Why does a newborn baby have a big belly?

The happiest moment for many families is the birth of a new baby. A newborn baby symbolizes hope and gives a new identity to every member of the family. Everyone should have noticed that newborn babies usually have big bellies, which look very cute and interesting. So why do newborn babies have big bellies? Is it normal? The following article will answer this question.

Regarding this issue, there are several reasons why a newborn baby has a big belly:

1. When the abdominal muscles do not have enough strength to bear the weight, the abdomen will appear more prominent, especially when the baby is held, the abdomen will appear to sag. In addition, the baby's body is round from front to back, not slightly flat like an adult's, which is one of the reasons why the belly looks bloated.

2. Babies are more prone to bloating than adults. If the baby eats and sucks too quickly, he will inhale air into the stomach; if the hole of the bottle nipple is not of appropriate size, air will enter the baby's body through the gap in the nipple; in addition, the baby cries too much and inhales air; eating milk or other food will ferment in the digestive tract through the action of intestinal bacteria and other digestive enzymes, producing a large amount of gas, which will cause abdominal distension.

If the baby can eat, defecate, does not vomit, has a soft belly, is active, passes gas normally, and gains weight normally, this type of abdominal distension is mostly functional abdominal distension and does not require special treatment, just take preventive measures.

3. Indigestion and constipation cause the accumulation of feces in the intestines, which promotes the proliferation of gas-producing bad bacteria. Milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, enteritis, etc. can cause digestion and poor absorption, which can easily produce a large amount of gas.

4. Enlarged organs or tumors in the abdominal cavity, such as hepatosplenomegaly, cirrhosis, etc. The organs and tissues in the abdominal cavity may grow tumors, and the larger the tumor grows, the more it will cause abdominal distension.

5. The main symptom of lower intestinal obstruction in babies is abdominal distension. Intestinal obstruction in infants and young children, including severe complete obstruction, is often discovered soon after birth due to obvious symptoms. However, if the blockage is incomplete, it may still be missed after a long delay. For example, congenital megacolon is caused by the incomplete development of the intestinal ganglia from top to bottom during embryonic development, which causes the end of the large intestine to be unable to relax, causing the normal large intestine above to swell very large. In addition to the baby's significant abdominal distension, there is usually delayed passage of meconium or constipation.