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Normal stool of a newborn with hv. What should be the stool of a breastfed newborn

Breastfeeding a newborn is a natural process. Mom's milk has a positive effect on the baby's digestive organs and the whole body in general. Many women, being in a position, are interested in what kind of stool a baby should have if he is breastfed, and in what cases a consultation with a pediatric doctor is needed.

The baby's chair is normal - features and general information

Stool color can tell a lot about your baby's health.

It is impossible to answer unequivocally the question: "What should be normal stool in a newborn baby breastfed?" When analyzing feces, pay attention to:

  • its color,
  • consistency,
  • the presence of impurities.

For various reasons, these indicators can change, more often they talk about a change in the baby's diet, less often about the presence of pathology. However, despite how the stool looks in a newborn when breastfeeding, the main indicator of health is the general well-being of the baby.

Feces color

Young mothers often draw conclusions about the condition of the baby by the color of the feces, and if it has changed, then the women start to panic. Changing the appearance of the stool in newborn babies while breastfeeding is considered normal. In the first days after the birth of the baby, the feces are black, sometimes have a greenish tint, and the consistency is viscous and liquid. This is the original stool and is called meconium. The appearance of this first feces indicates the correct functioning of the baby's intestines. What kind of stool a newborn baby will have in the future will be influenced by his type of nutrition: breastfeeding or formula milk. In general, nutrition affects both the frequency of bowel movements and the smell of feces, and even its consistency.

On the 3-4th day of life, the feces acquire a gray-green color and become thicker. This color indicates the adaptation of the baby and that he has enough milk. If during this period meconium continues to stand out, then the baby needs to be urgently shown to the pediatrician. From the 14th day of life, the feces become yellow or even mustard, and the consistency remains the same. The color and consistency is similar to pea puree or mustard, and the smell is fermented milk.

Within the normal range, there is a small volume of mucus and white grains, it is important that the feces are not watery or very dense.

The color can range from pale yellow to dark green. And even orange stools in babies, subject to breastfeeding, are considered the norm.

Factors affecting stool color

  1. Feeding type. A baby who eats mother's milk will have greener bowel movements.
  2. Medications. After taking antibiotics or preparations containing dyes, iron, activated charcoal, the stool becomes very dark, sometimes even charcoal. This should not scare the mother, provided the child is well-being.
  3. Introduction to the diet of "adult food". During the introduction of complementary foods, the stool turns green.
  4. Mom's milk is poorly absorbed. In such a situation, the faeces may turn orange.
  5. Increased bilirubin (jaundice). During the breakdown of blood protein, bilirubin appears. In most newborns, it is increased and by the end of the month it returns to normal on its own, without requiring special treatment. During this period of a baby's life, feces can be: brown, yellow, orange.
  6. Hepatitis. The appearance of this dangerous disease can discolor the feces.
  7. An imbalance of beneficial bacteria in your baby's gut. During dysbiosis, the stool becomes lighter.
  8. The appearance of teeth. During this period, feces also brighten.

If, when the color of feces changes, the consistency and smell, as well as impurities, do not change, then we can conclude that the whole point is in feeding, and not in the presence of diseases.

Consistency

The correct stool of a newborn under 12 months of age, even with artificial, even with breastfeeding, has the consistency of mustard, pea puree. You can also find such a description of children's feces - liquid and watery, which is also the norm, provided that the baby is not more than 1 year old. The main food of the crumbs in the first year of life is liquid - milk. Therefore, a baby should not have thick stools, subject to breastfeeding. However, when feeding with milk formula, such a phenomenon is possible, which indicates the need to change the type of artificial nutrition. You must be able to distinguish between liquid feces and diarrhea.

The following factors indicate the presence of a problem (diarrhea):

  • the stool is watery, not just runny;
  • the frequency of bowel movements is increased;
  • the smell of feces is unpleasant;
  • bright yellow or green;
  • increased body temperature;
  • vomiting is possible;
  • there are impurities of mucus, blood, foam;
  • the child is lethargic and weak.

Important! If, with most of the above symptoms, the baby feels good, is active, gains weight, then there is no need to worry. Reasons to see a doctor:

  • capricious behavior;
  • colic, gas in the tummy;
  • increased body temperature;
  • insomnia.

If, along with the color of feces, the baby has other changes in his well-being, then this is a reason to consult a doctor.

Impurities in feces within normal limits

Stool can contain various impurities:

  1. White lumps in the stool of a breastfeeding baby. Such grains should not be scary - this is curdled milk. But there shouldn't be too many of them. This is a sign of overeating, when the digestive organs cannot cope with a large amount of food and do not secrete the required amount of enzymes. In such a baby, the weight usually exceeds the norm. Also, after the introduction of complementary foods, particles of undigested fiber may appear.
  2. Slime. If there is not a lot of it, this is normal, it is in the feces of all people, including adults. But a large amount of it speaks of the inflammatory process in the child. Also, its volume may increase with: inappropriate mixture, overeating, early introduction of complementary foods, drug treatment, runny nose, lactase or gluten deficiency, dysbiosis.
  3. Foam. Usually, its appearance indicates functional disorders in the body. Often, diarrhea may have foam impurities. Reasons for the appearance: colic, gas, food allergies, drug reactions. If there is a lot of foam, you should consult a doctor, as this may indicate an infectious bowel disease, dysbiosis.
  4. Blood. This is a very dangerous sign of disease, so it is absent in normal feces. Causes: cracks in the anus or rectum, atopic dermatitis, allergy to cow's milk protein, inflammatory process in the intestines, the presence of polyps, lack of vitamin K, bleeding in the lower digestive system.

