Even in the maternity hospital nurses and pediatricians ask mothers during their rounds how the process of bowel movement occurs in a newborn. The fact is that a baby’s stool is one of the most important indicators of a child’s health - moreover, like those who are on breastfeeding, and those who are on artificial ones.
Table of contents:Why is it important to control stool in infants?
Why is it so important to control your baby's stool:
- it will indicate problems in the gastrointestinal tract;
- you can assess the level of nutrition of the child;
- Some changes in stool can determine the development of pathologies of organs and systems not related to the digestive tract.
A child in infancy poops every day, and even several times a day - this allows even parents to medical education quickly respond to changes in stool, draw the attention of a pediatrician or visiting nurse to this point. Of course, for this you will need to acquire at least minimal knowledge about what a baby’s stool should normally be like, what can be considered deviations from the norm, and in what cases it is worth calling a doctor. All this information is laid out in the presented material.
Remember right away - the norm for stool in infants is a relative concept. Some children poop 3-4 times a day, and the stool is a yellowish mush, while some children defecate once every 1-2 days and this is the norm for them. How to determine how much a baby's stool fits into normal parameters?
Frequency of bowel movements
On the 2-3rd day of life, the newborn begins to pass transitional feces - it has a yellow-green color, maybe dark green, with a semi-liquid consistency, which is absolutely normal.
On the 4-5th day of a child’s life, a bowel movement schedule is already established, and the frequency of stool in children fluctuates in a fairly large amplitude - from 10-12 times a day to 1 time in 2 days. It has been noted that most newborns poop either during feeding or after eating.
Note:If a child poops once every 2 days, but at the same time behaves calmly, the act of defecation takes place without screaming and strong straining, then this rhythm of bowel movements can be considered the absolute norm.
As the child grows, the number of bowel movements also changes - for example, if in the first 1-2 months of life the baby pooped 8-10 times a day, then by 4-5 months the number of bowel movements decreases to 5-6 times a day, and by 12 months - 1-2 times a day. It is noteworthy that if a child, while still an infant, pooped once every 2 days, then this frequency of stool remains the same in the future.
Amount of feces during bowel movements
This indicator depends only on the child’s diet. For example, in the first 2-3 months of a baby, very little feces will be released - no more than 5 grams per bowel movement, but by 12 months this amount will be increased to 100-200 grams per day (about 60 grams per bowel movement) .
In general, it is generally accepted normal stool in an infant, when it is a mass of soft, mushy consistency. But even this indicator can be variable - for example, feces in the form of a gruel with a small number of lumps will be considered normal.
As the child grows older, the consistency of stool will definitely change - it will become more and more dense. But keep in mind that by 6 months of a child’s life, the feces will already be fully formed, but will still remain soft. 
Yellow with white lumps, dark yellow, yellow-brown, golden yellow and in general all variations of yellow color for baby feces will be the norm. But just keep in mind that as soon as the child is transferred to artificial nutrition or vegetable/fruit purees begin to be present in the diet, the color of the stool becomes darker, and by the 12th month of the baby’s life it becomes dark brown.
There is no need to worry if your baby's stool is green - this is also normal, and green stool becomes due to the presence of biliverdin in it. You need to know that bilirubin can be excreted in the feces of an infant until 6-9 months of age, therefore green tint chair in this age period can be considered an absolute norm. There is no reason to worry even in case of separation yellow stool, which then turns green - this means that bilirubin is excreted in the stool in minimal quantities; in the air it simply acquires a characteristic shade.
We recommend reading:If the baby is on artificial or mixed feeding, then his stool will have a dark yellow or brown tint, the frequency of bowel movements will become less than breastfeeding, constipation or diarrhea, flatulence with difficulty passing gases may occur periodically.
Note:if the baby is fed formulas containing iron (this is usually practiced for neonatal anemia), the color of the stool will be distinctly green. And if the child is fed not with special formulas, but cow's milk, then the feces will be different greasy shine, bright yellow and a “cheese” smell.
