Fecal color in a newborn: norm and deviations, features, tips

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

With the birth of a child, parents have significantly more exciting questions. They are associated with inexperience, and therefore moms and dads often come up with a problem where there is none. One of these questions is what should be the color of feces in newborns. The norm differs depending on the type of feeding.

How is the intestines of a newborn?

When a baby is born, his intestines are sterile, but after a few hours it begins to fill with various bacteria. At this stage, it is important that the baby is next to the mother, it is also advisable to attach it to the breast immediately after birth. These actions will help to form a positive microflora in the child and populate the intestines with mother's microorganisms.

The intestine of a newborn is longer in relation to body size than that of an adult, but it is not yet fully formed, has high mobility and frequent torsion of the intestines. The final formation of this organ and adaptation to new conditions are the cause of colic.

Intestinal protective barrier in infantsit also has little protection, harmful substances can enter the bloodstream through it, which is why babies so often have eating disorders.

Original Feces

A baby, being in the womb, swallows amniotic fluid for 9 months. Within two days of birth, his stomach and intestines are empty and meconium is excreted. This is the name of the first feces of the child. During this period, green is the main color of feces in a newborn. Defecation with original feces can occur several times.

Meconium is odorless and has a tar-like texture - sticky and thick. In rare cases, it happens that the original feces do not come out, this indicates an obstruction of the rectum. This problem requires immediate medical attention, as it is necessary to remove the resulting "plug".

Contrary to popular belief, meconium is not sterile, it contains Gram-positive bacteria and E. coli. These bacteria help build immunity during fetal development.

From the 3rd-4th day, the color of the stool in a newborn begins to turn yellow, and the consistency also changes. This is a transitional stage. At this time, intestinal upset is often observed.

Color of feces in a newborn while breastfeeding

A newborn baby is considered the first 28 days of his life. During this time, he usually has time to take shape and become a regular chair.

Children who are fully breastfed go to the toilet less often due to the fact that mother's milk is absorbed by their body to a greater extent. Therefore, it is difficult to call a daythe rate of bowel movements of the infant. The average figure is from 4 to 12. But even if the child poops less than 4 times, but does it plentifully, there is nothing to worry about. Having become older, the baby on breastfeeding may not empty the intestines for 4 days. And that will be the norm too.

If the stool in a newborn is liquid and more often than 12 times a day, you should consult a specialist. He will examine the child, taking into account additional factors such as the color of the feces of the newborn, the smell, as well as the behavior of the patient.

Parents need to be concerned about the he alth of their child if the stool is green, yellow or dark brown. But if the child has recently been ill with something or consumed iron in large quantities, then this can be considered the norm.

With foamy feces and a specific sour-milk smell, a lack of hindmilk is likely. Weight loss and restless behavior of the baby can be considered an additional symptom.

Recommendations for dealing with bowel problems while breastfeeding

The quality of the stool of a fully breastfed baby depends in most cases on the correct feeding technique. It is necessary to feed the baby in a position that is comfortable for both, as in the photo.

The color of the feces in a newborn depends on what kind of milk he receives: fore or hind. The mother should keep the baby at the breast until the moment when it becomes empty. Only then will her child be able to get to the hind milk, it is it that is nutritious, it containsenzymes needed to break down milk sugars. Foremilk has been said to cause green liquid feces and gas in the abdomen.

Nursing mothers should remember that she eats for two. Food to which she does not react in any way will become a big problem for her child. With caution approach the intake of fatty, s alty, smoked and fried foods. These categories of foods can easily cause dysbacteriosis.

Feces with artificial nutrition

Feeding formula differs from breastfeeding in many ways.

1. Frequency. Even the best formula cannot match breast milk in terms of digestibility. If the baby does not “do things” at least 1-2 times a day, he may develop constipation. To reduce the likelihood of its occurrence, a child on IV should definitely be given baby water.

