4 Common Baby Stomach Troubles And When To Call The Doctor

Mark Wealth

Understand these four common stomach problems that could endanger your baby’s health and know when it’s time to involve the doctor.

Constipation

Constipation happens to both babies and adults though the cause could be different. It is when the baby finds it difficult to poop. When she poops, it comes out as hard, dry balls. Meanwhile, baby farts a lot and gets fussy because of the difficulties of ejecting waste products. It usually occurs when baby is making a transition from one type of food to another. For instance when the mom tries to change from exclusive breastfeeding to formula food or from formula food to solids.

Although it’s normal if baby stools less frequently on some days than others, you should start thinking of calling the doctor if there’s no bowel movement for as much as a week or 10 days.

Diarrhoea

This is the complete opposite of constipation. You guessed right; it’s when baby’s stool is frequent, loose and watery. Although baby’s stool is normally less solid than older children’s and adult’s, when it’s excessively so, we might be looking at a case of diarrhoea. It’s usually caused by a viral infection from something they’ve eaten; contaminated food or dirty objects they put in heir mouth.

Diarrhoea causes dehydration and this is very bad for baby so if and when this condition is lasting too long, say 2 to 3 weeks, you should tell the doctor about it, get professional help.

Reflux

Because baby’s digestive system is still undergoing construction, there will be times when breastmilk just sits in the stomach, watching the day go by. Then for some unknown reason, the milk or baby’s body decides to send the milk back up and out of baby’s mouth. This is a normal occurrence with babies between 4 and 12 months. But if you notice any or a combination of these conditions: baby eating less food, less frequently; frequent hiccup sessions and/difficulty in breathing, it’s about time you pick up the phone and dial 1-800-DOCTOR.

Vomiting

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Like most of the other problems, it is normal for baby to throw up every now and again. Vomiting is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection of which gastroenteritis is the most common. Normally, the infection should ride itself out over a couple of days. If however baby is vomiting consistently for more than two days, it could lead to dehydration and this is not a good thing for your baby.

Symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, less frequent urination/wet nappies, crying with little or no tears, green or blood-tinted vomit. When you notice these signs, give the doctor a call.

Another red flag is when you notice projectile vomiting. That is when your baby’s vomit comes out with such forces that it shoots over a distance. This is abnormal. It’s a sign of pylori stenosis, a condition where for unknown reasons, the end of the digestive tract swells and closes up. It’s a serious condition that requires an operation. Yes, it’s that serious so you should call the doctor ASAP!

These are the four basic stomach wahala that could beset yours and your baby’s peace of mind. With some quick response, they could be taken care of and you can keep feeding your baby with nutritious food and enjoy watching him/her grow into a lively young one.