The poop of a 3-year-old child smells like spoiled milk. Offensive and putrid odor in adult stools. Causes of changes in the aroma of stool in an infant. Causes of odor change

How many different questions arise every day for a young mother with the birth of a child, especially if he is the firstborn. One of the reasons for excitement, and sometimes panic, is the stool in the baby, its color and smell, the number of bowel movements and the frequency of the stool, the consistency and the presence of impurities. The norm and pathology of stool in an infant and will be discussed in the article.

Most often, mothers judge the norm and pathology by the color of the feces, and when it changes, they do not always reasonably panic. A change in the color of the stool in newborns, as well as the degree of density or consistency of feces, is the norm.

In the first 1-2 days after the birth of the baby, the stool is viscous, liquid, almost odorless, almost black or with. Such a primordial stool is an absolute norm, it is called "meconium".

The nature of the original stool in a newborn is due to the fact that the child swallowed along with amniotic fluid while in the womb. The appearance of meconium is very important, it indicates the normal activity of the intestine.

After birth, the baby's stool will depend on the type of feeding (, artificial or mixed), the volume and frequency of feedings. This is due not only to the color of the feces, but also to its consistency, and the frequency of bowel movements, and even the smell.

From the 3rd to the 6th day of life, the stool gradually acquires a gray-green color or grayish, becomes thicker. It reflects the adaptation of the newborn to a new diet and indicates a sufficient amount of breast milk received. If meconium continues to stand out on the 3-5th day, the child should be urgently examined by a doctor.

From 2 weeks, the color of the baby's feces becomes yellow or mustard, the consistency remains watery. The stool may resemble pea puree or mustard in consistency and color. The stools have a mild sour-milk odor. It is acceptable to have small white grains in the stool, a small amount of mucus. It is important that the feces are not watery or, conversely, very dense.

Breastfeeding frequency

The frequency of bowel movements in an infant on breastfeeding varies widely from 12 times a day in the first month of life to 1 time in 5 days - from 2-3 months.

Up to a month and a half, a breastfed baby can empty the intestines from 4 to 12 times a 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 stools 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, the other - 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 every feeding. It is important that the consistency, color and smell of the bowel movements are normal, and the child is gaining weight.

The amount of feces also depends on the frequency of stools: a child can recover 1-2 times a day, but plentifully. Anxiety should cause watery stools more than 12 times a day.

If the baby recovers every 4-5 days, but the consistency of the feces 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 bar of soap or the tip of a thermometer to speed up bowel movements.

Such manipulations can lead to a decrease in the reflex 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 has enough mother's milk. They are counted along with .

The nature of the stool changes with the introduction. The color may turn brown or have green blotches. The smell becomes stronger. Undigested lumps may appear in the stool.

Norm or pathology?

The contents of diapers should be carefully examined in order to identify pathology in time. There are many options for the frequency and consistency of stools in breastfeeding infants, but the nature of the stool is an important indicator of the baby's health.

If the baby did not have sufficient stool volume and consistency during the first 3 weeks of life, you should consult a doctor. This may be due to insufficient breast milk. The control weighing will easily confirm this assumption.

The absence of daily stools with a good health of the child and normal developmental indicators is not considered if the stool is yellow and soft in texture. This is not a pathology and does not need any treatment.

Mother's milk is divided into foremilk and hindmilk, differing in taste and composition. So, back milk is more high-calorie, although less sweet, and it contains the enzymes necessary for the breakdown of lactose (milk sugar).

The following signs may indicate a lack of hindmilk to a child:

  • stools have a normal color, but a liquid consistency, somewhat foamy and have a pungent odor;
  • irritation appeared in the anus;
  • the baby is restless both during feeding and after it;
  • the child is underweight.

In such cases, the mother should change breasts less often when feeding the baby.

If the amount of mucus has increased, and the stool is yellow, green or brown, but the child's health and behavior has not changed, then this may be due to the rapid teething. If greens and mucus are noted for several days in a row, you should consult a pediatrician.

Urgent medical attention is necessary for copious, watery, fetid stools. Most likely, there is an intestinal infection and the threat of dehydration of the baby's body is brewing.

