Baby's stool while breastfeeding. Important points: how to recognize the problem. Constipation and diarrhea in newborns
Very often, young mothers are overly worried about the health of their child, sometimes panicking at the slightest change in the behavior of the baby. One of the most frequently asked questions to pediatricians and more experienced mothers is the question - how many times should poop month old baby per day and how much.
How much should a monthly baby poop
The second reason why this issue remains one of the main ones for all mothers is that the stool and its amount are individual for each child, and may vary depending on nutrition, the general condition of the body, drinking regime and so on.
We will try to answer in detail the question: “how much does a one-month-old baby usually poop on average?”
- Approximate amount of feces month old baby, located on the GW, is equal to fifteen grams. Gradually, this amount will increase to 40-50 grams;
- In a breastfed baby, the stool is usually a homogeneous yellow slurry with an odor sour milk. However, when this mode nutrition is also considered the norm stool with small lumps, sometimes greens (if baby ).
- The amount of feces in children with artificial feeding is greater, up to 40 grams.
- When feeding babies with mixtures, the color of the feces can be light yellow or dark brown, and the smell is quite sharp. Not considered normal a large number of mucus in stool or small white lumps. So excess milk fats that are not digested are removed from the body.
How many times a day should a monthly baby poop
A child of this age usually has stools on GV after each feeding, that is 8-9 times / day.
There are times when a child poops 1-2 times/week!!! but in large volume. If the child is in good health, colic is not bothered, then this frequency is normal for the child; Yes, yes, it happens.
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The stool of artificial children is less common. Usually from 1 to 4 times / day . If this happens less often, it is considered constipation.
Main problems. When is the best time to consult a pediatrician?
- If a monthly baby poops more than 10-12 times / day, and if the feces have peculiar smell, he began to foam and the color changed (turned green), then you should contact your pediatrician. Perhaps these are errors or more serious diseases.
- If the child cannot poop already long time, while often crying, then he probably has constipation (?). It is best to deal with this problem with gentle methods - eating foods with a laxative effect, drinking plenty of mom. IN last resort, allowed . A reception medicines only on the recommendation of a doctor.
- Often such a phenomenon in infants causes trouble for the baby, increased gas formation. This problem also corrected with the help of nutrition, holding.
- Diarrhea in an infant ()
If the suspicions and concerns of the mother were confirmed, and the child really showed abnormalities or infection, then do not do it :
- Wean the baby from the breast and switch to IV;
- Limit feeding time "by the clock";
- Supplement the baby with water or tea;
- Engage in self-medication.
So many experiences are associated with how a newborn baby "walks big." Mom is worried about the frequency of the stool, its color, consistency. So how do you determine if the crumbs are all right with digestion? Perhaps he needs help?
Many mothers know that it is very important to monitor the baby's stool, and the pediatrician during the examination is always interested in how the baby walks in a big way. This information is one of the most important points in diagnosing the health of the crumbs.
Unfortunately, quite often mothers mistakenly interpret the completely natural and safe states of the baby. And because of these mistakes, they can start unnecessary treatment and worry about the baby for no good reason.
So let's figure out how a baby's chair should look like and when to worry and when not.
Immediately after childbirth
When the baby is in the mother's tummy, he receives all the necessary substances and trace elements through the umbilical cord. The digestive system of the crumbs does not work, but his stomach is not empty.
The baby sucks his fingers, opens his mouth and thus swallows a small amount amniotic fluid. When the baby is born, this substance will be in his intestines and will gradually come out as the baby is attached to the chest and his digestive system begins to work.
So, the first stool of the crumbs is meconium: dark, plasticine-like feces. So the baby recovers the first day or two. Sometimes it gives him discomfort: the baby is worried, crying, pushing before he can go big. However, this is not always the case - many children recover easily, only slightly pushing.
If everything is in order with the baby, he was put to the breast in time and fed on demand, then gradually his stool changes. On the third or fifth day, the baby has the so-called "transitional stool", partly consisting of meconium, which is still in the gastrointestinal tract, partly from digested colostrum and milk. As a rule, streaks appear first in the meconium mass, then the feces gradually turn yellow. By the end of the first week, the baby's stool usually acquires the features of a normal infant: yellow, rather liquid.
When Should You Be Worried?
If the baby did not go down in a big way in the first two days, it is necessary to consult a doctor. There are children with individual characteristics who will continue to do this less often than most babies. However, the cause of the stool retention should be determined by the doctor. If the crumbs have some kind of problem with intestinal patency, help will be needed immediately, but you should not diagnose your baby without a doctor.
