A newborn baby strains and groans. A newborn baby groans and arches. The child arches and blushes.

As soon as a dear and desired baby is born, his parents become the happiest people. However, their joy is often overshadowed by the fact that they know almost nothing about the proper development of the child. Why does he often cry, grunt and grunt? These questions are not as simple as they seem at first glance. You will find the answer to one of them by reading this article.

Try to lie silently in my place...

Why does a newborn groan?

The most important reasons that make a baby groan are problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Firstly, this constipation and irregular bowel movements. When the intestines are full, the newborn cannot push properly. The only sound he makes is grunting.
Secondly, babies in the first few months after their birth have imperfect digestive system, which is why they often suffer from increased gas formation. The consequence of this is intestinal colic and stomach pain. The tummy tenses and hardens. The baby wants to get rid of the unpleasant feeling of fullness in the tummy, pushes and makes sounds similar to grunting.

The posture of a sleeping child also indicates colic. Usually he tucks his legs under himself in order to somehow help himself get rid of the pain.

In addition, the baby, making these sounds, can directly tell you that dressed very hot, sweating so much that the diaper or clothes are pressing on him. If he is uncomfortable or uncomfortable, this is also a reason.

It is known that some babies are born with a small amount of hair on some parts of the body, in particular on the back and shoulders, and these hairs can tingle the delicate skin. Over time, the baby's skin will become smooth (hairs will roll out). In the meantime, to help the child, you can anoint his back with cream. Or a more daring option - honey (if there is no allergy). Put a cotton vest on top and leave overnight. In the morning, the hairs will remain on your clothes.

In a word, answers to the question: “Why does a newborn groan?” - a lot of.

Another pressing question that worries inexperienced parents is: why does their child sleep all day? It revealed - .

Everything is clearly and succinctly explained by the physiology and wisdom of Mother Nature.

Set aside the legumes!

How a newborn poops

The color of the stool is light mustard, soft consistency. A healthy baby poops twice a day (and sometimes more). This occurs less frequently in formula-fed children.

Constipation very often causes the baby to make grunting sounds. Try to ease his suffering.

If your baby is constipated

Perhaps the most important symptom of constipation is that the child rarely “goes to the toilet” (less than once a day or once).
The baby arches its back and twists its legs, and its tummy hardens.
The stool is not mushy, but hard.
The child blushes, arches and cries.
Drops of blood may come out with hard feces, as it injures delicate skin.

Causes of constipation

If feces accumulate in the rectum, the newborn develops colic and constipation. Why is this happening? This happens if a breastfeeding mother eats incorrectly. If a baby is given milk with high fat content, his digestion is disrupted. Formula milk that the baby is not yet used to can also cause constipation. To avoid this unpleasant phenomenon -.

Make sure your baby drinks enough fluids.

What to do if your baby is constipated

Lightly moisten a cotton swab in Vaseline and lubricate the anus no further than 0.5 cm.
Place your baby on his side or stomach for a while.
When bathing the baby, keep it in warm water a little longer.
After consulting a doctor, the baby can be given a glycerin suppository or an enema. However, often such actions cannot be resorted to. So that the child does not become addicted.

Should a person who has just been born sleep on a pillow? Won't this have a negative impact on? How it will affect you! and at what age can small children sleep on a pillow.

And now we’ll tell you two more diseases that can manifest themselves regardless of whether you treat your baby correctly. There is no need to take them to heart, but it doesn’t hurt to know about them:

Obstructive apnea syndrome - .
Hip dysplasia - .

Do I need to see a doctor?

Unfortunately, groaning may not always be a harmless symptom. If your newborn is groaning and straining and has any of the following symptoms, be sure to consult a doctor.

The baby is losing weight, has no appetite, and abdominal pain becomes constant.
Abdominal bloating is common, and the newborn sleeps restlessly.
Copious vomiting and unstable stool, feeding becomes a problem.

It is very rare, but it happens that neurological problems become the cause of a baby’s restless sleep, during which he “quacks” and moans. Visit a neurologist to rule out or confirm them and start treatment on time.

Sometimes you fall asleep in a bucket like this and dream about the devil...

