Why does a month old baby have diarrhea. Diarrhea in a newborn: possible causes and features of treatment

As you know, frequent and thinning of the stool is considered. In children of the first two months of life, the intestines are still underdeveloped, so it is emptied after each feeding. And this is not considered a pathology if the stool itself is mushy, with white lumps and a sour-milky smell. At the same time, its color can normally be different shades of yellow or yellow-greenish.

The frequency of stool in a child older than three months should not exceed 4 times, and after 6 months of life, the intestines are emptied even less often - up to 3 times a day. In addition, after six months of life, feces should change their character, becoming more formed, which is associated with the introduction of complementary foods into the child's diet.

Diarrhea in (up to 6 months) is a condition when the frequency of stools exceeds 10 times a day. In “artists” at the same age, bowel movements more often than 6 times a day can be considered diarrhea. There are a lot of reasons for this condition, the danger lies in the fact that a large amount of both water and salts are lost with feces, without which the body cannot exist. That is why diarrhea in an infant is a reason for active action on the part of parents.

Causes of diarrhea

Conventionally, the causes are divided into 2 large groups - infectious and non-infectious.

Infectious. They can be caused by viruses (enteroviruses and bacteria and protozoa. The main cause of such diarrhea is a violation of hygiene rules when caring for a child (unwashed hands of a caring person, dirty hands of the baby himself, as well as untreated household items, use of shared toys).

a) Diarrhea caused by viruses. Often accompanied by an increase in body temperature, there is a connection with the use of certain products by the mother or the child himself. The chair is frequent (with rotavirus infection - up to 20 times a day, sometimes more often), usually acquires an unpleasant odor, sometimes changes color. Often accompanied by vomiting.

b) Diarrhea in an infant, which is of bacterial origin, caused by Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella (dysentery stick). This is a rarer reason for infants. In this case, the stool is frequent, fetid, its color often changes (with salmonellosis, it is green, similar to swamp mud). Body temperature also rises. There may be vomiting.

c) Diarrhea in severe septic diseases. So, inflammation of the lungs can be accompanied by an increase in body temperature. But in this case, more frequent breathing appears, in which additional muscles begin to participate (wings of the nose, intercostal).

It should be noted the following: with profuse diarrhea, when you fail to compensate for the loss of fluid with feces, the temperature of the child "normalizes". Moreover, it falls below the norm. This is not a favorable sign, but a symptom of dehydration.

2. Non-infectious: caused by an abundance of causes.

Among them there is a species that is considered among pediatricians "relatively physiological": it is loose stools lasting one day when a new product is introduced into complementary foods or when teething.

Diarrhea in violation of the absorption of milk or formula due to a deficiency in the child's body of some celiac enzyme, and so on). In this case, diarrhea occurs already in the first days of life or from the moment the child is transferred to a new mixture. The stool is liquid (less often - mushy), plentiful, has a shiny appearance and an unpleasant odor. Body temperature does not rise.

Diarrhea in an infant may be the result of anomalies in the development of the intestine or pancreas, biliary tract. The chair is plentiful, a large amount of undigested food, there is no temperature.

Dysbacteriosis. You can talk about it if the mother or child has recently had (2 months have not passed yet) or is taking antibiotics now. In this case, the body temperature is normal. The stool is thin, there is mucus in it, there may be greenery.

Other causes of diarrhea are more suitable for adults.

The main task is to ensure the replenishment of fluid and salts lost with feces. That is, it is necessary to take into account how much water was lost with the stool, how much - with temperature. You need to give the child this amount of liquid to drink, plus give him additional liquid, which is necessary for life support (for example, for the first month of life - 140 ml / kg, for the second - 130 ml / kg, after the fourth the calculation is different).

You can drink with breast milk, although it is better to transfer the child to a lactose-free or low-lactose mixture (“Humana LP”, “Nan lactose-free”, “Nestozhen low-lactose”). In addition to the mixture, water should be given, preferably with electrolytes (dissolve a sachet of Humana Electrolyte in 250 ml of water or a sachet of Regidron powder in a liter of water). Water should be given every 10-15 minutes in a teaspoon. If the child does not vomit, slightly larger volumes (2 teaspoons) can be given.

The next event for diarrhea is a sorbent. For babies, this is the drug "Smekta" - 1 package per 150 ml of water. Children under the age of one should try to “fill in” half of the prepared solution per day.

Lactobacilli: the drug "Bio-Gaia" - 5 drops per day, the probiotics "Lacto-" and "Bifidumbacterin" in the age dosage, 5 ml of the suspension "Enterozhermina" or "Enterofuril" per day.

The baby's digestive system is still too weak. Diarrhea in an infant occurs quite often. When the first signs of the disease appear, such as malaise with diarrhea, fever or abdominal pain, it is necessary to show the baby to a doctor who will prescribe treatment.

Diarrhea in children

The baby's stool has a mushy texture. This is due to the fact that the baby feeds on mother's milk. Inexperienced parents immediately sound the alarm when loose stools appear. Sometimes this shouldn't be done.

