Baby poop starting solid foods

FAQ: Introducing Your Baby to Solid Foods | Patient Education

When will my baby be ready to start solid foods?
Why does my baby need solid food?
What foods should I offer my baby first?
How do I introduce my baby to solid food?
Can I put the cereal or baby food into my baby's bottle?
What are the next foods I can give my baby?
What should I look for when buying baby food?
Can I make my own baby food?
What foods should I not give my baby?
What are the signs my baby is allergic to a food?
How will my baby's stools change once I introduce solid food?
How often should I feed my baby?

When will my baby be ready to start solid foods?

Most babies grow beautifully on breast milk or formula for the first 6 months, and do not need any solid food before this age. Also, before 6 months of age, most infants have a reflex that causes them to push their tongue against a spoon, making it difficult for them to swallow solid food properly. Introducing solid foods before 5 to 6 months of age may also increase the baby's risk of developing food allergies and obesity.

Your baby will show readiness to eat solids in several ways:

Your baby's physical development allows him or her to sit without support. When babies can sit easily, they have usually lost the tongue thrust reflex.
Your baby watches you eat and demonstrates an interest in food.
Your baby is able to reach out and grab objects.

Why does my baby need solid food?

By 6 months of age, your baby has outgrown the amount of iron he or she received from you before birth. Now your baby needs an additional iron source to prevent anemia. Eating solid food also helps your baby learn many new things, including how to swallow food and, eventually, how to feed him or herself. It also exposes babies to many new tastes and textures.

However, between 6 and 9 months of age, most of the calories your baby needs to grow will still come from breast milk or formula. So, always feed your baby breast milk or formula before offering solid food.

What foods should I offer my baby first?

Since babies need extra iron, their best first food is an iron-fortified baby cereal. Once solid foods are introduced, babies do not absorb as much iron from breast milk — another reason to make sure that your baby's first food is a good source of iron.

How do I introduce my baby to solid food?

Choose a time when you and your baby are both relaxed and ready to enjoy mealtime.
Prepare an iron-fortified baby cereal, such as rice, barley or oatmeal infant cereal. Mix several tablespoons of dry cereal with formula, water or breast milk. The cereal should be the consistency of cream of wheat — smooth and semi-liquid.
Sit your baby in your lap or in a highchair.
Use a small spoon to feed your baby.
Your baby may look a little confused at first, and most of the first feeding may end up on his or her face, hands and bib. Don't worry. Your baby will gradually become more comfortable with feedings. Try talking gently to your baby to help him or her relax.
As your baby begins to enjoy mealtimes, increase the consistency of the cereal so it is like oatmeal. You can also gradually increase the amount of food you offer.
If your baby spits out the cereal, cries or isn't interested, stop the feeding. You can try again in a few days.

Can I put the cereal or baby food into my baby's bottle?

Please don't put cereal or baby food in a bottle. Your baby needs to learn the difference between liquid and solid foods. Babies need to learn how to move solid food around in their mouth, how to take bites from a spoon and rest between bites, and to stop eating when full. These are all experiences that help babies develop good eating habits.

What are the next foods I can give my baby?

You can give plain baby cereal for several months, but most parents enjoy offering their baby a variety of new foods.

After you've given your baby several different types of cereal, consider offering a vegetable or meat. Chicken or turkey is a good source of zinc for breast-fed infants. After your baby is enjoying several different vegetables, you can then try fruit.

After introducing a new food, wait four to five days before giving your baby any new foods, so you can watch for signs of an allergic reaction.

Be aware that cereal, applesauce and bananas can cause constipation. If your baby becomes constipated, you may try giving him or her an ounce or two of diluted prune or pear juice. You can mix your baby's cereal with prune or pear juice. Or, try offering extra fruits like plums and peaches.

What should I look for when buying baby food?

Choose single-item foods, like squash or bananas.
Always read labels. Make sure there is only one ingredient, and look for any added ingredients that can cause allergies, such as orange juice.
Avoid mixed baby foods, like baby dinners. They have less nutritional value and aren't a good value for the money.
Don't give your child "baby desserts." They add extra calories without being nutritious.

Can I make my own baby food?

Certainly. If you do, please remember:

Do not add salt, sugar or seasonings to your baby's food.
You can freeze extra food in ice cube trays, and defrost small portions later when needed.
Know that some vegetables, such as carrots, beets, spinach, collard greens and turnips, can contain nitrates, a chemical that can cause an unusual type of anemia. Don't cook these foods for your baby. Store-bought baby food has had the nitrates removed and is fine.

What foods should I not give my baby?

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends giving peanut-containing products to infants at "high risk" of developing allergies between four and 11 months, in countries where peanut allergies are common.

Scientific evidence suggests that delaying the introduction of peanuts may be linked to a greater risk of developing peanut allergies.