“My son often groaned and strained at night. Stopped pooping regularly. Since I am breastfeeding, the doctor advised me to drink more water and use kefir. It really helped."

“Try taking it. It should be diluted with boiled water and taken 2 times a day. The drug normalizes intestinal microflora. I also inserted glycerin suppositories into my daughter’s anus. The grunting has passed."

“I gave my son a teaspoon of espumizan three times a day. The medicine helped a lot. Before this, he was tormented by constant colic and constipation. I also gave Nan fermented milk. Excellent product! "

Angelina:

“My child puffs in his sleep, sometimes a lot. I recently went to the pediatrician. He said that it would go away on its own, because in newborns the nasopharynx is not fully formed. That’s why they make all sorts of grunting sounds.”

“BabyCalm drops to improve digestion helped us. They relieve colic, and my daughter likes them too. He enjoys sucking them from the pipette. Stopped groaning."

They say that a child is the mother's heart, which exists separately. All mothers worry about their children. However, dear mothers, do not worry if your baby grunts, but his stool is normal (soft).

Newborn babies are very small, it is difficult for them to cope with any load, and even in order to poop, they have to work hard. And these sounds are a common and completely normal phenomenon for children.

Good luck with your parenting!

With the birth of a long-awaited baby, parents feel not only indescribable joy, but also a huge responsibility for the little “bundle of happiness.” Every respectable family tries to create the most comfortable living conditions for their child and does everything possible to ensure that his health is not in danger. But, as we know, it is impossible to raise a child without difficulties.

The most common concerns are crying, colic and abdominal pain. Many people are concerned that the baby is constantly straining and groaning, even while sleeping. To identify the root cause, you need to have at least a little understanding of what this may be connected with. Our task is to deal with this problem and find out why this happens.

and pushes: the reasons for this behavior

All babies begin to make strange sounds during bowel movements and become very tense. There is nothing scary or frightening about this if there are no other signs of discomfort (fever, crying, screaming, convulsions, bloody mucus). If this behavior is observed constantly - day and night, accompanied by grunting and straining, then most likely something is bothering the child. In this way, the baby expresses emotions and sensations. The most common reasons include:

The appearance of dried crusts in the nasal passage, which prevent the penetration of oxygen - the baby tries to breathe and cannot, all this is accompanied by various sounds and strong tension. Mom should clean her nose regularly with a nasal aspirator.
Pediatricians believe that babies constantly strain and groan after overeating. This is a normal reaction to discomfort in the intestines (digestion). If the stool does not change and emptying occurs in a timely manner, then you can do a tummy massage or a “bicycle” exercise, which will help quickly activate the gastrointestinal tract.

Intestinal colic

Colic usually appears in the third week of a baby's life and can last up to a year. These cramping attacks in the abdominal area are combined with the following symptoms: poor appetite, frequent regurgitation, tightening of the legs, altered bowel movements, vomiting, flatulence, weight loss, belching. The child grunts and strains all night, and also cries in pain.

Every second parent faces this problem, since the baby’s intestinal tract has not yet developed. A nursing mother needs to select the menu more carefully so as not to provoke colic. Be sure to exclude foods that cause severe gas formation. It is advisable to give your baby drinks that improve digestion.

Swallowing air

Constantly strains, makes grunting sounds and burps if air gets into the intestines along with food. It is recommended to keep the baby in an upright position after each feeding. Then put it on its side so that when the baby burps, he does not choke on the milk mixture. Periodically place it on your tummy; it is in this position that gas formation occurs better and the muscle tissue of the peritoneum is strengthened.

Retention of stool

The problem of changing the normal rhythm of bowel movements is becoming common. As a rule, bowel movements occur once every few days and with great difficulty. The baby constantly pushes and groans, while blushing and crying. The root cause is unsuitable formula milk (for artificial babies), poor diet in the mother (consumption of prohibited foods), frequent use of laxatives, use of enemas and pathologies of the intestinal tract.

Only a doctor can diagnose the problem after a full examination. Solving it on your own and finding out why a newborn groans and strains in his sleep is dangerous for the child’s life. You should not get carried away with enemas, suppositories and laxatives, as they wash away beneficial substances from the growing body.