Black coloration of thick or soft stools may appear if the child has received iron supplements for treatment. If there was no such treatment, then you should immediately seek medical help. In such cases, an examination is performed to rule out internal bleeding.

Liquid scarlet blood in the stool or streaks of it in the mucus may appear with an intestinal infection, be a manifestation or a crack in the anus. In any case, such a symptom indicates the severity of the process and requires immediate medical attention.

A manifestation of lactase deficiency in a child can be:

  • green chair;
  • sharp sour smell of stools;
  • redness in the anus;
  • child anxiety;

The allocation of solid feces in small pieces with a strong straining of the child, tension in the tummy, accompanying the act of defecation with crying are noted with constipation. The reason may lie in the wrong diet of a nursing mother or in a product that is not suitable for the baby, introduced as complementary foods. A pediatrician can help you understand the cause of constipation and give advice on how to eliminate it.

A change in the color and consistency of feces, an unpleasant odor appear in the baby with the introduction of complementary foods. Distinguishable pieces of vegetables may be 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 the stool and its frequency in infants vary depending on the age of the child, the composition and amount of milk in the mother, complementary foods. The bowel movements also change with some diseases of the baby. If there is any doubt about the health of the crumbs in the event of a change in the consistency and frequency of the stool, if there is mucus or other pathological impurities in the feces, you should contact the 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 if the child does not poop every day?":

Video version of the article:


The stool in the baby is constantly changing. Therefore, parents are wondering: what is considered the norm and what symptoms are alarming. To answer this question, you need to study the features of the development of the child's body.

What is the normal stool in the first days after the baby is born?

  • The first 2-3 days should leave the original feces (meconium). It has a thick appearance, black color, viscous consistency, no smell.
  • After the 3rd day, the poop begins to change color. They acquire a greenish tint and liquefy.
  • From the 8th day, the stool has a mushy or liquid consistency, mustard color, and a sour smell. There may be lumps of undigested milk and some mucus.
  • During the first month, the baby poops after almost every feeding.

If the original feces do not come out, you need to see a doctor. The condition indicates pathologies of the intestine.

When the black stool reappeared, after some time, diseases such as sepsis, jaundice, hemorrhagic disease can be suspected.

What you should pay attention to:


Important symptoms not to be missed

The color of feces can change for the following reasons:

  • It is important what kind of feeding the child is: artificial or natural.
  • Taking antibiotics, iron-containing preparations, activated charcoal leads to the appearance of black feces.
  • After the introduction of complementary foods, the poop turns green.
  • If breast milk is not digested enough, then the poop turns orange, yellow or green.
  • Elevated bilirubin in the body turns feces yellow, orange, or brown.
  • Light poop is observed with dysbacteriosis or at the time of teething.
  • The black color of feces, not associated with taking medications and the first complementary foods, may indicate bleeding in one of the sections of the intestinal tract.

Dangerous symptoms of loose stools:

  • watery appearance;
  • the number of bowel movements per day increases;
  • bad smell;
  • increase in body temperature;
  • mucus, foam and blood appear;
  • profuse regurgitation;
  • loss of appetite, sleep disturbance.

Hard, infrequent stools in a child can occur for many reasons. Poop becomes like plasticine.

  • Violation of the digestive organs (pancreas, biliary tract).
  • Improper nutrition of the mother (for example, eating foods that strengthen), a certain composition of the mixture, early complementary foods.
  • Weak muscle tone.
  • Lack of fluid. Especially when children are bottle-fed.
  • Violation of the intestinal flora (for example, after taking antibiotics).

A rare stool can occur due to malnutrition (an excess of foods that strengthen), medication, and disorders in the digestive system.

What products are attached? Those that contain little fiber and do not make the intestines work. These include: rice, white bread, some fruits (pomegranate, persimmon) and vegetables (eggplant).

Why Violations Occur

The stool of the baby is disturbed most often due to infection. In other cases, this is due to errors in breastfeeding (if the child is breastfed).