However, babies who experience severe eczema, egg allergy or other related diseases in their first four to six months may benefit from seeing an allergist who can give patient-specific advice on early introduction of peanuts, the academy says.

Do not give your baby any honey for the first year of life. It can cause infant botulism, a type of food poisoning that can lead to death.

Also, remember that some foods can irritate your baby's digestive system. Avoid highly spicy or greasy foods. Also avoid foods that could easily cause choking, such as small candies, popcorn, raisins, grapes, or hotdogs cut in circles.

What are the signs my baby is allergic to a food?

If your baby as several episodes of vomiting after trying a new food, has diarrhea, develops a rash, or has swelling of the lips or eyes, he or she may be having an allergic reaction. Stop the feeding and call your baby's doctor.

How will my baby's stools change once I introduce solid food?

Your baby's stools may become firmer and may have a different, stronger odor. Some foods will appear in the stool undigested, and you may see peas, corn or tomato skins in your baby's diaper. Bananas often cause little black threads to appear in the stool. This is just the center part of the banana.

If your baby's stools become extremely loose, watery or full of mucous, the baby's intestinal tract may be a little irritated. Consider removing the new food from your baby's diet for a while. Irritation around the anus does not mean the baby is allergic to a food.

How often should I feed my baby?

Since most of your baby's nutrition still comes from breast milk or formula, you do not need to worry about how often you are offering solid foods. Feed your baby when it is fun, easy and convenient for you. Most babies enjoy eating once a day at first. Parents should let babies show when they are interested and how much they want to eat.

Used by permission of Jane E. Anderson, M.D.

Starting Baby on Solid Food | Longwood Pediatrics

General information

You should generally start solid foods between 4-6 months of age. Starting solids earlier than this will not cause your baby to sleep longer at night and may cause digestive problems. For your baby’s first year, breastmilk or formula is the most important part of her diet. As you introduce solids, make sure that she is still drinking adequate amounts of formula or breast milk.

Feed your baby all solids from a spoon. Putting cereal in the bottle is not a good idea, and part of learning about solids is learning to eat with a spoon. You may want to start solids at a time when your baby is hungry but not starving, such as after he has had a little formula or breast milk, but not after a full milk feeding when he is not at all hungry.

Try to introduce new foods with enthusiasm, but do not force your child to eat something. If your child is not interested in a new food, put it away and try introducing it again later. When introducing new foods, there should be an interval of 2-3 days between each new food so that you will know if your baby is having a reaction to a new food.

If your baby develops vomiting, rash, or diarrhea, please do not give that food again and discuss this reaction at your next visit. If your child develops hives or breathing problems, please call the office.

What foods to introduce

Feeding suggestions for your baby (download)

Somewhere between 4 and 6 months old, you may begin to introduce first foods such as infant cereals, pureed fruits, pureed vegetables, and pureed meats. Start with about one or two tablespoons of food once or twice a day. It is important to make sure that some of your infant’s early foods contain iron, which is important for all babies’ health. Iron-rich foods include iron-fortified baby cereals, meats, and beans.

Once your child is about 8 months old and sitting up well, you may introduce finger foods such as biscuits, Cheerios, pasta, soft bread/toast, small pieces of soft vegetables or fruits, and shredded chicken or meat.

A note on constipation: Sometimes when a baby starts on solid foods, he will become constipated (hard stools). If your baby becomes constipated, use whole wheat or barley cereal instead of rice cereal and avoid bananas and sweet potatoes, which are constipating. All the fruits which begin with “P” (prunes, plums, pears, peaches) will help soften your baby’s stool, so give them often if your baby is having hard stools. If your baby is constipated, you may also give him 1 ounce of prune juice mixed with 1 ounce of water every day or two.

Beverages

For the whole first year, breast milk or formula should be your baby’s primary beverage. Typical amounts are listed in the table at the end of the sheet. Fruit juice tends to be high in sugar and fills up babies so they eat less nutritious food. We do NOT recommend giving juice to your baby in the first year.

Food sensitivities and allergies

While food allergies seem to be more common among children than they were in the past, no one knows the reason for this. We do not recommend restricting any specific foods for babies because of concerns about allergies, but if you have food allergy questions or a family history of specific food allergies, please discuss this with your provider.

Citrus fruits and tomatoes may cause a rash around the mouth in young children, but this is not a true allergy and is not dangerous; if it happens, you may want to cut back on these types of foods and try them again at a later time.

Peanuts and peanut butter

Recent research suggests that early and continued eating of peanut products decreases the chance of developing a peanut allergy. Some children will still be allergic to peanuts, but introducing peanuts at 4-6 months can prevent peanut allergy for many children. If your child has other food allergies or severe eczema, (or if your family history causes you to be concerned), please discuss blood testing for peanut allergy before you introduce peanuts.