In fact, the frequency of bowel movements and the consistency of stools change greatly during the first year of life. Do not be afraid of the appearance of white lumps and mucus in the stool. This indicates the adjustment of the digestive system. Diarrhea in a child under the age of 6 months is quite common.

The following symptoms should cause anxiety in the parents of the baby:

A pungent odor emanates from the stool of the baby.
Pus and blood appear in the feces of a sick child.
Near the anus, the skin turned red.
The stool became watery.
Education
In acute diarrhea, the behavior of the baby changes. He becomes lethargic, loses interest in toys.
abdominal pain and loss of appetite;
Indigestion leads to weight loss;
The baby has.

A newborn with these symptoms needs medical attention.

Diarrhea in the chest

There are several factors that provoke the appearance of diarrhea in infants:

Do not overfeed your baby. Excessive intake of milk mixture complicates the process of digestion of food. The digestive organs simply cannot cope with the load, and the child begins to have diarrhea.
Not only adults suffer from dysbacteriosis. Imbalance of the microflora in the intestine can occur in newborns. This causes indigestion.
Newborns who are bottle-fed can be attributed to the risk group. The introduction of complementary foods can provoke the development of diarrhea. The new mixture must be introduced gradually. Pay attention to the well-being of the baby after eating the food.
In an infant.
The danger for the baby is intestinal infections. Curious children put everything around them into their mouths. Bacteria may be present on their surface. When the baby is infected, intense diarrhea begins. In this way, the body tries to get rid of pathogenic microorganisms.
The cause of diarrhea in an infant may be a cold. . At the same time, the intestinal microflora changes in the baby.
Loose stools in a newborn may be a sign of an allergic reaction.
Diseases of the pancreas affect the production of enzymes; if they are deficient, there is a violation of digestion and diarrhea;
Babies are very sensitive to a change of scenery. The body is affected by climate change. Family environment matters a lot. Stress can trigger the development of diarrhea.

Features of diarrhea due to food intolerance

Some babies suffer from lactase deficiency. The baby has difficulty digesting milk sugar. At this age, the disease is congenital. When feeding milk, the baby begins diarrhea with foam, there are bouts of vomiting. A baby with such a pathology suffers from abdominal pain.

You can get rid of diarrhea if you feed your baby a lactose-free mixture. The child's condition should return to normal within a month.

Celiac disease is another cause of indigestion. The baby does not digest the proteins that make up cereals. From the plentiful bowel movements of the baby comes a fetid odor. The child should not be given products containing oats, wheat and rye.

Cystic fibrosis is inherited. The disease leads to a thickening of the secrets secreted by the digestive organs. In the feces of a sick child, you can see incompletely digested fat. To prevent diarrhea, you need to follow a diet. You will have to exclude foods containing a large amount of fat. You can help the baby with the help of enzyme therapy, which is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Treatment of dysbacteriosis in children

What if the child has diarrhea after the introduction of complementary foods? In this case, you should immediately exclude it from the diet. Therapeutic starvation for infants is contraindicated. A growing body needs a constant supply of nutrients.

Therefore, breastfeeding with diarrhea should not be stopped. Mother's milk will help compensate for the loss of fluid in the body. Artists often suffer from indigestion. With diarrhea, it is recommended to use lactose-free or sour-milk mixtures.

Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa may be associated with infection with rotavirus infection. The child has a fever and green diarrhea. A sign of staphylococcal enterocolitis is the appearance of watery feces with foam.

Antibiotics can be used to treat infectious forms of diarrhea. They inhibit the growth of bacteria that disrupt the digestive system. To normalize the intestinal microflora, doctors recommend giving the baby or Hilak forte.

Proven product with good absorbent properties. As y and . They accelerate the excretion of harmful substances that irritate the intestinal wall from the body.

Signs of dehydration

Dehydration in infants manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms:

the urine of the patient is produced in small quantities;
the child is losing weight;
his lips and tongue dry up;
due to the cessation of the production of tear fluid, the baby cannot cry;
the skin becomes dry and inelastic;
the baby has dark circles under the eyes, the fontanel sinks;
the baby becomes lethargic and apathetic, he loses interest in the world around him.

How to help a baby with dehydration

The lack of fluid in the body is a great danger to the child.

You need to drink the child after each bowel movement. The solution can be given to an infant with a pipette. On the day the baby should drink at least 100 milliliters of solution per 1 kg of weight.

When feeding newborns, it is better not to use. The drug contains too high a concentration of sodium salts. Sometimes the mother cannot go to the pharmacy to buy a ready-made solution. In this case, the remedy can be prepared at home. All components can be found in any kitchen.

Pour 3 teaspoons of sugar into a liter of boiled water. Add a tablespoon of salt to the solution and mix thoroughly. The child should drink the mixture in small sips.

What to do if the baby refuses to take the solution? It can be replaced with dried fruit compote. It contains biologically active substances, minerals and vitamins.