How to prevent constipation?

Always pay attention to the behavior and habits of your child. If you notice that the child is constantly straining, crossing his legs and straining greatly during bowel movements, then this is the first alarming signal about possible gastrointestinal disorders. To avoid this, strictly control your diet, monitor the amount of fluid you drink, and do not introduce complementary foods before six months.

If the baby is mixed or breastfed, then the mother should monitor her menu. It is better to choose an adapted mixture on the advice of a doctor and try not to change it. Physical activity and massage also help relieve your baby of constipation. Neurologists and pediatricians advise doing gymnastics to the child every day: bending the legs, “bicycle”, stroking the tummy (clockwise). A specialist will teach you the correct technique.

Many doctors recommend giving your baby products containing lactulose. The drug normalizes microflora and has a mild laxative effect. In the first months of life, you can treat your baby with carminative medications, but only as prescribed by a specialist.

and pushing in your sleep? Norm or pathology

The baby spends most of its time sleeping, and this is considered normal. In this case, sleep should be calm and uninterrupted. It is considered quite natural when a child sobs, groans and sniffles. Bad signs are tension, constant crying and curling of the legs.

This indicates the presence of intestinal problems. The cause may also be infectious and nervous diseases. It is quite possible that he was simply overfed or, on the contrary, he wants to eat. For a restful and restful sleep for your child, maintain a comfortable room temperature.

Ventilate the room regularly; maybe the baby is just stuffy. The absence or lack of fresh air, physical activity and emotional warmth negatively affects the child’s condition. Try to follow a rest and feeding schedule, especially up to a year. Do not forget to maintain hygiene: after each bowel movement, wash, change diapers and lubricate the folds with cream.

Often sniffling and groaning are caused by tingling of the hair on different parts of the body. This irritates the baby's delicate skin, causing discomfort and anxiety. Wash your baby with a decoction of string, chamomile or potassium permanganate before bed, wear clothes made of natural fabric. Traditional medicine recommends lubricating irritated areas with honey. This advice will not suit everyone. It's better to consult your pediatrician.

When to contact a pediatrician?

If your baby grunts and strains around the clock for a long time, then without hesitation, contact your local pediatrician. Try to remember how long all the baby’s vocal sounds last, how much he tenses up, and when this is most often observed. Also pay attention to accompanying signs or lack thereof. All this information is extremely important during the examination.

It is quite possible that the newborn’s body adapts to new living conditions. Usually the grunting stops when digestive function improves. But even if your baby is cheerful, cheerful and eats well, you should not put off visiting the doctor. It will not be worse. The pediatrician will recommend suitable remedies for the prevention of intestinal disorders and colic.

Afterword

So we found out why a newborn groans and strains, and also described the main reasons leading to such a problem. No child is immune from illness and discomfort, but parents can help their baby cope with gas, colic and constipation. Adjust the diet, make sure that air does not enter the child’s intestines, give him plain water, and avoid hypothermia.

And of course, do daily exercises, pay attention to your baby and walk more. Remember that even minor symptoms can result in a huge problem if they are not noticed in a timely manner. Study your child's behavior well, since the baby constantly strains and grunts when he experiences new emotions or expresses dissatisfaction.

A newborn often experiences discomfort, but the methods by which the baby expresses his dissatisfaction are not always clear to parents. Crying, screaming, and grunting are common occurrences in many babies in the first weeks and months of life. Often the baby not only pushes, but also arches in his sleep, blushes, and shows anxiety.

Parents are often confused by these signals. What does the newborn want to say? What is tormenting the baby? Find out the opinion of pediatricians and experienced mothers.

Norm or pathology

It is important to distinguish between physiological manifestations and deviations from the norm. Grunting often accompanies the process of defecation. The baby simply gets used to the new conditions and accompanies bowel movements with characteristic sounds.

If there are no other signs, there is no need to worry: the baby is simply expressing a reaction to the process. The newborn, in his “language,” reports discomfort caused by feces.

