Question
I have a newborn baby, and the baby has bloating around the belly. The baby hasn’t eaten anything else since birth. What should I do?
Answer
You can use your index and middle fingers to massage around the navel in a clockwise direction to promote intestinal peristalsis. Since the baby’s digestive system is not fully developed, and the spleen and stomach function is weak, the gastrointestinal motility is slower, constipation may be caused by poor absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to feed the baby more vegetables and fruits rich in fiber and to drink more water. For your child’s situation, you can adopt abdominal heat compress and massage methods to promote intestinal motility, ensure reasonable feeding, persist with breastfeeding, and appropriately supplement fluids.