Why does a newborn poop grain? Baby's stool by month

From the literature on caring for a newborn, mothers know that the baby should poop after each feeding. If a newborn and infant defecate a yellowish mush, then babies who consume formula excrete feces that are denser. Their smell is specific, pungent. If the baby suddenly hasn’t pooped all day, parents worry and think about using a laxative. But moms and dads don’t know whether the baby really needs help.

Emptying regimen for infants

Nutritional habits help to understand why stool retention occurs in a child under one year of age. If the newborn is breastfed and does not receive any fluids or medications, the absence of stool will be considered normal even for a week. Some babies' bodies absorb mother's milk completely, so feces are simply not collected.

If the baby is switched to a bottle and the mother notices that he has not pooped for 2 days or more, this is already a problem. The mixture is an artificial product that cannot be fully processed. Its remnants must leave the body regularly.

The frequency, quantity, and type of bowel movements depend not only on the type of feeding of the child. Before 12 months of age, these indicators are influenced by several factors:

mother’s nutritional habits if the baby is breastfeeding;
composition of human milk (fat slows down the movement of feces);
type of mixture (the factor works when transferring the baby to artificial feeding);
weakness of intestinal motility and anterior abdominal wall.

Why does the intestine have difficulty defecating? The fact is that food gruel is slowly transported through the thick part of the tract and loses all its nutrients. Vitamins and water remain in the masses, gradually filling the lower part of the organ. The intestine stretches, the feces dry out and become voluminous and heavy. Since the baby does not have sufficiently developed muscles, the intestines cannot get rid of feces. The process of defecation becomes painful and unpleasant.

When to contact a pediatrician?

Newborns and older babies report problems with bowel movements using certain symptoms. Caring parents will definitely notice the following deviations:

vomiting;
lack of gas;
poor sleep and appetite;
increased nervousness;
anxiety during feeding;
twisting legs due to bloating and pain in the tummy (possibly hard).

Fecal masses in the presence of these anomalies are characterized by increased density. The color of feces changes from yellow to dark if the baby is switched to formula. The reason for contacting a doctor is both the strange consistency and shade of stool, and the general condition of the child with problems with stool and passing gas.

For example, if a baby does not poop and has difficulty passing gas, this condition poses a danger to the body. The combination of symptoms indicates intestinal obstruction. If the baby farts but does not poop, he is not in danger of obstruction. Moderate gas formation against the background of rare bowel movements indicates normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to make your baby's stool easier?

In the absence of nutritional problems, treatment of problematic bowel movements is carried out by eliminating spasmodic phenomena occurring in the intestines. When the baby cannot poop, he needs to massage his tummy with a clockwise movement of his hand. It will be useful to bend your legs while pressing against your stomach (similar to riding a bicycle). Exercise stimulates intestinal motility and accelerates the elimination of processed food.

If your newborn is concerned about air trapped in the tract, you can try placing a gas tube. The device irritates the walls of the rectum and forces them to contract involuntarily. When the tube is pushed out, the gases come out along with the feces.

If the baby eats formulas, cereals, juices, but does not defecate for 3 days in a row, parents should give him warm boiled water to facilitate the expulsion of feces. Let the baby consume a sufficient amount of liquid - she will not allow stool retention. You can try feeding the baby a different formula or switching to a special food that prevents colic and hardening of stool.

Previously, mothers alleviated the suffering of children with mechanical stimuli. They inserted a piece of soap, the tip of a thermometer, and a hygienic stick in cream or Vaseline into the anus. Today these methods are not welcomed by pediatricians. If a child poops poorly despite everything, he is prescribed rectal glycerin suppositories.

Doctors suggest medicinal treatment of children for intestinal problems using mildly effective means:

Plantex;
Normaze;
Duphalac;
Gutalax;
Vita-plant;
Prelax.

If defecation delay is caused by dysbiosis, intestinal treatment is aimed at restoring the flora. For this purpose, the baby is prescribed bifidobacteria - Bifidumbacterin, Bifidum, Trilact, Probifor, etc. It is better to give the baby probiotics in liquid form, because they act immediately in the body. Infants can obtain beneficial bifidobacteria from special fermented milk products. Therapeutic nutrition and medications are selected individually.

A very important point in caring for a newborn and infant concerns monitoring his stool. This is a very important indicator of the baby's health. It is very important for parents to understand what secrets and information the contents of your child's diaper may contain, starting from birth.

There’s a first time for everything... (about a newborn’s first bowel movement):

The very first stool of a newborn baby is called meconium. It is a sticky (difficult to wash off), dark mass (almost black). Meconium is amniotic fluid and epithelial cells of the intestinal wall that entered the baby's body while still in the womb. As a rule, meconium comes out of the baby after birth during the first two days. Frequent latching of the baby to the breast promotes the rapid passage of meconium. The first milk - colostrum - has an excellent laxative effect.

The color of meconium is from black to green-black, rich.

The consistency of meconium is very dense, slightly viscous.

Smell - odorless.

What's wrong with meconium?:

In this case, disruption of the meconium passage process can occur in two directions:

◊ early exit. Meconium may pass before birth. In this case, the amniotic fluid turns greenish. Such early passage of meconium indicates fetal hypoxia and protracted labor. This phenomenon requires the help and supervision of specialists;

◊ delayed passage of meconium. A long delay in the passage of meconium (more than two days) may indicate the presence of congenital diseases (for example, Hirschsprung's disease, associated with a congenital lack of innervation of the intestinal sections). In addition, a delay in the passage of meconium and difficulty in passing it indicate that the child is malnourished.

This may be due to the following reasons:

◊ insufficient amount of colostrum in the mother;

◊ irregularly shaped nipples (small or sunken), as a result of which the baby is unable to fully latch onto the breast;

◊ due to physiological characteristics, the baby is unable to latch onto the breast (this happens quite often when a newborn’s lower lip falls heavily under the upper lip). As a result, the baby cannot latch onto the breast correctly.

Thus, if you are causing late meconium passage and attributing it to malnutrition, then use special breast shields. They will help the baby to latch on to the breast more correctly and fully feed on hind milk, which is very high in calories and healthy!