Parents should be wary in the following cases:

grunting is accompanied by tightening of the legs;
the tummy is swollen, hard, painful when pressed;
regurgitation occurs several times a day;
vomiting occurs;
loose, frequent stools;
constipation develops, with a strong urge to defecate, a minimal amount of feces is passed;
the baby loses weight;
the newborn sleeps restlessly, constantly tosses and groans;
the child is overexcited or, conversely, lethargic and reacts poorly to stimuli.

Important! If one or more signs are detected in combination with the fact that the newborn groans in his sleep, a visit to the pediatrician is required. The doctor will examine the baby, determine how long the symptoms have been noticeable, and prescribe tests. Do not delay an unscheduled visit to the doctor: in some cases (intestinal infections) serious treatment is required.

Probable causes

Why do newborns groan? Pediatricians identify several factors that provoke noticeable discomfort, severe groaning, and poor health in a newborn. When several irritants are combined, the baby suffers greatly from unpleasant sensations.

Intestinal colic and flatulence

A common problem in young children. An imperfect digestive system and a minimum of beneficial bacteria in the intestines cause bloating, the baby suffers from gas and stomach pain.

Often the mother is to blame for an unpleasant situation: poor nutrition during breastfeeding worsens the quality of milk. After feeding, the baby receives an imperfect product, fermentation develops, and flatulence increases.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea or stomach upset occurs when a nursing mother eats inappropriate foods. Rotavirus infection is often the cause of loose, frequent stools.

In newborns, the stomach and intestines are so weak that any infection that penetrates the digestive tract provokes painful symptoms. The main danger of diarrhea is dehydration with serious consequences.

Constipation

Another common cause of painful manifestations is incomprehensible groaning during sleep. The tummy becomes hard, defecation occurs less than once a day, the child strains, cries, but cannot empty his bowels. During unsuccessful attempts to defecate, the baby grunts heavily, often draws in his legs, blushes, and tosses and turns in his sleep.

Prolonged presence of feces in the intestines poisons the body with toxic decay products. Pediatrician consultation required, administering an enema, changing the diet of a nursing mother, or selecting a different type of formula for “artificial” babies.

Crusts in the nose

One of the reasons why a baby tosses and groans in its sleep. Dried mucus clogs the nasal passages and interferes with free breathing. The child is anxious and cannot sleep normally. A sleep-deprived baby cries and gets irritated.

Crusts in the nose of a newborn are often indicated by restless feeding behavior and frequent interruptions while receiving milk. The baby takes the nipple in her mouth, then releases it, tosses and turns, begins to be capricious because her mother’s breast is nearby, but she cannot satisfy her hunger.

Uncomfortable clothes

Most mothers choose high-quality undershirts, slips, and diapers for their newborn that are pleasant for the tiny body. Sometimes things are sewn in violation of standards: the fabric is not soft enough, synthetics are added, unnecessary folds are formed if the cut is incorrect.

The baby cannot unwrap himself, adjust uncomfortable clothes, and begins to toss and turn and groan from discomfort. There is no colic, constipation or diarrhea, but irritation of the delicate skin disturbs the psychological balance, the baby is worried and sleeps poorly.

Sometimes not only diapers and undershirts get in the way, but also folds that form on the sheet if the baby tosses and turns for other reasons (the tummy hurts, the newborn often tightens his legs when using the gas).

Read about the symptoms and treatment of pneumonia in children.

How to help a newborn if the baby is suffering from unpleasant symptoms? What should you do if a little person groans during sleep, his face and body turns red when he cries a lot, and his back arches from tension?

Tips for parents:

do not panic. Check if the baby is wet. Perhaps the newborn has emptied his bowels and the diaper or diaper needs to be changed;
see if there are any wrinkles on the clothes, put on another vest or slip, straighten the sheet. Touch the back and neck: the baby may be sweating, change his clothes;
Is your newborn tormented by gas emissions, is there bloating in the abdomen? Give medicine for colic and bloating. After the baby is born, a suitable drug should always be in your home medicine cabinet. Ask your pediatrician which product to buy to alleviate your baby's condition. Baby Calm, Sub Simplex, Espumisan L, Bobotik give a good effect. It is not possible to completely get rid of colic in a newborn. After three months, when the digestive system gets stronger, a sufficient amount of enzymes appears in the intestines, the problem will disappear without a trace;
If you have constipation or diarrhea, review the diet of the nursing mother and eliminate foods that cause indigestion in the tiny stomach. Increased gas formation and poor digestion of food occurs after excessive consumption of fermented milk products, especially kefir, consumption of legumes, flour, and sweets. Avoid foods that cause fermentation. Precautionary measures are recommended not only to combat stool disorders, but also to prevent intestinal colic;
Does the newborn receive formula milk? If there is a shortage of breast milk, does the mother have to supplement her baby’s feeding from the first days of life? Take a balanced approach to choosing baby food. A cheap mixture with a large volume of substances that provide only saturation without benefit for a tiny body often causes problems with the digestive tract. Choose high-quality milk formulas from well-known manufacturers;
If you are constipated, take an enema with warm water or chamomile infusion. For the smallest children, the volume of liquid should not exceed 30 ml. Hard feces are well dissolved by Microlax microenema. An effective drug suitable for babies even in the first months of life;
Dill water will help relieve stomach pain and reduce increased gas formation. Buy Plantex, based on fennel extract, or prepare some water for gas yourself. Proportions: for a glass of boiling water – a teaspoon of dill seeds. Let the healing liquid brew for 1 hour, filter. Add 15 drops to formula or expressed breast milk two to three times a day. Add dill water one teaspoon at a time to boiled water (for “artificial drinkers”). Give a healing infusion of dill seeds before feeding;
If the baby groans, arches, blushes during sleep, cries, behaves restlessly due to crusts in the nose, ensure good hydration of the mucous membrane. Remove dried mucus using cotton pads. Pre-moisten the cotton wool with saline solution. Control air humidity and ventilate the room more often. During the heating season, if the air is excessively dry, use a humidifier in the room.

In case of severe symptoms that do not let go of the baby, act decisively and seek medical help without delay. If the baby does not calm down after the measures taken, starts crying, the body turns very red, vomiting, diarrhea occurs, call an ambulance. The timely arrival of a medical team often saves the life of a little person with severe dehydration.

Newborn babies report problems in a language that new parents gradually learn to understand. If the baby cries, blushes, groans in his sleep, or his body arches unnaturally, look for the reason. The main provoking factors are indicated in the second section. Apply the tips from the third part of the material. With frequent repetition of an unpleasant condition, doubts about the correctness of actions Be sure to consult your pediatrician.

A newborn child has a small set of means through which he can convey his needs and desires to his parents. Loud screaming and crying are the most used ones. But the communication arsenal is not limited to them. In an attempt to communicate something to mom and dad, the baby often strains and grunts. This behavior, which frightens parents, is not a sign of illness, but may indicate some problems. Let's figure out why the baby does this.

Natural needs

If a newborn baby strains and groans, this does not mean that he feels pain or negative emotions. This is how most children behave. Provided that the baby is not crying, muscle tension may indicate an attempt to pee or poop, because the baby has to make an effort to perform these acts.

The abdominal press and sphincter of the rectum of a newborn are poorly developed, they cannot contract normally. Soft stool does not put the necessary pressure on the intestines. That's why the baby strains and grunts when he poops.

In the first months of life, the baby often empties the intestines or bladder while sucking the breast: he relaxes and his intestines are easily cleaned.

The baby can communicate discomfort by straining and grunting. If he strains and tosses and turns in his sleep, then he is uncomfortable with heat (cold), tight clothes, crumpled sheets, and so on. And dissatisfied snoring is a sign that the baby’s nasal mucosa is dry and it’s difficult for him to breathe. In such a situation, you need to adjust the air parameters, bringing them to 18-20ºC heat and 60-70% humidity.

You should suspect the presence of problems if the baby constantly strains, grunts, blushes and cries a lot both during the day and in his sleep. This may happen due to:

constipation
colic caused by increased gas formation

Constipation

Signs that your newborn baby is constipated:

long-term absence of stool - for “artificially-fed” babies – more than 1 day, for breast-fed babies – more than 3 days
the baby tenses, blushes and groans, trying to empty his bowels even in his sleep
stool comes out very hard, dark and smelly

Why does a baby get constipated? Its reasons lie in nutrition. With artificial feeding, the problem can be caused by an incorrectly selected formula, overfeeding, or lack of water. And with natural - mother’s abuse of white bread, meat, bananas, nuts, rice, whole milk. If the baby already eats solid food, then the reason may be a lack of plant foods in his diet.