Complementary feeding is considered a new type of food for infants, digestive system will begin to adapt to it and produce specific enzymes for digestion. In the first days of complementary feeding, the mother may notice that undigested pieces of food and an increased amount of mucus have appeared in the baby’s stool. If such a change in stool does not lead to a change in the baby’s well-being (the baby does not cry, feces pass freely), then you need to continue to give him complementary foods, carefully monitoring the amount of feces excreted, the frequency of bowel movements and the nature of the stool.
There are some foods that can cause laxative effects - for example, boiled carrots. Moreover, it is not even digested, but comes out unchanged along with liquid feces. If the parents were not faced with the task of correcting stools and getting rid of constipation in the baby, then with this “complementary feeding” they need to stop introducing carrots into the child’s diet and switch to more gentle vegetables - for example, potatoes, zucchini. And if you introduce rice porridge into your baby’s diet, the stool will probably stick. It is necessary to take into account such features of influence various products on the functioning of the digestive system, so as not to worry and not take any drastic measures at the slightest changes in stool.
We recommend reading:In general, the following changes in stool when introducing complementary foods are considered normal:
- feces become denser;
- the color of stool changes from yellow to brown;
- feces become heterogeneous;
- Diarrhea or constipation may occur.
Knowing what kind of baby stool can be considered normal, it will be easy for parents to find out how healthy the baby is. If changes are detected that can hardly be called physiological, it is necessary to call a doctor at home and describe to him the full clinical picture– this will guarantee timely detection of pathology and prescription effective treatment if necessary.
Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category
How many different questions arise every day for a young mother with the birth of a child, especially if it is her first child. One of the reasons for excitement, and sometimes panic, is the baby’s stool, its color and smell, the number of bowel movements and frequency of stool, consistency and presence of impurities. About the normal and pathological stool in a baby infancy and will be discussed in the article.
Most often, mothers judge normality and pathology by the color of stool, and when it changes, they do not always justifiably panic. Changes in the color of stool in newborns, as well as in the degree of density or consistency of stool, are normal.
In the first 1-2 days after the baby is born, the stool is viscous, liquid, practically odorless, almost black or with. Such original stool is the absolute norm, it is called “meconium”.
The nature of the first stool in a newborn is associated with what the child swallowed along with the amniotic fluid while in the womb. The appearance of meconium is very important; it indicates normal bowel activity.
After birth, the baby’s stool will depend on the type of feeding (artificial or mixed), the volume and frequency of feedings. This determines not only the color of stool, but also its consistency, frequency of bowel movements, and even smell.
From the 3rd to the 6th day of life, the stool gradually acquires a gray-green or grayish color and becomes thicker. It reflects the newborn’s adaptation to a new diet and indicates a sufficient amount of food received. breast milk. If meconium continues to be released on days 3-5, the child should be immediately examined by a doctor.
From 2 weeks, the color of the baby’s stool becomes yellow or mustard, the consistency remains liquid. The stool may resemble pea puree or mustard in consistency and color. The stool has a faint sour-milk odor. It is acceptable to have small white grains in the stool, small quantity mucus. It is important that the stool is not watery or, conversely, very dense.
Frequency of stool in infants
The frequency of bowel movements in a breastfeeding baby varies widely from 12 times a day in the first month of life to 1 time every 5 days from 2-3 months.
Up to one and a half months, a breastfed baby can have bowel movements from 4 to 12 times per day. Subsequently, the frequency of bowel movements gradually decreases. The transition from colostrum with its laxative properties to mature milk in the mother leads to a decrease in the frequency of stool in the baby.
From 2-3 months of life, a child can recover with different frequencies: one baby – up to 4-5 times a day, another – only 1-2 times in 5 days.
It is important for parents to understand that both options are the norm. Deviations are possible, and this is not a pathology. Some babies recover after each feeding. It is important that the consistency, color and smell of stool are normal and that the child gains weight.