We're home
On the third or fifth day, the mother receives milk, and the baby has a fairly stable stool by the end of the first week. The literature sometimes says that the stool of newborns is "creamy", and this confuses mothers, who begin to suspect that something is not right with the crumbs.
In reality, the stool of a healthy baby is liquid and not always homogeneous. normal color kala - yellow and its shades. You may notice lumps, a little mucus - it's not scary. Do not be afraid if the baby's feces have a greenish tint for up to three months due to the immaturity of the liver enzyme systems and the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism, such a condition has the right to be and also does not require treatment.
Many mothers sometimes have anxiety due to the fact that the baby's stool "suddenly" becomes watery and the child walks in a big way with abundant gases, a sharp sound. Doctors in this case often suspect lactase deficiency.
In reality, things usually go like this.
In the period from 3 weeks to a month and a half, the baby has frequent growth spurts, so at certain moments the baby literally “hangs on the chest” to help the mother produce more milk. Within a day or a few, the baby needs to breastfeed more often and longer than before, and the mother begins to suspect that there is not enough milk. As a result, she often begins to shift the baby from one breast to another, and the baby receives mostly "forward" milk, which comes at the beginning of feeding from each breast. This milk is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, the baby is actively growing from it, however, the stool is liquid and gassy because of this milk (sometimes the “result” looks frothy if the baby is kept on a potty or a basin when he needs to clear himself, and the mother can observe the consistency chair).
In this situation, there is no need to panic - just the baby does not need to be constantly shifted from one breast to another, fearing that he is starving. Give the baby the opportunity to get "hind" milk, rich in fats, which will not cause flatulence and stay longer in the intestines.
In this situation (when the baby suddenly begins to clearly suck up more milk), the mother may feel insecure and start drinking lactogenic teas. From this, more carbohydrates again begin to flow into her milk and the baby's stool becomes more liquid and with gases.
Similar problems due to “forward” milk occur in the case of improper attachment to the breast, as a result of which the baby fills up the air and interrupts feeding itself, or simply cannot get “hind” milk. The best way out in this situation is to consult with a breastfeeding specialist to correct the attachment technique and stop panicking that the baby "does not have enough milk."
In a word, you should not worry if the baby has problems with a chair of this nature. Of course, the flora of his intestines is unstable, it is just beginning to establish - it takes at least three to four months. Your task is simply to feed the baby on demand and correctly and not to rush to treat him for imaginary diseases.
stool retention
Mothers worry not only because of appearance chair, but also because of its periodicity.
How often should the baby "do things"?
Normally, the baby walks in a big way several times a day, usually after feeding. However, in some children, the norm may be a chair and once a day, and even once every few days. Typically, these children have an anatomically weak anterior abdominal wall and intestinal motility. Such a periodicity of the stool can be considered the norm, if the baby still walks more regularly, the stool is of normal consistency and, in general, the baby is cheerful and cheerful and does not suffer from colic. It's not worth worrying.
However, if the baby is allergic, then you need to do everything possible so that he goes to the toilet at least once a day. Atopic dermatitis is much more severe if the baby does not empty the intestines often enough - consult a doctor about this.
Also, children have physiological delays in stool at the age of one and a half to five months. Here it is important to monitor the condition of the baby. If he experiences discomfort, you should consult a doctor.
Children may hold stool and psychological reasons just like adults sometimes can't go to the toilet if they're nervous. Do not panic because of a one-time problem, but if the problem persists or recurs, consult your doctor.
However, babies have not just "delays" of the stool, but also real constipation.
Constipation is called not only when the baby does not go to the toilet at all, but also feces "peas", overdried, when a bowel movement is difficult.
What could be the reason?
Regular constipation is usually due to improper feeding crumbs. However, this condition can also occur if the mother does everything right, but she has her own health problems, for example, with thyroid gland. Medications can also be the cause of constipation.
For example, intestinal weakness is provoked by all kinds of sedative mixtures and drugs, which are often prescribed to children by neurologists at an early age. Even cough medicines or tooth gels can cause constipation. In any case, the doctor should deal with this.
Do not give your baby medicines and laxatives on your own, or act on it mechanically with an enema or vent pipe. It is better to discuss feeding issues with the doctor, drug treatment and the baby's lifestyle - so you can figure out the problem.
Feeding time
Of course, when you start to introduce complementary foods, the nature of the baby's stool changes. First of all, you need to remember that the task of the first complementary foods (at 5, 6 months) is not to feed, but to help adapt to new tastes, to new food. Give the baby complementary foods in the amount of "lick" and only gradually move on to doses "with a marigold" or "half a teaspoon".