Other infants should begin eating peanut products at 4-6 months. You can mix a small amount of smooth peanut butter into your infant’s baby cereal or pureed food. Bamba, a peanut puff product (available online and in the Israeli or Kosher food section of some grocery stores) can be crumbled into baby cereal. Give a small amount the first few times, and if it is tolerated without hives continue to feed peanut containing products 3 times a week. Older infants and toddlers should continue to eat Bamba or smooth peanut butter (spread thinly on bread or cracker) 3 times a week.

Caution!

Nuts, whole grapes, spoonfuls of peanut butter, round slices of hot dog, hard raw vegetables, popcorn, hard candies, and ice are all choking hazards and should not be given to your child until at least 4 years old.
All foods you give younger children should be soft and in small pieces.
Do not give your baby honey until he is over 1 year old (honey can carry botulism spores that are dangerous for a young baby but not for older children or adults).
Do not home prepare beets, turnips, carrots, spinach, and collard greens while your child is an infant. These can be high in nitrates when prepared at home, but are safe if given as store-bought baby food.

What is constipation in a newborn

The contents of a baby diaper is one of the key topics that young mothers discuss. They pay attention to the frequency of the stool, its consistency, color and smell. One of the most common problems they complain about to doctors or to each other is constipation in babies. We figure out what the baby’s chair depends on and how many days he may not go to the toilet for the most part.

Normal neonatal stool

During fetal development, nutrients are supplied to the baby through the umbilical cord. Through it, the metabolic products of the fetus are also excreted. The digestive system of a newborn begins to work only after childbirth, so it is logical that the baby does not poop in utero. But this does not mean that nothing gets into it.

During this period, the child actively swallows amniotic fluid (amniotic fluid). Its excretion from the body begins after the birth of the child and the start of breastfeeding. For the first time, a newborn goes to the toilet on the second day after birth. This stool is not like a baby's usual feces. Over time, he will return to normal.

How does the baby's stool change in the first months of life?

Age	Child's chair
1–3 days after birth	The chair is dense, pasty. Usually dark, sometimes greenish in color. The passage of meconium can cause discomfort to the baby.
3–5 days after birth	The chair gradually brightens, becomes mushy. Usually does not cause any inconvenience to the child. But some problems may arise due to the fact that the digestive tract of the baby "learns" to work and is colonized by bacteria.
2 weeks after birth	The work of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized. If the mother feeds the baby with breast milk, the stool is creamy, yellow. On artificial feeding it can be thicker. Not always homogeneous, there may be inclusions. Due to the immaturity of the enzymatic system, it is greenish in color.
1 month after birth	A month old baby can poop from one to several times a day. The chair is normalized and is both pasty and quite hard. Some children may also have stool retention. But if the separation of feces does not cause discomfort and anxiety in the baby, they should not bother the mother either.
2 months after birth	The work of the intestine continues to improve. Two-month-old baby no longer goes to the toilet after every feed. The number of bowel movements is reduced to 1-2 per day. The stool is still not hard, more like slurry. It can be homogeneous and interspersed.

Constipation is not considered that the baby cannot go to the toilet for a certain time. The main criteria at this age are not stool retention, but unpleasant sensations during defecation (the child cries before pooping), a large amount of stool and its hard consistency.

Because of what the child does not walk on large

Constipation is a reduction in the number of bowel movements relative to their normal number for this age. In addition, such a disorder of the stool is accompanied by the discharge of a large amount of dense stool. Thus, constipation is not just a decrease in the number of bowel movements, but also a change in the stool itself.

Other signs of constipation in a baby include the following:

change in stool odor;
a large amount of gases;
anxiety of the baby during washing;
restless sleep in a baby with frequent awakenings;
intense crying that cannot be stopped.

Even if the baby goes to the toilet every day, but at the same time his feces become plentiful and dry, this indicates constipation in the child. At the same time, the absence of a bowel movement for several days, which does not cause any inconvenience to the baby, and normal mushy stools, even after a break, are not considered grounds for making such a diagnosis.

Causes of impaired defecation can be both normal and pathological. The most common causes of constipation in babies are:

congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract;
disruption of the digestive glands;
violation of the normal colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by flora;
the predominance of the mixture over breast milk;
insufficient fluid intake;
unsuitable mixture for the baby;
allergic reactions;
Iron-deficiency anemia.

Most often, the problem lies in improperly selected nutrition or dysbacteriosis in babies. The fact is that the child's intestines are sterile, and until the flora returns to normal, constipation can develop even in a one-month-old baby. Usually this condition does not require medical intervention, but the baby needs some help anyway.

Constipation is not just a delay in stool, but also a change in its consistency. It can be difficult for a young mother to understand when the lack of bowel movements is normal, and when the child needs help. Our doctors at a remote consultation will help you understand when a child needs help, advise on how to organize a baby’s diet and choose the right formula for him.

