Does your newborn baby need supplements?

Becoming a parent is an exciting part of life, but it can be confusing as well. Babies cry for many different reasons, and trying to figure out why is often a crapshoot. Are they wet, hungry, do they need rest, or are they in some sort of discomfort? Often you find yourself running through a process of elimination to try to find the answer. One thing that helps is to have them on a regular feeding schedule whether you are currently giving them breast milk or formula. Keeping a regular schedule helps anticipate hunger and when they need to be changed.

Sometimes, however, your baby cries for reasons unknown. Just like adults, babies can develop digestive distress, resulting in gas, indigestion, and even constipation. When your baby is a newborn and only taking bottles, doctors often suggest adding water in between feedings to help soften stools and ease constipation. While fiber supplements for newborn babies are generally not recommended, a supplement can be helpful once they begin eating solid foods.

The full picture

If your baby cries more than the average or persists with crying for hours at a time, make an appointment with the pediatrician. The doctor will do an examination to cover the complete health of a newborn before making a diagnosis. Healthy babies between the ages of three weeks and three months that cry for hours at a time are generally diagnosed with colic. Although the exact cause is not known, colic may be the result of a baby’s immature nervous system. The problem will generally resolve when the nervous system develops more fully.

As a parent of a baby that cries nonstop, you may wonder if they’re experiencing gas or constipation. And, you may want to ask does your newborn baby need supplements to help with digestion. If you’re breastfeeding, your pediatrician will most likely advise you to begin an experiment of eliminating certain foods from your diet to see if the baby becomes more comfortable.

Supplemental options

As your newborn child grows and starts to eat solid food over bottles or breastfeeding, however, there is a chance he or she will develop constipation. Toddlers are not good about including all of the food groups and will often focus on foods that are not high in bulk. Liquid fiber supplements for toddlers such as Yummy Fiber can keep everything moving smoothly.

Read more about how to boost your toddler’s fiber intake on the Vibrant Nutraceuticals site. Yummy Fiber is a safe, mild tasting, easy to use supplement that can help prevent constipation in kids.