If the baby has loose yellow stools. Diarrhea in a baby: what to do for parents. Signs of diarrhea in newborns while breastfeeding

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Article last updated: 02/13/2019

Why does a newborn have light yellow loose stools

Parents are always worried about their child. Especially when, when removing the diaper, they discover unusual stool. The first thought that is born in the head of a young mother is that the baby is sick. In fact, baby feces often change density and range. According to some doctors, the occurrence of mucous formations, as well as pieces undigested food And color variations, are caused by a change in the mother's diet and the introduction of new products for the baby.

In the first days of life, the baby's feces appear dark green or black, have a fairly high density. This is due to the fact that the processing of substances accumulated in the intestines of the baby takes place. prenatal development. After the start of feeding, around the 3rd day, the baby's feces contain milk or formula, so they become more watery with a light yellowish tint and often have a sour-milk smell. This can be observed until the 10th day of a baby's life. When the baby is about a year old, the stool becomes more homogeneous.

If the mother is breastfeeding and the newborn has more frequent golden or light green liquid stools, the problem may be an unbalanced diet. The baby consumes more anterior milk than fatty hind milk, saturated with the most nutrients, because of which food is digested much faster and loose stools occur. To avoid similar situations, it is necessary to feed the baby with one breast for a longer time.

Features of feces during natural and artificial feeding

The gamma and density of feces in a newborn varies depending on what the mother eats. Saturated light yellowish or greenish color scheme has loose stools in the baby, whom the mother feeds with milk. Parents often confuse such formations with diarrhea. If a nursing mother consumes mainly plant foods, then the excrement becomes greenish and has a sour smell.

If feeding occurs with the help of a mixture, then the shade of defecation changes. Over time, the discharge becomes more homogeneous and pasty, acquiring a pale golden or light brown shade and pronounced bad smell.

Many parents of children who are a year or less do not distinguish loose stools from a disorder and immediately run to the hospital. It is very easy to determine whether a child has diarrhea if you know some of the main signs of indigestion in children:

• frequent defecation;
• excrement became thinner;
• the process of bowel movement is sharper than usual;
• the smell became more sour;
• a rich light green tone appeared;
• blood, mucus or foam appeared.

When a child is a year or less, he still cannot explain his feelings. Therefore, in addition to bright pronounced signs needs to be monitored general condition child: insomnia, poor appetite, colitis, gas, fever and other deviations from the normal state of the crumbs.

What to do if your baby has watery stools

If the newborn has a sharp change in the consistency of feces, you need to pay attention to his behavior. If you notice any deterioration in your general condition, contact your local doctor. This rule also applies to children who are one year old or older.

Most often, a nursing woman simply needs to change the diet and start keeping a food diary so that you can track the slightest reactions of the baby to various foods.

You should try to breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, because milk is saturated with the antibodies and beneficial bacteria necessary for the crumbs. These substances will help his body overcome intestinal infections and allergic reactions. If the discharge becomes more frequent, then milk will prevent dehydration.

If the frequency of bowel movements has become more frequent, and they have become more watery, while the diet of the crumbs is limited to artificial mixtures, you should change the mixture and follow the changes. Also, the frequency of bowel movements can be affected by frequent change mixtures, so do not abuse it.

In what situations it is necessary to consult a doctor

If more frequent watery discharge, parents should pay due attention to this, and if necessary, consult a doctor.

loose stool in a child who is a year or less, is a normal physiological process. Much worse when the baby persistent constipation and colic accompanied by bloating. Exactly similar symptoms enable pre-diagnosis gastrointestinal tract in a newborn.

TO additional features, due to which you should consult a doctor, include dehydration, dysbacteriosis, lactose deficiency or intestinal infection. These diseases are accompanied by the following symptoms:

• restless behavior;
• lack of appetite or bloating;
• rapid weight loss or high fever;
• sluggish state, weakness in the voice;
• lack of tears during crying;
• tight dry skin;
• pronounced smell of putrefaction;
• sunken spring.

Any changes in natural bowel movements in a newborn and a child who is one year old or younger are signs of a change in diet or some kind of disease. That is why the baby's feces should be carefully monitored. It is necessary to take into account the wateriness, smell and color of the discharge, and with the slightest changes that are accompanied by poor health of the child, you should immediately contact a pediatrician.