When constipation of the baby requires medical attention

Most often, problems with defecation in infants occur due to improper feeding or due to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract. However, in some cases, the absence of a chair requires medical intervention. It is especially dangerous if the newborn cannot go to the toilet and his meconium has not passed 2 days after birth.

This may indicate congenital problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which require additional diagnosis and examination by a neonatologist. In addition, other symptoms may indicate them. The main ones are:

blood streaks or black blotches appear in the feces;
close relatives have diagnosed diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
the child burps frequently and profusely;
he has vomiting with bile impurities;
the child gains little or no weight;
his stomach is very distended;
the child's stool is like a ribbon;
he refuses breast or bottle;
the child cries a lot, and the parents cannot calm him down;
his temperature rises;
there are traces of calomania on the diaper, but the feces themselves do not go away.

If such symptoms are observed in the maternity hospital, it is necessary to report them to the neonatologist on duty. If they are found after discharge from the hospital, you need to call a pediatrician or report these symptoms during a patronage bypass. In cases where the child begins to vomit profusely and the temperature rises sharply, you need to call an ambulance.

Important! The minimum weight gain for children in the first three months of life is 150 grams per week or 600 grams per month. In the first month, the increase is calculated from the minimum weight, and not from birth weight.

How to treat stool problems in an infant

To help the baby cope with constipation, you need to understand what caused its development. The diagnosis is made on the basis of a survey of the mother and a physical examination - the doctor palpates the abdomen, examines the anus and performs a rectal examination. To determine the cause, an examination is also carried out - general tests of urine, blood and feces, ultrasound and others if necessary.

If pathologies are detected, a small patient is sent for treatment to a gastroenterologist, who will prescribe the appropriate treatment for the child. In other cases, it is recommended to change the lifestyle of both the nursing mother and the baby:

A nursing mother is recommended a light diet without fried and fatty foods, with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. It is also worth reducing the amount of sugar in the diet, as it can cause fermentation in the digestive tract.
Try to keep breastfeeding or mixed feeding as long as possible. Breast milk helps the digestive tract to ripen and form the correct flora.
When transferring to artificial feeding, make sure that the mixture does not contain palm oil. It impairs the digestive processes and can cause constipation.
If these measures do not help, the child may be prescribed pro- and prebiotics, which help to normalize the intestinal flora, after which the digestive processes also normalize.
As prescribed by the doctor, the baby may be prescribed laxatives, glycerin suppositories, microenemas and gas tubes. However, you should not get carried away with these drugs, since their constant use can lead to hypotension.

Massage of the abdomen can also help the newborn - stroke the baby's tummy in a circular motion in a clockwise direction and gently press the legs to the stomach. This will improve peristalsis and help the stool pass. A warm bath can also help the baby - it will relax the muscles and make it easier to pass the stool.

If we are not talking about pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizing the nutrition of mother and child helps to fight constipation. Our doctors will help you choose the best diet, tell you when your child needs supplementary feeding, and determine when he needs medication.

FAQ

How do you know if a baby is constipated?

Normally, a child’s stool may be absent for several days, if the baby himself is calm at the same time, and the feces after that are soft and pass without problems. A sign of constipation is the presence of a hard plentiful stool and difficulty with the bowel movement itself.

Why is there a delay in stool in infants?

Stool retention can develop due to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract of the child, pathologies in the development of the intestines or digestive glands, dysbacteriosis, dehydration, an improperly selected mixture, or flaws in the diet of a nursing mother.

Can a newborn baby be given a laxative for constipation?

Do not give a newborn baby any medication without first consulting a doctor. Your doctor will assess the severity of your constipation and suggest ways to treat it with or without a laxative.

What to do if the baby has constipation? Should I force my baby to poop?

If the child is not bothered by anything, and the feces after the pass pass without problems, then there is no need to interfere in these processes. If the baby is clearly having difficulty with bowel movements, consult a doctor to find methods that facilitate this process.

Can planting help with constipation?

Theoretically, an upright posture can help a child cope with constipation. However, these methods are rather auxiliary and will not lead to a stable result. It is more effective to adjust the diet and make sure that the child does not have dehydration.

Expert opinion

The absence of a chair in a child does not always mean that the baby has developed constipation. It is indicated by hard plentiful stools, restlessness and a swollen belly of the baby. The cause of a violation of the stool can be both pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract, and flaws in the diet of the mother or baby. To determine when constipation requires treatment, the doctors of our service will help. They are available at any time of the day without queues and long waiting times.

We publish only verified information

Article author

Pruzhinin Mark Yulievich pediatrician

Experience 30 years

Consultations 1572

Articles 104

An experienced pediatrician with extensive experience and clinical experience in various medical organizations, resuscitation and intensive care and neuroinfection. Works with leading experts, attends international and Russian conferences.

reasons. Formula-fed baby's stool

The content of a baby's diaper can be used to judge the quality of the baby's digestive system, regular bowel movements (at least once a day) are considered normal for a newborn baby. Analysis of the state of the stool allows you to identify incorrect bowel function and promptly provide assistance to a fragile body.

