All parents worry about the quality of food their newborns are going to have during the first months of their lives and after that. Meals are the source of nutrients one needs to thrive. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breast milk is the best food for newborns. If a parent cannot breastfeed, a good quality baby formula must replace it.
The choice of baby formula is a serious and sometimes even difficult step in the life of new parents. Some babies perfectly tolerate all formulas, while others should eat only organic formulas because of health issues connected with intolerance and digestive problems. There are common digestive problems in babies parents should be aware of to select the best source of nutrients for their little cuties. Go now to learn more about them.
Lactose Intolerance
Most baby food brands use lactose as a safe and natural source of healthy carbs that provide babies with the required energy. Lactose is better than sugar, honey, and other sweet alternatives because it derives from cow’s or goat’s milk. Unfortunately, some babies may poorly tolerate lactose and suffer from the following adverse effects:
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- sickness
- bloating
- abnormal gases
The problem is connected with the inability of the organism to break down such sugar. In this case, parents should consult a health advisor who can recommend vegan baby formula. Vegan formulas are based on plant milk, such as soya or rice. They positively influence a baby’s organism, but parents might also need to give some supplements to a baby to avoid mineral and vitamin deficits.
Breastfeeding mothers should also avoid lactose-rich products to avoid health disorders in their babies.
Gluten Intolerance
Many children suffer severe stomach aches after consuming baby formula that contains gluten. This disease is called Celiac disease which can occur at any time. It’s a peculiarity of the organism to reject gluten and attack the lining of the small intestine in babies. As a result, a baby experiences the following side effects:
- stomach upset
- constipation
- abdominal pains
- vomiting
There are cases when children tolerate gluten properly for many years but suddenly start suffering from intolerance at the age of 5 to 9. Caregivers should be especially attentive to their children if there is a family health history of gluten intolerance. Breastfeeding mothers should keep to a gluten-free diet in case their baby has Celiac disease.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
There are many medicines and foods that neutralize stomach acid that returns from the stomach to the esophagus and throat and irritates them. Many adults regard it mistakenly as an adult health disorder, but that isn’t true. As a result, they cannot understand the reason for their baby’s crying after breastfeeding or formula feeding.
Sometimes this health disorder turns into a chronic disease, so children might have to take drugs that prevent the food from returning to the food pipe. The common symptoms of GERD are:
- frequent regurgitation
- nausea
- lack of appetite
- food choking
- frequent burping
- irritating and painful hiccups
- gagging
If a child is diagnosed with GERD, it will be necessary to follow healthy eating habits which means avoiding acid-provoking meals and food consumption several hours before bedtime. This health disorder is typical for babies under 2 months old, so doctors recommend holding babies straight after feeding to let the air go out and help a baby prevent the food flow back.
Constipation
A newborn’s organism is often not ready to digest food properly and stool becomes too hard and big to pass without pain. As a result, babies start crying when they are about to defecate because they know how painful it is.
If parents do not correct their baby’s diet, a child can acquire a phobia connected with painful defecation. Such children try to avoid toilets and often refuse to eat to prevent defecation. Such a decision hurts children and leads to severe intoxication, bloody stools, and hemorrhoids.
That’s why it is significant to add various fruits and vegetables to a baby’s daily menu to promise a soft stool. If it is a newborn, a breastfeeding mother should follow a special diet or choose a baby formula for sensitive tummies. For example, organic brands have formulas without starch and rice that usually cause constipation. Many European brands add probiotics and prebiotics to help vulnerable organisms digest food properly.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases or Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome
IBD is a disease connected with much pain and discomfort for a human. The common symptoms are:
- body tremor
- bloody stool
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- deficit of nutrients
- improper body growth
In this case, parents should immediately contact a health advisor who will prescribe medicines and a special diet. Some doctors recommend exclusive organic baby formulas that lack sugar, GMOs, chemicals, pesticides, artificial preservatives, colorants, and taste enhancers.
Endnotes
It doesn’t matter what type of digestive problem a baby suffers from. If the symptoms don’t disappear within several days, caregivers should visit a health specialist to have a chance to treat GERD and IBD and avoid side effects of food intolerance or constipation. Only doctors know what baby formula or diet to assign to help children cope with digestive problems faster and safer.
