Green poop in babies. Why do babies have green poop?

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

Diagnosis of he alth problems in children and adults are fundamentally different things. If for people who can truthfully and reliably express complaints, a doctor’s interview, anamnesis are integral procedures, after which a decision will be made on the appointment of certain drugs and manipulations, then with babies (of all ages) the situation is much more complicated.

Various analyzes are the only way to get maximum information about pathological processes in the body. One of the most obvious and accessible for diagnosing children's tests is the study of bowel movements, so it is not surprising that many mothers, like doctors, are interested in why the baby has green poop, whether this is a problem or not.

What is the norm?

Proper functioning of the digestive system of a newborn child means that the food will be digested in full, without creating a large amount of wastevital activity. Many doctors agree that breast milk should be so well absorbed by the baby that he can poop every few days without feeling any problems with the tummy.

In fact, this situation is rather an exception to the rule. Brown, yellow, light green and green poop in babies occur with almost the same frequency, and each of these options can be interpreted as the norm. For some, this may be a feature of the body, but some babies thus make it clear that something is wrong with the gastrointestinal tract, so it is important to find out if there is a problem that green poop appears in the diaper. In a baby, all body systems are formed incredibly quickly, but still they are too undeveloped and sensitive to everything new.

Stability. What do we know about her?

Scientists are doing their best to create adapted milk formulas that will resemble breast milk as much as possible, but the result of their work is, albeit high-quality, but artificial nutrition. The main difference between mother's milk is that its composition is incredibly changeable. Studies prove that at all stages of feeding, the mother satisfies the different needs of her growing child due to the fact that milk contains the necessary vitamins, macro- and microelements, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, antibodies. This composition changes daily, saturating the baby with everything necessary, giving him the opportunity to develop correctly and harmoniously.

Each such change in breast milk can becomecause for changes in the stool. Green poop in babies is most often a problem for breastfed babies. Many pediatricians complain about errors in the nursing diet, someone argues that the mother’s diet cannot directly affect the baby’s feces, but each specific case is special, and it’s impossible to say with certainty that the baby’s tummy will not react negatively to the innovation in the nurse’s diet.

Child on Eve

It's no secret that the best food for newborns is mother's milk. The exceptions are rare genetic diseases, liver problems, or protein or lactose intolerance, when the baby needs special diets. But in a number of other cases, you have to switch to adapted milk formulas.

Infant formula is a more stable substance than breast milk, and if a mother has been able to find a formula that is perfect for her baby that does not cause allergic reactions, upsets or changes in the stool, you should not experiment with new options once again.

Pediatricians say that artificial feces should be yellow or brown, and green poop in babies indicates adverse processes in the intestines.

Why does the baby poop like that?

Before understanding the peculiarities of the digestion of infants, it should be said that the first feces - meconium - can also be dark green, even with black color. Thisthe substance has a pungent odor, thick and viscous to the touch and is the result of the child's life during the period when he was in the womb. Meconium can be excreted within 1-3 days, gradually being replaced by normal baby poop, which mothers observe in diapers. Dark green poop in a baby can be original feces, but this is if the baby is not more than a week old, in other cases, you should carefully monitor the baby and his stool, fixing everything new, and when the situation is in doubt, you should consult a doctor.

The feces of children on breastfeeding should be mushy, yellow in color, without impurities (water, mucus, blood), with a slightly sour smell. Seeing that the “fruits of the labors” of a beloved child are of the wrong color, it is worth remembering that the green color of poop in infants can be acquired. This means that the stool oxidizes in the air, and what was originally yellow, a few minutes after a bowel movement, can turn green, brown and much more. Here are some reasons for the "greenness" in the diaper:

• overeating – the enzymes produced by the baby's own pancreas and contained in breast milk may be lacking, and the food is not fully digested;
• lactose intolerance;
• lactase deficiency (when the baby is breastfeeding, the problem can be if the baby does not get to the back, more fatty milk, which contains more substances necessary for the normal functioning and growth of the baby);
• intestinal infection.

Myths about dysbacteriosis

Pediatricians often give babies scary sounding andrather incomprehensible diagnosis of "dysbacteriosis". After his birth, the first thing a child should be able to populate his body with beneficial bacteria. Natural feeding, normal, non-sterile surroundings allow this process to go through as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Western pediatricians and their domestic colleagues confidently convince mothers around the world that even if problems with the necessary microorganisms appeared in the intestines, which became the reason explaining yellow-green poop in infants, then taking a variety of drugs is more to calm worried parents than a necessary measure of influence. Seven to ten days is the period during which the body itself will cope with the problem with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Real problems

Any mother always has the right to seek medical advice if she is concerned about the he alth of the child. But in what cases is it better not to postpone a visit to the doctor? If the mother notices that the child goes to the toilet irregularly, feels discomfort, has increased gas formation and a swollen stomach, watery, abundant green poop with mucus appears (in a baby this does not always indicate problems, but it is better to play it safe) - you should go to the pediatrician.

All these symptoms, especially in combination with crying, fever, profuse regurgitation, lethargy, may indicate an intestinal infection that requires quick and effective treatment, which consists in replenishment measuresfluids and lost trace elements in the body.

Also, parents should be wary if green poop is a new symptom that is not normal for the baby. If the child is not worried about anything, he does not lose weight, he has a good mood, normal sleep and appetite, most likely he has no he alth problems.

What can be done?

Self-treatment of a small child is dangerous, and any doubtful questions should be discussed with the attending physician or local pediatrician, who can reliably assess the state of affairs. A change in the stool after treatment with potent drugs, including those from the antibacterial group, requires help for the baby and his intestines, for this you can normalize the microflora through children's lactobacilli.

The slightest suspicion of an intestinal infection requires immediate hospitalization, dehydration in infants occurs so quickly and suddenly that it is almost impossible to cope with it at home.

When green poop is the result of experimenting with formula, porridge, food or mom's dinner, it is worth putting the innovation aside and letting the baby recover.

Age limits

Green poop in babies up to six months is a common reason why mothers turn to specialists. Most often, the child does not have any problem, and all these are temporary difficulties and features of the formation of the gastrointestinal tract, liver andpancreas. Since the introduction of complementary foods, the baby's diet has changed dramatically, he begins to eat not only liquid food, the color, texture, smell of feces change. Very often in this period, the work of the intestines is getting better, the presence of vegetables and fruits in the diet has a positive effect on digestion and peristalsis.