  • Late attachment to the breast immediately after birth.
  • Feeding according to the regimen.
  • Early introduction of complementary foods.
  • Excessive supplementation of the child with liquid.

After taking antibiotics, the baby's stool may change. It has a black color, an unpleasant odor, and sometimes a greasy composition. It is important to take prebiotics and probiotics, which improve the intestinal microflora.

What can be found in the feces of a baby

An unusual stool in a child may occur due to disorders in the development of internal organs.

  • Normal stools may be green in color and smell sour. If the child does not experience discomfort, it may be a reaction to food.
  • If the feces become liquid, foam appears, there is irritation, redness on the pope, this may be due to an excess of foremilk. It has a sweetish taste. In this situation, you can express some milk before feeding. A liquid consistency also occurs due to dysbacteriosis (for example, when taking antibiotics).
  • Saturated bright green or yellow color can be for three main reasons:
  1. Viral or infectious disease.
  2. Teething moment.
  3. Lack of enzymes to break down food.

  • White lumps. Normal stool may look like this. If the number of lumps increases, the problem may be overfeeding. The body of the child lacks the enzymes necessary for the absorption of food.
  • Slime. An increase in its amount can indicate many things: an inflammatory process in the digestive organs, an improperly selected mixture, early introduction of complementary foods, food allergies.
  • Foam. It can accompany watery stools that leak from the diaper, increase during colic and increased gas formation, food allergies. Fatty stools may appear. The detection of abundant foam indicates an infection in the body.
  • Blood in stool. The reason for its appearance may be: hard stools, allergy to cow's milk protein, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. If there are violations in the upper gastrointestinal tract, then black stools appear. Normal feces should not contain blood impurities.
  • Fatty stools appear when there is a violation of the absorption of fats, it can accompany both constipation and diarrhea. If fatty feces appear, the doctor prescribes additional examinations.

Artificial and natural feeding - the difference in stool

What type of stool should be for breastfeeding? The stool of a breastfed child depends on how developed his digestive system is and what foods are present in the mother's diet.

Breastfeeding babies rarely suffer from constipation, as milk has a laxative effect. Even if there is no stool for several days, the child feels satisfactory. The color of feces can vary from light brown to greenish. The smell is sour.

If the poop is bright green, it means the baby is only getting foremilk. This is the so-called "hungry" chair. Forward skim milk lacks the fats and vitamins needed for growth and nutrition.

Frequent stools in infants are observed throughout the first month. The passage of feces occurs after almost every feeding. From the second month, this number will decrease to 4 per day. Even if there is no stool for several days, you can not talk about constipation.

At 2 months, children often have colic and abdominal pain. This is due to the fact that breast milk changes its composition, becomes more complex.

New enzymes begin to be produced in the child's body. This results in irregular stools. A lactating woman should follow a strict diet to prevent stool disorder in a newborn. Products, after which there is increased gas formation and colic: peas, cabbage, cucumber, grapes. It is better to refuse this food. What foods have a laxative effect? Products that will help to establish a chair that resembles plasticine: dried fruits, boiled or stewed vegetables, fruits.

You can not refuse breastfeeding, even if there are problems. Mother's milk contains many nutrients and antibodies that are able to resist infectious diseases.

What type of stool should be in formula fed babies? The stool of a bottle-fed child depends on the transition from one mixture to another and on the characteristics of the formation of internal organs.

The color of feces is from light yellow to brown. The smell is pronounced. Green poop appears when switching to another mixture, or with the introduction of new products. Black feces appear with constipation. The consistency of feces is dense, as it takes a long time to digest.

Feces can stay in the intestines for a long time. As a result, it hardens and constipation develops. If there is no stool during the day in a bottle-fed child, or if it is irregular, measures should be taken. Water can help relieve constipation. You need to constantly supplement the chest.

In artificial babies, constipation can occur as a result of an improperly selected mixture, lack of fluid, or when the first complementary foods are introduced.

In most cases, the stool can tell about the state of the internal organs in the baby. Attentive parents will not miss the moment when changes occur. Therefore, the child will receive timely assistance.

