Baby If - What Can You Find In The Diaper

When you are a parent for the first time, you usually have no idea what you can find in a diaper. Sometimes what you see can surprise you a lot, even startle you! Baby stools have so many nuances and textures that even experienced parents may not have seen them all.

It's amazing how much time parents spend inspecting their babies' diapers! You may often worry that your baby's stools are unusual in color or texture, or that he or she is passing stools too often or for too long.

This topic will aim to show and explain to you about the different types of baby stools - what is normal and what is not when your baby is breastfed, formula or starts eating solid foods. You will find out when you should not worry and when it is wise to consult a doctor.

How often should your baby defecate?

It is difficult to determine the rate of bowel movements in infants. For some, it is normal for this to happen after each meal, and for others to be once or twice a week. It is important that bowel movements are easy and the consistency of the stools is soft (if the baby has difficulty passing stools and the faeces are hard, he may suffer from constipation and need help).

Breastfed babies often defecate after each feeding (approximately 6 to 10 times a day), but three to six weeks after birth this may change and they may defecate once every 10-14 days.

There is usually no need to worry if the stools are soft and the baby passes stools without straining or difficulty. But if after a sudden change you notice signs that the baby is crying, blushing, straining, but unable to pass, it is necessary to seek medical help.

What should a baby's stool look like?

The first few days after birth, the baby's stools have a greenish-black, resinous color, a sticky consistency and resembles motor oil. They are called meconium. Faeces during this period actually contain amniotic fluid, mucus, skin cells and other substances ingested in the womb. They don't smell, so you may not realize it's time to change your diaper. Once you start breastfeeding (for about 3 days), your stools will change gradually .

When the baby is 2 to 4 days old, his stools will get a lighter color - they will be greener and less sticky. These transient stools are a sign that his digestive system has begun to digest breast milk or formula.

Extremely breastfed babies have yellow or slightly green stools with a thick or creamy consistency. They may be slightly watery and resemble diarrhea. They are often likened to mustard with the presence of small seeds. Interestingly, their smell is not so unpleasant.

There are many nuances of normal when it comes to stool in breastfed babies. They are often determined by the food that the mother consumes. If the baby does not feel any discomfort, do not worry about the type of feces.

If you see bright green, frothy stools in the baby's diapers that look like algae, then the infant is probably getting too much front milk (low-calorie milk that flows at the beginning of breastfeeding) and not enough from the back milk (which has a higher content of fat and is taken at the end of breastfeeding). This means that the baby does not suckle enough time from one breast and fails to empty it before transferring it to the other. To eliminate this problem, it is best to offer the breast from which the baby sucked last in the previous session when starting breastfeeding.

Babies fed formula have different stools than breastfed babies. Their texture is pasty, resembling peanut butter (brownish, yellow-brown or green-brown). Their smell is sharper than that of breastfed babies and those who eat solid food. In addition, their bowel movements are more voluminous (this is because formula is not as well absorbed as breast milk).

If you give your child iron as a supplement, you may notice changes in your stool. They are usually dark green or almost black. This does not happen often, but is normal after taking such supplements.

Important !!! If your baby's stools look black but he is not taking an iron supplement, it's a good idea to see a doctor to make sure it's not ground.

Once you start introducing solid foods (cereals, purees, etc.), you will almost immediately notice a change in the stool, especially if the baby has only been breastfed.

The faeces of children who have switched to solid foods are brown or dark brown in color, and they also become slightly harder and shaped.

Sometimes you will notice pieces of food or unusual shades in the color of the child's stool. For example: red, orange, dark blue (in these cases, the child probably ate beets, oranges, carrots, blueberries).

Do not worry! This is evident because some foods are only partially digestible or pass through the intestines so quickly that they do not have time to be fully digested. This can also happen if you eat a large amount of one type of food or if the food is not well chewed before it is swallowed. When the child grows up enough and is able to effectively process and assimilate food, this will change.

However, if this happens regularly in your child, even though he eats different foods, it is best to consult a doctor. He needs to find out if everything is OK with the child's digestive tract and if the food is fully digested.

What kind of stool is not normal?

In infants, diarrhea is the excretion of very liquid faeces, which often come out of diapers. Their color can be yellow, green or brown.

Diarrhea can be a sign of an infection or an allergy. If it lasts for a long time without treatment, it can lead to dehydration. Seek medical attention if your baby is 3 months old (or younger) has several diarrhea bowel movements a day and this lasts for more than a day or two. You should contact a doctor immediately if you notice blood or mucus in the faeces.

You can read additional information in the topic: "Diarrhea in breastfed babies".

If the baby's stools are hard and look like small stones, there is probably constipation. The child may experience discomfort (difficulty) during defecation and the stool may contain blood from the anus due to difficulty passing stool.

One or two diapers with harder stools should not bother you, but if the baby has three or more such bowel movements (or if you see blood), it is best to contact a doctor. Constipation often occurs when solid foods are introduced. This may be a sign of sensitivity to milk or soy proteins or intolerance to something in breast or formula.

More on the topic in: "Constipation in breastfed babies".

The presence of greenish stools containing shiny and shiny veins means that there is mucus in them. This can occur at a time when the baby is secreting excessive amounts of saliva (slimy). Because it does not break down, it passes into the feces and gives them this appearance.

In addition, mucus in the diaper may be a sign of infection or allergy. If this is accompanied by other symptoms and lasts for two or more days, seek medical attention to determine the cause.

Very pale stools can be a sign of jaundice, which is common in newborns. Jaundice makes the skin and eyes of the newborn look yellow. It usually passes within a few weeks of birth.

Pale or whitish-white stools are an important sign of liver disease, so you should not ignore this sign and seek medical attention, even if the baby looks in good condition. In older children, excessive milk intake or some infections can also lead to pale stools.

Bright red blood can appear for several reasons. Consult a healthcare professional if you notice:

• normal stools mixed with blood, which is often a sign of allergy to milk proteins;
• hard stools with blood, probably the result of straining and injuring the anus or small hemorrhoids;
• diarrhea mixed with blood, which may indicate a bacterial infection.

Sometimes the blood in the baby's stool looks black, which means that it has been absorbed. When you notice it in the form of small dots (which look like poppy or sesame seeds), it is probably due to the blood absorbed through the breast milk from the mother's wounded nipples.

This should not bother you, it is not a threat to the child. However, you should call your doctor to make sure it is not something more serious, such as bleeding from your baby's upper bowel.

As every child is different, it is always best to consult a doctor if you have concerns about what he or she is going through.