Thus, it is necessary to monitor your baby’s bowel movements and the nature of this content from the very birth of your baby.

What's next?:

Transitional chair. The baby will have this stool until the end of the first week of life. Its composition is the remains of meconium and digested colostrum.

The color of transitional stool ranges from greenish or greenish-yellow to white. Such a varied color indicates that the baby’s stool has not yet formed and his digestive system is just beginning to develop and adapt to new food and lifestyle. In addition, the intestinal microflora is just beginning to be populated by various microorganisms.

The consistency of transitional stool is quite liquid; when it comes into contact with a tissue surface, a fairly large watery spot is noticeable around the contents. In addition, such feces are quite heterogeneous; there may be areas of different density, consistency and color in it.

The smell of transitional feces is sour, rather pungent.

In addition, mucus and undigested lumps of food may be present in transitional stool.

All these indicators are within normal limits and should not make parents overly concerned. The appearance of transitional feces indicates the normalization of the lactation process in the mother and the formation and development of the digestive system in the baby.

Transitional feces: what will make you worry...:

Constipation. Retention of stool in the first week after the birth of the baby indicates that the mother has little colostrum and first milk. The baby is simply malnourished. In addition, stool retention can also be a result of the fact that colostrum is completely absorbed by the baby’s body. And the process of bowel movements in newborns occurs only when the intestines are sufficiently filled with contents. But since this transition period from meconium to infant feces and from colostrum to mother’s milk is quite short, special attention must be paid to the feces that the baby will have 6-8 days after birth.

Prolonged period of transitional stool (more than one week). Such a long process of transition from meconium to normal baby stool indicates disturbances in the development of the baby’s microflora. What are the reasons for this delay:

◊ supplementary feeding of a newborn in the maternity hospital with artificial formulas;

◊ weaning from the mother in the maternity hospital;

◊ forced use of antibiotics (then the stool becomes greenish in color with a rather pungent odor);

◊ long breaks in feeding;

◊ disturbances in the mother’s lactation process (milk does not come in for a long time).

What is important to consider: if a child, against the background of such deviations in stool formation, feels well, gains weight within normal limits, and has a good appetite, then such changes in stool do not need correction. If, on the contrary, the child is lethargic, eats poorly and gains weight, this is a reason for concern and seeking medical help.

Baby's stool: how normal?:

After a week after birth, the contents of the baby's diaper will change. These changes will happen gradually, so you need to be patient and not make hasty conclusions.

The color of the baby's stool - after the transition period, the baby's stool becomes yellow.

Important! When taking iron supplements, the stool may turn black.

The consistency is mushy and can vary from denser to thicker. The consistency of a baby's stool is influenced by factors such as:

◊ mother’s nutrition during breastfeeding. Some foods that a nursing mother eats can loosen or strengthen the baby's stool.

◊ fat content of milk. If the baby sucks poorly at the breast, then he feeds mostly on foremilk, which is less dense and fatty. The stool of such children is usually looser.

◊ type of infant feeding: breast or artificial. In babies who are bottle-fed, stools are denser due to poorer digestion and absorption of the formula. In these children, the problem of constipation is more acute. In breastfed babies, stools are looser and constipation is less common, since mother's milk is absorbed by the baby's body faster and easier.

The smell can be varied, depending on the nutrition of the nursing mother. In children on artificial nutrition, the smell is usually sour milk.

You should definitely keep in mind the fact that the baby’s main and only food is milk. This is a natural product that can shift the characteristics of a baby's stool in different directions. You should not strive to ensure that the baby’s stool is strictly the same. This is almost impossible to achieve, and it is not necessary.

Number of bowel movements. After two weeks, this is already an important indicator of the baby’s health and nutrition. The following point is important here: the minimum number of bowel movements should be 2-3 per day. Often in children at this age and more often. Too infrequent bowel movements indicate that your baby is not getting enough food (he doesn’t have enough milk).

What violations may occur?:

In fact, there are many such disorders of infant stool. It should be understood that the following signs in a baby are cause for concern:

◊ weakness;

◊ low activity;

◊ poor appetite;

◊ poor weight gain;

◊ constipation.

These indicators are an important signal for contacting a gastroenterologist to determine the cause and correct such deviations.

In addition, parents should be alert to the following signs of changes in stool:

◊ Constipation. A prolonged absence of bowel movements indicates that the baby is malnourished. In addition, with a lack of the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar, the feces become thicker and also lead to stool retention and painful bowel movements. In addition, such bowel movements can damage the rectum and cause fissures, which are very painful for the baby.
In children who are bottle-fed, stools are denser and bowel movements occur less frequently. This is normal. You just need to choose the right mixture.

◊ Large amounts of mucus in the stool. Such stool indicates that the baby has recently had such an infection. In addition, such stool is often observed in children during teething.

What to do? If mucus persists in the stool for a long time, then this is a reason to contact a gastroenterologist to correct this condition after examination (as a rule, they take an analysis called a coprogram).

◊ The stool is foamy, slightly greenish, with a very pungent odor. In addition, there is irritation of the skin around the anus. Such stool most often indicates overeating and excess milk in the mother.

What to do? Change breasts less often so that your baby eats mostly hind milk. It contains enzymes for breaking down milk sugar.

◊ The stool is foamy, green, its appearance is accompanied by a characteristic “pop”, which indicates increased gas formation. This type of stool indicates lactase deficiency (lack of an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar). To correct this condition, you must consult a doctor. And the mother should ensure that the baby receives more hind milk, which is very rich in these enzymes.

◊ Very frequent yellow or green stools with very. This type of stool indicates the presence of an infection and requires immediate attention to a doctor.

◊ Blood in the stool. This is a dangerous symptom that indicates various pathologies, including: bleeding, allergies to milk protein, hemorrhoids, congenital intestinal diseases, bacterial infection.

All of the above features should be a reason to consult a doctor. After all, the nature of a baby’s bowel movements is a “litmus test” of all processes occurring in the baby’s body. And analysis of the contents of a diaper can sometimes help to recognize dangerous diseases or abnormalities in time. In order to do this competently, it is imperative to have information about the norms in children's stool, which are described above.

