Is a bloated belly dangerous for premature babies?

It is quite common for premature babies to have bloated bellies. Because their digestive systems are imperfect and their ability to digest food is relatively poor, they are prone to various symptoms such as bloating and constipation. This situation actually has a great impact on children. If it is more serious, it may even lead to enteritis in children, causing more serious constipation, etc. Let’s take a look at this aspect.

Is a bloated belly dangerous for premature babies?

1. Swallowing too much air.

When babies are fed with bottles, if they suck too quickly, they may inhale too much air. If the nipple hole of the bottle is not of the appropriate size or the bottle is tilted, air may be inhaled into the baby's stomach through the gap in the nipple. Excessive crying by babies can also easily lead to bloating.

2. Indigestion.

The accumulation of feces in the intestines causes the proliferation of gas-producing bad bacteria, or milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance, enteritis, etc. cause digestion and absorption problems, which can easily produce a large amount of gas.

3. Gastrointestinal motility disorders.

It is divided into purely functional intestinal obstruction, which is called "pseudo-intestinal obstruction", and congenital megacolon, which is a true lack of ganglia in the gastrointestinal tract. Such problems vary in severity, ranging from chronic constipation and bloating to severe vomiting, and can be temporary or lifelong.

What to do if your baby has bloating

The baby feels uncomfortable with stomach bloating and sometimes cries incessantly. What should you do if the baby has stomach bloating? Babies with stomach bloating need a nutritious and balanced diet and develop good eating habits. Do not let the baby be hungry for too long before feeding. You can do moderate abdominal massage to promote intestinal peristalsis and exhaust, and improve digestion and absorption function.

1. Eat a balanced diet

If breast milk contains too much sugar, the sugar will ferment excessively in the baby's stomach and can easily cause the baby to have intestinal gas. At this time, the mother should pay attention to limiting her sugar intake. In addition, breastfeeding mothers should try to avoid eating foods that can easily cause gas in babies, such as beans, corn, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and spicy foods.

2. Develop eating habits

Don't let your baby be hungry for too long before feeding. If your baby is hungry for too long, he will suck too quickly and swallow a lot of air. Therefore, you should feed your baby on time, and after feeding, burp your baby to allow the gas in the stomach and intestines to be discharged from the esophagus.

3. Abdominal massage

Moderate massage can promote intestinal peristalsis and gas discharge, thereby relieving baby's bloating. The specific method is to wash your hands, then use your palms to gently massage the baby's belly in a clockwise direction with the baby's belly button as the center. Each massage lasts about 5 minutes. Your hands should be warm and the pressure should be moderate, otherwise it may make your baby uncomfortable.

4. Seek medical attention immediately if you have abnormal bloating

If the baby's belly is swollen and hard, and the baby looks very uncomfortable and in poor spirits, and usually vomits or wheezes, it is even worse. Parents should pay special attention and take the baby to the doctor for examination and treatment as soon as possible.