Important! If, even with the slightest presence of impurities, the child's appetite disappears, the temperature rises, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor.

Correct bowel frequency

All moms want to know how often a newborn baby should have stool while breastfeeding. Normal stool in infants in the first month of life can appear up to 12 times a day. But starting from 2-3 months, it can be 4 times a day and 1 time in 3 days - everything is the norm. The decreased frequency of bowel movements is associated with the transition from colostrum to normal milk in the mother. Colostrum has a laxative effect, so that the child has a bowel movement more often during its use. For some babies, it is normal to have a bowel movement after every meal.

It is important that the consistency, color and smell of stool are normal and that the baby gains weight well. Stool frequency also depends on the volume of faeces. The child can recover once a day, but with a large amount. If the frequency of bowel movements has exceeded 12 times a day and the feces are watery, this is a reason to consult a pediatrician.

If the baby feels good, behaves calmly, then no matter how many times he empties, there is no need to torment him with a cleansing enema, the tip of a thermometer, a piece of soap, even if he poops once every 5 days. Such actions can, on the contrary, be harmful: you can reduce the reflex movement of feces in the intestines. Inflammation of the rectal mucosa and atrophic changes due to the action of soapy alkali may also occur.

The number and frequency of bowel movements, as well as weight gain, indicate whether there is enough breast milk for the baby. During the introduction of complementary foods, the stool always changes. It can turn brown, have green blotches and undigested lumps, and a pungent odor.

Changes in bowel movements in babies from birth to one year old

The composition of the stool in a breastfed baby depends on the mother's nutrition and the development of her own digestive system. If the mother eats dried fruits, drinks kefir, then the feces will be soft, and if the woman eats rice porridge and other bonding products, then it will be difficult for the child to empty herself.

Naturally, mothers are interested in the changes in the child's feces that occur in connection with his development. They want to know what stool a month-old breastfed baby should have and what a one-year-old should have.

Stool for babies during breastfeeding directly depends on the mother's menu

Chair in the first days of a baby's life

In the first days, the newborn leaves meconium - the original stool. It resembles tar: sticky, viscous, has a black-green color. Feces are difficult to wash off, it includes:

  • slime;
  • bile;
  • amniotic fluid;
  • liquid from the digestive tract.

The presence of meconium speaks to the health of the infant's digestive system. It will go out for a few more days, and then, at 1 week of life, the stool in breastfed babies becomes normal, mustard-colored. If in the first two days from birth the black mass did not come out, it is possible that intestinal pathologies are present. One of these diseases is Hirschsprung's disease, in which not the entire intestine is capable of contracting, which causes difficulty in moving faeces through the intestines.

If meconium is released, but with difficulty, the maternity hospital nurse performs a special massage or enema.

Important! If black stool appears later, it is no longer meconium. This may indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding unless food or medication is causing the color of the stool. You need to consult a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Stool in the first month of life

Normal stool of a breastfed baby liquefies and turns green in the first month, the smell is sour.

In the second week after the birth of the baby, the mother's milk becomes mature. The baby's digestive organs get used to this new milk, sometimes colic, gas, and the baby may spit up. Milk finishes its changes by the end of 4 weeks from the birth of the baby.

The second and third months of a child's life

The norm at 2 months for breastfeeding is the frequency of stools up to 4 times a day. The color is yellow, the consistency is of medium density, a milky smell appears.

At 3 months, the stool of a breastfed baby appears less frequently. The mother's milk changes its composition again, which causes the production of new enzymes in the intestines. You just have to calmly wait until this period is over, provided that the baby is comfortable.

Feces after the third month

After three months, the baby should have uniform, regular bowel movements.

In a 4-month-old breastfed baby, stools are more uniform and regular, and have the consistency of sour cream. Emptying occurs at the same time every day or even once every 3-4 days. For this age, this is the norm. If, with rare bowel movements, the consistency remains soft, then you do not need to worry and apply an enema.

In a six-month-old baby, the feces become denser, and the smell is pungent and unpleasant. Changes can be expected even if complementary foods have not yet been introduced. Everything is connected with changes in the baby's digestive system, it begins to secrete more enzymes, preparing for the introduction of new food.

On a note! Care should be taken to ensure that the baby is sucking out hind milk, which contains all the nutrients. Because front milk only quenches thirst. If the crumbs' feces are green, this may indicate that it feeds only on front milk. It is necessary to give the baby longer time to breastfeed.

The difference between feces in natural and artificial feeding of a child

The baby's stool is very dependent on the type of his food.

Features of feces during breastfeeding

Mom's milk has laxative properties, due to which the crumbs' feces become soft, yellow or brown. You can tell about such food by the smell of feces - it will be sour. Green loose stools are normal and indicate that the baby is not reaching the hind milk. Do not rush and exchange one breast for another.

