 months old mostly during winter. As soon as rotavirus makes your baby his kingdom to lead, all you can do is make sure your baby is properly hydrated. Your paediatrician will conduct a stool test for proper diagnosis.
When should you be worried?
If it has been more than two or three weeks and the diarrhea (no accompanied by cold or fever) doesn’t seem to stop, then he may be allergic to milk. Allergic babies not only have watery stool but can be colicky too. There can be a streak of blood and mucus in their stool. Such allergic babies are cured when they take hypoallergenic formula milk.
- Reflux
Initially your baby’s digestive system is not developed enough to have that normal squeezing pattern of the stomach. It can take several weeks to get into normal flow. That’s the reason the milk might end up staying in the stomach for a longer time than normal. It could also come back up which is called reflux. This is a normal part of the development process of the baby’s immature digestive system and nothing to worry about
When should you be worried?
The reflux tends to go away when your baby is 4 to 12 months old. In case you notice frequent hiccups, breathing problems, congestion and poor feeding, then your child really has a problem. You should take the matter to a paediatrician who might prescribe medicine. Another way of providing relief to your child is by burping him after every few minutes of breastfeeding or after every ounce of formula milk. Hold your baby upright for 15 to 20 minutes after feeding.
- Vomiting
Babies will dirty up your clothes all the time with their vomits and spit ups. Most of the time, babies tend to vomit because of an infection in the intestinal tract caused by a virus. It usually begins with vomit and is sometimes accompanies by diarrhea or fever. These infections commonly last for two to three days.
When should you be worried?
Make sure you keep a check on the number of wet diapers and amount of saliva because if it is less than normal, it means your baby is probably dehydrated. Babies don’t take much time to collapse if they are dehydrated. If your baby doesn’t seem to digest breast milk or formula, simply give him a tablespoon of Pedialyte or some other electrolyte solution after every fifteen minutes. Take him to a doctor if he vomits up the electrolyte solution as well.
Vomiting during infancy could also be a sign of malformation of the digestive tract in the form of a common condition known as pyloric stenosis. In this case the baby undergoes projectile vomiting which consists of a forceful vomiting that shoots across the room. Your baby will require and operation in this case.
- Constipation
Constipation is a very discomforting condition for adults. Imagine how it must be for babies. It extremely common among babies particularly when a baby starts consuming cereals. Babies also suffer from constipation when they are about to turn one year old and that’s exactly the time when children begin taking whole milk. An intake of a lot of milk can cause clay like and sticky stools that become very difficult for kids to pass.
When should you be worried?
If your child’s diaper is filled with dry and firm stool, he is definitely having problem passing it out. What you can do is skip on cereal for one or two days just to check if it works. In case you think, it is milk doing all the constipation fuss, limit the intake of milk to 16 ounces in a day.
- Feeding intolerance
Feeding intolerance is a common condition among babies that usually goes away after the initial days. However, if your baby still suffers from diarrhea and vomiting after every feed, you need to take him to a doctor.
When should you be worried?
Also, make sure he remains hydrated because such children can easily become dehydrated and collapse. Feeding intolerance can be because of preterm birth, low birth weight, delayed feeding, blood infection or congenital malformation of intestine or stomach. Therefore, a proper diagnosis is a must.
- Colic
You probably must have heard about babies being colic a lot of times particularly during the early days of your baby’s life. Whenever your baby cries on the top of his lungs, parents doubt it to be a case of colic. Gas or colic is definitely a very uncomfortable condition which babies express through their deafening cries. However, it is something temporary and normal.
When should you be worried?
Being colic won’t do any harm to your baby but the never ending cries surely gets on parent’s nerves. When babies turn three months old, they will no more be colic. Before that, doctors prescribe medicines to keep this condition at bay. Probiotics are a great way of dealing with cases of colic in infants.