Breastfeed your babies! This will avoid many health problems for your baby.

Tummy problems are a common occurrence early in a child's life. One of these problems is constipation in the newborn, which can occur immediately after birth. Constipation in newborns cannot be treated with medications typically used for adults. You should also be careful when treating constipation in newborns using traditional medicine. After all, medicinal plants may contain substances that have an adverse effect on a small organism.

To help the child, it is necessary to determine the cause. And remember that all medications for constipation for newborns are prescribed only by a specialist. Moreover, in most cases, if you correctly adjust the mother’s diet and the amount of fluid consumed by the child, this problem can be eliminated.

Signs of constipation in a baby

You need to know that up to 3 months, a newborn’s intestines empty after feeding. Therefore, stool up to 8 times a day is considered normal for a baby. Formula-fed children should have bowel movements at least 2 times a day. If a child is bothered by his tummy, he tries to express it. Constipation in newborns has the following symptoms:

the child’s tummy becomes hard, and he often arches his back;

the baby pushes all the time, tucking his legs to his tummy;

the newborn shows anxiety, constantly cries, is capricious and does not want to eat;

absence of stool for more than a day;

feces unusual for a newborn are hard and have a rotten smell.

Causes of stool retention in a baby

About once a week, a newborn may experience stool retention due to weak bowel function. Since there is a period of adaptation to food that is unusual for him. And often by 2–3 months the problem disappears. But if difficult stools recur very often, you should find out the reasons and begin to eliminate them. Because constipation in a newborn can become chronic. Moreover, with constipation, newborns experience excruciating pain. There are several causes of constipation in newborns:

improper diet of a nursing mother;

insufficient feeding;

transition from breastfeeding to formula;

lack of fluid;

disturbance of intestinal microflora;

inflammatory process or congenital intestinal pathology;

dysbacteriosis;

neurological diseases;

infectious diseases;

genetic predisposition.

To determine the cause, you should consult your pediatrician. He will conduct an examination, prescribe medicine for newborns and advise how to treat the child.

First aid for a newborn

What to do about constipation in a newborn? If the first signs of constipation are detected in a newborn, then in order to help the child, you need to increase his mobility. Also, if there is constipation in newborns, it is necessary to reconsider the daily diet of the nursing mother. But this is not enough, then it is necessary to do certain procedures and treat constipation in a newborn.

Massage

For constipation in newborns, it is necessary to massage the tummy. It is better to carry out the procedure in warm water, as it relaxes the muscles. To do this, place your hand on the baby’s tummy and make circular movements. You need to massage gently, with light pressure. Then you need to do an exercise: bending and unbending your legs, pulling them towards your tummy. Massage for newborns with constipation helps strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles, which helps normalize stool. After six months, the child can be put on a potty. The potty seat applies appropriate pressure, making it easier for your baby to defecate.

Mechanical stimulation

The next method to help with constipation in newborns is mechanical stimulation. Constipation soap for newborns is not allowed, because it irritates the mucous membranes and can cause microcracks in the anus. For stimulation in cases of constipation in newborns, a gas outlet tube or pipette tip is used. The tube must be treated with baby oil, inserted into the anus 5 - 7 mm, then gently twist until the baby begins to push. After this procedure, the child should have a bowel movement.

However, this remedy for constipation in newborns should be used occasionally. Because regular stimulation can lead to the baby getting used to it and not feeling the urge to defecate.

Candles

In order to eliminate constipation in newborns, suppositories are also used. You can purchase these medications for constipation for newborns in all pharmacies without a prescription. There are two types of candles - glycerin and gas-forming. Glycerin suppositories contain glycerin, which softens stool, facilitating the process of defecation. Gas-forming suppositories activate the urge to defecate through the carbon dioxide produced when they dissolve. The most convenient position for inserting a suppository is when the newborn lies on his side with his legs bent. Constipation suppositories for newborns should be used after consultation with a pediatrician.

Enema

If suppositories are not available and the child is suffering, then an enema is performed. For this, take water at room temperature. An enema for a newborn up to 3 months should be 30 ml, for a baby over 3 months - 90 ml. The tip of the enema must first be treated with Vaseline. The enema is given when the baby lies on his back with his legs elevated. It must be remembered that the enema is done in a relaxed state, so it is necessary to calm the child.

However, suppositories and enemas are not recommended for frequent use. The intestines can get used to these remedies for constipation in newborns, and in the future will stop performing their functions to the required extent. In addition, an enema flushes out beneficial bacteria from the intestines.

Laxatives

How to help a newborn with constipation if the above methods did not produce results? You can give laxatives. But only after they have been prescribed by a pediatrician. Most often, doctors recommend treating intestinal motility disorders with a lactulose-based anti-constipation remedy for newborns, for example, Duphalac, Lizalak, Normaze, Normalakt. They are not harmful to the newborn and do not contribute to addiction.

Along with these laxatives, the use of Espumisan is sometimes recommended, because lactulose can cause increased gas formation. However, it must be remembered that taking Espumisan can also provoke stool retention, so it is better not to use it for constipation in newborns.

Use of Plantex

To get rid of gases, it is better to use the drug Plantex. This is a special remedy for eliminating gastrointestinal problems. Plantex consists of natural ingredients. It contains fennel, lactose and dextrose. Plantex has an antispasmodic and carminative effect. It improves digestion and has a beneficial effect on the secretion of gastric juice. Plantex promotes rapid and efficient absorption of breast milk or formula. The active components of the drug prevent the formation of gases in the intestines. In addition, Plantex improves intestinal motility and facilitates the process of defecation.
Newborns can brew Plantex 1 sachet per day. The drug should be taken after feeding. To avoid constipation in newborns, it is advisable to give Plantex when introducing complementary foods or during the transition from breastfeeding to formula.

Normalization of intestinal function in newborns

In order to normalize the activity of the child’s digestive tract, as well as for prevention purposes, the following conditions must be observed.