Frequency

For the first month, a baby on this diet is likely to defecate after each meal. Then the frequency is reduced to 4 times a day or even 1 time in two days. As already mentioned, this is due to a change in the mother's breast milk.

Feces with artificial nutrition

The child's feces change when changing the milk mixture and during the maturation of the digestive organs.

The color varies from yellow to brown and depends on the components of the formula. Acquisition of a green tint of feces can be associated with the introduction of "adult food" into the baby's diet or with a change in the mixture. The baby's stool is denser when artificially fed. Thick stools are due to the fact that the mixture does not have laxative properties, unlike mother's milk. The smell is more pungent than that of a baby with natural food.

Frequency

The frequency of bowel movements is not as regular as with natural breast milk. Feces can remain in the intestines for a long time, become denser, which is why constipation is possible. If the baby has not been emptied for a day already, we can talk about constipation. The artificial person defecates less often, 1-2 times a day. It is forbidden to change the milk formula often - this can provoke constipation or diarrhea. If it is necessary to change the diet, then the transition should last 7-8 days so that the baby's body has time to adapt to the new composition.

With the introduction of complementary foods, feces change. Stool in mixed-fed infants can be any color other than black (this color indicates blood impurities). Usually the color depends on what the baby was given as a complementary food. You can also see undigested food particles, because when vegetables are introduced into the baby's diet, coarse fiber from them is not digested, stimulating soft and regular feces.

Deviations from the norm

It is necessary to closely monitor the child's bowel movements. The chair of a breastfed baby can tell about crumbs' diseases.

Frequent and frothy stools in a newborn

Frequent bowel movements with liquid feces can occur due to infection of the body.

Dangerous signs requiring a doctor call:

  • heat;
  • liquid and watery feces;
  • the presence of blood and foam;
  • a large amount of foam;
  • underweight and no gain in comparison with the last weighing;
  • frequent regurgitation, vomiting.

The presence of foam indicates a possible dysbacteriosis, food allergies, and gas. A large amount of foam indicates the presence of an intestinal infection.

Fixing the chair

The use of drugs will help in this situation: antibiotics, antiviral drugs, prebiotics. And mom should exclude from her diet foods that cause gas formation and have a laxative effect.

Constipation in infants

Baby's capriciousness can be associated with constipation.

Difficulty emptying the bowels can be for the following reasons:

  1. The kid did not defecate for more than 3 days.
  2. The child behaves capriciously, cries all the time.
  3. The belly of the baby is hard and inflated.
  4. Hard and dry stool.
  5. The child bends the legs, which may indicate pain in the tummy.
  6. Also, a tight stool in a newborn can be with mixed feeding, when complementary feeding began.
  7. Intestinal motility disorders.

Never use thermometers and self-medicating soap. This can lead to inflammation, disruption of microflora and even damage to the rectum.

Constipation in babies who eat mother's milk is extremely rare. The following products will help to establish a bowel movement: cereals, fruits, boiled vegetables, kefir, prunes. Mom should eat these products more often, and if complementary foods are introduced, they should also be given to the child.

Often mothers after childbirth are prescribed preparations containing iron to raise hemoglobin. Such medicines can also cause hardening of the stool in the crumbs.

What will help:

  1. Place the baby on his stomach before each feeding.
  2. You need to give the baby the right amount of fluid.
  3. Tummy should be massaged.
  4. You need to do gymnastics.
  5. If none of the above has yielded results, then laxatives prescribed by a doctor are used.
  6. Glycerin candles and Mikrolax enema will also help.
  7. Exclude from the diet of a mother or child: peas, beans, cabbage, cucumbers, grapes.

To avoid constipation, lay the baby on the tummy more often.

Mucus in baby's stool

There is always a small amount of mucus in the stool of all people. If there is a lot of it, the inflammatory process has begun.

The reasons for the appearance of this symptom in breastfed babies:

  • improper attachment to the chest;
  • introduction of complementary foods ahead of schedule in 6 months;
  • runny nose;
  • reaction to drugs;
  • gluten or lactase deficiency;
  • dermatitis;
  • dysbiosis;
  • intestinal infection;
  • infection in the body.

If the first reasons are excluded, then it is necessary to contact the pediatrician to establish the presence of the disease and obtain a prescription for treatment.

When you shouldn't hesitate to see a doctor

When the following symptoms appear, an urgent need to make an appointment with a pediatrician:

  • frequent bowel movements (more often 12 times a day);
  • infrequent urination (dehydration);
  • profuse regurgitation;
  • pain in the abdomen;
  • the presence of bad breath.

How to normalize a newborn's stool while breastfeeding

In order for the baby to grow up healthy and not have problems with stool, the mother must monitor her diet.

To normalize the stool in a breastfed baby, mom should eat a balanced diet, follow a diet aimed at milk formation.

It is also necessary to remember that everything has its time, and you should not give the crumbs "adult food" before the age of six months. And if after the baby feels bad, you should postpone it.