By monitoring the consistency of the bowel movements and their shade, you can easily regulate them by adding or removing certain types of foods from the mother's diet. When a baby begins to feed on his own, or uses only artificial mixtures, it is quite difficult to regulate or monitor his secretions.

Although analyzing bowel movements is not a very pleasant procedure, it will help save your baby's health, and maybe even his life.

The appearance of loose stools in newborns is observed quite often and may be the result of serious physiological problems, and the consequence malnutrition. As with any disease, you first need to find out why it developed given state, and only after that you can start available methods therapy. Do not forget about the features digestive system newborns, which can cause a slight change in stool, which some mothers take for a serious disorder.

Some parents believe that "diarrhea" in a newborn is too frequent defecation. In fact, at a certain age absolutely healthy child can empty the intestines and 15 times a day. Yes, and the consistency of feces in the first months of life resembles a liquid slurry.

To diagnose a baby with "loose stools", it is necessary to pay attention to the nature of the feces, their color and uniformity. If the bowel contents change from brownish or greenish-yellow to green, if there are bloody streaks, fluid, mucus, or food pieces, this indicates a problem.

Loose stools can lead to rapid dehydration of the newborn and development serious pathologies so you need to react quickly.

The cause of diarrhea in infants may be a change in diet

Diarrhea in newborns can occur for a number of reasons. Each factor that provokes the condition is accompanied by certain symptoms and requires specific treatment.

There are three most common reasons why loose stools occur in newborns.

1. Viral infection (gastroenteritis of viral etiology). The most common cause diseases. In addition to diarrhea, there is an increase in body temperature, vomiting, and other symptoms of general intoxication of the body. The condition is easy to determine by the shade of the feces of the newborn. On the first day of the disease, they are yellow, on the second - gray-yellow, then - the color of clay.
2. Disruption of the balance of the bacterial microflora of the intestine. Often this is a consequence of taking antibiotics, the influence of nutritional factors, the vital activity of bacteria. Symptoms include bloating, rumbling, there may be an admixture of a small amount of blood in the feces of the newborn. To confirm the diagnosis, a test with hydrogen peroxide can be performed.
3. Latent or overt course infectious disease . Loose stools can accompany otitis media, tonsillitis, SARS and other acute infectious processes in newborns. Diagnosis is based on general clinical picture and specific symptoms of the underlying disease.

At the first appearance of these reactions of the body, you should consult a doctor. It is possible to independently treat a newborn only if it is known for sure that loose stools have become a response child's body for unusual food. It can also be determined by the color of the feces. They become similar in shade to the consumed products.

When treating diarrhea in a newborn, it is important to make up for the lack of fluid in the baby's body.

Treatment methods for loose stools in newborns

It should be remembered why diarrhea in newborns is not considered a harmless condition. A significant and irreplaceable loss of fluid and mineral salts leads to severe dehydration and a deficiency of important components. This can cause coma and even death of the patient.

The rules for treating diarrhea in newborns include several extremely important points.

• Correction of nutrition in accordance with the needs of the child and the recommendations of the attending physician. If loose stools appeared simultaneously with the introduction of new products into the diet of the baby, they must be excluded for a while.
• The only help that parents can provide before a visit to the doctor is the use of drugs for children that normalize the intestinal microflora.
• If symptoms of dehydration appear (dry lips and mucous membranes, weight loss), treatment is carried out strictly in accordance with the doctor's recommendations. In difficult cases, therapy is carried out in a hospital.
• In case of detection viral infection detoxification of the body is carried out, symptomatic treatment with the obligatory restoration of the water-salt balance. To saturate tissues with liquid, a solution of rehydron or saline sodium chloride.
• Eating disorders may involve the use of probiotics.
• If bacterial activity is detected, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Thus, the basic rule for the treatment of loose stools as a symptom of a serious illness is the use of therapeutic methods aimed at eliminating main problem. In this case, the stool of the newborn returns to normal on its own.