What can I do to get my baby to poop regularly?

Adjust food:

add fermented milk mixture to the diet;
enrich your mother’s menu with fresh kefir and yogurt;
give the baby water to drink, especially in the heat;
after 6 months, feed the child baked apples, prunes, beets and other “laxative” foods.

Activate peristalsis:

do regular abdominal massage - with clockwise movements;
bend your knees and pull them towards your tummy.

If the problem cannot be solved, and the child grunts and strains heavily before each bowel movement, then you can resort to rectal suppositories, laxatives and an enema. But this should be done only according to the regimen prescribed by the doctor. Regular use of such “helpers” can lead to the fact that the baby will constantly experience difficulties with bowel movements.

A newborn baby may strain and grunt if he has nothing to poop with. This condition is called "starvation" constipation. Its other signs are weight loss (slow gain) and weakness. In such a situation, the baby needs frequent breastfeeding or formula feeding.

Colic

A newborn baby strains, grunts, cries, arches his back and moves his legs, and his tummy swells and becomes hard? Most likely the baby has colic. Why do they arise? Colic is associated with immaturity of the nervous and digestive systems: as a result of the gastrointestinal tract being overfilled with food and gases, the baby experiences severe pain. They do not occur all the time, but a short time after feeding, but they can also torment the baby during sleep.

Prevention of colic

Don't overfeed your baby:

when breastfeeding, keep it at the breast for no more than 10-15 minutes and take breaks between meals of at least 2 hours;
with artificial formula - prepare the mixture only according to the recipe, without increasing the mass of milk powder, maintain intervals of 3-3.5 hours between feedings.

Follow the correct diet:

“artificial” children should be given a mixture with pro- and prebiotics;
Nursing mothers are advised not to consume foods that cause gas formation - yeast baked goods, sweets, legumes, and so on.

Prevent your baby from swallowing air while eating and help him get rid of it. To do this you need:

apply to the breast correctly, express foremilk if it flows too much;
do not pierce a large hole in the nipple, use anti-colic bottles, hold the bottle correctly so that there is always liquid in the nipple;
place the baby on his tummy before each meal;
keep it in a “column” for 10-15 minutes after eating.

Don't overheat the baby. Research shows that babies who are constantly exposed to hot, dry air or dressed too warmly often suffer from colic.

Fighting colic

If your baby is already suffering from flatulence, then you can help him like this:

put a warm diaper on your stomach or hold it close to your body
massage the tummy - stroke clockwise around the navel, tighten the legs bent at the knees several times, do the “bicycle” exercise
put him on your lap with his stomach
give me some water to drink
place a gas tube for your child, after consulting with your pediatrician

There are various synthetic and natural preparations that reduce gas formation and relieve pain: dill water, Espumisan, Bebinos, Plantex. Medicines containing beneficial bacteria and prebiotics also help improve digestion: Linex, Bifiform, Hilak Forte. But they should be taken as prescribed by the doctor.

Need a doctor

You should seek medical help if your baby is groaning and straining in the following situations:

baby loses weight, eats poorly, refuses breast or bottle completely
there is blood or a large amount of mucus in the stool
constipation and bloating are observed constantly
the baby very often arches his back and cries both while awake and during sleep
newborn spits up profusely
body temperature increased

These signs may indicate health problems with the baby or significant errors in caring for it.

It is impossible to give an exact answer to the question why a newborn or infant often strains and groans. This behavior may be a consequence of difficulty defecating, a reaction to pain from gas accumulation, or indicate minor discomfort caused by heat and uncomfortable clothing. If the baby is developing normally and only occasionally tenses and groans, then there is no need to panic - this is how he communicates with his parents. Frequent straining, accompanied by crying and severe anxiety, is a reason to visit the doctor.