Proper nutrition of a nursing mom for a good stool for her baby

Pediatricians advise to sound the alarm if the stool of a child eating mother's milk is absent for 2 days.

In such cases, mothers ask themselves how to fix a baby's stool while breastfeeding.

Mothers should eat right, include foods that have a laxative effect in their diet. These include:

  • fresh cucumber;
  • vegetable salad with vegetable oil;
  • prunes;
  • dried apricots;
  • kefir.

If the mother's diet does not help, then the baby can be given a lactulose solution.

Conclusion

Features of feces and the frequency of bowel movements in a newborn change due to the age of the baby, the amount of mother's milk and its composition, the introduction of complementary foods. Also, the presence of diseases affects the feces.

Unusual changes in the color and consistency of faeces may be normal, but you need to make sure that there are no pathologies leading to these changes.

Alarming symptoms indicating the presence of pathology are the following signs:

  • the baby's behavior is capricious, apathetic;
  • high body temperature;
  • frequent bowel movements;
  • very unpleasant and pungent stool odor.

If you have any doubts about the good health of the crumbs, you should immediately contact the pediatrician.

By the contents of a baby diaper, one can judge the quality of the baby's digestive system; regular bowel movements (at least once a day) are considered the norm for a newborn baby. Analysis of the state of the stool allows you to identify the incorrect functioning of the intestines and provide timely assistance to the fragile body.

What should be the stool for babies at different ages?

The ideal stool for a newborn baby is a uniform yellow consistency without additional inclusions, however, such feces are observed exclusively in bottle-fed babies, since in this case the baby receives the same mixture, which, accordingly, is digested in the same way. It is quite another matter for babies who are breastfed. In this case, the stool may have additional lumps and mucous layers, it may be of different colors, since the state of feces is influenced by the foods that the mother ate.

A study of the baby's feces will help to identify possible nutritional deficiencies in a timely manner, so every mother should know how the baby's stool should look like at different ages:

  • in the first three days, the baby poops in a black-green mass, such a chair is called meconium. It consists mainly of amniotic fluid, which the baby ate before birth;
  • starting from the 3rd day until the end of the first week the stool can be gray or gray-green, while a liquid consistency of the mass is considered the norm. Such feces show that the baby gets enough milk and it is successfully digested by the body;
  • from the second week of life to 3 months the child should poop up to 10 times a day (sometimes there will be as many bowel movements as there were feedings), while the stool will be yellow or mustard in color, has a sour smell. This indicates sufficient nutrition and normal bowel function;
  • from about 4-5 months the baby's feces should be brown or brown interspersed, such a mass has an unpleasant, pungent odor. This is the norm for the crumbs who begin to receive complementary foods, the main characteristic is that the stool should not be hard, resemble putty in consistency;
  • after six months, the feces of a newborn may have an unusual shade, the reason is the vegetables and fruits used as complementary foods. For example, beets give the mass a bright red color, carrots color the stool orange, and zucchini can cause greenish streaks in the diaper.

Constant monitoring of the state of bowel movements will prevent all kinds of indigestion and save the child from unnecessary discomfort.

There is no single definition of how many times a child should poop per day, however, for newborns of the first month, the norm is from 4 to 12 bowel movements per day. Over time, they will become more rare, but up to a year the baby can walk "in a big way" several times a day.


What does an unusual baby chair mean?

An unusual color or structure of feces in a newborn baby may indicate the reasons for the discomfort of the baby:

  • green stool with a sour milk smell it will not necessarily be a harbinger of the disease, if the child is gaining weight well and does not experience discomfort, such a state of feces may be a common reaction to foods eaten by the mother;
  • if the feces are liquid and have a foamy structure, while irritation is often noticed around the anus, the reason may be an excess of anterior sweet milk in the mother. The way out of the situation is to first express the initial fluid from the breast;
  • bright yellow or green stools streaked with mucus can have three explanations:
  1. the child has received a viral infection due to infection with ARVI or other infectious diseases;
  2. a common teething reaction;
  3. lack of enzymes in an unformed body;
  • if the baby poops with a dark brown dense mass, this may be a consequence of taking iron supplements, if additional medications were not prescribed, it is worth revising the diet and somewhat reducing foods containing such a mineral;
  • bright green foam stool should alert you if the baby is restless and is gaining weight poorly. Most often, this situation manifests itself as a result;
  • hard feces in a newborn baby is an anomaly, and it doesn't matter what color it is. Constipation occurs due to the introduction of unsuitable foods into the diet; in order to eliminate the discomfort, it is necessary to find out what exactly such a reaction occurs to, which can be done by excluding the ingredients;
  • if the baby poops with diarrhea for a long time, this may be a consequence of dysbiosis, the best option would be to consult a doctor for the appointment of suitable medications;
  • feces with bloody elements- a very alarming symptom. This imbalance can be caused by milk allergy, infection, or intestinal bleeding. If you find this type of stool, you should see your doctor right away.