Recall that you need to introduce one product into the diet of crumbs so that you can understand how and what the baby reacts to. Quite often, as soon as we give the baby “with a fingernail” some food, it is not digested - we find the product in the feces almost in its original form.
Within one or two days, this is normal, the baby's body has not figured out the new component in the stomach, but if this continues on the third day, the product must be removed from the diet, since it is obvious that the baby is not yet ready to accept it. You need to take a break for a week or two, without offering the baby anything but the breast, then try again with another product.
The body of the crumbs can react even more violently, for example, with liquefied stools and abdominal pain, and sometimes with allergies. In this case, you also need to cancel the product and hold the baby for breastfeeding to calm the gastrointestinal tract.
When you introduce protein to your baby, he may react with constipation.
To avoid this, you need to remember simple rules:
Proteins require more liquid, so if this is your baby's first food (for example, cottage cheese), give him more breast milk.
If you started introducing proteins when the baby is already drinking liquid, provide him with a drink. Do not worry about the fact that the introduction of new products has to be postponed - nothing terrible will happen to the baby.
And be especially calm about the opinion that at 6-7 months the child needs to be given meat products so that he grows well. Not all children are able to absorb such a protein; for many, even a homogenized meat product at this age will lead to constipation and overload the kidneys.
Let the baby eat breast milk for a longer time and receive vegetables and fruits as complementary foods - this way you will avoid many problems with the stool.
In general, mothers' concern about the baby's stool is quite justified: after all, this is an important diagnostic symptom that allows you to understand a lot about the condition of the crumbs. However, it must be remembered that not all situations require intervention, and most problems can be solved simply by correcting feeding mistakes. Do not rush to treat the baby and resort to medication, start with a diet.
Normal stools in infants can be described in different ways: liquid or mushy, yellow or green, with or without particles of undigested food, with sour-milk or pungent odor. The quality and frequency of stools depend on nutrition, the age of the child, previous diseases and genetic predisposition.
The concept of " normal stool in an infant" in pediatrics is interpreted ambiguously and has a wide range of norms. General analysis feces in newborns and infants include the following indicators: color, texture, smell, presence various impurities. These figures may change for various reasons. They usually don't talk about anything. serious illnesses. Changes in feces are usually associated with the type of feeding of the child, the period of adaptation of his digestive system to new conditions. Still, the very first sign of health is not the baby's feces, but well-being.
Color
The color of feces in infants can be different: bright yellow, orange, light yellow, light green, dark green, light brown. And all these "colors of the rainbow" are within the normal range. What determines the color of feces?
- Type of feeding. If the baby is breastfed, the stools will be greener.
- Reaction to drugs. These can be antibiotics, drugs that contain dyes or iron, Activated carbon. After taking the drugs, the stool may become much darker than usual. A “frightening” black stool in a baby after medication should not worry if the baby feels good.
- Lure. With the introduction of complementary foods, the feces become greener. This is due to the increased content of bile.
- Poor absorption of breast milk. In this case, the baby's stool will be either green or orange.
- Reaction to bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellow bile pigment Brown, which appears as a result of the destruction of blood proteins. Physiological jaundice occurs in 70% of newborns and resolves without treatment. Bilirubin is excreted from the child's body with urine and feces. Therefore, yellow, brown, orange stools in infants are often observed in the first month of life.
- Discoloration of stool white feces) . May be dangerous symptom hepatitis A. This infection in newborns and children of the first year of life is rare, but has an unfavorable prognosis.
- Dysbacteriosis. With an imbalance of beneficial intestinal microflora in a child, light chair. The stool also becomes lighter during teething.
If only the color of the feces changes in a child, and the consistency, smell, presence or absence of impurities remain the same, then most likely the problem is in the type of food, and not in some serious violation digestion.
Consistency
One often comes across pictorial metaphors: the consistency of “thick sour cream”, “pea soup”, “mustard”, “mushy”. All this is about normal stool in children under one year old. Often there is a description: liquid, watery stool. This consistency (unlike the feces of children after a year and adults) is also considered a variant of the norm. After all, children receive only liquid milk food for the first six months of life. How to distinguish loose stools from diarrhea in an infant? According to the following indications:
- the stool becomes not only liquid, but also watery;
- the frequency of bowel movements increases significantly;
- the smell of feces is unpleasant;
- expressive yellow, green color;
- temperature increase;
- vomit;
- a lot of mucus, foam, streaks of blood;
- weakness and lethargy.
