Changes in milk, intestinal infections, or stomach problems can cause changes in stool, and it’s important for parents to know the characteristics of the baby’s poop, as this can indicate changes in a child’s health.
For example, it is important to consult your pediatrician whenever sudden stool changes occur, especially when accompanied by other symptoms such as decreased appetite, vomiting or irritability, so that the baby is evaluated and appropriate treatment begins immediately.
- Changes in the color of your baby’s stool are related to the rate at which food passes through the intestine.
- Type of food.
- Or health problems.
- As shown below:.
Yellowish color is normal in babies’ faeces, especially those fed only breast milk.When fed formula, the faeces are dark yellow, more brown, so yellow should only be a cause for concern in the form of diarrhea.
The green color appears in the baby’s stool mainly during the first week of life or when fed exclusively with breast milk, then has a light green color, however, this color may also be due to the presence of infection, change of milk, intolerance to certain foods or the use of medications.Read more: What a green baby can be.
In addition, if it is green and bright with a frothy texture, this may be a sign that the baby is not sucking until the start of breastfeeding, which is composed of water.
What to do: If they appear after the second week of life or if the shade of green becomes stronger, you should consult your pediatrician to identify the cause of the problem.If the stool is green and spumous, the baby should be allowed to dry the entire breast before changing breasts, as this is the only way he or she can eat the milk fat and calories needed for healthy growth.
They may indicate problems of poor digestion due to lack of bile, a fluid produced by the liver that helps digest fats from the diet and is responsible for the dark color of the stool.
What to do: If this color persists for more than 2 to 3 days, you should consult your pediatrician, as your baby may have a liver problem and end up losing weight from poor digestion.
They can occur from increased consumption of foods such as beetroot, beans or blackberries, however, red stools can also be a sign of blood in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by problems such as intestinal infection, constipation, hemorrhoids or some food.allergy, so it is necessary to consult a pediatrician quickly.See other causes here.
What to do: If red is not due to increased consumption of black foods, you should consult a doctor immediately to identify the presence and cause of intestinal bleeding.
This can be a sign of blood due to damage to the intestinal tract or the presence of sores in the mother’s breasts, which can eventually cause the baby to ingest blood.
In addition, dark brown may also be a sign that the baby is taking dietary supplements such as iron, which end up darkening the stool.
What to do: When using supplements, the color change is normal and should only be observed if the stool improves once the treatment is complete. However, the dark color has no apparent cause, it is important to consult the pediatrician quickly to try to identify the problem.
Thus, the important thing is to remember to be attentive to changes in the baby’s stool and his or her rate of intestinal transit, since sudden changes or accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, pain, swelling and irritation, may indicate the presence of diseases.
The amount of stool in the baby varies depending on the type of food and age, with stool being frequent after each meal or up to 2 times per week.
In general, newborns fed exclusively breast milk will defecate after each intake, but this frequency decreases after approximately 3 to 6 weeks, due to the maturation of breast milk.
However, care should be paid and consult the pediatrician if the amount of stool decreases suddenly, for no apparent reason or change in the child’s diet, as this may indicate a problem.
The normal consistency of the baby’s stool is pasty, but it is common for children fed milk powder to have more consistent or lumpy bowel movements because the formula is harder to digest than breast milk.
However, sudden changes in consistency can indicate health problems such as:
The stools are smaller and are shaped like small hard balls, and pain, abdominal stiffness and cracks in the anus may also appear, due to the difficulty of defecating.-to digest foods such as seeds, beans and corn.
What to do: Give your baby more water and see if it improves consistency, plus if your child is already eating solid foods, try offering more cooked fruits and vegetables to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, but if constipation persists for more than 3 days, you should consult your pediatrician.See other signs in: Signs of dehydration in children.
It is characterized by the appearance of at least 3 more than normal liquid bowel movements and may indicate problems such as a viral infection or an allergy to milk or certain foods.
What to do: Give your baby plenty of water to avoid dehydration and give them easy-to-digest foods if the baby is already eating solids, such as corn porridge, chicken, or cooked rice.It is also important to consult a doctor to evaluate the cause of diarrhea, especially if there is also fever or vomiting or if the baby is less than 3 months old.More information: How to treat diarrhea in infants.