Causes of Stool Disorders in Newborns

Most often, the stool in infants is not disturbed due to a bacterial infection, the reason for the disruption of the digestive system in most cases is the incorrectness of breastfeeding.
The main mistakes of the first months of breastfeeding:

  • late attachment- the baby should be attached to the breast in the initial minutes after birth, even if he does not eat right away, this contributes to getting used to breastfeeding;
  • should eat when he wants it, since each organism requires a different amount of nutrition, and is also adapted to an individual regimen;
  • early introduction of complementary foods- how many products to introduce into the baby's diet, the parents themselves decide, however, the optimal time to start using adult food is the first half of life, until that time the stomach is simply not able to digest anything except mother's milk;
  • excessive amount of fluid in the body- this is obtained in the case of "supplementing" the child with water, teas and juice.

The correct organization of breastfeeding will help to avoid possible problems, so in no case should you refuse the opportunity to feed your baby with natural milk.

In this article:

Immediately after giving birth, young parents face a host of problems. It is necessary to teach the baby to breast, constantly change his diapers, do massages, bathe, monitor the temperature regime. This is superimposed on the struggle against sleepiness and despair caused by a lack of understanding of the reasons for the crying of the child.

Any discoloration of stool causes panic, but often it is not justified. Stool in newborns can change in appearance, degree of mass density, smell almost every day, you should not get upset right away, because this can be a variant of the norm.

You should know how the stool of a baby is different, which is breastfed and mixed or artificial. The first weeks of life are characterized by a gradual change in color, consistency of feces, which continues to change depending on the type of feeding, its frequency, and duration. The introduction of juices or mashed potatoes into the baby's diet also has a direct effect on the baby's bowel movements.

Stool color and odor: what it should be


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In a newborn, feces do not have any specific odor; they are black or greenish in color. At the same time, the stool is liquid and viscous. The child often defecates, but you can only notice this by looking into the diaper. That is why doctors recommend the first months when the baby is crying, first check the cleanliness of the diaper, only then start feeding. The original feces (it is also called meconium) consists of everything that the child swallowed along with the amniotic fluid during the months in the mother's womb. The appearance of meconium in a newborn indicates the normal functioning of the newborn's intestines.

In the period from 2 to 6 days from the date of birth in a child, the stool may change its color to grayish or gray-green, become thicker (the consistency of a semi-liquid ointment). This is true for all healthy children as they adapt to a new way of getting food. From the second week, the feces become a yellowish-mustard hue, sometimes brown with a faint sour-milk smell. The consistency of the bulk is watery, there are small white grains. Such a chair indicates the normal functioning of the child's gastrointestinal tract. A slight presence of mucus or a green tint with a stable weight gain is considered normal.

A variant of the norm is the case when the child's feces are light brown or very dark brown. Small greenish blotches are allowed. According to the consistency, two requirements are imposed on the contents of the diaper - it should not be liquid, like water, too dense feces are unacceptable. The smell can be harsh and unpleasant. This situation is typical in relation to children who are on mixed feeding. Similar indicators appear with the introduction of complementary foods.

It happens that pieces of undigested food are clearly visible in the diaper. If this is rarely observed, then you should not worry. Depending on the food, the feces can turn orange or burgundy. This is typical after eating carrots or beets.

Bowel Emptying Frequency

At the age of up to 6 weeks with breastfeeding, the baby is emptied 4-12 times during the day. Stool frequency will decrease significantly with age. By the age of two months, a child can delight parents with a smelly stool both 4 times a day and 1-2 times in a five-day period. These are reference indicators, a slight deviation in one direction or the other, provided that the color, odor and consistency is correct, is considered acceptable.

Young parents sometimes confuse normal loose stools with diarrhea. Even if the child empties once a day, but very abundantly (up to the leakage of feces from the diaper), do not sound the alarm. In some children, the intestines work in such a way that bowel movements rarely appear, but in large volumes. This is not a pathological change. You should be concerned if emptying occurs more than 12 times a day. In this case, the feces will not only be liquid, but watery, they will flow out from the top, bottom and sides of the diaper.

The absence of a chair in a child for 4-5 days in a row, followed by a successful bowel movement and with a normal consistency of the mass, should not cause a change in the daily menu. This is a variant of the norm, and therefore the possibility of any mechanical effect on the child in order to accelerate emptying is excluded. In no case should an enema be given to the baby, as this can cause a weakening of the normal reflex activity of the corresponding muscles. It is not recommended to try to help the child by irritating the anus with a thermometer or a bar of soap (although grandmothers will insist on using these methods).

What feces indicate pathology?

Cases when the baby's bowel movements are of normal color, but they are too liquid or slightly frothy, and a strong fermented milk smell emanates from them, require increased attention from the parents, especially when breastfeeding. If, to the listed signs, the presence of irritation in the anal area is added, and the baby himself began to behave very restlessly, is capricious during and after eating, and is losing weight, then this indicates a lack of hind milk in the diet. It is more nutritious, less sweet, and contains the enzymes needed to break down milk sugars. All this is not in the front milk, so you just need to change breasts less often.

If there is a large amount of mucus in the stool, and the feces are green, yellow or brown, then you need to focus on the behavior and well-being of the baby. If this fact does not bother him, then medical help is hardly needed. Most likely this is a consequence of a recent cold illness or a harbinger of teething. Medical advice should be sought if these symptoms persist for several days in a row.