If the child has loose stools yellow color or green, with an admixture of mucus or foam, you need to look at the condition of the baby. If the baby is gaining weight, sleeping and awake when it is supposed to, do not worry. bad dream and appetite, colic and gaziki, capriciousness, fever - good reasons to see a doctor.
Impurities in the stool
The feces of the baby can be heterogeneous, with various impurities.
- White lumps in baby stool. These are just pieces of curdled milk. If there are too many of them, the baby overeats, his digestive system cannot cope with the volume of food during feeding, does not secrete enough enzymes. Usually such a baby quickly gains weight, and sometimes overfulfills. Indigestible food in the feces of a child can also appear after the start of complementary foods. These may be particles of indigestible fiber.
- Slime . Presence of a small amount of mucus in the stool physiological norm. It is present in the feces of all children and adults. But if it starts inflammatory process in the body, its amount can increase dramatically. The appearance of mucus may have different reasons: improper attachment to the breast, inappropriate formula, overfeeding, premature introduction of complementary foods, atopic dermatitis, runny nose, intestinal infections, reaction to drugs, lactase and gluten deficiency, dysbacteriosis.
- Foam. Most often, foam in the feces is a functional disorder, not associated with any pathologies and serious diseases. Often diarrhea in children infancy comes with foam. common cause there may also be gas and colic in an infant, a reaction to anti-colic drugs, food allergies. Abundant foam can be a symptom of intestinal infections, dysbacteriosis.
- Blood in stool. This is a more serious symptom that requires monitoring and seeking medical attention. Causes may include: rectal fissures, atopic dermatitis, protein allergy cow's milk, inflammation of the intestine, lactase deficiency, intestinal pathology, polyps, helminthiasis, lack of vitamin K. Streaks or clots of scarlet blood in the feces may indicate bleeding from the lower sections digestive system.
When impurities appear, you need to watch general condition child. If the temperature rises, the child loses appetite and weight, you should not postpone calling the doctor.
Newborn chair
A newborn should poop on the first day after birth. A baby's first stool is called meconium. It is a tar-like, sticky, viscous, black-green mass that has accumulated in the intestines during its stay in the womb. Meconium is difficult to wash off due to its consistency. It consists of amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, fluid digestive tract. Meconium is a sign of a healthy digestive system. It will come out within a few days, after which the newborn will poop in the usual stool. If no meconium passes within 48 hours after birth, this may indicate intestinal pathology, in particular, Hirschsprung's disease. With this pathology, part of the intestine is not reduced, which makes it difficult to move stool.
If the black feces in the child appeared later, this is no longer the original stool. The black color of stool (if it is not stained with food or drugs) may be associated with bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. You need to consult a pediatric gastroenterologist.
Chair while breastfeeding
The baby's stool during breastfeeding will change depending on the nutrition of the nursing mother and the maturation of the baby's digestive system.
Peculiarities
Breast milk has a laxative effect. After the baby begins to suckle the breast, the stool softens, becomes greenish color and much thinner than meconium. Around the fifth day of life, feces appear that have the consistency and color of mustard or thick pea soup. The sour smell of stool in infants indicates a milky type of nutrition. Sometimes it can be more pronounced, sometimes less. If frothy and watery stools are added to the sour smell, this may indicate dysbacteriosis or lactase deficiency. Green liquid stool breastfeeding- is also the norm. This stool is referred to by some pediatricians and breastfeeding specialists as "hungry". The baby sucks out only the front low-fat milk, not getting to the back - fatty and nutritious. To eliminate this problem, mothers are advised to keep the baby near one breast. long time and do not rush to change breasts at one feeding.
Frequency
At breastfeeding The baby will empty the bowels at every meal. This may continue for the first month. The frequency of stool in a child at 2 months old can be reduced up to 4 times, the baby can generally begin to poop in a day or two. This is due to the enzymatic crisis in the digestive system of the baby. During the same period, there is an update mother's milk. The baby gradually develops new enzymes that help digest the more complex composition of milk. This may continue for several weeks. The baby can be naughty during this period, actively suck the breast or refuse it, colic and gaziki appear. If a child poops every three days, without help and discomfort, then this is his individual characteristics. Stool retention in this case is not considered constipation.
Chair with artificial feeding
The feces of an artificial baby can change when switching to another mixture and in the process of maturation of the digestive system.
Peculiarities
The color of the baby's feces depends on the composition of the mixture and is yellow, pale yellow and even brown. Green loose stools in an artificial baby may be associated with the introduction of complementary foods or the transition to another mixture. The consistency of the feces of the newborn will be denser. This is due to the fact that mixtures, unlike breast milk, do not have a laxative effect, they are digested much longer. The smell of feces is also different: it is sharper, more pronounced.