The amount of feces also depends on the frequency of stool: a child can pass 1-2 times per day, but copiously. Should cause concern watery stool more than 12 times per day.
If the baby recovers once every 4-5 days, but the consistency of the stool is normal, the child is calm, then there is absolutely no need to give the child cleansing enemas, give laxatives, or irritate the anus with a piece of soap or the tip of a thermometer to speed up bowel movements.
Such manipulations can lead to a decrease in the reflexive normal movement of feces through the intestines. Irritation of the anus can cause inflammation of the rectal mucosa and atrophic changes in it under the influence of soap alkali.
The frequency and volume of bowel movements indirectly indicate whether the baby is getting enough breast milk. They are taken into account along with .
The character of the stool changes upon administration. The color may turn brown or have green flecks. The smell becomes stronger. Undigested lumps may appear in the stool.
Normal or pathological?
The contents of diapers should be carefully examined in order to identify pathology in time. There are many normal variations in the frequency and consistency of stool for a breastfeeding baby, but the nature of the stool is important indicator baby's health status.
If your baby does not have sufficient volume and consistency of stool during the first 3 weeks of life, you should consult a doctor. This may be due to insufficient breast milk. Conducted check weighing will easily confirm this assumption.
Absence of daily bowel movements when the child is in good health and normal indicators development is not considered if the stool has yellow and soft consistency. This is not a pathology and does not require any treatment.
Mother's milk is divided into fore and hind milk, which differ in taste and composition. Thus, hind milk is higher in calories, although less sweet, and it contains enzymes necessary for the breakdown of lactose (milk sugar).
The following signs may indicate a lack of hind milk for a baby:
- bowel movements have normal color, but has a liquid consistency, somewhat foams and has a pungent odor;
- irritation appeared in the anal area;
- the baby is restless both during feeding and after it;
- the child is underweight.
In such cases, the mother should change breasts less frequently when feeding her baby.
If the amount of mucus has increased and the stool is yellow, green, or Brown color, but the child’s well-being and behavior have not changed, this may be due to rapid teething. If greens and mucus are observed for several days in a row, you should consult your pediatrician.
Urgent medical attention is necessary for profuse, watery, foul-smelling stools. Most likely, there is an intestinal infection and there is a looming threat of dehydration in the baby.
Black colored thick or soft stools may appear if the child received iron supplements for treatment. If there has been no such treatment, then you need to immediately seek help. medical care. In such cases, an examination is carried out to exclude internal bleeding.
Liquid scarlet blood in the stool or streaks of it in the mucus may appear when intestinal infection, be a manifestation or fissure of the anus. In any case, such a symptom indicates the severity of the process and requires immediate medical attention.
Manifestations of lactase deficiency in a child may include:
- green chair;
- cutting sour smell bowel movements;
- redness in the anal area;
- child's anxiety;
The discharge of hard feces in small pieces when the child strains strongly, the tummy is tense, and the act of defecation is accompanied by crying are observed with constipation. The reason may lie in improper diet a nursing mother or in a product introduced as complementary food that is unsuitable for the baby. The pediatrician will help you understand the cause of constipation and give advice on how to eliminate it.
Changes in the color and consistency of stool, bad smell appear in infants when complementary foods are introduced. There may be visible pieces of vegetables present, but this is due to the fact that vegetables (even boiled) are difficult to digest since the digestive system is not yet fully formed.
Summary for parents
The nature of stool and its frequency in an infant vary depending on the age of the child, the composition and amount of milk from the mother, and complementary foods. Feces also change in case of some diseases of the baby. If there is any doubt about the health of the baby, if there is a change in the consistency and frequency of stool, if there is mucus or other pathological impurities in the stool, you should contact your pediatrician and not self-medicate.
Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky answers the question “Why does a breastfed baby rarely poop?”:
Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky answers the question “What to do if the child does not poop every day?”:
GV consultant L. Sharova talks about the baby’s stool:
During the 5th month of life, the baby gains an average of 700 g. At the same time, as in previous months, an acceptable minimum increase is considered to be an increase in the child’s weight by 500 g. It should be noted that the upper limit of the increase is not so strictly defined; as a rule, in most children it is limited to 800–900 g. Thus, from the moment of birth, the baby increases its weight by an average of 3.5? kg, while the baby’s weight can vary from 6500 to 8500 g. Girls have on average slightly less weight compared to boys.
The baby’s height increases by an average of 2 cm over the 5th month, but the total increase in body length from birth is approximately 13 cm.
Walking time
A five-month-old baby, as a rule, enjoys walking. Unlike previous months, a baby of this age is very curious when walking, and this should be used as much as possible for his development.
Being in the arms of mom or dad, the baby enjoys exploring the world, looking at cars, birds, dogs, especially if all this is accompanied by appropriate comments from an adult. The time to sit and look around from the stroller has not yet come; the child is too small to concentrate his attention for a long time, but short “excursions” in the parent’s arms before going to bed in the stroller are quite appropriate for this age.
In the warm season, the baby should spend as much time as possible outside, walks can take 2–2.5 hours or even more, and in the summer you can walk with the baby even the whole day.
In winter, the child usually sleeps while walking. If the air temperature does not drop below –150C, then you can walk with your baby for about an hour twice a day - before and after lunch. If it is very cold outside, there is a piercing wind. cold wind, it is better to put the baby to sleep on the glassed-in balcony.
Sleep and wakefulness
A five-month-old baby sleeps at least twice during the day. Very few children may still require shorter but more frequent (3 times) nap. The baby's nightly sleep is 10–11 hours and is usually interrupted by feeding.
First tooth
Most children of this age show signs of teething: restlessness, putting their fists in their mouth and the desire to “scratch” swollen gums, increased drooling.
Normally, the lower central incisors erupt first, but both the upper and lower gums can swell at the same time. The timing of teething is very individual. There are often cases when a baby aged 5 months can already boast of the first tooth, and some babies will have it only by 6–7 months.
If a child is very worried about the process of teething, a gentle massage of the gums with the mother’s finger (on which a special silicone massage cap with soft bristles, like a toothbrush) or specially developed pain-relieving gels for the gums will help ease his condition. The baby is offered special toys (rings, horseshoes), so-called teethers, which he takes into his mouth and bites, thereby relieving pain in the gum area.
What can the baby do?
By the end of the 5th month of life, many babies successfully master a full turn from back to stomach and back. Some babies may still be on the way to this “achievement”, coping only with turning from back to side. This is acceptable, because each baby develops according to its own “individual plan.”
At this age, children often play with their legs, grabbing them with their hands and bringing their feet to their face. A baby lying on his back can exhibit a “bridge” arch, leaning on his buttocks or heels and the back of his head when lifting his body.
Some babies try to sit up. This should not be prevented, but you should not speed up the natural process by placing the child “in the pillows” either. Everything has its time! For a baby’s still fragile spine, excessive loads can be harmful (this often leads to curvature of the spine).
A five-month-old baby, lying on his stomach and confidently leaning on his arms, raises his chest. He is able to hold his torso and head in this position for quite a long time.
The baby is increasingly occupied with toys, especially bright ones. He is already able to take an object he likes from an adult’s hand extended to him. Baby can for a long time hold the rattle, grasping it with the whole hand. The baby moves the toy from hand to hand, and if there is a toy in each of his hands, the baby enjoys knocking them together. A five-month-old child spends a lot of time with toys, so they should be as safe as possible for the baby’s health - not have sharp corners or edges, be large enough and not include small parts so that the child cannot choke on them or stick them into the nasal passages or ears. You should also pay attention to the materials from which the toy is made (they must be free of toxic components: the toy must not have an unpleasant chemical odor, and the paint must be durable).