Soft and very thick brown feces can be both a normal variant and a pathology. If recently the child has been taking iron-containing drugs, then there is no need to worry. A doctor should be consulted if there was no additional intake of iron. Then an examination is necessary to exclude internal bleeding.

Urgent medical attention is needed if the stool is excessively watery and has an unpleasant odor, and the child is not gaining weight well or is losing it altogether. The reason may lie in allergies, poisoning or an infectious disease. Hard feces that come out in small parts with constant strong tension of the abdomen, accompanied by the cry and cry of the baby, indicates constipation. This could be due to complementary foods, an ingredient that is not suitable for the baby, or the mother’s diet is inappropriate.

Foamed green feces, which appears together with a specific "cotton", which has a pungent sour odor, indicates pathology. If irritation and redness appear around the anus, plus everything else, then you should immediately go for a consultation with a doctor. Usually, with such symptoms, children stop gaining weight and are constantly naughty, behave extremely anxiously. The reason is lactose deficiency, both primary and secondary.

The appearance in the feces of blood, both liquid scarlet and black blood clots, should lead to an urgent visit to the hospital. Most often, this is provoked by an allergic reaction to a protein contained in cow's milk, and it can also be one of the symptoms of the development of bacterial infections. According to the results of the examination, hemorrhoids or intestinal bleeding can be diagnosed. Both problems require immediate treatment. A case of digested blood clots may indicate that the mother's nipples are damaged, and the baby is swallowing blood oozing from the cracks in the breast with milk. For a newborn, this option is safe, although it is better not to allow such a scenario.

In case of identified violations of the intestines, you should seek medical help. This will help in time to diagnose pathological changes in the child's body, accelerate the subsequent normalization of the stool and restore the rate of weight gain. The fundamental recommendations of doctors often boil down to changes in breastfeeding techniques.

Among them:

  • feeding should take place in a position that is comfortable for the mother and the newborn;
  • it is important that the baby correctly grips the breast and does not suck only the nipple;
  • in some cases, it is necessary to increase milk production by more frequent attachments to the baby's breast, expressing after each feeding;
  • special attention should be paid to ensure that the baby receives enough hind milk;
  • the duration of feeding sessions cannot be artificially limited;
  • in the first months of life, you should not try to feed the crumbs according to the regime, it is much better to do this on demand.

Always carefully examine the contents of the baby's diaper - this will make it possible to respond in a timely manner to any pathological change. But you shouldn't panic at the slightest inconsistency with the norm either.

Useful video

Even in the maternity hospital, nurses and pediatricians ask mothers during the round about how the newborn has a bowel movement. The fact is that a baby's stool is one of the most important indicators of a child's health - both for those who are breastfed and those who are artificially fed.

Table of contents:

Why is it important to control the stool in babies?

Why is it so important to control the baby's stool:

  • he will indicate problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • you can assess the level of nutritional value of the child;
  • by some changes in the stool, it is possible to determine the development of pathologies of organs and systems that are not related to the digestive tract.

A child in infancy poops every day, and even several times a day - this allows even parents without medical education to quickly respond to changes in the stool, to pay attention to this moment of a pediatrician or a visiting nurse. Of course, for this you will need to master at least minimal knowledge about what the normal stool should be in a baby, what can be considered as 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 a chair in infants is a relative concept. Someone has a child pooping 3-4 times a day, and the stool is a yellowish gruel, and some children defecate once every 1-2 days and this is the norm for them. How to determine how much the baby's stool fits into normal indicators?

Bowel frequency

On the 2-3rd day of life, the newborn begins to lose transitional feces - it has a yellow-green color, maybe a dark green semi-liquid consistency, which is absolutely normal.

On the 4-5th day of a child's life, a feces schedule is already established, and the frequency of stool in children fluctuates and in a sufficiently large amplitude - from 10-12 times a day to 1 time in 2 days. It is 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 such a rhythm of bowel movements can be considered an 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 cocoa 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 is still in infancy cocoa 1 time in 2 days, then this frequency of stool remains in the future.

The amount of stool during bowel movements

This indicator depends only on the child's diet. For example, in the first 2-3 months, the baby will have very little feces - 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 considered normal to have stool in babies when it is a mass of soft, mushy consistency. But even this indicator can be variable - for example, feces in the form of gruel with a small amount of lumps will be considered the norm.

As the child grows up, the consistency of feces will certainly change - it will become more and more dense. But keep in mind - by 6 months of the child's life, the feces will already be completely formed, but it will still remain soft.

Yellow with white lumps, dark yellow, yellow-brown, golden yellow, and in general all variations of yellow 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 feces becomes darker, and by 12 months of the baby's life it becomes dark brown.

Do not worry, and in the case of green feces in infants, this is also the norm, and the feces become green due to the presence of biliverdin or in it. You need to know that bilirubin with feces in infants can be released up to 6-9 months of age, so a green tint of the stool during this age period can be considered an absolute norm. There is no reason to worry, and in the case of the release of yellow feces, which then turns green, this means that bilirubin is released in the stool in minimal quantities, in the air it simply acquires a characteristic shade.

