Normal stool in newborns with breastfeeding can be different. And this range of norm is wide. It all depends on the age of the baby, nutrition, genetic characteristics and past illnesses.
Color and consistency of stool in newborns during breastfeeding
The color of feces in infants is constantly changing. From bright yellow to dark green. Do not be scared. All of these shades are completely normal.
What determines the color of feces:
- feeding. When breastfeeding, feces will be green;
- the introduction of complementary foods. The color will be even greener;
- dysbiosis. If the microflora in the intestine is disturbed, light stools can be observed;
- changes after the use of drugs. It can be means that contain iron, antibiotics, activated carbon;
- with poor assimilation of breast milk, feces will be green or orange;
- discolored stool (white shade). May indicate hepatitis. In infants, this disease is not common;
- reaction to bilirubin. 80% of newborns have jaundice, which passes without therapy. Bilirubin leaves the body with urine and bowel movements. Because of this, in the first four weeks of life, feces can be yellow, brown, orange.
If the baby has only a change in the shade of feces, and the consistency and smell are normal, then there is probably no digestion problem, and the main reason is the type of food. The consistency can also be different: from liquid to watery. And this is within the normal range. Because children under one year of age consume only liquid nutrition.
Liquid stool from digestive upset differs in such characteristics:
• watery stool structure;
• the smell becomes sharp and unpleasant;
• temperature rises;
• the child becomes weak;
• vomiting may occur;
• the frequency of bowel movements increases sharply;
• mucus appears, blood streaks, foam.
What else can be observed in the chair
In newborns, when breastfeeding in the stool, impurities can be observed. Feces can be of a heterogeneous structure.
Kinds:
- slime. If it is not enough, then this is a physiological norm. However, if inflammation is present in the body, the amount increases dramatically. The reasons for the appearance can be very different. Among them: overfeeding, dysbiosis, improper attachment to the chest, runny nose, a mixture for feeding or medicine is not suitable;
- foam. In most cases, the appearance of foam in the feces is not a sign of any serious illness. This is rather a functional disorder. Often it accompanies diarrhea. In abundant amounts, foam may indicate dysbiosis and intestinal infections;
- lumps of white color. These are particles of curdled milk. When the baby eats well, the digestive system simply does not have time to process everything. Also, indigestible food can be observed in the feces of the child after the start of feeding;
- blood. With this symptom, it is important to consult a specialist. Because the reasons are different: helminthiasis, cracks in the rectum, lactase deficiency, the presence of polyps and intestinal pathologies, a lack of vitamin K, and others.
In the presence of impurities, it is necessary to monitor the well-being of the baby. With an increase in temperature, the appearance of weakness, weight loss, you must urgently visit a doctor.
Stool in newborns. What should be normal?
In the first twenty-four hours after birth, the baby should poop. The very first stool is called meconium. A newborn can go off several times. It all depends on how full the intestines are. The original bowel movement can be thick, viscous, clammy, black-green in color and is poorly washed off the skin. Meconium indicates a healthy digestive system. He will stand out a couple of days, then the baby will be able to poke normally. If after two days the original feces did not come out, this may indicate an intestinal disease.
If black stool appears in the future, you should contact a pediatric gastroenterologist. Since it can be a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Except when feces change color after taking medications or due to staining with food.
In the period from the second to the sixth day from the moment of the birth of the baby, the chair changes its color to gray or grayish-green, becomes oily. This means that food is well absorbed.
Stool for breastfeeding in newborns
During breastfeeding, the stool of the newborn will change. It all depends on the nutrition of the mother and the maturation of the digestive system of the baby. Breast milk has a slight laxative effect. Therefore, the baby can be emptied immediately after eating. This can last about a month. When the child turns two months old, the chair will become less frequent. He can poop four times a day or every other day. At the same time, mom’s milk is being renewed. And the baby will gradually develop enzymes, they will help digest the new composition of milk. This may take several weeks. During this period, the baby may be capricious. It happens that the baby defecates once every three days. If he does not feel discomfort and feels good, then this is his individual organism. Such a delay should not be considered constipation.
If the baby's stool is liquid and greenish when breastfeeding, then everything is normal. The main thing is that the child is steadily gaining weight. Normal is a light brown shade of feces or dark brown. Allowed the presence of any green blotches. You need to watch that it is not like water or too dense. This situation is more typical with mixed feeding and with the beginning of feeding.
If there is no stool for several days, you do not need to try to speed up the process of cleansing the intestines by mechanical action. You can not use an enema or try to help the child with a piece of soap or a way to irritate the anus with a thermometer. All these grandmother’s methods will not lead to anything good, but will only worsen the picture.
Abnormalities in stool in newborns during breastfeeding
Having learned what should be the normal stool of newborns, it is useful to familiarize yourself with pathologies. If the stool is yellow, brown, green with a water structure, has a pungent odor and repeats very often, and the baby does not recover, the cause may be an allergic reaction, poisoning or infection. Be sure to consult a pediatrician.
If during a bowel movement the child cries, is nervous, the stomach is tense, and the stool is hard, this indicates constipation. The reason may be intolerance to any product that my mother consumes, or the introduction of a new product into the diet.
If the stool turns green, a large amount of foam appears and a sharp sour smell, and there is irritation around the anus, you should consult your doctor. This picture may indicate the development of a child's lactose deficiency.
Contact a specialist immediately if there is blood in the stool. This is a sign of various pathologies. Among them: allergies, bacterial infections, bleeding in the intestines, hemorrhoids. All these abnormalities need to be urgently treated. With damaged nipples of the mother, the child can swallow blood from cracks along with milk. Then in the stool you can observe the digested blood lumps. It is safe for a newborn, but it’s better to try to prevent this.
Tips for stool normalization in babies up to a year
If there is a malfunction in the intestines, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner. This will help to diagnose any deviation from the norm in time, restore normal weight gain and accelerate stool normalization. Doctors often recommend changing the feeding technique.
Some important tips:
- The posture during feeding should be comfortable for both the mother and the baby;
- it is important to ensure that the baby correctly grabs the chest;
- the baby should receive back milk;
- in the first few months of life, it is better to feed the baby on demand, and not follow the regimen;
- in some cases, milk production should be increased due to the frequent attachment of the baby to the chest, decanting after each meal;
- Limiting feeding time is not artificially recommended.
Knowing how normal the stool should be in newborns, one does not need to panic at the slightest deviation. It is recommended to carefully examine what is in the diapers, to observe the condition and weight of the baby, then it will be possible to respond in time to each pathological change.