An important indicator that helps diagnose intestinal diseases is the smell of feces. It can be affected by pathogenic microorganisms that cause food to rot. Normally, the smell should be unpleasant, but not sharp. If it is sour or rotten, it strongly gives off ammonia, bleach, bitterness - this indicates violations in the digestive tract.

Reasons for change

The smell of feces depends on the food consumed. If a person eats a lot of meat, then the excrement smells more strongly. The aroma weakens when the daily diet includes a lot of plant foods, dairy products, milk. The use of fish, garlic, onions, kvass can affect the smell. With diarrhea, the stool smells more pronounced, but with constipation, the aroma is practically absent.

Why does the smell change? This is influenced by microorganisms that live in the intestines. In case of any failure, they begin to develop rapidly, which leads to the growth of pathogenic microflora. As a result, bacteria poison the intestines with their toxins, which enhances the process of food decay.

This can be caused by the following factors:

  • food allergies;
  • dyspepsia;
  • colitis;
  • liver disease;
  • enteropathy;
  • rotavirus or "intestinal flu";
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • inflammation.

In a healthy person, stools have an odor, while it does not give off rot. Defecation should be painless. It is unacceptable that the stool be liquid and have blood, mucus, pus in its composition. Should not change much: they are normally brown in both men and women.

What changes does the specific aroma of the stool indicate?

The fetid and pungent odor of feces in an adult is observed when the pancreas malfunctions, in which bile does not enter the gastrointestinal tract.

The putrid and pungent smell of feces can manifest itself in diseases of the stomach associated with the use of a large number of foods containing protein.

If he gives something sour, this may indicate problems with digestion. This happens sometimes after eating carbohydrate foods, as well as drinks made using the fermentation process.

When the feces smell weak, this indicates insufficient digestion of food and the possible development of constipation.

With a smelly aroma, it indicates the decomposition of fats, but if the feces smell like rotten eggs (sulfur), this indicates poisoning with hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide.

A stool that smells of vinegar, ammonia, rubber, ammonia, has a chemical aroma, is an indicator of the growth of bacterial colonies in the body. Ammonia odor is manifested by improper breakdown and absorption of nitrogen. Sweetish - may appear when infected with cholera.

When feces smell like acetone, we are talking about the possible development of diabetes, improper nutrition (starvation, eating a large amount of protein foods, fats, lack of carbohydrates), heavy physical exertion, alcohol abuse.

Sour stool in children

If children's feces give off something sour, then the reason may be related to the development of the disease. We are talking about the following pathologies:

  • fermentation dispersion;
  • colitis;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

The sour smell of feces in infants does not always indicate a serious problem. Sometimes this is provoked by a banal indigestion in a baby. This can manifest itself both in a child on HB (breastfeeding), and when feeding with artificial mixtures. Mixed feeding can also affect this, after the introduction of complementary foods to the baby for up to a year.

The sour smell of feces in a child under 2 years of age indicates a possible food allergy. If at the same time vomiting and fever are observed, these are symptoms of a rotavirus infection.

What to do if the child's feces are completely odorless? There is no need to panic because of this. For example, for a newborn, this is quite a normal phenomenon that occurs in the first 2-3 days of his life. First-born feces (meconium) are dark green or tar-colored and do not smell at all. Babies' stools also do not have a characteristic odor after long-term use of antibiotics.

Change in stool in adults

The appearance of an unusual aroma - putrid, sour, bitter or reeking of something metallic - is an indicator of a serious illness in the body or a violation of the usual digestion process.

The most common cause of a strong and strange odor is changes in the intestinal microflora. A sour smell can appear when eating a large amount of plant foods. Feces begin to stink of rot with a lack or complete absence of digestive enzymes in the intestines. Excrement, giving off glue, can be observed in dysentery. The appearance of an abnormal odor may be accompanied by bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, flatulence. With these symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with a doctor to find out the cause.

Diagnostics and tests

To prescribe treatment, it is necessary to conduct a chemical analysis of excrement. Identification is of great importance in the diagnosis. These include the remains of fat or muscle fibers of meat products.

