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As a new parent, you’re probably used to your baby’s spit up and messy diapers, but you might not be aware of when baby’s tummy troubles are serious enough to require a doctor’s visit. A lot of new parents assume that all tummy problems need medical attention, but this is usually not the case. Most of the time, tummy problems in babies are minor, and you can easily help baby get through them without seeking the advice of your pediatrician. From burping practices to baby massage with baby lotion, there are a lot of different things that you can do to keep your little one’s tummy happy.
Common Tummy Issues for Babies
One of the most common signs of digestive problems in babies is spitting up. If you’re a parent, then there’s no doubt you’ve experienced this time and time again and have gone through quite a bit of laundry because of it. Most of the time, spit up is the result of a simple case of reflux. It takes most babies several weeks to get used to the normal pattern of squeezing in the stomach, and during this time you’re likely to be wearing baby’s lunch more often than not. Spit up is usually nothing to worry about, and you can help your baby with the digestion process by burping him or her often. This should do the trick to help baby’s tummy, but you may need to spend some time cleaning baby up with a no-rinse wash or applying some baby lotion afterwards to get rid of that spit-up smell.
There’s a major difference between spit up and vomit, and sadly most parents get to be intimately familiar with both when they have new babies. Vomiting is likely to be a sign that your baby has an infection in the intestinal tract, so this is not something that you’ll really be able to soothe with a massage with baby lotion. Although most infections like this run their course in just a few days, you may want to consider taking your baby to the pediatrician if you notice things like fewer wet diapers and little saliva, as this could indicate dehydration. In most cases, though, you’ll just need to keep a close eye on baby for a few days and try to keep him or her as comfy as possible.
Diarrhea is another common tummy problem that afflicts most babies. Usually, this is caused by a virus and is accompanied by a fever or a host of other unpleasant symptoms. Not only is this tummy issue stinky, it can also get messy, and there’s not a lot you can do. Your baby’s tummy is likely to be sore, so a massage with baby lotion probably won’t help and could even make your baby crankier. The best thing for you to do for your little one when this problem presents itself is make sure your baby stays hydrated. Giving your little one plenty of liquids during this time will help ensure that he or she doesn’t get dehydrated and things don’t get worse. If you’re worried that your baby isn’t getting better when suffering from any tummy problem, a trip to the pediatrician may be a good idea.
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