Features of nursing infants allow you to constantly monitor the quality of the stool, the slightest changes immediately become apparent. This makes it possible to establish physiological disturbances on early stage disease and take appropriate action. At the slightest suspicion of diarrhea, it is recommended to conduct an examination, this will help prevent the development of complications.

For parents of a newborn baby highest value has his health, it is not so easy for them to find out about the state of which, because the baby is not able to tell about his well-being. Therefore, moms and dads give the most close attention all the features of the functioning of the baby's body, including the process of defecation. The frequency of the baby's stool is one of the most exciting aspects. Let's figure out how often the baby should defecate, and in what cases it is necessary medical assistance.

First days

The stool of newborns in the first 3 days is a black-green mass with no smell. It is called meconium and consists of substances swallowed by the baby in the womb. The frequency of bowel movements of a newborn breastfeeding on average - 4 times a day. Their appearance indicates the start of the digestive system, and the absence may be a sign of intestinal obstruction.

After the complete discharge of meconium within 1-2 days, the baby may not poop at all. Usually these days he eats colostrum, which is very well absorbed. But if a woman immediately has a lot of milk, then the baby will have discharge.

Until the 10th day of life, the newborn has a liquid gray-green "transitional" stool, sometimes with mucus impurities. During this period, the intestinal microflora is only being formed, and physiological transient dysbacteriosis occurs. Bowel emptying occurs - up to 8 times a day.

Mode establishment

From the 10th day to the age of one month in newborns on breastfeeding the mode of defecation is formed, and very individual.

Due to the fact that mother's milk has a laxative effect, the stool in baby soft, sometimes runny, and very frequent. He can poop after every meal, that is, 10-12 times a day. For newborns, this is considered normal. Some babies soil diapers less often - 4-6 times a day, everything is determined by the characteristics of the body.

Signs of "healthy" discharge in newborns: yellow or color of mustard, Not Strong smell cottage cheese, slight impurities of white flakes of undigested breast milk. They are similar in texture to porridge.

Bowel movements after a month and a half

After one and a half to two months, the frequency of stool in newborns decreases to 2-4 times a day. This happens because the milk becomes mature, and the intestines of the baby completely adapt to it. It also happens that emptying month old baby observed 1 time in 3-5 days. This phenomenon is not regarded as constipation, but as a sign of complete assimilation of milk. But only under the following conditions:

1. in the diet of a newborn, only mother's milk is present;
2. he feels good;
3. there is no bloating, and gases leave freely;
4. defecation is not accompanied by straining and crying;
5. stool is soft normal color, there are no blotches of blood and mucus in it.

The frequency, consistency, color and smell of the stool may vary depending on the menu of the nursing mother. For example, raw cucumbers can provoke liquid and frequent feces in a newborn baby. But if the baby does not show signs of anxiety, then you should not worry.

Features of feces in "artificial" babies

The stool of a newborn receiving an adapted milk formula is distinguished by a dense texture, brown and a characteristic "adult" smell. The frequency of discharge is 3-6 times a day until 6 months of age. Then babies poop 1-2 times a day.

"Artists" are prone to constipation. Its signs are the absence of bowel movements for more than 1 day, very hard stools and flatulence. The causes of constipation are overfeeding, the wrong choice of mixture or mistakes in its preparation.

Fluid and frequent feces in a formula-fed newborn is possible sign intestinal infection, especially if there are impurities of mucus and blood in the discharge, and the baby feels unwell. In addition, thinning and frequent bowel movements can lead to a large number of sugar in food.

Bowel frequency and complementary foods

After the introduction of complementary foods, the defecation regimen changes both in “artificial” and breastfed babies. Bowel emptying occurs 1-2 times a day.

The appearance of the feces of the baby is also transformed. It becomes thicker, harder and acquires an unpleasant odor. Its color and structure depend on the food consumed.

Rare and difficult bowel movements may be the result of excessive consumption of "strengthening" foods: rice, meat, nuts, and so on. liquid and frequent stool can arise due to the introduction of apricots, prunes, beets and so on into the menu of an infant.

Diarrhea in a baby with an infection

For a newborn or infant, diarrhea is dangerous state, since it can lead to dehydration and serious disruption of the functioning of all organs and systems. Her signs:

1. very frequent (more than 12 times a day) and loose (watery) stools;
2. gray or green color and pungent smell of secretions;
3. impurities of mucus, foam and blood in the feces;
4. pain;
5. bloating (tummy hard to the touch).