Kids of this age are very emotional. They respond with pleasure to the appeals of adults and older children to them. For better development For the little ones, it is important not to neglect the “conversation” with him, pronouncing sounds and words clearly, without unnecessary “lisping”, but also without adult turns of speech that are incomprehensible to a child of this age. Children's nursery rhymes and songs with long vowel sounds, which the baby often tries to repeat, are appropriate. In his imitation, a child is guided not only by sound, but also by facial expressions and articulation of an adult. Surprisingly, children of this age turn out to be very capable of repetition. An active baby can accompany his interest in a toy by “singing” and roaring.
Baby food
The frequency of feeding the baby depends on the type of feeding. If artificial babies usually eat 6 times a day (on average every 3.5 hours), then infants can be attached to the breast much more often.
For babies receiving artificial nutrition and under the age of 1 year, the daily total volume of food should not exceed 1 liter. This is easy to control, since the mother herself prepares the baby’s formula for feeding and you can always see how much the baby actually eats. You should not overfeed “artificial” animals!
Unlike “artificial” babies, infants (although sometimes it seems that they very often suck on their mother’s breast) rarely differ overweight caused by overfeeding. In most cases, excess milk consumption is unlikely. You should focus not on control (before and after feeding) or daily weighings (in this case it would be unwise to carry them out!), but on monthly increases masses. At good nutrition mother and in the absence of special recommendations from a pediatrician, a healthy five-month-old “baby” may well be content with one mother's milk. It contains everything necessary for the growth and development of a baby of this age. According to individual indications (for example, if there is an expected deficiency in the child’s body of any substances - vitamins, microelements, etc.), complementary feeding dishes can be introduced.
The pediatrician determines which complementary foods to introduce first (porridge or vegetables). This choice depends, among other things, on the baby’s previous weight gain. Porridges are recommended for insufficient weight gain. If you are overweight or prone to constipation, it is preferable to choose vegetable puree. Physiologically, a child of 5–5.5 months is already ready to digest semi-liquid food.
Stool and urination
On average, the frequency of stool in a five-month-old baby is 1 time per day. But stool once every 2 days or 2 times a day also does not go beyond physiological norm. As in previous months, we should be wary of constant constipation in the baby, as well as to the appearance of tummy pain, anxiety and other symptoms, even with stool retention for less than 1-2 days. Such situations require specialist advice.
A five-month-old baby urinates on average 10–12 times a day, the frequency of urination directly depends on drinking regime crumbs.
Vaccinations
At the age of 5 months, vaccinations are not provided for babies. The exception is those children whose vaccinations are prescribed by a pediatrician on an individual schedule due to the characteristics of their growth and development.
Which doctors should you visit?
A healthy child aged 5 months is examined by a pediatrician. At the same time, the doctor assesses the adequacy physical development the baby (compliance of his weight, height, head circumference with the norm for a given age), his neuropsychic development (according to special criteria), gives recommendations on the child’s nutrition. Mom may be offered a visit to the “office healthy child", where specialists (usually including a pediatrician, teacher, speech therapist, psychologist) will give her advice on the further development of the child.
Young parents know little about the baby’s stool, what it should be like, so that in the future, if necessary, they can come to the rescue in a timely manner. In this article we will look at what types of feces occur in newborns during breastfeeding, what determines its color, and how to determine pathology by its shade?
After the baby is born, parents should find out information about its development, the nuances of feeding, and the formation of stool. One of important topics is the work of the intestines in infants and, consequently, the formation of feces.
Young mothers and fathers should be warned that feces in a newborn may already form in 2–3 days.
The first days the mass is more liquid, after which it becomes mushy y. The color of stool depends on the age of the newborn, its nutrition and previous diseases (or existing diseases).
In the first days, the stool mass is more liquid.
As a rule, very young children go to the toilet in very different ways. This can be 2-3 times or even 1 time in 5 days if we are talking about children who are 2-3 months old.