Mom's nutrition

To normalize the functioning of the baby’s intestines, it is necessary to monitor the mother’s proper nutrition. You should limit your consumption of flour products, rice, milk, raw vegetables and fruits. Mom needs to add foods that have a laxative effect to her diet. These are beets, dried fruits (dried apricots, prunes), vegetable oils. It would also be advisable to drink plenty of fluids.

Child nutrition

If your baby is bottle-fed, it is important to choose the right formula. There is also a special mixture recommended for newborns for constipation. This mixture is fully adapted for babies; it can be used directly on the first day of stool retention, as a remedy for constipation for newborns. Or completely replace your diet with it. It includes lactulose, which activates the development of bifidobacteria and promotes the liquefaction of feces. The mixture prescribed to a newborn for constipation stimulates the intestinal tract, improves metabolism, and helps strengthen the immune system.
During the complementary feeding period, you can make oatmeal with plums. In addition, raisins and prunes are good for weakening, but you must be careful with these products.

Fluid intake

This especially applies to children who are fed with formula. You need to give your child boiled water, you can also give him dill water, Plantex tea for constipation for newborns. A little later, you can cook a light compote from dried fruits, make berry fruit drinks with a laxative effect. If a baby often has stool retention, it also needs to be supplemented with liquid.

Massage, gymnastics, tummy tuck

For a newborn, physical contact with his mother is very important. Placing it on the mother's stomach helps the baby relax. It is also recommended to give your child a warm bath to relax. A tummy massage in combination with gymnastic exercises helps strengthen muscles and ensure proper functioning of the digestive organs.

Retention of stool in a baby causes a lot of panic among parents. Any manifestation of a problem with bowel movements suggests that the baby is constipated. However, constipation does not always accurately characterize a problem with bowel movements, so it is urgent to find out the reasons for this phenomenon.

Signs and causes: how to recognize them?

It is important for parents to pay attention to the general condition of the baby and the consistency of the stool. If the delay is associated with constipation, the child will be capricious and whiny. The baby may push frequently, but this does not lead to the desired result. While trying to go to the toilet, the baby gets worried and becomes nervous. During constipation, a baby's stool has a hard consistency. It looks like a pea or has a plug followed by a mass of feces.

If there is a delay in defecation, but the child is calm, does not refuse feeding, and the act of defecation does not cause discomfort, then we are clearly not talking about constipation. A newborn may often have this problem: the quality of absorption of formula or breast milk is too good. In this case, the baby simply has nothing to go to the toilet with. If you have the following symptoms, you need to find out the reasons. It is necessary to show the baby to the doctor.

Another problem is related to lactose deficiency. It occurs due to a small amount of the enzyme or its complete absence. This enzyme is necessary for the breakdown of milk sugar - lactose. Such a disorder manifests itself easily, since the absence of stool can be replaced by diarrhea.

To eliminate the delay, you need to get rid of the reasons that can cause this phenomenon. For this purpose, the mother’s diet must be adjusted and the baby’s drinking regime is observed. In some cases, it is necessary to additionally humidify the air in the room. You should consult your doctor if you need to replace the formula you are using or adjust the nature of complementary feeding.

If there is no result during the implementation of the listed changes, the baby’s condition should be diagnosed. This will allow you to exclude diseases or detect them. You should not rush to use enemas and various laxatives.

As for the permitted drugs, it is prohibited to use any laxatives other than Lactulose for a newborn. reduce the baby's reflex, which is associated with the process of emptying. The degree of absorption of beneficial vitamins and substances decreases, the tone of the intestinal muscles decreases, which only worsens the situation. Therefore, it is necessary to help the child with harmless means before moving on to more serious medications.

In this case, you need to place the baby on his stomach more often. It is useful to perform a tummy massage, followed by the previously mentioned revolution. You need to make clockwise movements, and press your legs to your stomach. You can use them to simulate riding a bicycle.

Heat has a relaxing effect on the baby, so you should put a warm diaper on the baby's stomach. You can place the baby on the mother's stomach. Warmth not only calms the baby, but also stimulates peristalsis.

Medications

Previously it was stated that it was necessary to try to eliminate the problem without the use of drugs. However, medications can become indispensable helpers if other methods have not helped. It is important to consult a specialist before using medication and follow the prescribed dosage. Independent choice of means and dosage selection is prohibited.

Suppositories containing glycerin are safe for small children. However, most experts do not recommend using them in the treatment of infants. The use of such drugs is justified only in emergency situations, when other means do not give a positive result. This is associated with the possibility of an allergic reaction, itching and other irritations. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor. An example of glycerin suppositories is Glycelax.

It is necessary to consult before using enemas and microenemas. Such methods are not natural bowel stimulants, so it is recommended to avoid this method. Like medications, enemas are used in extreme cases. In this situation, you will need to take 30-120 ml of water at room temperature. The tip of the pear should be lubricated with Vaseline.

A popular prebiotic is the previously mentioned drug Lactulose, which can be prescribed if stool retention was caused by dysbiosis. It is also used as a means of preventing constipation. The product has a mild effect, so it is safe for the youngest patients. It does not lead to addiction, and with prolonged use it restores the microflora that was previously disturbed.

Problems with bowel movements in infants require careful action on the part of parents. It is imperative to consult a specialist and avoid medications that are recommended for use in extreme cases.

Childhood troubles: baby has hard stools

Threats to the body due to loose stools in infants

Watery stools: causes of occurrence in infants

Breastfeeding newborns is a process provided by nature. But nevertheless, a modern woman needs to learn it. Breast milk has a positive effect on the baby’s digestive tract and provokes the formation of unusual, in the eyes of an adult, stool. The contents of children's intestines are very worrying for mothers. What should a newborn baby's stool look like normally when breastfeeding and when should you consult a doctor?

In the first 2-3 days after birth, just while the baby is in the maternity hospital, he defecates a dark green dense mass. This is called meconium - original feces. The mother observes 2-3 bowel movements per day. Sometimes the meconium does not pass well, and then the pediatric nurse can help the baby with a special massage, including the tummy. Or even do an enema.

