What to do if a newborn has indigestion after breastfeeding

Breast milk is essential for the growth of newborns, and a lot of nutrition is absorbed from breast milk. However, some babies will experience indigestion after drinking breast milk. What is going on? Why do babies suffer from indigestion? What should we do if our newborn baby has indigestion after breastfeeding? Friends who want to know the answer, please read the following text carefully!

Identify the causes and use medication rationally

First of all, we need to distinguish whether it is infectious diarrhea or non-infectious diarrhea. If it is infectious diarrhea, we should also distinguish whether it is bacterial or viral diarrhea. Viral and bacterial diarrhea should be treated with symptomatic medication under the guidance of a doctor, while non-infectious diarrhea can be treated mainly by dietary adjustments.

fasting

For babies with frequent diarrhea and watery stools, it is best to fast for 8 to 12 hours (i.e. stop feeding 1 to 2 times) to allow the baby's gastrointestinal tract to rest. During the fasting period, the baby can be fed with sugar and salt water (i.e. add a little salt to the sugar water). The amount of breastfeeding when you start feeding after fasting should also be less than usual.

Reduce milk supply

If the diarrhea is not serious, fasting is not necessary, but the amount of milk feeding should be reduced: for breastfeeding, the interval between feedings should be shortened accordingly; for milk feeding, the amount of milk can be reduced and water can be added to dilute the milk. If complementary food has already been added to the baby, it is best to stop feeding it.

Gradually restore milk supply

When the diarrhea has eased and the baby has entered the recovery period, the amount of milk can be gradually increased, but not too quickly to avoid causing diarrhea again. Generally speaking, it takes 5 to 7 days to fully restore the original milk feeding amount. If the baby has reached the age to add complementary foods (usually after four or six months), you can start adding complementary foods after one week of normal bowel movements.

Through the introduction above, I believe you already know what to do if your newborn baby suffers from indigestion when breastfed! When encountering this situation, parents must not panic, but should carefully observe whether there is anything abnormal in their children. If it is serious, they should go to the hospital for examination. Mothers should also pay attention to their diet, which can greatly improve their baby's indigestion.