When a change in the properties of feces is accompanied by other symptoms, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound examination of the intestine, FGDS, MSCT of the abdominal cavity, and sometimes a biopsy of the small intestine.

Prevention and nutrition

If poor digestion is the cause of the strange smell of stool, the patient will have to follow a special diet. Smoked foods, fatty meats, spices and spicy sauces should be removed from the diet. Another important condition is the complete rejection of alcohol.

Taking antibiotics will help clear the infection. With food administration, drugs are prescribed that can relieve intoxication. If the infection has not been detected, then the patient will be enough to eat properly and take vitamins.

In order to prevent problems with digestion and defecation, it is important to properly process food. The meat should be thermally exposed, the vegetables should be washed well. It is necessary to drink enough pure water per day. It is best to exclude soda and freshly squeezed juices from the diet. The work of the digestive system improves physical activity, so do not forget about daily exercises that can be done at home.

The first year of a newborn's life is the most responsible, because it is in the first 12 months that all vital systems finish forming, the child is rapidly gaining weight and actively growing. Every parent who has already raised their children will undoubtedly agree with this, but young and not quite experienced people still do not know much, and any incomprehensible manifestation disturbs and strains. For example, some people ask questions: what does the sour smell emanating from the feces of the baby indicate, is this manifestation a symptom of the disease, and is it necessary to consult a doctor in this case? Let's try to figure it out.

Normal feces of a newborn

Based on the consistency of the baby's stool, health professionals can assess the baby's overall health. And it is precisely for this that experienced grandmothers carefully examine the feces of newborns, make sure that the feces do not exude a pungent odor.

From fecal deposits, doctors can determine the following:

  • whether the gastrointestinal tract develops normally;
  • whether the intestinal microflora of the newborn is normal;
  • whether a nursing mother and baby receive a balanced diet.

Parents, before sounding the alarm, having felt the pungent smell of their child's feces, need to understand what exactly the feces should be in newborns and how it changes depending on their age.

It should be noted that the sour smell of feces can be observed both in children on HB (breast-fed) and IV (on artificial feeding), as well as in infants on mixed feeding. If, after the child's bowel movements, parents notice a very strong smell, then this moment should seriously disturb them. According to doctors, this is a serious signal that indicates a deviation in development, so visiting a doctor should not be postponed for a long time. Depending on the age of the newborn, feces are considered normal:

In addition, it is worth noting that not only the smell of bowel movements can change, the color of the baby's stool is also not constant. And this moment is also important for a doctor who makes a diagnosis, for example:

  • a greenish tint to the stool may indicate the development of an infectious disease;
  • the presence of foam most often indicates lactose deficiency;
  • saturated black stool almost always says that a serious illness develops in the child's body.

Normally, the color of the baby's feces should be mustard brown, but this moment is also influenced by the food that the newborn received during the day.

Causes of sour stools in newborns

The famous doctor Komarovsky identifies several reasons why the baby's stool acquires a sharp, sour smell:

  1. Eating carbohydrate-rich foods for a nursing mother, as well as excessive consumption of carbonated drinks.
  2. Improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract of the infant, as a result of which food cannot be digested normally.
  3. hereditary diseases.

Only a doctor will be able to identify the cause of the pungent odor of feces after examining a small patient and obtaining the results of clinical tests. If the sour smell is caused by some kind of pathology, the doctor will prescribe treatment based on the results. The treatment process will show itself effectively only if the parents seek medical help in a timely manner. Of course, as mentioned earlier, a sharp sour smell of stool does not always indicate the development of a serious illness or a deviation in the development of a newborn. Quite often, a breastfeeding mother can help a child on her own if she starts eating recommended foods, completely excluding foods that can cause fermentative dyspepsia from the diet. It is imperative to introduce new complementary foods carefully to children on IV or mixed feeding, it is important to carefully monitor the reaction of the child's body. And, of course, you need to take into account that all children are individual and develop in their own way, which means that if something is a deviation for one, then it will be the norm for another.