On days 3-4, the frequency of stool in a newborn with hepatitis B usually increases. The baby begins to defecate after each feeding. This means up to 7-8 times a day. The stool becomes bright yellow in color and has a runny consistency. In general, loose stool in a newborn during breastfeeding is the absolute norm. Most likely, he will remain this way until complementary foods are introduced to him. And this means up to about 6 months. A newborn's stool with white lumps is also a variant of the norm. Many mothers notice it even in the maternity hospital and even deliberately save their children’s soiled diapers to later show them to nurses and doctors. And these white lumps are just undigested mother's milk. This is most often observed in children who eat artificial formula, but it also happens in infants in the first weeks of life. Regardless of the frequency of their stool and its appearance.

There are babies who have stool 1-3 times a day even in the first months of life. And this is also the absolute norm. The color of a newborn's stool normally varies greatly and often depends on the mother's diet. For example, if she ate a lot of cucumbers, the stool may turn green. The correct diet for a breastfeeding woman needs to be discussed separately.

Nutrition for a nursing mother

There is an opinion that she should have a very meager diet in order to avoid problems with the intestines and skin of the child. That you should not eat vegetables and fruits of bright colors, foods and spices that can change the taste of milk (for example, fresh onions, garlic, hot peppers), legumes.

In fact, your diet may be almost the same as before giving birth. The main condition is moderation. After all, even dairy, which is usually recommended to all mothers, can cause enormous harm to the child if consumed without measure. Any protein for a baby is a potential allergen if it enters the digestive tract in large quantities. That is, fermented milk is good. But you don’t need to drink more than a glass of kefir a day. But it is better to abstain from whole milk. After all, it contains the highest concentration of protein, which is poorly absorbed by the body of infants. Often the consumption of milk by mothers leads to severe gas formation in their children. An infant's digestion is not perfect.

Eating legumes, particularly pea soup, is unlikely to have any effect on your baby's intestines. But you shouldn’t eat it on 2 plates a day. Eat a small portion first and see if your baby has a reaction within 24 hours.

What you definitely shouldn’t eat while the baby is exclusively breastfed, which means he drinks about a liter of mother’s milk a day, are citrus fruits and chocolate, since they are more likely than other foods to provoke allergies in the baby. You can eat red apples, peppers, peaches, etc., but start gradually.

With the introduction of complementary foods, the stool of an infant becomes less frequent, denser and no longer depends so much on the nature of the mother’s diet, since part of the mother’s milk has already been replaced by other products.

How to normalize a newborn's stool while breastfeeding

Despite the fact that breast milk itself has a beneficial effect on the baby’s digestive tract, problems and questions still arise.

How to interpret the absence of stool in a breastfed newborn for 1-2-3 or more days? How to provoke a bowel movement in a child, how long can he wait for stool, and what threatens him with constipation?

Doctors say that constipation in a breastfed newborn, even for 1-2 days, deserves attention. First, the mother is recommended to start eating foods with a laxative effect. For example, fresh cucumbers, vegetable salads dressed with vegetable oil, prunes, etc. If it doesn’t help, give the child lactulose syrup. And if green stool is observed in a newborn, then, most likely, they will give a referral to test stool for dysbacteriosis.

What do experts abroad think about this? In Europe and America, no one gets tested for dysbacteriosis, since it is completely uninformative. Green stool in a healthy child is a variant of the norm. As for the so-called constipation, most often it is not constipation at all. It’s just that breast milk is very well absorbed by the baby’s body. So that no by-products remain. There are soft, normal stools when breastfeeding a newborn even once every 7 days! You can wait this long if the child feels well, his tummy does not hurt, and he does not look tense.

Very often, the stool of a mixed-fed newborn baby begins to be delayed. This is not explained by good digestibility of nutrition, but by the child’s body getting used to supplementary feeding. For this reason, among other things, doctors do not advise women to experiment with baby food. The situation can be resolved by choosing a suitable formula for the child. Usually fermented milk.

Frequent and foamy stools in a breastfed newborn

If the baby has stool more than 8 times a day, and it has an unpleasant odor, usually very sour, swampy color, foams, includes mucus, then there are three options - either the mother broke the diet, and the child’s intestines reacted to it this way, or the child has lactase deficiency or has an intestinal infection. When an illness occurs, one usually notices not only the newborn’s feces with mucus, but also an increase in body temperature, abdominal pain, a general deterioration in health, and vomiting. Intestinal infection is very dangerous for children in the first year of life. And he is being treated in a hospital, in the infectious diseases department.

If there is no infection, the child’s overall health is normal, the doctor will recommend taking a coprogram. With its help, one can assume secondary lactase deficiency (an increased level of carbohydrates according to the analysis, by the way, with the yellow color of the stool of a breastfed newborn) or intestinal inflammation (a large number of leukocytes and mucus).

In principle, both conditions go away on their own. The mother is required to normalize her diet and follow known recommendations for breastfeeding - give only one breast at one feeding so that the baby empties it completely. Thus, the child will fully receive not only foremilk, rich in milk sugar (which provokes fermentation processes in the intestines), but also hindmilk, rich in fats.

Remember, it is not so important how many times a day a newborn should normally have stool when breastfeeding and what color it is, the most important thing is how the child feels. Reasons for an urgent visit to the pediatrician are:

blood in stool;
stool more than 10 times a day;
black stool (indicates the presence of blood from the upper intestines or stomach).

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Immediately after birth, the baby passes meconium - viscous, dark green stool. Then comes physiological dyspepsia of newborns, which lasts 2–4 days. In this condition, the feces are heterogeneous, contain impurities of greenery and mucus, and a watery spot forms on the diaper around the feces. This is how the child’s gastrointestinal tract adapts to new living conditions, after which the stool returns to normal. Physiological dyspepsia in newborns does not require treatment: without outside intervention, feces become more formed and homogeneous; in the future, its nature will depend on the type of feeding and the introduction of complementary foods.

When feeding exclusively, the baby's stool, as a rule, happens after each feeding, up to 6-7 times a day; it has a mushy consistency, yellow color, without any green or mucus impurities. Gradually, by the age of 1 year, when the baby begins to receive complementary foods, bowel movements occur less frequently, up to 1–2 times a day, and the feces become denser and dark brown.

