Question
My child was just born. The second night, I noticed the baby started to have abdominal distension, with little gas and bowel movement. After taking medication for defecation, the belly quickly swelled up again. The smell of flatulence is rather strong. What should I do about newborn abdominal distension?
Answer
If a newborn has abdominal distension, the first thing to check is whether there is vomiting in addition to the distension. If there is food accompanied by repeated vomiting, even bile or stool constipation, it will resolve once every 3-5 days. If the stool volume is very little and the baby is losing weight, it may be congenital megacolon, and it should be checked and treated further in the hospital as soon as possible. If the distension subsides during breastfeeding but becomes obvious after feeding, with no vomiting or occasional vomiting, relief of distension after passing gas, no stool on palpation of the abdomen, normal milk intake, and no weight loss, it may be due to improper feeding methods, where the child inhales more air while suckling, causing pressure and distension. It is recommended to bring the child to the hospital for further treatment.