Why is my baby's intestinal peristalsis very slow and constipated?

The health of babies is a matter of great concern to many parents, but after all, children's physical fitness is relatively poor, which makes parents feel worried in many cases. Nowadays, many babies have slow intestinal motility and constipation, which makes parents very anxious. So, what’s the matter with baby’s slow intestinal motility and constipation? For possible reasons, please see the detailed description below.

Infant constipation is a common disease, which refers to dry stools, long intervals between bowel movements, and sometimes difficulty in defecation. Indigestion is one of the common causes of constipation in infants, which can usually be improved through dietary adjustments. Dietary modification included switching to a partially hydrolyzed protein formula that did not contain palm oil.

①Improper food combination

If the food contains more protein and less carbohydrates, the fermentation process of food in the intestines will be weak and the stool will be drier. Many children have picky eating habits. They like to eat fish and meat, but don’t like to eat fruits and vegetables. Since there is little fiber in the food, constipation is of course easy to occur. For artificially fed infants and young children, cow's milk contains more casein and calcium than human milk, and the stool contains a variety of insoluble calcium soaps, which can easily cause constipation.

② Lack of good bowel habits

Children should develop the habit of regular bowel movements from an early age and have regular bowel movements under the influence of conditioned reflex. Children love to play and consciously suppress the urge to defecate. Over time, the sensitivity of the peripheral intestinal nerves to the stimulation of feces decreases, and the feces remain in the rectum for a long time. The water is absorbed and the feces become dry and hard, which is of course difficult to excrete.

③The influence of mental factors

Children may experience temporary constipation if they are subjected to sudden mental stimulation, such as being frightened, or changes in their living environment.

④ Disease

Certain diseases can cause constipation, such as anal stenosis or congenital myasthenia.

The main causes of constipation in newborns (those less than 28 days after birth) are:

Artificial feeding: Milk contains more soap calcium after digestion, which can easily cause dry stools and thus constipation.

Insufficient milk supply: If a child eats less milk, vomits a lot, or takes fluids for feeding, temporary bowel movement may occur. In addition, the muscular layer of the digestive tract of newborns is not fully developed, which can easily cause constipation and may be accompanied by vomiting. As long as the child does not lose weight, vomiting and constipation are normal.

Surgical diseases: Possible malformations include intestinal atresia, intestinal stenosis, intestinal malrotation, congenital megacolon, congenital imperforate anus, sacrococcygeal spina bifida, meningocele, tumor compression of the cauda equina nerve, etc. These diseases are often accompanied by severe vomiting and abdominal distension and require timely diagnosis and treatment.

Why does my baby have slow intestinal motility and constipation? There are many reasons why babies have slow intestinal motility. Parents should not let their children develop bad habits of being picky eaters. They must supplement their children with more carbohydrates to make their nutrition more balanced. Also, try to get your child into the habit of defecating at a fixed time every day. If the condition is serious, you should take your baby to the hospital for further examination in time.