Frequency
The stool of an artificial baby is irregular due to the density. Fecal masses can stay in the intestines for a long time and harden. This leads to constipation. If the baby does not poop for a day, this is already a signal of stool retention, which cannot be said about breastfeeding babies. In general, an artificial baby poops less often, sometimes twice. Do not allow frequent switching to another mixture. This can cause either stool retention or, conversely, loose stools. The baby's body needs time to adapt to the new composition of the mixture, so the transition should be smooth, within a week.
What should be the chair of a newborn and baby? Regular and independent. The feces should be of a soft consistency so that a bowel movement is painless. If a lot of mucus, foam, streaks of blood appeared in the baby's stool, you should consult a doctor.
One of the main concerns of parents of toddlers is the baby's stool. It always seems to parents that it is their child who does “it” in a completely different way, and they are ready to go through hundreds of studies in order to find non-existent problems. Two problems - constipation and diarrhea - are sometimes created by the parents themselves. However, the problem is often considered to be absolutely normal “major results” of the child’s life. To be able to distinguish between normal and problematic stools, you need to know the norms. Here we'll talk about them.
Baby chair
Chair in children different type food differs significantly in quality and appearance. Therefore, it is impossible to compare the contents of a diaper in a baby and an artificial one. Due to the fully digestible nutrition of the ideal composition, babies are very rare, only in the case of real illnesses they can have problems with stool. Breast milk does not cause any problems with digestion by definition. However, it is these kids who have the most imaginary problems.
The biggest questions are the number of bowel movements of the child: usually they are from 8-10, almost after each feeding, with a volume of about a teaspoon, up to once every 5-7 days, but with a large volume. This phenomenon is called a physiologically rare stool, it occurs due to the almost complete digestibility of breast milk - there is simply no “waste” left.
The appearance of a chair with "water" is quite acceptable, with yellow staining and interspersed with white lumps, stools when spitting, a mushy mass. In infants, up to 6-7 months, stool with the presence of mucus, lumps, pieces and even greenery is quite normal - this is the formation of microflora and the work of enzymes - there is no need to get into this process with “therapeutic” measures. If, with any variant of the stool, the child is cheerful and healthy, smiles, farts well, eats and sleeps, gains height and weight - this is normal phenomenon and the child has no problems with the stool.
What Not to Do
Many parents, in the absence of a stool in the baby, try to look for constipation in the child and begin to treat them with barbaric methods. I advise you to first try all the methods of "treatment" on yourself, and then apply it to your child. It is forbidden to induce stools by inserting a piece of soap into the rectum, cotton buds, the tip of a thermometer or other foreign objects!
The introduction of soap into the rectum causes irritation and chemical burns mucous membrane of the rectum, it causes sharp pain in a child, and inflammation of the rectum disrupts its normal functioning.
Insertion of thermometers and rods into the rectum leads to mechanical injury and disruption of the intestinal sphincter apparatus, which can lead to disruption of the well-coordinated work of the intestine and the formation of true constipation. All artificial stimulants suppress the natural urge to defecate, and children stop going to the toilet "in a big way" on their own, only with stimulants. In order for reflex defecation to occur, it is necessary to create a certain pressure of stool masses in the lumen of the rectum, which will allow sending an impulse from the rectum to the brain and opening the sphincter. Until the volume accumulates, it may take several days.
In addition, you should not supplement the child with various drops, teas and infusions - espumizan, smecta, plantex, dill tea - you should not interfere in the process of the physiological formation of the intestinal microflora and the formation of enzymes without extreme necessity.
How is bowel function established?
After the baby is born and the first cry, its microflora is formed - the baby receives it from the air, from the skin of the perineum and mother's chest, and this microflora begins to colonize the intestines. In the first two or three days of his life, he empties the intestines from meconium - dark, olive color mass, similar to glue or plasticine. These are the remains of intestinal epithelial cells and digested amniotic fluid nine months pregnant. When swallowing amniotic fluid, the baby trains his digestion to work after birth. Meconium has practically no smell, it is very difficult to wash off diapers and buttocks. For the first three days, he should completely move away and then the nature of the chair will change.
The stool begins to liquefy, it becomes more frequent, heterogeneous blotches appear in it - liquid, mucus and whitish lumps; its color is also heterogeneous - there may be areas of dark color with yellow fragments, whitish and colorless, watery. Defecation can occur six or more times a day. This stool is called transitional, and it means the settlement of the intestines with microflora and the inclusion of enzymes in the digestive process. As the colonization of the intestines, the stool can take different kind and coloration due to irritation of the intestinal wall by microbes and the formation of intestinal immunity. In about one to two weeks, the stool begins to return to normal - it becomes homogeneous, mushy, yellow in color, happens less often and ceases to contain impurities and mucus. This is facilitated by exclusive breastfeeding - if the baby is not given pacifiers, bottles and additional food and drink. If this is present, the correct physiological stool will take longer to form.
