What are the reasons why newborns have difficulty defecating?

As we all know, there are many problems with newborns, and difficulty in defecation is one of the more common conditions. Generally speaking, when newborns have difficulty in defecation, parents should actively understand in advance the measures to be taken to deal with this situation. So, what are the reasons why newborns have difficulty in defecation? Please see the introduction below, I hope parents can understand it.

1. Inadequate diet

When babies eat too little, there is less liquid left after digestion, resulting in less and thicker stools. When there is insufficient sugar in milk, intestinal motility is weak, which may cause dry stools. Insufficient diet for a long time will cause malnutrition, reduced tension of abdominal and intestinal muscles, and even atrophy, weakened contraction force, forming a vicious cycle and aggravating constipation.

2. Improper food ingredients

The nature of stool is closely related to food composition. If the food contains a lot of protein but insufficient carbohydrates, the intestinal flora will change secondary, the intestinal content fermentation process will be less, and the stool will tend to be alkaline and dry; if the food contains more carbohydrates, the intestinal fermentation bacteria will increase, the fermentation effect will increase, and more acid will be produced, so the stool will tend to be acidic, frequent and soft; if the intake of fat and carbohydrates is high, the stool will be smooth. If you eat a large amount of calcified casein, your stool will contain a large amount of insoluble calcium soap, causing increased stool volume and constipation. Among carbohydrates, rice flour and wheat flour products are more likely to cause constipation than cereal products. Children are picky eaters. Many children like to eat meat and eat little or no vegetables. There is too little fiber in their food, which can easily lead to constipation. [1]

3. Intestinal dysfunction

It is common to suffer from constipation due to irregular lifestyle, lack of training for regular bowel movements, and failure to form a conditioned reflex for defecation. In addition, school-age children often do not have the habit of defecating in the morning, and cannot defecate at any time during study time. Holding back bowel movements during class is also a common cause of constipation. Frequent use of laxatives or enemas, lack of physical activity, or chronic diseases such as malnutrition, rickets, hypercalcemia, dermatomyositis, cretinism and congenital myasthenia gravis can all lead to constipation due to weakness and dysfunction of the intestinal wall muscles. Sympathetic nerve dysfunction and weak or paralyzed abdominal muscles also often cause constipation. Taking certain medications can reduce intestinal motility and cause constipation, such as anticholine drugs, antacids, certain anticonvulsants, diuretics, and iron supplements.

Usually, the difficulty in defecation in newborns is mainly related to factors such as intestinal dysfunction, improper food ingredients and insufficient diet. Therefore, when newborns have difficulty in defecation, parents can look for the cause and take preventive measures based on the above three reasons.