The most common cause of this condition is infection of the baby with bacteria or viruses: rotavirus, enterovirus, staphylococcus aureus. In addition to diarrhea, with intestinal infections, fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, tearfulness, etc. are often observed. This picture is the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor. While waiting for the baby to help, it is necessary to drink and / or breastfeed frequently.

Diarrhea and enzyme problems

Unlike the symptoms of an infectious disease that occur suddenly, diarrhea with problems with enzymes and microflora accompanies the baby constantly. At the same time, the stool is watery in newborns, frothy and quickened. In addition, skin rashes, weight loss and increased gas formation. The causes of problems can be as follows:

1. lack of an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar;
2. dysbacteriosis;
3. an allergic reaction to foods eaten by the mother, complementary foods or a mixture;
4. gluten intolerance - celiac disease.

These conditions are corrected with the help of a diet and medicines selected by a doctor: bifidobacteria, enzymes, antihistamines, and so on.

Among other factors leading to the fact that bowel movements in an infant occur too often, doctors and experienced mothers call:

1. taking medications - antibiotics, antipyretics with glycerin and others;
2. teething;
3. acclimatization.

These situations are stressful for the baby and provoke an acceleration of gastrointestinal motility.

Frequent and not very dense stools are an indicator of the normal functioning of the intestines of the baby in the first months of breastfeeding. You should only worry if the baby feels unwell, as well as in case of significant abrupt change defecation routine and appearance child's stool.

The stool of a newborn child normally has a liquid consistency. But there are signs, the appearance of which indicates the onset of the disease. When should a mother see a doctor?

Loose stools: immediately after birth

In a newborn, the intestines are filled with meconium - the original feces that form in the baby in the womb. The first days of life are usually maternity hospital, the newborn does not pee - colostrum is completely absorbed by the body, and the baby does not receive water. The intestines actively get rid of meconium. Loose stools in a newborn are normally very dark, almost black, and have the consistency of sour cream. It is allocated 3-5 times a day - this is normal.

When to worry

A dangerous sign, if a child does not defecate for at least one day after birth, this may indicate intestinal obstruction. Be sure to warn the doctor and insist on a thorough examination!

How often does the baby poop?

The limits of the norm are very wide. Medical sources call some average indicators: 3-5 times a day. It happens that a child can stain a diaper up to 10 times a day. If the child feels well, the bowel movement does not cause crying and pain - everything is normal.

Some babies empty their bowels once every 2-3 days. There are children who poop once a week - this is also the norm. The main thing is that there are no constipations. If a baby, especially up to six months, is pushing, this is danger sign. If the baby defecates calmly, does not strain, he has a good appetite and gains weight, there is no need to worry.

Liquid stool: everything is normal

An infant up to six months or a year has loose stools. This is due to the fact that the baby receives liquid food: breast milk or milk formula. The masses have a uniform thick consistency of yellow, light brown. After the introduction of complementary foods, lumps may appear in the stool.

The chair in artificial children and those who are breastfed is different. In artificials, the feces are brownish, more dense, with lumps, and have a more unpleasant odor - like in adults.

Babies' feces often have an abnormal structure. The following fecal changes occur in healthy children:

• foam;
• watery stool;
• green color;
• lumps.

When is it okay to worry?

• The child defecates without effort, does not press the legs to the stomach, does not push.
• The child has a good appetite and is gaining weight normally.
• The child is calm, behaves as usual and does not cause much trouble.

Deviations may appear once or appear for several days. In cases where the child behaves calmly, there is no need to worry.

The child's intestine does not have a protective microflora, and is very vulnerable, it reacts with diarrhea to many factors:

• a cold;
• teething;
• otitis;
• change of milk formula;
• mother's diet
• medicines, especially antibiotics, etc.

Chair at the chest

Liquid stools in a breastfed baby are yellow, the consistency of sour cream. The smell is sour milk, not sharp.
The baby reacts strongly to the mother's diet. Experienced Moms know that the first 4-6 months you have to severely limit yourself in food. Most foods cause colic, flatulence, pain and diarrhea in the baby.

