Yellow feces in a newborn. What should be the stool in newborns during breastfeeding and artificial feeding

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

In children during the first months of life after birth, the digestive system does not work properly. Their microflora and intestinal motility are just beginning to form. If any problems arise, the stool changes its consistency, color and smell, on the basis of which it is possible to identify them in time. For example, yellow feces in a newborn are considered very common. Many parents believe that this is abnormal and is a sign of some kind of disease. However, yellow stools are not always associated with he alth problems. Let's look at their main causes and find out whether to panic or not to worry.

General information

If a newborn has yellow feces, then this is not a reason to sound the alarm, because he may not speakonly about the presence of any pathologies, but also about the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account the accompanying symptoms. Among the main ones that can be caused by the disease, the following can be distinguished:

• White inclusions are associated with overfeeding the baby. If at the same time he does not gain weight, then this indicates an enzymatic deficiency.
• Music impurities in the stool are the result of inflammatory processes in the intestines or atopic eczema syndrome.
• Foam in the stool is usually caused by increased gas formation or dysbacteriosis. If at the same time the child has vomiting, colic and increased salivation, then most likely the baby has an intestinal infection.
• Yellow stools with blood clots can indicate both an incorrect transfer from breastfeeding to natural feeding, and damage to the intestinal walls.

If there are no other symptoms other than a change in color, then there is nothing to worry about. But if a child has pronounced clinical manifestations, then this is a good reason to go to the hospital.

What affects the nature of bowel movements

Let's take a closer look at this. The color and consistency of feces may vary depending on the type of feeding of the baby. In addition, complementary foods play an important role. The transfer of infants to "adult" products is a very important process, since there is never a certainty that the child's body will respond normally to them. Let's go overlet's dwell on each type of feeding and find out what color of bowel movements will be considered normal. Such knowledge will allow you to detect any he alth problems in a timely manner and quickly begin the appropriate treatment.

Breastfeeding

So what do you need to know about this? The well-known pediatrician Komarovsky claims that with HB, the feces in children should be of a uniform consistency with a characteristic sour-milk smell. Moreover, if the baby does not go to the toilet for several days, then this is not considered constipation. As for color, the stool in newborns during breastfeeding is predominantly yellow. In this case, there should not be any alarming symptoms - colic and pain in the tummy, fever, diarrhea and third-party impurities in the feces.

Change in stool characteristics can be caused by maternal malnutrition. If she starts to use new products, then this will certainly affect the baby. If the diet is followed, the stools of the crumbs will be slightly watery, without third-party impurities. The frequency of stools during the first 6 months of life should be 2 to 4 times a day.

Artificial feeding

When a baby is transferred from mother's milk to infant formula, the composition and characteristics of feces change. It becomes denser and acquires an unpleasant sour smell. If the nutrition is chosen correctly, then the stool in newborns with artificial feeding will be yellow. But frequencybowel movements are reduced to two times a day. If at the same time they contain white grains, then this indicates overfeeding of the baby. In this case, the frequency of meals is left, and the portion size is reduced.

Mixed feeding

Doctors do not recommend combining breast milk with artificial mixtures. Due to the different consistency, nutritional composition and digestion time, a large load is placed on the baby's digestive system, which, in turn, can lead to the development of various he alth problems.

What should be the feces of a newborn with mixed feeding? Normal stools are thick and yellow in color without a strong unpleasant odor. But very often the baby’s body is not able to adapt normally to purchased mixtures, so he develops constipation or diarrhea, and the baby is also tormented by constant colic.

Complementary food

When transferring a baby to regular food, it is necessary to closely monitor his stool. If any products do not suit him, then you can find out about this by the characteristics of feces. It should not contain leftovers of undigested food. But as practice shows, many parents begin to give their baby products ahead of time, and also do not puree them. Therefore, it is quite normal that they are not completely absorbed in the digestive system. But in some cases, the problem may be due to an enzyme deficiency.

It is worth noting that during complementary feeding, the characteristics of bowel movementsdepend on the foods given to the baby. Subject to all the recommendations of the doctor in newborns, yellow feces of a dense consistency and with a sour smell. Stool frequency - 2-3 times a day.

Normal indicators

They change as the child grows and the daily diet varies. The stool norm in a newborn under 12 months of age meets the following criteria:

• color - yellow, brown or greenish;
• volume - from 20 to 60 grams per day;
• smell - sour;
• consistency - viscous and mushy.

After a year, the daily volume increases to 300 grams per day, and the feces become more dense. The color of the stool also changes. In the absence of he alth problems and the normal functioning of the digestive system, it will be yellow or light brown.

When to worry

This aspect should be given special attention. The stool in a newborn in a month can have different characteristics. This applies not only to color, but also to consistency, frequency of bowel movements, as well as the presence of various inclusions. Therefore, with any changes, do not panic. The following symptoms are cause for concern:

• high body temperature;
• rashes on the skin;
• vomiting;
• increased salivation;
• colic.

Also, colorless feces will be a reason to be wary. It may indicate a violation of the functioning of the liver, as well as serious diseases such ashepatitis and jaundice. Foamy stools most often occur with lactase deficiency and increased flatulence.

Green stools in the absence of the above symptoms may be normal. According to experts, it acquires this shade during the transfer of the baby to "adult" food or as a result of feeding with artificial mixtures. As soon as the child's body adapts to the new diet, the characteristics of the stool are normalized.

Indigestion

Every parent should know how to help a newborn go to the toilet. This is due to the fact that constipation in infants is very common. Among the main reasons are the following:

• change feeding regimen;
• wrong selection of artificial mixtures;
• not drinking enough;
• poor maternal nutrition;
• lack of physical activity.

Regardless of the reason, you can solve the problem yourself at home. How to help a newborn go to the toilet without taking medication? The following remedies have proven themselves well:

• boiled dried apricots;
• prune compote;
• oatmeal decoction cooked with milk;
• raisins.

Also, laying the baby on the tummy and light masses is good for stimulating the toilet. As for laxatives, it is contraindicated for small children to give them. In extreme cases, you can make an enema, but betterall that the baby goes to the toilet in a natural way. Therefore, if the problem with constipation does not disappear over a long period of time, it is worth consulting with a specialized specialist. After all, it can be caused not only by malnutrition, but also by various he alth problems.

Reasons for color change

Characteristics of feces depend on many criteria. The main one is nutrition. If the infant formula is chosen correctly, then the yellow feces of the newborn will be the best proof of this. However, its color may change for the following reasons:

• flu;
• rotavirus infection;
• consequences of taking any medications;
• teething;
• violation of intestinal microflora;
• hepatitis;
• inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas;
• gall bladder dysfunction;
• pathology of the biliary tract.

For any of these problems, it is not recommended to self-medicate, as it can be dangerous. If the first alarming symptoms occur, you should immediately seek qualified medical help in the hospital.

Conclusion

In this article, we examined in detail what color and consistency of feces in infants is considered normal, and in what cases there is cause for concern. So that young children do not have any problems with the stool, it is necessary to take the choice of artificial mixtures very seriously, as well as to correctly exerciselure. If all the advice and recommendations of the doctor are followed, the baby's body will normally adjust to the new diet and he will go to the toilet well.