3-4 months of a newborn’s life
The consistency of stool and its color may change by the age of six months.
From 3–4 months, the baby can have bowel movements no more than 1–2 times a day. This speaks about him normal development.
The consistency of stool and its shade may change by the time the child is six months old, when he is placed. Formulas and purchased baby food affect the baby’s gastrointestinal tract, which indicates its normal development. At the same time, the number of trips to the toilet generally does not exceed 2–3 times a day with a normal, balanced diet.
If the baby has bowel movements once a day, then there is no reason to worry.
What kind of stool is in the first days of a baby’s life: is green color pathological?
Young parents should know that newborns have a bowel movement for the first time in their lives 2–3 days after birth. In this case, the feces are dark, rarely black.
The stool has a green tint 2–3 days after birth.
The mass is called meconium. It is a liquid coming out of the child’s body and has absolutely no smell. There is absolutely no pathology in dark and green colors. Feces of this color indicate the normal development of the children's intestines.
Stool acquires an unusual color due to amniotic fluid, which the child swallowed in the womb. The appearance of meconium in the first days of the baby’s life - good sign for young parents. If it is released for a week, then you should immediately show the child to the pediatrician.
Grayish or gray-green stool
Starting from 3–5 days or at the end of the first week of the baby’s life, the feces become grayish or gray-green.
On days 3-5, the stool becomes gray-green.
The mass becomes gradually thicker. This sign indicates a sufficient supply of breast milk to the child’s body and normal development of the gastrointestinal tract.
2 weeks of life
Starting from the 2nd week of life, a newborn’s stool becomes mustard or yellowish in color.
From the 2nd week of life, feces become yellowish.
The consistency is between liquid and porridge. There is a not very strong sour milk smell. The presence of mucus or white grains in the stool is acceptable. Parents should consult a doctor if the stool is too loose or hard.
It is worth noting that up to one and a half months, newborns fed on breast milk go to the toilet in a lot of different ways . There are cases, without pathology, that children relieve themselves up to 12 times a day, while for others it is quite normal to relieve themselves up to 5-6 times a day.
2 and 3 months of life
Starting from the second and third months and life, feces are passed less frequently. For some it may be 3–5 times a day, for others 1–2 times a week, and this fact is not considered a pathology.
From the second and third months of life, feces are passed less frequently.
Main, Take your baby to the pediatrician in a timely manner and talk about the peculiarities of his stool so that the doctor can voice its norm, taking into account physiological characteristics baby.
Constipation in a newborn
Parents often worry if the baby does not have a bowel movement for more than three days.
There is no reason to worry if stool occurs once every 5 days , while the child does not cry, behaves calmly, and has a normal temperature.
Don't worry if your baby doesn't have a bowel movement for more than three days.
As a rule, after 3–4 months of life, the child is gradually introduced to baby food, formulas, and cereals. Of course, the color of stool and its consistency changes noticeably; it first of all becomes mushy, often similar to diarrhea.
What factors determine the color of bowel movements?
Taking antibiotics and medications may change the stool slightly.
Young parents should understand that the color of stool depends on various factors. The main ones are:
- baby's age (the first days of life, meconium comes out, which has a dark green tint, then during the period of breastfeeding, the feces have a slightly greenish tint);
- introduction of complementary foods also affects the color of stool, which becomes slightly greenish, mustard or yellowish, which indicates the normal development of the gallbladder;
- breast milk digestibility (the color of the stool may be green or orange);
- reaction to bilirubin (bile pigment) – ;
- taking antibiotics and medications may slightly modify the stool, but in most cases this does not cause concern;
- dysbacteriosis gives stool light shade, which indicates an imbalance of beneficial intestinal microflora;
- can also lighten stool;
- infectious diseases may discolor stool, which is an immediate reason for parents to see a doctor.
When should you sound the alarm?