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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 be less than during breastfeeding, constipation or diarrhea, flatulence with difficulty passing gas may periodically occur.

Note:if the baby is fed with iron-containing formulas (this is usually practiced for anemia in newborns), then the color of the feces will be pronounced green. And if the child is fed not with special mixtures, but with cow's milk, then the feces will be distinguished by a greasy sheen, bright yellow color and a "cheesy" smell.

Complementary feeding is considered a new type of food for babies, the digestive system will begin to adapt to it and produce specific enzymes for digestion. In the first days of complementary feeding, mommy may pay attention to the fact that undigested pieces of food and an increased amount of mucus have appeared in the child's feces. If such a change in stool does not lead to a change in the baby's well-being (the baby does not scream, feces leaves freely), then you need to continue to give complementary foods to him, carefully monitoring the amount of feces excreted, the frequency of bowel movements and the nature of the stool.

There are some foods that can be laxative, such as boiled carrots. Moreover, it is not even digested, but comes out together with liquid feces in an unchanged form. If the parents were not faced with the task of correcting the stool, getting rid of constipation in the baby, then with such "feeding" it is necessary to cancel the introduction of carrots into the child's diet and switch to more sparing vegetables - for example, potatoes, zucchini. And if you introduce rice porridge into the baby's diet, then the chair will surely be fixed. It is necessary to take into account such features of the influence of various products on the work of the digestive system, so as not to worry and not to take any drastic measures at the slightest changes in the stool.

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In general, the following changes in stool are considered the norm when complementary foods are introduced:

  • feces become denser;
  • stool color changes from yellow to brown;
  • feces become heterogeneous;
  • diarrhea or constipation may appear.

Knowing what kind of baby stool can be considered the norm, it will be easy for parents to find out how healthy the baby is. When detecting changes 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 the timely detection of pathology and the appointment of effective treatment, if necessary.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical commentator, therapist of the highest qualification category

Often, parents inadequately assess the stool in infants, referring to the criteria for artificial feeding. This leads to errors in the nutrition of the mother and child, as well as to incorrect and unreasonable treatment.

Features of the chair in infants

The chair of a breastfed baby can be anything. Unlike a newborn who is on artificial mixtures, the quality and quantity of the baby's stool changes regularly. The decisive role in this case is played by the age and behavior of the kids.

In the first week, newborns have stool at least 3 times a day, sometimes the figure reaches 12. If there is no stool for more than a day, this indicates that the baby is receiving little milk.

After 6 weeks, your baby usually has less bowel movements. However, some people continue to go to the toilet after each feed. This is not unusual. Much depends on the diet of the nursing mother, the number of feedings and even the psychological state of the baby.

During this period, the absence of a chair for up to a week is allowed if the baby behaves calmly and normally gains weight. Stool consistency and color are different. At the same time, the smell is often fermented milk or there is no smell at all. White lumps and a small amount of mucus are possible.

With the introduction of complementary foods after six months, the stool occurs less often and decreases to 1-2 times a day. Please note that color and consistency are strongly influenced by complementary foods.

If the baby cries and is restless before or during a bowel movement. Changes in behavior and well-being, changes in the appearance of the newborn are the reason for increased attention to the digestion of the baby.

Colour

Feces in infants can be of various shades: bright and light yellow, orange, light and dark green, light brown. What affects the color:

  • Feeding type. When breastfeeding, the feces will be green;
  • Medicines that mom is taking. Digestion reacts to antibiotics, activated charcoal, and drugs that contain iron or dyes. The stool becomes much darker than usual, it can even turn black. A black chair is okay !;
  • Complementary feeding begins. The color is influenced by the products with which the mother begins to feed the baby. At the beginning of the complementary feeding, the stool turns green. There may be yellow, white or green blotches;
  • The baby does not digest breast milk well, which causes green or orange stools;
  • Bilirubin is a bile pigment that appears due to the destruction of blood proteins. It gives the stool a yellow-brown or orange hue. This reaction occurs in 70% of babies. It goes away without treatment, since bilirubin is independently excreted from the body in urine and feces;
  • Dysbacteriosis. If an imbalance occurs in the intestinal microflora, then the stool becomes lighter. However, the feces acquire light shades during the period of teething.

Pay special attention if the baby has white feces (discolored stools)! This is a symptom of hepatitis! This disease is rare in children in the first two years of life, but has a poor prognosis. Therefore, in case of discolored stools in infants, consult a doctor immediately!

If only the color of a newborn changes, but the smell, consistency and presence of impurities remain the same, then the problem is in the type of food.

Consistency

Stool consistency in infants is also different. Basically, it is liquid, because the first six months of life, the baby receives milk liquid food. With artificial or mixed feeding, the stools are thicker and darker.

But how do you know if your baby has normal loose stools or diarrhea? A newborn has diarrhea if:

  • The stool is both thin and watery;
  • The frequency of bowel movements increases;
  • The stool has an unpleasant odor, an expressive green or yellow color;
  • The baby has a fever;
  • Vomiting begins;
  • There is a lot of foam and mucus in the diaper, there are streaks of blood;
  • The kid is lethargic and weak.