Baby's stool is black. This is a very alarming signal indicating the need to immediately seek medical help. Black stool occurs when there is gastrointestinal bleeding from the upper parts of the digestive system, namely the stomach or small intestine. The product of the destruction of red blood cells - hemoglobin, passing through the intestines, gives the stool a dark color. With severe bleeding, weakness, lethargy appears, and the baby refuses to eat. But it should be borne in mind that some drugs, such as iron supplements, which are used to treat anemia, also turn the feces black, which is usually indicated in the instructions for the drugs.

Pathological impurities in infant feces

White lumps in baby's stool. The appearance of white lumps in the stool of an infant indicates digestive disorders. They are undigested leftover food. If this is observed extremely rarely, and the rest of the stool is normal, and the baby is gaining weight normally, then no treatment is required. Parents should pay attention to whether feeding is properly organized, whether the child is overeating, whether the milk formula is prepared correctly if the baby is.

An admixture of scarlet blood in the baby's stool. The most alarming symptom is blood in the child's stool. This is a sign that the source of the bleeding is in the child's lower gastrointestinal tract, namely the large intestine or rectum. The most common causes are anal fissures, a severe inflammatory process in the large intestine, which causes ulceration of the wall and, as a result, bleeding.

Foreign body in baby's stool. Babies in the second half of life, who begin to more actively explore the world around them, can swallow a variety of small objects, putting themselves at risk. Therefore, when organizing the life of the baby, parents should take this important point into account. If a foreign body is detected in the infant's stool, it should be assessed whether it could injure (cut or otherwise damage) the intestinal mucosa. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the color of the stool: is it stained black (which indicates bleeding), is there any admixture of scarlet blood.

Changes in the frequency and consistency of infant stool

Watery, foamy infant stool with a sour odor. The reason for its appearance is lactase deficiency, which is often found among infants. All milk, including human milk, contains milk sugar - lactose, which is digested using the intestinal enzyme - lactase. Lactase deficiency means a lack or complete absence of this enzyme; as a result, lactose entering the intestines is not digested and causes fermentation, which leads to the appearance of frequent foamy, liquefied stools with a sour odor. As a rule, the baby is bothered by excessive gas formation and intestinal colic. The causes of lactase deficiency are most often a temporary immaturity of the enzyme, less often a genetically determined complete absence of lactase. The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the clinical picture and is confirmed in the laboratory by quantitative determination of carbohydrates in the feces. Lactase deficiency is treated by a pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist. If the baby is breastfed, the lactase enzyme is prescribed along with breast milk in the form of a drug. Formula-fed babies are switched to lactose-free formula or a formula with a low lactose content.

Frequent loose stools in an infant. There can be several reasons for such stool, the most common being an intestinal infection of a viral or bacterial nature. Intestinal infections are often accompanied by a rise in temperature above 38 ° C, signs of intoxication - weakness, irritability, tearfulness of the baby, refusal to eat. Frequent loose stools are a dangerous condition for a baby, since along with liquefied feces the child loses water and electrolytes (potassium, sodium, chlorine), which quickly leads to dehydration.

Dehydration is a condition that is accompanied by the following symptoms: lethargy, weakness, dry skin and mucous membranes, increased thirst, retraction of the large fontanel. It poses a threat to the baby’s life, so if the above symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical help. Before the doctor arrives, the child must be given salt-containing solutions.

If it is not possible to purchase a saline solution at a pharmacy, you can prepare it yourself at home. To do this, for 1 liter of boiled water, take 1 teaspoon of table salt, ½ teaspoon of soda, 8 teaspoons of granulated sugar. It is necessary to give the child the prepared solution 5–15 ml every 5–10 minutes until the doctor arrives, and then according to the recommendation of a specialist.

Also, frequent loose stools in a child can be not only a symptom of an inflammatory process, but also a consequence of impaired absorption and digestion of nutrients. This deviation is called malabsorption syndrome: stools become frequent and thin, the baby gains weight poorly, but there is no fever or signs of intoxication or a sharp deterioration in health. The causes of loose stool in a child are a whole group of diseases, which are based on the insufficiency of enzyme and transport systems for the digestion and absorption of certain nutrients. Such diseases include intolerance to fructose, galactose, sucrose, and celiac disease (intolerance to gluten, a protein of some cereal plants). In this case, when new foods are introduced into the diet, the baby begins. This group of diseases also includes lactase deficiency, described above.

Stool with a watery spot around it. This condition is normal in the middle of the first week of a baby’s life, with physiological dyspepsia of newborns, as discussed at the beginning of the article. In any other period of a child’s life, a watery spot on the diaper is a reason to seek medical help; it may indicate the onset of an intestinal infection or serious digestive disorders due to dietary errors.

Thick stools leaving an oil stain on the diaper. A similar stool disorder occurs when the pancreas fails to cope with the production of the lipase enzyme involved in the digestion of fats. As a result, the fat is released along with the feces, giving it an excessively thick consistency and oiliness. The cause of this condition in infancy is a deficiency of the lipase enzyme, the genetic disease cystic fibrosis, which affects the pancreas, and celiac disease.

Constipation. In infants, constipation is considered to be retention of stool for more than 48 hours. The causes of constipation in an infant can be very different: transfer of the child to artificial or mixed feeding, irrational introduction of complementary foods, disruption of the intestinal microflora, insufficient drinking regimen, immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, weakness of the muscles of the abdominal wall and intestines, rickets (due to the muscle weakness it causes), decreased thyroid function, etc.

Conventionally, two types of constipation in an infant can be distinguished: atonic and spastic. With atonic constipation, despite the regular retention of stool, the stool does not change its mushy consistency, but becomes more abundant than usual. The main cause of atonic constipation in an infant is weakness of intestinal muscle contractions.

For spastic constipation The feces are dense, in the form of separate lumps, sometimes it is also called “sheep feces.” The feces may be very hard and their color does not differ from normal. Thus, by the type of bowel movements and the baby’s behavior, the mother can independently determine the type of constipation.

