Indigestion in infants is another problem that bothers mothers quite a bit because it often makes the baby fussy from stomach tightness and stomachache. Indigestion in infants can be caused by many reasons, whether it is from milk, food or other symptoms that mothers may have ignored. Sometimes, indigestion in infants can also be a sign of health problems.
Indigestion is a common symptom in infants, especially during the first few months. Although most symptoms are harmless, mothers should not ignore or leave it untreated. Initially, mothers can observe the signs and relieve the symptoms by themselves.
Causes of indigestion in infants
Indigestion in infants is often caused by problems or diseases in the digestive system, such as constipation, flatulence, acid reflux , colic, lactose intolerance, or cow’s milk allergy.
Signs of indigestion in infants
Indigestion problems can cause your baby to feel cranky and uncomfortable. Mothers can notice any abnormalities from their baby’s stool characteristics, behavior, or postures that change from before, such as:
- The stool is harder than usual and may cause pain to your baby while passing stool. Your baby may express this through crying and facial expressions.
- Having trouble sleeping? Your baby may have difficulty falling asleep or wake up frequently.
- There is a problem with eating or the baby refuses to drink milk.
- Crying more frequently and louder than usual
In addition, acid reflux can also irritate the baby’s throat, which may be noticed by coughing or hoarseness that occurs with the above symptoms. However, sometimes indigestion symptoms may not be obvious. Mothers should always observe their baby’s eating behavior and mood.
How to Deal with Indigestion in Babies
Mothers can provide basic care in the following ways:
1. If you are breastfeeding, you should first observe your diet. Start by avoiding dairy products and caffeine, and observe your baby’s digestion. You may also need to be careful with spicy foods or foods that cause flatulence, such as onions or cabbage. However, if your baby’s symptoms remain the same even after adjusting their diet, it means that the food you eat may not be related. You can go back to eating your old diet.
2. If the mother gives powdered milk , try reducing the amount of powdered milk used at a time, but feed more frequently and try changing the brand or formula of powdered milk used.
3. After every feeding, the mother should hold or position the baby in a sitting position and pat the baby’s back for a while to help him or her burp.
4. Try massaging your baby’s tummy or holding your baby’s feet to do a bicycle maneuver, but don’t do this during or after a new feed.
5. If your baby can eat food, you may try adding fruits to the meal to relieve constipation. However, you should choose fruits that are soft, not too sweet, and not acidic.
6. During feeding, the baby should sit upright and after feeding, the baby should sit for at least 15-30 minutes.
7. Avoid feeding sticky or hard foods, fried foods, foods with high acidity, and avoiding drinking beverages with caffeine because these foods can irritate the intestines and make them work harder, which may cause your child to have more severe symptoms.
These methods will not only help relieve indigestion symptoms, but may also help prevent indigestion. However, if after trying the above tips your little one does not get better, gets worse, or has other abnormal symptoms such as high fever, vomiting, sore throat, or continuous loose stools, you should consult a doctor to find the cause, treat the symptoms, and adjust your approach to choosing the right food for your little one.