However, yellow or green stools mixed with foam or mucus do not always mean diarrhea. Always look at the condition of the baby. If weakness, temperature, increased gas formation appears, then it is worth sounding the alarm. If the baby sleeps well and feels cheerful, then there is no cause for concern.

Impurities

The presence of impurities in the stool is normal if the baby is feeling well. However, in case of fever, loss of appetite and weight, be sure to see a doctor.

Types of impurities:

  • White lumps are particles of curdled milk that appear when the baby overeats. The digestive system simply cannot cope with the volume of food when feeding. In addition, indigestible food often appears after complementary feeding has begun. This leads to a rapid increase in baby's weight .;
  • Mucus is present in the stool of every newborn in small quantities. An increase in mucus indicates the onset of an inflammatory process. This is due to improper breastfeeding, inappropriate infant formula, overfeeding, medication, early introduction of complementary foods and other reasons;
  • Foam is a functional disorder that does not indicate any disease or pathology. Foam appears due to colic or increased gas production in an infant. However, profuse foam can be a symptom of dysbiosis or intestinal infection;
  • Blood is a serious symptom that requires a mandatory visit to a doctor. Often this is an indicator of dermatitis, rectal fissures, inflammation or intestinal pathology, protein allergy.

Frequency

In the first month of breastfeeding, stool occurs after each meal. Then the frequency is reduced by 2-4 times, the baby can generally start going to the "toilet" once a day or two. This is due to the renewal of breast milk.

During this period, the baby is naughty, sometimes refuses to breast. This is a temporary phenomenon, in which there is nothing terrible. If the chair does not occur for 2-3 days, but there is no discomfort during bowel movements, the baby does not lose weight, then the delay is not constipation.

Signs of constipation in a newborn:

  • Difficulty emptying the bowels;
  • Stool retention for more than 1.5 days;
  • Significant discomfort during bowel movements.

By the way, when breastfeeding, constipation is rare. They are typical for newborns on artificial mixtures. However, if constipation occurs in a baby, then pay attention to the nutrition of a nursing mother. With such a problem, plums, dried apricots and prunes will perfectly help if the newborn does not have allergies. And remember the measure of use!

Massage will also help. But with the use of medicines, it is better to wait. Before taking medications, be sure to consult your doctor!

Is it normal or time to see a doctor?

Normal stool

Age and conditions

Characteristic

The first three days after birth Black or black-green, tarry, odorless
3-7 days Gray-green or gray, semi-liquid or greasy
More than a week while breastfeeding Color from yellow to brown or mustard, mild fermented milk smell. The consistency resembles liquid semolina porridge. Intersperses of white grains, admixtures of mucus or greens may occur
On artificial or mixed feeding, at the beginning of complementary feeding Dark brown or light brown tint, sometimes interspersed with greens, mushy or thick consistency, sharp unpleasant odor
When consuming colored fruits and vegetables Unusual shade with colored splashes

Needs attention

Characteristic

Causes

What to do

Yellow, brown or green stools of a liquid or frothy appearance with a pungent sour-milk odor; there is often irritation around the anus Excess milk from mom; the baby gets a lot of sweet front milk. Change breasts less often when feeding
Brown, green, or yellow with a lot of mucus The kid has recently had ARVI or teeth are starting to cut The stool will return to normal after a while, but if this condition continues for several days, see your doctor.
Thick and soft or mushy dark brown in color Taking medications that contain iron If the stool has changed due to taking the medication, there is nothing to worry about. Otherwise, consult a doctor!


To the doctor!

Characteristic
Frequent, yellow, green, or brown stools with an unpleasant odor. The baby is losing or not gaining weight Disorder due to allergy, infection, or poisoning
Hard "cool" stool comes out in portions with a tense stomach. In the process, the baby screams. Constipation due to the introduction of new food into the diet
Green color with a lot of foam, a sharply sour smell, appears with “cotton”. Around the anus - irritation. The kid is restless and slowly gaining weight. Often means development of primary or secondary lactose deficiency
at the baby
With blood Allergy to cow protein, symptom of intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoids, or bacterial infection
Stool discoloration or white stool Infectious disease, hepatitis


How to normalize stool

If there are minor irregularities in the baby's stool, and they do not require a visit to a doctor, then you can adjust the stool yourself. First of all, the nutrition of the nursing mother affects the baby's feces.

How to fix a chair:

  • Include dairy products, dried fruits, vegetable dishes in the menu. If the baby has constipation, exclude the use of nuts, fatty cheeses, flour products, white bread, strong tea and coffee;
  • Drink plenty of fluids. The minimum rate is 2.5 liters per day;
  • Keep breastfeeding for as long as possible. As practice shows, children on artificial mixtures suffer more from digestive disorders, colic and constipation;
  • Introduce new foods into your diet gradually and in small doses. Closely monitor the baby's reaction, as such food can cause allergies, colic, stool disturbance;
  • Give your baby a tummy massage on a regular basis. Stroke your abdomen in a clockwise circular motion;
  • Encourage your baby to move and play. This will improve intestinal contractions.

These recommendations will help not only to improve the chair, but also to prevent many problems. Therefore, even if the newborn has a normal stool, the methods will be a good prevention.