From the moment lactation is established and the microflora in the intestine settles down, the baby begins to go to the toilet with a “mature” stool - this is a bright yellow homogeneous slurry of the consistency of thick sour cream with the smell of cottage cheese. This indicates good assimilation of milk, although its frequency may vary from several times a day to once every 5-7 days. Such a rare chair is a normal occurrence in GW. At the same time, the baby’s well-being is excellent if he has enough milk and there are no additional supplements and supplements. At the age of 2-4 months, there are usually from 15-20 to about 50 grams of feces per day. With the introduction of complementary foods, the stool begins to take shape, becomes less frequent and changes character.
Artificial chair
Usually stool in children artificial feeding has a thicker consistency dark color(from greenish to brown), it happens from several times a day to once every one or two days. If bowel movements occur less often, the mixture is most likely causing constipation or you are not giving your child enough water. On average, children poop on IV 1-2 times a day, the amount of feces is about 30 g. Due to the predominance of decay processes in the stool, there is Escherichia coli and bifidoflora, there may be some mucus and whitish crumbs; this suggests that the baby has not yet fully absorbed the fats of the mixture, or you have overfed him.
With the introduction of complementary foods, the stool thickens and begins to take shape in a soft sausage or gruel, the color becomes dark brown, there are no impurities in the form of blood or mucus. Stool frequency 1-2 times a day.
This is a chair that should ideally be and which reflects the full functioning of the intestines. But there are options for deviations from the norm, which are not considered a pathology, but are very scary for parents. Then moms and dads demand immediate actions from the doctor, which are not needed and can only do harm. But how to understand - where did “this” come from in the diaper?
Norm and deviation options
Often, white lumps, similar to curdled milk, are found in the child's stool. With a good or excessive weight gain, they talk about some redundancy in the supply of milk or mixture; this happens when a baby is breastfed on demand. This good sign: there is more than enough milk, just a certain amount of protein and fat does not have time to be processed by enzymes and comes out unchanged - a milk residue is formed. But if, with a large number of lumps in the feces, the child does not gain weight well, this usually indicates enzyme deficiency (primarily the liver and pancreas), that is, the intestines cannot cope with the digestion of food. In this situation, the doctor may prescribe enzyme preparations for the time of intestinal maturation.
Often the stool may have a more liquid, even watery texture with foam, be splashy or with a border of watering on the diaper, sour smell. Sometimes such stools pass when gas is released - in small portions. The stool is yellow or mustard color, not changed. This condition is called milk imbalance or transient lactase deficiency. If the child receives a lot of fore milk rich in milk sugar (lactose) and liquid milk, then lactase is an enzyme that is still in the intestines of the child. limited quantity, simply does not have time to cope with all the incoming volume of milk sugar. Then part of it enters the intestines and is fermented by microbes to gas and water - this is how excessive gas formation and active metabolites appear - including lactic acid, which irritates the intestinal walls and causes increased peristalsis and loose stools. In case of insufficiently thorough washing, irritation of the anus zone may occur - it is necessary to use protective cream. Correcting the situation is quite simple - you do not need to "save" milk, it is necessary that the breasts are always soft. Then the baby will receive back, poor in lactose, but more high-calorie milk.
However, often when similar situation unreasonably diagnosed with lactase deficiency, which does not reflect the true picture. Lactase deficiency is manifested by poor weight gain, which cannot be corrected even with the normalization of breastfeeding. This is a congenital defect of the enzyme or its severe deficiency (although over time, the enzymes can ripen). Often there is an excess of lactose (milk sugar) in mother's milk - this is a genetic feature or a consequence of an unbalanced diet. The diagnosis is confirmed by an analysis of feces for carbohydrates, and, of course, monitoring the well-being of the child. And with the introduction of restrictions in the diet and the appointment of lactase, the condition returns to normal. Do not rush to transfer the child from breast milk to lactose-free mixtures - lactose is necessary for the body, therefore, breastfeeding will be correct even with lactase deficiency and the introduction of an enzyme to digest lactose.