2. The color of the stool in a newborn with artificial and mixed nutrition differs from the stool of a child fed naturally. It has a darker shade, from yellow to brown, but if the feces are almost black, this indicates the presence of blood in the stool. In this case, it is urgent to look for the cause of the problem.

If the bowel movements are green, this is a direct indication of dysbacteriosis in the baby.

When formula feeding, this can occur even if the product is not suitable for the baby and is not absorbed.

3. Consistency. Artificial stools always have a denser and thicker texture, but too hard feces- a sign of an incorrectly prepared mixture. The result of a normal bowel movement has a homogeneous mushy consistency. If there are white cheesy inclusions in the feces, you should be more careful about the proportions of the diluted food. Also, in some cases, this may indicate overfeeding the child, he does not have time to digest the food to the end.

4. The smell, like the color of feces in a newborn baby on artificial nutrition, is different, it has a higher odor and is closer to the usual smell of adult feces. In contrast, infant feces do not smell bad, and many people report that they smell like milk.

Recommendations for eliminating stool problems with artificial nutrition

Unlike babies, artificial babies do not depend on what their mother dared to eat.

But their stool is affected by the frequency of meals, the proportions and quality of the product that replaces milk. An improperly selected mixture can cause he alth problems. To prevent this, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he selects the most suitable mixture.

It is best to feed an artificial baby on a set schedule and regularly in equal portions. When breeding, the proportions recommended by the manufacturer are strictly observed.

Causes of stool disorders in children

Newborn is the time when immunity is just being established and even small changes in diet are enough to disrupt the normal functioning of the intestines, not to mention serious illnesses.

What color should a newborn's feces be normal,was analyzed above, here are the options for deviations and their possible causes.

1. Very loose, watery stools accompanied by an unpleasant odor indicates a food allergy, infection, or poisoning. Usually these diseases are also accompanied by loss of appetite and weight loss. For newborns, this is extremely dangerous.



2. Feces of solid consistency in a baby indicate constipation. The child is constantly pushing, crying, and defecation occurs little by little and several times. Sometimes constipation can be caused by a mother's poor diet when she eats strengthening foods and is being treated with iron supplements.
3. If the bowel movements are green and frothy, and occur more often than normal, this may be a sign of lactase deficiency of both degrees and dysbacteriosis. It is also accompanied by symptoms such as weight loss, constant anxiety of the child, irritation and redness around the anus. But green-colored stools become normal if the baby has recently had a cold or is teething.
4. Dark colored stools with blood can be due to bowel problems such as rectal fissures or hemorrhoids. Blood is also seen in a baby's stool when they are allergic to milk protein. If blood streaks were found in particularly liquid excrement, it is possible that the newborn has picked up a bacterial infection.

What does feces look like after weaning?

From the age of 5-6 months, weaning begins, then the baby's stool may undergo permanent changes in contrast to the color of feces in newborns when breastfed without supplements. Each time you change the type of complementary foods, the shade of the stool can also change. There is nothing to worry about, you just need to remember what the child ate the day before.

Therefore, do not be surprised if after the introduction of zucchini or cauliflower into the diet, the baby's excrement turns green.

• Green - zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower.
• Red, orange - carrots.
• Burgundy - beets.
• Black - prunes.

But if pieces of undigested food are constantly found in the feces, it is likely that it is time to see a doctor. Usually it is a symptom of dysbacteriosis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If these problems were not detected, then the parents are overfeeding the child, and his stomach does not have time to cope with the tasks.

It is important to remember that puree from some foods can weaken or strengthen, this should be taken into account if constipation or diarrhea occurs.

Which specialist should I contact?

If the violation of the stool in the baby has a regular form, then parents need to see a doctor. First, you should visit a pediatrician, he knows exactly what color feces in newborns are and under what circumstances.

The doctor will prescribe tests and, if necessary, give a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist,infectious disease specialist or other specialist.

At first glance, it seems to some parents that the violation of the normal stool is a problem that does not deserve much attention. But in the case of children, diarrhea or constipation can cause poisoning or severe dehydration, as well as the development of pathologies.