For atonic constipation children behave quite calmly, retention of stool and its passage do not cause negative emotions in them, after a period of delay in defecation, feces are passed in copious amounts, it is of normal consistency. First aid is to massage the tummy clockwise no earlier than 1 hour after feeding. With spastic constipation, the baby, as a rule, is restless during the day due to periodic intestinal spasms; at the time of defecation, the child may cry, feces pass gradually, with difficulty, in the form of round dense balls. For spastic constipation, when intestinal contractions are quite strong, applying a warm diaper to the baby’s tummy will help relieve excessive intestinal spasm.

If it occurs, you should contact your pediatrician to determine the cause and prescribe adequate treatment. You should not give children laxatives or abuse regular enemas on your own, without a doctor’s recommendation. If it is not possible to seek medical help, and the baby does not have stool for three days, it is not advisable to immediately do an enema. First, you can use baby suppositories with glycerin, which are approved for use from the neonatal period. Inserting a suppository into the anus can provoke a reflex in the child to pass feces, and he will not need an enema.

If this measure does not bring any effect, you can give an enema. For this procedure, it is necessary to use water at room temperature (22–24 °C), introducing it using a small rubber bulb in a volume appropriate for the age: baby up to 1 month – 30 ml, 1–3 months – 30–40 ml, 3–6 months – 90 ml, 6–12 months – 120–180 ml. You can use microenemas approved for use from the neonatal period. It should be remembered that frequent administration of enemas is addictive and disrupts the formation of the reflex for the passage of feces.

While changing the diaper every day, parents should carefully monitor the slightest deviations in the baby’s character and regularity of bowel movements, and if necessary, promptly seek medical help. The attentiveness and care of adults is the key to a child’s health.

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

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

During the first 2-3 days, the original feces (meconium) should pass. It has a thick appearance, black color, viscous consistency, and no odor.
After the 3rd day, the poop starts to change color. They acquire a greenish tint and liquefy.
From the 8th day, the stool has a pasty 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 consult a doctor. The condition indicates intestinal pathologies.
When black stool appears again, after some time, diseases such as sepsis, jaundice, and hemorrhagic disease can be suspected.
What to pay attention to:

Important symptoms you shouldn't miss
The color of stool may change for the following reasons:
It is important what kind of feeding the child is on: artificial or natural.
Taking antibiotics, iron-containing drugs, and activated carbon leads to the appearance of black feces.
After introducing complementary foods, the poop turns green.
If breast milk is not digested enough, the poop will turn orange, yellow, or green.
Increased bilirubin in the body turns stool yellow, orange, or brown.
Light-colored poop is observed with dysbacteriosis or at the time of teething.
Black color of stool, not associated with taking medications or first complementary foods, may indicate bleeding in one of the parts of the intestinal tract.

Dangerous symptoms of loose stools:
watery appearance;
the number of bowel movements per day increases;
unpleasant odor;
increased body temperature;
mucus, foam and blood appear;
excessive regurgitation;
loss of appetite, sleep disturbance.

Hard, rare stools in a child can occur for many reasons. The poop becomes like plasticine.
Disruption of the digestive organs (pancreas, biliary tract).
Improper nutrition of the mother (for example, consumption of foods that strengthen), a certain composition of the mixture, early complementary feeding.
Weak muscle tone.
Lack of fluid. Especially when children are bottle-fed.
Disturbance of intestinal flora (for example, after taking antibiotics).

Rare stools can occur due to poor nutrition (excess of foods that strengthen), taking medications, or disruption of the digestive system.
What products are attached? Those that contain little fiber and do not force the intestines to work. These include: rice, white bread, some fruits (pomegranate, persimmon) and vegetables (eggplant).
Why violations occur
Infant bowel movements are most often caused by infection. In other cases, this is due to errors during breastfeeding (if the child is breastfed).
Late breastfeeding immediately after birth.
Feeding according to the schedule.
Early introduction of complementary foods.
Excessive feeding of liquid to the child.

After taking antibiotics, a 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 intestinal microflora.
What can be found in a baby's stool?
Unusual stool in a child may occur due to disturbances in the development of internal organs.
Normal stool may be green in color and have a sour odor. If the child does not experience discomfort, it may be a reaction to the food.
If the feces become liquid, foam appears, irritation and redness are observed on the butt, this may be due to an excess of foremilk. It has a sweetish taste. In this situation, you can express some milk before feeding. Liquid consistency also occurs due to dysbiosis (for example, when taking antibiotics).
Saturated bright green or yellow color can be for three main reasons:

Viral or infectious disease.
The moment of teething.
Lack of enzymes to break down food.

White lumps. Normal stool may look similar. If the number of lumps increases, the problem may be overfeeding. The child’s body lacks the enzymes necessary to digest food.
Slime. An increase in its quantity may indicate many things: an inflammatory process in the digestive organs, an incorrectly selected mixture, early introduction of complementary foods, food allergies.
Foam. It can accompany watery stools that leak from the diaper, and increase during colic and increased gas formation, food allergies. Fatty stool may appear. Detection of abundant foam indicates an infection has entered the body.
Blood in stool. The reason for its appearance may be: hard stool, allergy to cow's milk protein, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. If disturbances occur in the upper gastrointestinal tract, black stool appears. Normal stool should not contain blood.
Fatty stools appear when fat absorption is impaired and can accompany both constipation and diarrhea. If greasy stool appears, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations.