The most terrible thing for parents is the presence of "green" in the feces, which causes panic or thoughts of the most terrible diseases. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, children early age(up to about 4-6 months) is the norm. With feces in the first months of life, a lot of bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) is released, it oxidizes to a greenish tint in air. Hence the "romantic" admixture of greenery. Sometimes it happens that a mature stool is not established in any way and the baby’s stool has an unsightly appearance for a long time: with greens, lumps and threads of mucus. This happens when the baby is malnourished, inactive sucking and other problems - a hungry stool. Another reason for such a chair is the predominance of raw fruits and vegetables in the diet of a woman with a lack of meat, with hypoxia in childbirth. Then the mucous membrane recovers longer and more difficult, the enzymes mature later.
What is mom to do?
First of all, you need to remember the rule - if the child is not bothered by anything and there are no painful manifestations, he has the right to any chair. Even infants can have a long period of stool formation due to difficult childbirth or the establishment of full breastfeeding. The body is a complex system and each has an individual development program, it is impossible to drive everyone under a single standard. If a child gains from 500 g per month, urinates well and often, there are no painful manifestations - this means that this is his normal stool, no matter what impurities it contains, and there is no need to interfere in the delicate process of adjusting the intestines.
Medical correction measures must be applied if the child is concerned strong pain, he screams and draws his legs to his stomach, and his stomach is tense; if he has rashes, itching and problems with weight and height. It is necessary to consult a doctor, conduct an examination and scatological examination of feces, adjust the mother's diet. But feces for dysbacteriosis is an absolutely unnecessary and not indicative analysis, it is practically meaningless to conduct it.
What should be really worrying?
Call a doctor immediately or ambulance if the child has loose stools (mucous or with pieces) in the presence of fever, vomiting or feeling unwell - these are signs intestinal infection and it cannot be the norm. No medicines, except perhaps for smecta, can not be given to a child - self-medication in such cases is deadly, dehydration and convulsions may occur.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the retention of stool in a child on IV for more than 2 days - this indicates constipation and may indicate the need to change the mixture or feeding regimen. It is also necessary to pay attention to stool retention in infants with rare urination and highly concentrated urine.
In addition, the appearance of a chair in a baby or an artificial stool resembling a dense sausage or “sheep balls” requires the intervention of a doctor - these are also manifestations of constipation that require correction.
Especially dangerous is the appearance in the stool of an admixture of blood, scarlet or clotted. Sometimes small streaks of blood appear when spitting with straining due to a crack in the anus. However, these should be isolated and very rare occurrences. The constant presence of blood in the stool can be caused by a number of diseases: allergies and problems with the rectum, infectious diseases, and even malformations of the anus.
Frequent stools in a newborn baby are a sign of health. As a rule, the child poops with mushy masses, while the color of the feces is yellow or green, you can observe the presence of particles of processed milk or a mixture. Such a picture is a common occurrence and parents should not worry. If the baby poops with increased frequency or does it very rarely, experiencing discomfort from bloating or colic, gaining weight poorly and eating without appetite, this is a signal to go to the pediatrician for a consultation.
Age norms for stool frequency
For breastfed babies
Let's talk about what are the norms of defecation in a newborn. Young parents should be aware that the color, texture, and amount of breastfeeding baby's bowel movements are not always the same.
The quality of the stool is influenced by many factors: the amount of water and the type of food, time of day and features child's body. Emotional background And physical state breastfeeding mothers also affect the number of bowel movements.
Features of the chair of children up to 2 months
Let's list age-related changes stool frequencies:
- 1 day. Meconium - the original stool, tarry and black, is characteristic of all newborns. Children on the first day of life may defecate one or even more than six times a day.
- 2-7 days. Meconium may have already stopped, but its presence is also quite normal. The original feces accumulate in the children's intestines during the period prenatal development. He needs to completely go out in order to be replaced by ordinary feces. For this age, stools in the amount of one to three per day are characteristic.
- 2 weeks (we recommend reading:). For a newborn during this period, an irregular bowel movement is quite acceptable (more details in the article:). The number of bowel movements for each baby will be individual, depending on the lactation of the mother. The constant change in the composition of breast milk during the first month due to the establishment of lactation affects the quality and quantity of the baby's stool. At this age, the baby may begin increased gas formation and colic may appear.
- 3-5 weeks. Mom's milk acts as a laxative, so frequent stools are often observed - up to 10 bowel movements per day. The number of bowel movements directly depends on the number of feedings. A small number of bowel movements in 1 month (less than 4 times) indicates that the young mother does not have enough milk.