How should a baby's stool be at different ages?

The ideal stool for a newborn baby is a uniform yellow consistency without additional blotches, however, such feces are observed exclusively in formula-fed babies, since in this case the baby receives the same mixture, which, accordingly, is digested in the same way. It is quite another thing - children who are breastfed. In this case, the stool may have additional lumps and mucous layers, it may be of a different color, since the condition of the bowel movements is affected by the foods that the mother ate.

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

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

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

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

What does unusual baby stool mean?

Unusual color or texture of feces in a newborn baby may indicate the causes of baby discomfort:

green stool with sour milk smell it will not necessarily be a harbinger of the disease, if the child is gaining weight well and does not experience discomfort, such a state of feces may be a common reaction to foods eaten by the mother;
if the stool is thin and frothy , while irritation is often noticed around the anus, the cause may be an excess of anterior sweet milk in the mother. The way out of the situation will be the preliminary decantation of the initial fluid from the chest;
bright yellow or green mucus-streaked stools can have three explanations:

the child got a viral infection due to contracting SARS or other infectious diseases;
common teething reaction;
insufficiency of enzymes in an organism that has not yet been formed;

if the baby is pooping dark brown solid matter , this may be a consequence of taking iron supplements, but if additional medications were not prescribed, it is worth reviewing the diet and slightly reducing foods containing such a mineral;
bright green foam chair should alert you if the baby behaves restlessly and gains weight poorly. Most often, this situation manifests itself due to;
hard feces in a newborn child, this is an anomaly, and it does not matter at all what color it is. Constipation occurs due to the introduction of unsuitable foods into the diet, to eliminate discomfort, you should find out exactly what such a reaction occurs to, which can be done by eliminating the ingredients;
if the baby poops with diarrhea for a long time , this may be a consequence of dysbacteriosis, the best option would be to contact a doctor to prescribe suitable medications;
feces with bloody elements is a very disturbing symptom. The cause of this imbalance may be an allergy to milk, an infection, or intestinal bleeding. If you find this type of stool, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Causes of stool disorders in newborns

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

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

Proper organization of breastfeeding will help to avoid possible problems, so in any case, do not refuse the opportunity to feed your baby with natural milk.

When changing a baby's diaper, parents should always pay attention to its contents. After all, this is an important indicator that can tell a lot about the health of your baby, especially if the child is bottle-fed. In this case, the functioning of the intestine changes in the child, and, consequently, there are noticeable changes in the feces.

Pay attention to the following parameters:

stool consistency;
regularity of bowel movements;
chair color.

If the color of the stool is unnaturally yellow or orange, this may indicate problems with the liver. Green stool is an indicator of a different type of dysbacteriosis. Therefore, noticing any changes in the baby's feces, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Can green stools be normal in bottle-fed babies

There is a certain period when green stools in a formula-fed baby should not cause any concern. This period is a natural process and lasts about five days after birth.

The initial stool of a newborn is always green. This is due to the fact that the body tends to get rid of swallowed epithelial tissues, amniotic fluid, etc. in the first days after birth. This is how the intestines are cleansed.

Gradually, around the fifth day, the baby's stool should undergo noticeable changes:

stools may contain white curd pieces of undigested milk formula;
The color of the stool changes to yellow-green, which should gradually become completely yellow or mustard.

However, there are exceptions to all rules. There are cases when a baby has a green stool with the presence of mucus, which indicates that the digestive system is not yet fully formed and there are not enough enzymes for the proper processing of food.

Sometimes dark green stools can cause bilirubin to be excreted from the body. This is also a fairly common process, which can be characterized by these changes.

In a formula-fed newborn, green stools may be a common reaction to formula intake. This is especially facilitated by a diet with a high content of iron in its composition.

In a five-month-old baby, a greenish tint to the stools may be a consequence of the introduction of the first complementary foods or the beginning of the eruption of the first teeth.

Symptoms of an unhealthy condition of the baby with green stools

Having noticed a green stool in a baby, it is necessary to constantly monitor his condition. If the behavior of the newborn has changed dramatically, he has become more whiny, capricious, began to refuse food, then you should immediately seek the advice of a doctor.

Green stools that cause anxiety and fear should look like this:

green stool foams and has a strong unpleasant odor;
frequent green stools, having a liquid consistency;
green stools with black spots, rotten smelling;
slimy green stools in combination with a sharp deterioration in the baby's well-being;
green stools with bloody discharge or inclusions (usually seen with constipation).

When the stool is frothy and green in color, this may indicate a lack of nutrients or vitamins in the newborn. Breastfed babies are often deficient in the so-called colostrum. This can cause a deficiency of the elements necessary for the body. In the presence of such a chair, testing is necessary, with its help it is possible to identify various infections that adversely affect the well-being of the baby.