Is it dangerous if the smell of feces in infants becomes putrid or sour? And what should parents do in such cases? After the birth of the baby, his intestines begin to adapt to the new conditions of existence. This is manifested, among other things, by a change in color, appearance, and other characteristics of the result of defecation.

What should be the bowel movements of babies

The smell of stool in infants in the first year of life changes. This is due to the development of the enzymatic system of the gastrointestinal tract of the child, as well as the gradual changes in his diet. Changes occur in a short period of time and indicate the correct adaptation of the baby's body to independent living.

What features of defecation of a newborn should a young mother know about:
1
For the first three days after birth, the baby still excretes the original odorless feces, which is a viscous sticky substance of black or black-brown color with a greenish tinge (meconium).

In newborns, normal feces have no odor at all.

This is how the amniotic fluid with all the substances that were in them are excreted from the body of the newborn, swallowed by him during the prenatal period.

The appearance of such bowel movements indicates the beginning of the normal functioning of the baby's intestines. During this short period, meconium is completely excreted from the intestines of the baby and then the feces look like formed excrement, which has its own characteristic features.

So, from the second day, the feces acquire a gray tint and become semi-liquid. Such a transformation of feces indicates a good absorption of baby milk by the organisms.
2
During the first week of life, an infant's bowel movements may include various heterogeneous inclusions. You should not be afraid of this, because. it is a kind of norm.
3
Starting from the second week, the color, texture and smell of the feces of the newborn depend on the type of feeding.

How stool depends on nutrition

When breastfeeding, the color of the feces will be from dark yellow to brown, the consistency will be similar to semolina, and the “aroma” of the feces will be sour-milk and rather weakly pronounced. A small amount of inclusions or mucus may still appear in the feces, but if the baby does not show anxiety and is gaining weight, you should not worry about this. How to understand if the baby is full of breast milk, you can find out.

The organoleptic indicators of the feces of a breastfed newborn also depend very much on. During the first 6 weeks of life, the baby may have up to 10 bowel movements per day.. The older the child gets, the less frequently there will be bowel movements throughout the day.

During this period, it is very important to monitor the defecation of the newborn for early detection of the development of various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

In formula-fed babies, the “aroma” of feces will be sharper and the consistency thicker. If the color of the faeces in artificials changes to orange, green or almost black, it is urgent to show the baby to the doctor.

Kuznetsova M.A., pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Clinic “Nearmedic on Polezhaevskaya”, Moscow

If there is a putrid or sour smell of feces in the baby , flatulence, incomprehensible inclusions in the stool, as well as other manifestations of disruption of the stomach or intestines, the child must be urgently shown to the local pediatrician.

If a serious condition develops, when against the background of intestinal changes, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Also, bowel movements will be unpleasant for the nose when breastfeeding alternates with various milk mixtures.

Especially strong changes in feces will be observed from. The more varied the products introduced into the baby’s table, the more his excrement will look like “adults”.

Sour smell

A sudden putrid smell of feces is a reason for an urgent examination by a pediatrician . What does the sour smell of feces mean in a baby? When should you be concerned about this?

A pronounced sour smell of stool in a child appears under the following conditions:

A sour, vinegar-like odor to stools is an abnormality.
  1. Fermentation in the intestines. It occurs in infants due to the consumption of carbohydrate foods by a nursing mother, as well as drinks caused by fermentation processes (for example, grape juice, carbonated sweet drinks, etc.).
  2. Inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn.
  3. Violation of the production of enzymes in infants.
  4. Other problems with the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

In any case, the baby must be shown to the pediatrician to identify the reasons why the feces began to smell unpleasant and eliminate them.

Komarovsky E.O., pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, TV presenter, writer, Kharkiv

The cause of the appearance of stench from excrement in an infant may be.

This enzymatic disorder occurs quite rarely, but it should not be discounted. Most often, this condition is due to genetics. However, a thorough examination of the child should always be carried out.