Young parents are not accustomed to seeing the feces of a newborn, since it looks different than that of an adult, which makes it difficult to determine pathologies in the baby. Due to inexperience, many people confuse normal baby feces and make inaccurate diagnoses., although in fact the child is completely healthy.
The development of infections and pathologies has the following signs:
- very loose, watery stools;
- frequent bowel movements - more than 10-12 times;
- strongly pungent, unpleasant odor;
- strong green or yellow color feces;
- increased body temperature of the baby;
- irritation on the butt, anus;
- the child is not gaining weight;
- gagging;
- stool may contain mucus, foam or bloody streaks;
- apathy in the child’s mood.
An elevated baby's body temperature may be a symptom of the development of infections.
The combination of these symptoms indicates the occurrence of an inflammatory or infectious process in children's body, so you should consult a doctor immediately.
Mucus in the stool of a newborn
There are times when there is mucus in the baby's stool. She may be talking about:
- improper attachment to the breast;
- introducing complementary foods ahead of schedule;
- overfeeding;
- unsuitable formula;
- runny nose;
- reactions to medications;
- gluten or lactose intolerance;
- dysbacteriosis;
- dermatitis;
- intestinal infection.
Improper latching on the breast can contribute to the formation of mucus in the stool.
Notes for nursing mothers and young parents
To ensure that your newborn grows strong and healthy and does not have problems with bowel movements, closely monitor your diet.
Breastfeeding mothers should eat properly and balanced, adhere to special diet for the formation of healthy and nutritious breast milk.
Nursing mothers should eat healthy and balanced.
Pay attention to the time when you start your first feeding. According to the advice of pediatricians, best time for input baby food is 6 months.
conclusions
Unusual color of feces in infants - normal sign healthy development.
remember, that unusual color feces in infants is a completely normal sign of their healthy development. The alarm should be sounded only when the baby becomes apathetic, his temperature rises, trips to the toilet become more frequent, the feces begin to smell unpleasant and change their usual color. In this case, consult a doctor immediately.
Video about what a baby's stool should be like
If the baby has to be artificially fed, it is necessary to take into account that his intestinal functioning changes. Accordingly, everything that is connected with such prosaic and important process, like pooping.
It would seem that with “artificial” everything should be simple - a sterile bottle, the same mixture. And there shouldn't be any problems. But it is not so. Each person’s body is unique, and a baby’s body is especially unique. How should a child poop on artificial feeding and what is different about the “artificial” chair?
Color
The color of the stool is darker. Although it may depend on the mixture itself, it can range from yellow to dark brown.
What should you be wary of??
If the color of the stool is unnaturally yellow or orange, there is a problem with the liver.
If it's green, it means various types dysbacteriosis.
The only exception when there is no need to worry is when the child is under a week old. Green chair at this age it is natural, it is meconium.
If it is very dark, almost black, it means there is blood in the stool.
Note to moms!
Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...
Consistency
Formula-fed babies have thicker stools. Sometimes white, curd-like inclusions may be visible in it. This means that the proportions were not entirely correct, the mixture came out thicker than required, and was not completely digested. Or perhaps he overate a little this time, although the portion size was the same as always.
It may also be too thick, almost like in adults. This also indicates that the mixture was prepared incorrectly.
Ideally, the stool should look like a homogeneous mushy mass.
What should you be wary of??
- If the stool is too liquid, with foam, a putrid odor.
- Watery, mucus, streaked with blood.
Frequency
If the baby is bottle-fed, then the question of how much he should poop and how often comes first at first.
A newborn baby can recover very often in the first weeks, literally after every feeding. Over time, this amount is reduced, first to 3-4, then to 2 times a day.
What should you be wary of??
- If an “adult baby” several weeks or months old suddenly has stool 5-6 or more times a day - .
- If there is no stool at all for several days -.
In any case, if it even seems to you that your child is pooping somehow “wrongly,” it is better to immediately show him to a doctor. Bring your soiled diaper with you. And may your baby always be healthy!
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