Unpleasant smell of green feces can be a herald of the onset of an inflammatory process. And stools with blood blotches indicate either a serious problem with the digestive system, or a violation of the integrity of the intestinal lining. With these symptoms, contacting a qualified specialist is considered necessary.

It is worth being attentive to other signs of an unhealthy condition of the baby:

increased weakness and drowsiness;
tearfulness;
refusal to eat;
constant pulling of the legs to the abdomen;
dramatic weight loss;
nausea and gag reflex;
colic and soreness;
temperature;
diarrhea;
difficulty with defecation;
rash;
allergic skin reactions;
flatulence.

Causes of green stools in breastfed babies

The causes of green stools in a child can be quite natural, not causing concern, or they can pose a huge threat to the health of the newborn.

The most common cause is nutrition. The digestive system of an infant is not yet able to work one hundred percent. Therefore, there are often problems with the digestion of food. In this case, green stools may be accompanied by mucus. To normalize the bowel movements of a newborn, it is often sufficient to simply change the mixture.

Also, every baby at the beginning of his life is faced with such a problem as dysbacteriosis. It occurs at the time of the formation of the necessary microflora in the intestine. This period is characterized by an increase in the development of pathogenic bacteria that can change the color and consistency of the baby's stool. The bowel movements will return to normal when the microflora is fully formed.

Serious causes of green stools in a bottle-fed baby can be:

rotavirus or fungal infections;
congenital disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract;
weak immunity;
lactose deficiency;
allergic reactions;
enterocolitis;
diarrhea, etc.

Necessary measures to deal with green stools in an infant

In order to make your child feel better, it is necessary to take certain measures in the presence of green stools.

Secondly, it is necessary to submit a bacterial seeding. This analysis will characterize the state of the intestinal microflora.

Through diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe the right treatment for your child. Often, infants are prescribed nutritional supplements that contain probiotics and prebiotics. They help the growth of beneficial bacteria in the body. These drugs include:

linox
acipol
lactobacterin, etc.

The most important thing in such a situation is not to self-medicate. Otherwise, you can worsen the health of your child. You should also monitor the nutrition of the newborn and his reaction after each meal.

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Pediatrician of the highest category
Graduated in 1977 from the Gorky Medical Institute with a degree in pediatrics.
I have extensive experience in medical practice. For 25 years she worked as a district pediatrician in Nebit-Dag, Turkmenistan; in Ternovka, Ukraine; in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
5 years worked as a pediatrician at the Center for Social Assistance to Families and Children in Nizhny Novgorod, from 2003 to 2008.
Currently I help mothers with children, I write articles on topics that I understand as a professional - childhood diseases and child development. I am a site consultant and heading

If a newborn baby has problems with stool, everyone suffers: the child cries from pain and discomfort, and young parents hardly understand what can be done to alleviate the suffering of the crumbs.

Let's find out together which stool is considered normal for a newborn, what problems can arise and what needs to be done in such a case.

What you need to know

The first rule for new parents - A newborn's stool is directly dependent on his nutrition and age , and is also absolutely individual for each baby.

That is, it is necessary to clearly understand that the stool of babies on breastfeeding and artificial feeding will be quite different, both in color and in consistency.

Therefore, it is wrong to compare the number of soiled diapers in a baby who eats only and a baby who receives it. Focus only on the individual characteristics of your child, creating your own rules and patterns.

Important note : do not be alarmed if, even in the maternity hospital, you see a lot of dark green in the diaper of a newborn baby. This is the original feces, meconium, and normally it completely leaves the baby’s intestines on the 2nd-3rd day of his life. Then the baby has a transitional lumpy green-yellow stool, which is subsequently replaced by a yellow slurry of a puree-like consistency.

Breastfeeding stool

A newborn baby who only eats may have as many bowel movements as the number of feedings, while a baby who eats may only seriously soil his diaper once a day.

The first difficulties with stools can occur in a child in the first week of life, because he gets used to breast milk, various bacteria and microbes enter his body, to which his intestines need to adapt.

The concept of “normal stool” in a breastfed baby is quite individual: in some children, the feces do not contain lumps, mucus or other impurities, while in others it may be heterogeneous and contain whitish inclusions, which only indicates the immaturity of the digestive system of the crumbs.

Usually the consistency of the stool in infants is mushy, and the color is yellowish-gold. Sometimes you can see feces with a greenish tint in the baby's diaper, which is due to the immaturity of the liver enzyme systems and does not require treatment. However, if the green color of the stool in the baby is constant, you should consult a doctor.

With age, the baby begins to poop less often, by the age of three or four months a certain regimen appears, for example, the baby most often empties the intestines in the morning or during one of the daytime feedings.