Artificial and natural feeding - the difference in stool
What type of stool should you have when breastfeeding? The stool of a breastfed baby depends on how developed its digestive system is and what foods are present in the mother’s diet.
Breastfed children rarely suffer from constipation, since milk has a laxative effect. Even if there is no stool for several days, the child feels satisfactory. The color of stool can vary: from light brown to greenish. The smell is sour.
If the poop is bright green, it means your baby is only receiving foremilk. This is the so-called “hungry” stool. Low-fat foremilk does not contain the fats and vitamins that are necessary for growth and nutrition.
Frequent bowel movements 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, we cannot talk about constipation.
At 2 months, children often experience colic and abdominal pain. This is due to the fact that breast milk changes its composition and becomes more complex.
The child’s body begins to produce new enzymes. In this case, irregular stool appears. A breastfeeding woman should adhere to a strict diet to prevent bowel upset in her newborn. Foods that cause increased gas formation and colic: peas, cabbage, cucumber, grapes. It is better to avoid this food. What foods have a laxative effect? Products that will help improve plasticine-like stools: dried fruits, boiled or stewed vegetables, fruits.
You cannot refuse breastfeeding, even if problems arise. Mother's milk contains many nutrients and antibodies that can resist infectious diseases.
What type of stool should babies who are formula fed have? The stool of a bottle-fed baby depends on the transition from one formula to another and on the peculiarities of the formation of internal organs.
The color of stool ranges from light yellow to brown. The smell is pronounced. Green poop appears when switching to a different formula, or when introducing new products. Black feces appear with constipation. The consistency of stool is dense, as it takes a lot of time to digest.

Mixed and artificial feeding of newborns is often complicated by various health problems in children. Usually the intestines suffer due to mixtures. And the smaller the child, the more difficult it is for him to adapt to artificial feeding. In this material we will talk about the features of the stool of a child under one year old.

A newborn with artificial feeding normally poops up to seven times a day, just like a baby feeding on breast milk, how many times a day a baby should poop is decided only by his body, this is individual. True, such frequent bowel movements are rare in artificially-trained patients. Usually babies poop 1-3 times a day. And the frequency of bowel movements in a newborn normally decreases when complementary foods are introduced into his diet.

Baby poop is very different from adult poop. While the baby eats only formula, the stool does not smell at all or has a slightly sour smell. Its color can vary from yellow to green. Sometimes mothers notice the stool of a newborn baby on artificial feeding with an impurity, namely, with white lumps. Their appearance is a sign that the mixture is not completely absorbed, not completely digested. But this phenomenon is usually temporary. And isolated white lumps should not scare parents.

What should you pay attention to? First of all, on the child’s well-being. You can immediately see from him whether he is healthy or not. If a baby has a normal, seemingly yellow, mushy stool, but at the same time he screams during bowel movements, it is clear that he is in pain, and has colic during the day - this is not the norm. Especially if the child is already older than 4 months. The stool of a mixed- and artificial-fed baby can be adjusted using a high-quality mixture. There is no big difference whether this mixture is based on cow or goat protein, since their proteins are very similar in structure, it is important that it suits the child. It will take several days to adapt to the mixture. After this, parents should see their child happy, healthy, well-fed, without skin allergies, diarrhea and constipation.

Diarrhea or constipation in a newborn with artificial feeding

This problem may be the result of a sudden change in the brand of the mixture or an unsuccessful choice. If the diet has not changed, then it may make sense to switch the child to a different formula. Just very carefully. Over the course of at least 7 days, you need to gradually replace one mixture with another.
In this case, the mixture to be replaced must not only be adapted for children of the appropriate age, but also preferably contain bifidobacteria or lactobacilli. Fermented milk mixtures have proven themselves well in the fight against constipation.

When should you help your child? Typically, a baby can go without pooping for up to 2-3 days without any risk to health. But if the mother notices that the child’s tummy is seething, he is straining, crying, he needs help. The easiest way to do this is with the help of a glycerin suppository - for children (Glycelax) or half of an adult one. Another good option is Microlax microenemas. They are also partially composed of glycerin. Some mothers insert a cotton swab into the baby's anus and lightly press on the wall of the rectum, thereby causing the baby to push. But it’s better not to do this to avoid injury.

It is important to prevent chronic constipation. In this condition, the child does not have stool for several days due to the fact that his rectum has stopped responding to the pressure of a small portion of feces on its walls. Simply stretched out. Then treatment is needed. Taking lactulose syrup (Duphalac or Normaze) for several weeks is usually sufficient. It is absolutely safe, and with the correct dosage (selected individually) it helps the baby to empty his intestines every day, and at approximately the same time.

The introduction of complementary foods during artificial feeding can provoke hard stools or, conversely, is one of the means of treating constipation. It is usually recommended to introduce complementary foods at the age of 6 months. And if you are prone to constipation, start it with vegetables or dairy products. And if you are prone to loose stools, start with dairy-free cereals. By the way, loose stools in a formula-fed baby are not common, since formulas contain less water than breast milk.

In general, stool liquefaction with an increase in its frequency up to 8 times a day or more may indicate an intestinal infection. But in this case, usually not only watery stools are observed in an artificial newborn, but also abdominal pain, increased body temperature, and vomiting. If such symptoms or even partial presence of them occur, it is necessary to urgently contact a pediatrician or an ambulance, since dehydration occurs very quickly in infants. And be sure to give your child more water to drink.

It’s just that in bottle-fed newborns, periodically appearing green stools are usually not a sign of any disease. This can happen with lactase deficiency. And in this case, if the pediatrician notices low weight gain, and the mother complains of the child’s poor appetite and intestinal pain, it is possible to switch to low-lactose and lactose-free formulas or use special lactase supplements before feeding. This is an enzyme that helps the child's body digest lactose - milk sugar.

Sometimes parents, who carefully monitor what color the newborn’s stool was normally during IV and what it became with lactase deficiency, note inclusions of blood in the stool. This happens due to lactose irritation of the intestinal walls. Usually goes away on its own. But nevertheless, it requires consultation with a pediatrician.

In addition to lactase deficiency, formula-fed children may be allergic to cow's or goat's milk protein. It is expressed by the appearance of bloody streaks in the child’s stool, a rash on the skin, and abdominal pain. And often its first sign is redness near the child’s anus. In this case, you need to switch not to a low-lactose mixture, but with hydrolyzed cow protein. Feed the child with it for several months, waiting for the maturation of his intestines, the enzymatic system that will allow him to properly digest cow protein.

Unlike the stool of breastfed newborns, the stool of a bottle-fed baby is more often disrupted. But parents have the power to help their child. And if possible, switch, at least partially, to breastfeeding.

16.12.2019 19:17:00