Also, a change in the “aroma” of the feces of the baby to sour may be accompanied by other symptoms:

  • if green appears loose stools with a sour smell in a child, we are talking about the presence of a baby in the body;
  • with a sour smell in the baby indicates insufficient production of an enzyme that breaks down milk (lactose);
  • if the excrement has become a pronounced yellow color with a sour smell, it is necessary to look for the cause in a violation of the metabolism of bile pigments. Also, such a chair may indicate a state of Rhesus conflict;
  • colorless stools indicate the pathology of the organs of formation and excretion of bile from the body;
  • excrement of black color appears with gastric bleeding. This is a serious reason to immediately call an ambulance;
  • oily feces that leave greasy spots on the tissue indicate a violation of the pancreas.

The appearance of mucus in the feces of a newborn indicates the unavailability of his internal organs to digest food or overeating. When mucus appears, it is necessary to review the feeding regimen with the pediatrician.

What does a putrid odor indicate?

The pungent smell of feces in infants indicates decay of protein products in the intestines when the composition of the intestinal microflora changes, i.e. most often it is about.

Putrid stench from the feces of a newborn appears when:

  1. Inflammatory bowel disease.
  2. Slow motility of the smooth muscles of the intestine.
  3. Indigestion of a putrid nature.
  4. Dysbacteriosis.
  5. Various violations of the process of digestion of food.

The fetid smell of feces, if there is mucus in it, indicates pathological processes in the intestines that have appeared as a result of allergic reactions, as well as exposure to an infectious or toxic agent on the baby's body. Another reason for the appearance of mucus in the excrement against the background of their unpleasant "flavors" is dysbacteriosis. You can find out how and where to take an analysis for dysbacteriosis.

If a sharp stench from excrement appears in an infant, you should urgently contact a pediatrician for a thorough examination and identify the causes that caused this condition!

What to do when changing bowel movements in a newborn

A change in the color and consistency of feces and the appearance of various unpleasant "aromas" can be the result of both alimentary reasons, including from the nursing mother, and pathological processes in the baby's body.

The following symptoms that develop against the background of changes in the organoleptic characteristics of excrement indicate the pathological process in the gastrointestinal tract of a newborn:

The quality and frequency of stools depend on the nutrition of the mother and child, health, heredity and age of the baby.
  • violation of the frequency and rhythm of bowel movements;
  • pale skin;
  • vomit;
  • breast rejection;
  • increase in body temperature;
  • restless behavior.

The situation is especially serious if the child has a smell of fish. This indicates such dangerous diseases for the baby as or cholera.

If there is bloating, frequent gas discharge, as well as an unpleasant odor of feces in breastfed babies, the mother should, first of all, pay attention to her diet. It is necessary to limit the consumption of sugars and carbohydrates as much as possible.

This applies to muffins, any confectionery, sweet carbonated drinks and juices that cause fermentation, etc. What foods are allowed and prohibited for a nursing mother in the first month, see.

You can also discuss your diet with your pediatrician. The doctor will advise which foods are best to eat so that the newborn does not experience problems with the digestion of breast milk, and at the same time maintain the woman's digestion is normal.

Utkina Yu.A., pediatrician, Alfa Health Center, Samara

Often, a baby will have green stools with a sharp unpleasant smell in the process of switching from breast milk to formula. Then it is necessary, together with the doctor, to choose another dairy food that is well absorbed by the baby's body.

To select the optimal result, sometimes you have to change the mixture several times.

The appearance of varying degrees of intensity of green staining of feces should be controlled feeding with weighing the baby before and after eating, because. this may indicate that the baby is malnourished. It is better to carry out the weighing procedure together with the nurse of the pediatric office. Also, the reason for the green color of the excrement may be too high fat content of milk. Find out how to increase the fat content of breast milk.

If pathogenic microflora was sown during the analysis of the baby's feces, the mother must definitely hand over breast milk for sterility analysis. It is possible that the cause of the problems of the gastrointestinal tract of the child is precisely in health disorders on the part of the mother.

Conclusion

Changes in the organoleptic characteristics of infant feces can have physiological, alimentary and pathological causes. When the appearance of feces changes and an unpleasant “aroma” appears, it is necessary, first of all, to establish the factors that caused this condition. To do this, you need to undergo a laboratory examination at a children's clinic.

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