As the child grows older, his digestive system matures and becomes more stable, the consistency of the stool also becomes thicker and more uniform, directly depending on what the nursing mother consumes.

An important note : during the introduction of complementary foods, at the age of 6 to 10 months, as a result of the reaction of the digestive tract of the crumbs to new products, the baby will change the consistency, color and smell of the stool, and diarrhea or constipation may also occur. Therefore, in order to be sure that the new product is accepted by the baby's tummy with a bang, it is imperative for a young mother to monitor the change in the consistency of the child's feces during the introduction of new products.

Formula-fed stool

The stools of babies who are fed and are thicker than those of breastfed babies, have a more persistent odor, and are brown to pale yellow in color.

If a baby who eats milk from the mother's breast sometimes poops 5-7 times a day, then the baby on artificial feeding can empty the intestines 1-2 times, which is associated with the peculiarities of artificial mixtures that are digested by the child's body longer than the mother's milk.

How to deal with constipation

The baby has stool retention for 1-3 days, he is restless, crying, and he has a hard tummy - perhaps the baby has developed. Constipation can occur in a child, regardless of whether he is breastfeeding or formula-fed.

If the baby does not have anatomical defects of the colon (and this is extremely rare), then the cause of stool retention may be functional constipation, which is based on a violation of intestinal tone - atony or spasm. Also, constipation may be due to dietary errors or medications.

Of course, the first thing to do with a problem of constipation in a baby is to consult a pediatrician, but some fairly simple exercises and rules can help a child avoid discomfort.

Mandatory condition - to normalize the baby's nutrition , to decide if he has enough food, if the proposed menu is suitable.

Laying the baby out on the tummy, massaging the tummy before meals, cycling exercises and physical activity during the day will also help the baby avoid the discomfort of constipation.

Helping the baby to empty with a cotton swab, a gas tube or an enema will require a certain skill and accuracy in actions from a young mother, and laxative drugs can be given to a baby only as directed by a doctor.

Pediatrician Maria Savinova tells : “Constipation is a condition in which a child has difficulty, insufficient or infrequent bowel movements. Almost all children face the problem of constipation in the first year of life and most often it is not associated with any serious diseases, but occurs due to the immaturity of the digestive tract, dietary errors or lack of fluid intake. It is necessary to treat constipation comprehensively: the doctor, if necessary, prescribe the necessary medications, parents make the baby’s diet balanced and tasty and organize a sufficient amount of movement, and a good mood and support from parents will become a necessary component for a complete cure for the crumbs.

What to do with diarrhea

Diarrhea (or diarrhoea) in a child can occur in case of malnutrition of the mother (in case the baby is breastfed), or the baby himself. Also, diarrhea can be a consequence of intestinal infection and the immaturity of the pancreatic enzyme.

If your baby has diarrhea see a doctor , and if there is fever, weakness, dry lips and tongue, this should be done as soon as possible.

During diarrhoea, it is important to regularly replace the loss of fluid in the baby's body with standard saline solutions, as well as wash the baby after each bowel movement to avoid irritation of the baby's delicate skin.

The first time you need to know what should be the chair in a healthy newborn. It is important to note that in infants on natural and artificial nutrition, the consistency and shade of feces will differ and in most cases correspond to the norm.

Primordial feces, or meconium as it is called by the medical profession, usually has an intense dark green hue. The composition of the stool is quite viscous, reminiscent of lubricants. The baby will defecate in this color for 1-1. 5 weeks.

Attention! If you notice a regular bowel movement of a child with green feces after two weeks of age - this is an occasion to consult a doctor, the dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract may be progressing in the baby.

In a normal state, by the end of the first week, the color of the stool will change to brown and become less viscous, which indicates that the digestive system of the crumbs begins to work properly. Do not worry if lumps of greenish or white mucus appear in the feces, this is often the cause of the mother's malnutrition, which is recommended to be urgently reviewed. Often helps the situation.

How does breastfeeding affect the baby's stool?

A baby who is exclusively breastfed from birth has distinctive stool features. When asked what stool a newborn should have during breastfeeding, pediatricians answer: yellow, sometimes with lumps of curdled milk. After some time, the mother's milk becomes more fatty and nutritious, due to which changes in the child's bowel movements can be observed. The stool becomes thick and yellow, reminiscent of mustard. Experts have proven the benefits of breast milk for the gastrointestinal tract of the child. These include:

minimal risk of constipation;
regular bowel movements of a child;
correct metabolism;
intestinal colic occurs less frequently.

An average breastfed baby should defecate 5 to 10 times a day.

Important! The sudden presence of a red, green or black color in the feces of an infant may indicate improper digestion of food, in order to normalize this process, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician.

What should be the stool of a bottle-fed newborn?