What food is safe?

• Soups: rice, milk or vermicelli. Borscht and pickle is better not to cook.
• Milk cereals: rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, corn, etc.
• Dairy products: kefir, cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese. Milk often causes allergies in babies. Yogurt is also undesirable due to flavorings and preservatives.
• Fruits: bananas and green apples. Most fruits and vegetables for babies and nursing mothers are prohibited.
• Bread - wheat bread. You should be careful with buns and black bread.

What food is undesirable? Most foods cause a reaction in a sensitive baby in the form of colic or diarrhea. At the same time, the baby is in severe pain, he constantly cries. You will need to call a doctor to rule out serious diseases.

A nursing mother, especially if the baby suffers from colic, needs to carefully monitor the diet. After 3-4 months of life, the intestines will undergo a primary adaptation to ordinary food, and it will be possible to diversify the table. All food should be eaten in small quantities - even a few cups of very sweet tea or a plate of cookies eaten can cause diarrhea and colic in a child.

Among the most hazardous products chocolate, citruses, coffee, spicy and sour dishes, heavy fried food, vegetables that cause fermentation in the intestines.

In most cases, adjusting the diet of a nursing mother stops all manifestations of diarrhea and intestinal problems in an infant.

Liquid green chair in infants appears when he does not completely suck out milk from the breast. The foremilk is liquid, while the hindmilk is more nutritious. If the baby does not "get" to nutritious milk, the stool may be green. If the mother's diet is balanced, the baby is healthy - you can try to express milk lightly so that the baby gets to satisfying hindmilk.

Chair at the artificial

The baby has artificial feeding feces are more like adult stools: smell and texture. There may be hard lumps in the stool.

Bowel problems usually occur when using the wrong formula, when changing the formula, or if the bottle, nipple and other utensils are not sterile enough.

Well, if you immediately managed to find the right one nutrient mixture for the baby. Pick up sometimes suitable nutrition comes through trial and error. It is worth paying attention to mixtures that contain pro- and prebiotics - they have a beneficial effect on the protective intestinal microflora. Darkening of the feces is also caused by mixtures enriched with iron.

Loose stools: it's time to worry

The baby's intestines are very vulnerable - it reacts with diarrhea to any disease. If the baby drinks the usual mixture, the diet of the nursing mother is not broken, but diarrhea has begun - you should be wary.

You can not worry when the child feels good, sleeps and eats as usual, gains weight. When teething, for example, liquid stools can last up to 10-15 days. This is caused by the body's natural reaction to the appearance of teeth and is completely normal.

Also, loose stools can be a reaction to SARS, otitis, tonsillitis and other diseases caused by viruses or hypothermia. In this case, the doctor will determine the cause of the disease by the main symptoms. After recovery, loose stools will stop without additional treatment.

Loose green stools can be a sign of a serious illness. If, against the background of diarrhea, the child's health deteriorates sharply, you need to take this very seriously, be sure to call a doctor.

What signs should cause concern?

• temperature;
• the child tightens his legs and screams in pain;
• blood, mucus and foam in the stool;
• signs of dehydration (dry lips, sunken fontanel);
• incessant crying.

Liquid stool: dangerous

Row dangerous diseases manifests itself in the child with diarrhea. Then other symptoms appear, but the sooner treatment is started, the faster baby it will become easier - because he experiences severe pain. No need to get angry crying baby try to ignore him. Sharp crying caused by pain requires immediate help. If parents do not know what to do, contact ambulance. In addition to severe pain, prolonged crying can lead to the appearance of an umbilical hernia - this is a very unpleasant disease.

What diseases are manifested by diarrhea?

Food poisoning. The severity of symptoms depends on the toxin. With severe poisoning, the child's temperature rises, vomiting begins. The body is severely dehydrated - the eyes and fontanel sink down, the child is lethargic and weak. Ingestion of any food or liquid causes immediate vomiting or diarrhea.

Allergy. Occurs in the infant as a reaction to cow's milk or soy protein. As a rule, diarrhea is accompanied by weight loss, the appearance of a rash on the skin (dense reddish spots, especially on the face, bends of the legs and arms).