- Starting from the sixth week. During this period, parents may notice a sharp decrease in the number of bowel movements. Lack of bowel movements can be observed for a day, two or even three. What is the reason? The enzyme crisis is to blame. The renewal of breast milk provokes the appearance of new enzymes, to which the small organism is now getting used. The process of adaptation can take up to several weeks - during this period, you can notice both an increase in the desire to suck on the breast, and the rejection of mother's milk.
After 6 weeks, the children have an enzymatic crisis - the baby's gastrointestinal tract is completely rebuilt on the mother's breast milk resulting in the production of new enzymes Number of stools after 2 months to a year
We continue to study the change in defecation:
- 2 months. Individual rhythm of work gastrointestinal tract starts at this age. Bowel movements at this age are no longer so frequent. Pediatricians note that each two month old baby may have their own characteristics and the amount of stool: some poop once or twice a day, while others do it still intensively - up to six times. Both options are considered normal.
- 6 months. The prepared body of a 6-month-old baby and a large number of enzymes allow you to start introducing complementary foods. The quality of the stool changes even before the start of complementary foods: the appearance of a specific smell is noted, the density of the feces increases, and the number of bowel movements decreases.
- A one-year-old baby can poop one to three times a day.
There are no clear norms for the number of bowel movements for infants. The presence of a chair after each feeding is a completely normal picture. A child who poops a lot can be weighed more often, starting from the second week, since the first week of life is characterized by weight loss, and the second - the beginning of a set of treasured grams. No matter how many bowel movements a day your baby has, a weekly increase of 150 g is a sign of normality.
By the year the child's stool is set at a frequency of about 1-3 times a day, its consistency and smell also change. This is due to a change in diet and the beginning of the use of "adult" food. For formula-fed babies
It is noted that artificially fed babies can poop with the same intensity as babies, but still, in most cases, an artificial baby poops less often. This difference is associated with longer absorption adapted mixture compared to mother's milk:
- Number of feedings = number of bowel movements. For a child on artificial type feeding is characterized by the same principle as with breastfeeding. The baby receives the mixture every 3.5 hours, which means that the number of bowel movements will also decrease.
- Thickness of feces. The feces of formula-fed babies are denser, which affects different time bowel movements and their regularity. The long passage of feces through the intestines leads to its hardening and possible constipation.
- Stool retention. A sign of stool retention in an artificial baby is the absence of defecation during the day, which would be quite normal for a breastfed baby.
The baby may experience constipation or suffer from rapid liquid stool due to the wrong mix. Consulting with a pediatrician will help solve this problem. Joint choice suitable mixture And smooth transition on it will help to adjust the chair.
Frequent change of the adapted mixture is harmful to the child's digestive system. A small organism must get used to the new composition of the mixture, and frequent or abrupt change food provokes an increase in the frequency of stools, or vice versa - greatly reduces it.
Get rid of constipation in 4 steps
This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve exactly your problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!
Constipation in children who eat mother's milk is a rare phenomenon. You don’t have to worry if the baby poops on its own every three days, this indicates the correct assimilation of mother’s milk. A chair even once every 5 days for babies is considered the norm by pediatricians, provided wellness child.
If a mother notices frequent whims, increased gas formation, colic or refusal to eat, it is worth resorting to auxiliary means:
- Lactulose syrup (we recommend reading:). Milk sugar - lactulose helps the active work of the intestines. Such a safe laxative can be purchased at any pharmacy without a prescription. Pediatricians advise to store it in individual baby. From side effects there may be an increase in the amount of gases in the first days of taking the remedy. It is necessary to start treatment with small doses, exceeding the amount is not permissible.
- Children's glycerin suppositories (we recommend reading:). Such candles should be placed only when necessary. One candle, as a rule, solves the problem. Irregular stools and the inability of the child to poop on their own, the need to regularly resort to the help of candles is a signal to seek help from a pediatrician.
- Enema or gas tube. These procedures are not recommended to be performed regularly. They should only be used as a life-saving remedy for severe bloating and the absence of stools for several days. About that, and an enema, read our article.
- Gymnastics and tummy massage. Such physical activity will help the intestines to start working. In this case, there will be an active promotion of fecal masses and the discharge of gases.
Glycerin suppositories- an emergency remedy that allows you to quickly solve the problem of childhood constipation (more in the article:). If their use becomes systematic, it is urgent to contact a pediatrician. If three month old baby does not poop, perhaps the reason is the lack of mother's milk and the body simply has nothing to remove. To increase lactation, doctors recommend frequent application newborn to the chest.
- The average number of daily bowel movements is from 3 to 10 times.
- The absence of a chair for three days is the norm.
The frequency of the stool depends not only on the type of feeding, the age of the child, the well-being and intake medical preparations but also from genetic predisposition.