When a child is fed artificial mixtures, the concept of the norm is relative. Often with such feeding, the change in the consistency and color of feces in infants can be caused by:

changing one milk mixture to another;
transition to infant cereals;
introducing early complementary foods;
the practice of mixed feeding, especially if this method has not been used before.

Children's humor! A small one is playing on the floor with a cat, suddenly the cat got angry at something and slashed him on the arm. Yegorka crying:

The color of the faeces of a newborn on formula milk during the first month is darker and thicker than when breastfed. Much depends on the type of milk mixture. Sometimes the color of an infant's bowel movements can vary from yellow-green to dark brown. If the baby is not worried about anything other than the appearance of changes in the stool, usually this is not given importance. The frequency of bowel movements in the first month is 3-4 times. In the future, it is reduced to two times a day.

Attention! Infants may have orange or light green stools when fed artificially. The first speaks of problems with the liver, and the second is the first sign of dysbacteriosis.

Too thick consistency of feces and the presence of white lumps in them indicates improperly prepared food that the child's ventricle is not able to digest. Parents should be alerted by foamy or liquid yellow stools in a newborn.

Problems of stool in newborns, or when to consult a doctor?

There are many reasons that can affect the failure of a normal bowel movement in an infant. We note several problems that require an early solution.

Children are talking! A small one is playing on the floor with a cat, suddenly the cat got angry at something and slashed him on the arm. Yegorka crying:
- Well, wait a minute! You can still play with me in the boxes!

Important! If the baby does not have a stool for several days, pediatricians advise giving an enema or giving the baby more fluids to feed. Experiment on your own: massage the tummy, prepare a warm bath for the baby.

In the first 2-3 days, a newborn's stool consists of a substance called meconium, which is black-green in color, thin and viscous. Then its color becomes yellow-brown. If within 2 days after birth the child does not have a chair, you should consult a doctor.

Stool in a breastfeeding baby

Stool can be several or even many times a day. In the first weeks, a newborn may have a stool after each feeding. The color is usually light yellow. The consistency of a newborn's stool is usually like a thick soup or dough and is almost never too hard. In the first 2-3 months, the child's stool is often, sometimes rarely. Some children have it every day, while others - only every other day or two. This can frighten the mother, who is used to believing that the chair should be every day. You have nothing to worry about if the child is doing well. The feces of a breastfed baby remain soft, even if it occurs after 2-3 days.

It happens that a child has difficulty squeezing out the feces accumulated over 2-3 days, and the consistency is like soup-puree. I can only explain this by the fact that the stool is so liquid that it does not create enough pressure on the inside of the anus. Usually, with the introduction of solid food in the baby's diet, the stool is getting better. Check with your doctor, he may recommend introducing solid foods earlier. Two to four tablespoons of boiled prunes puree will help the child. Laxatives in such cases are not needed. Avoid taking laxatives or enemas regularly as the child will get used to them. Try to make do with prunes or other solid foods.

Artificially fed stools in a child

At first, stools occur 1-4, and sometimes 6 times a day. The number of bowel movements does not matter if the consistency of the feces is normal and the child is gaining weight well.

The feces of a child fed cow's milk are light yellow or beige. However, in some newborns, feces resemble soft scrambled eggs or pieces of cottage cheese in a liquid medium. If the child feels well and is gaining weight normally, then you have nothing to worry about.

The most common difficulty that occurs with artificial feeding is a predisposition to constipation. In the first months, formula-fed babies rarely have liquid, greenish, or curdled stools. If you increase the amount of sugar in the milk formula, the quality of the stool will deteriorate. If the stool of the newborn is characterized by the mentioned signs, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor as often as possible. Try to completely eliminate sugar from your child's diet. But, if the child always has a somewhat liquid stool, and at the same time he is cheerful, gains weight well and the doctor does not find any disease, then you can consider the stool normal.

Changes in the stool

You have seen that if the child is gaining weight well and his stool is always the same, then the consistency and color of the stool does not matter. But, if the stool changes dramatically in quality, it is necessary to consult a doctor. If, for example, the feces were viscous, and then suddenly became thinner with pieces of undigested food and became more frequent, this may be a sign of indigestion. If the stool has become very thin, frequent, greenish in color and has a different smell, then this almost certainly means an intestinal disease (diarrhea) in severe or mild form. If there was no stool for a long time, and then the feces appeared unusually hard and dry, then sometimes (but not necessarily) this means the onset of a cold or other illness. The fact is that the infection not only reduces appetite, but changes bowel function. Generally speaking, changes in stool color and frequency are not as important as changes in consistency and smell.

Loose stools often contain mucus, the presence of which confirms bowel disease. Mucus gets into the feces if the child has a runny nose or bronchitis. Often, healthy newborns produce a lot of mucus in the first weeks.

When a new type of vegetable is introduced into a child's diet, some of it may pass undigested in the stool. If at the same time the stool becomes thinner and mucus appears in it, next time give him just a little of these vegetables.