Dysbacteriosis. Disruption of the balance of healthy intestinal microflora. One-time manifestations do not require treatment, but permanent signs of dysbacteriosis are very dangerous for the body. In addition to diarrhea, colic, flatulence, regurgitation and rash appear.

Cystic fibrosis, celiac disease and other manifestations of metabolic disorders. Manifestations are similar to allergic reactions: diarrhea, constantly bloated belly, the child is not gaining weight or is gaining very poorly, a rash on the skin.

Diarrhea in a baby: what to do for parents

One-time episodes of diarrhea against the background of normal health of the baby should not cause concern. You just need to help the baby to fill lost fluid: feed him more often or apply to the breast, give some boiled water. Pay Special attention on the hygiene of the baby: soiled diapers should be changed immediately, and not wait until he poops. The stool corrodes delicate skin baby, severe irritation may occur, which will cause severe pain to the baby. It is necessary to wash the baby more often and lubricate the area anus baby cream or special ointment.

If diarrhea does not stop for several days, an allergic rash appears, the baby is restless or, conversely, lethargic, you need to contact your pediatrician and describe the symptoms to him. Continue to feed your baby more often and follow the rules of personal hygiene.

Urgently call a doctor!

If the child cries incessantly for more than half an hour, he has vomiting, fever, watery stools with foam, mucus or blood, diarrhea does not stop - a bowel movement follows a bowel movement. Dangerous symptoms accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, dehydration, pain - immediate medical intervention is required.

Until the doctor arrives, the main thing is not to panic! Should be taken in hand crying baby, try to attach it to the chest, feed from a bottle or give boiled water, be sure to change diapers and wash the baby after each bowel movement.

Loose stools in a newborn normal phenomenon. You need to worry when diarrhea is accompanied by pain, fever and vomiting.

Causes of loose stools in infants

There are many reasons for loose stools. Single liquid bowel movements often do not pose any threat to the baby.

Loose stools in infants treatment

With frequent liquid stools, causing severe anxiety, urgent medical attention is needed. But even before the arrival of doctors, you can try to alleviate the condition of the child.

Frequent urge to defecate threatens dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to give fluids to the baby as much as possible.

Do not give your child medicines or folk remedies on your own.

It is necessary to regularly measure body temperature, monitor the general condition of the patient.

There is no need to stop breastfeeding. And it is better to refrain from other products. At the same time, a nursing mother must adhere to a strict diet.

In order to prevent diaper rash, you should use powder or baby powder after each bowel movement. From time to time, you can lubricate the skin with baby cream.

After examination, the doctor will prescribe the most rational treatment. With severe dehydration, electrolyte solutions are prescribed. If diarrhea is caused by an infection or dysbacteriosis, antibiotics will help.

Favorably act sorbents ( Activated carbon, enerosgel), imodium.

Green liquid stool in the baby

Liquid stools of a green hue, accompanied by frequent urges to the act of defecation, an unpleasant odor and skin irritation, may indicate the development of enteritis. Green color indicates that the causative agent is salmonella.

Liquid green stool with mucus also occurs with dysbacteriosis or inflammatory diseases. Possible infection intestinal infection. In this case, there is a strong odor.

When taking antibiotics, the intestinal microflora is disturbed, feces can become liquid and green. In this case, various probiotics are prescribed.

Baby has loose yellow stools

Yellow stool is not observed in acute processes of decay, it is usually associated with a violation of the diet, with nervous disorders, and some infectious diseases.

With enteritis caused by staphylococcal infection, there is a liquid yellow, almost lemon-colored stool. The bowel movements are unpleasant pungent odor and the ability to cause irritation.

Loose, pale yellow stools that persist long time, undoubtedly indicates malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Liquid foamy stool in the baby

Liquid foam stool noted at:

• malnutrition.
• imbalance of hind and foremilk. When the nipple is not properly grasped, so that when feeding, a lot of air enters the stomach. As a result, increased gas formation is formed.
• lactase deficiency. In this case, a sour aroma will come from the feces.
• improper introduction of complementary foods or allergic reaction for food. The feces will have a greenish color.