It is better to refrain from eating tropical fruits. If signs of allergy appear, it is necessary to exclude the product from the diet.

Confectionery and sweets are prohibited. When sugar enters the baby's intestines, it provokes fermentation. Diarrhea can be provoked by products that have a laxative effect.

Mothers often experience indigestion in children. Teething, overheating, an unfamiliar product introduced into complementary foods can cause diarrhea in infants. Breastfed babies often have liquid stools. What symptoms distinguish a serious disorder from a physiological phenomenon that passes quickly and without consequences? Why is diarrhea dangerous and how to stop it?

How to understand that a newborn has diarrhea

Up to a year, the appearance of loose stools in children is considered normal, since they receive liquid food. How can a young mother understand that a newborn has diarrhea?

Diarrhea in infants during breastfeeding differs in some symptoms:

the frequency of bowel movements increases several times -;
stool in consistency is liquid, watery, foamy;
defecation occurs by a sharp release;
the smell of feces is sour, unpleasant, pronounced;
stool color changes. Green diarrhea indicates a bacterial infection. The stronger the poisoning in the baby, the greener the stool;
blood streaks, lumps of mucus, "flakes" can be observed in the feces;
the temperature rises, vomiting occurs.

You can understand that a baby has diarrhea by its general well-being. If disturbed appetite, anxiety, tearfulness, pallor, irritability have joined loose stools, the baby is also tormented by gases, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of diarrhea in a baby

The main causes of diarrhea in children, both in infancy and older, lie in the diet.

In breastfed babies, diarrhea causes an unbalanced diet of the mother. The use of fresh vegetables and fruits, fatty meats, lard, greens can cause indigestion in crumbs. By adjusting your table, mommy can save the child from unpleasant symptoms.
Breast nutrition. Diarrhea can cause an allergic reaction to the mixture. In babies who have reached the age of six months, diarrhea occurs with the introduction of complementary foods. New food burdens the stomach and intestines. With a lack of enzymes, a disorder appears. By eliminating foods that are poorly tolerated by the child, diarrhea can be quickly cured.
Lactose or gluten deficiency. Poor digestibility of these substances manifests itself in skin rashes, diarrhea. It will be possible to completely stop diarrhea when lactase enzymes are actively produced.
Teething often causes diarrhea. This is due to increased salivation and its entry into the stomach in large quantities. The work of peristalsis is disrupted, the intestinal walls are irritated, the immune system is weakened. It is not necessary to treat diarrhea of this origin. As soon as the teeth finish erupting, bowel function returns to normal.
Intestinal infection. In mild form, diarrhea resolves without treatment. In an acute form, the temperature rises, intoxication of the body, vomiting, and nausea begin. If the cause of diarrhea is salmonellosis, dysentery or amoebiasis, the child is at risk of losing a lot of weight, the body becomes dehydrated, and convulsions begin due to the high temperature. In such cases, serious treatment of diarrhea in the infectious department with hospitalization of the baby is required.
is considered not a pathology, but a temporary imbalance between the pathogenic and beneficial environment in the intestine. This often happens in newborns. Their digestive system is still immature and vulnerable. In some cases, adjustment of the microflora with probiotics is required.
Congenital bowel pathologies that cause diarrhea require surgical intervention. Acute pain, gas formation, bloating, high temperature and vomiting give appendicitis, peritonitis, volvulus, intestinal obstruction.
Taking antibiotics that disrupt the microflora causes diarrhea in children and adults.

First aid for the baby

Inexperienced mothers are worried and lost, not knowing what to do with diarrhea in babies. No time to waste on worries. You need to act immediately. Diarrhea, if it is not of a physiological nature and is caused by poisoning, is dangerous due to dehydration of the body, loss of salts and minerals.

In order to restore the water and salt balance, mommy needs:

when breastfeeding, breastfeed more often and give the baby water from a spoon or pipette until the doctor arrives;
artisans dilute the mixture twice and give water to drink every 5 minutes;
electrolyte solutions help replenish fluid loss. They are bought at a pharmacy and bred according to the instructions;
the state of the intestine will improve the infusion of blackberry leaves, bird cherry berries, blueberries, pomegranate peel;
if the baby has a high temperature, he is given an antipyretic.

How to treat diarrhea in babies

You can cure diarrhea in babies by eliminating the cause. It is forbidden to give medicine to a newborn on your own. Only a doctor at the time of diagnosis can prescribe appropriate medications.

Breastfeeding

If mom broke the diet, and there was a loosening of the stool, it is necessary to exclude suspicious foods from the diet. It happens that diarrhea occurs not only due to errors in nutrition. Due to inexperience, the mother may organize feeding incorrectly, and give the child only one breast. However, he will not receive full fat milk. The digestive organs will not do their job well, lactose will not be able to be digested due to too liquid food, which will cause green diarrhea.

To stop diarrhea due to taking antibiotics, children are prescribed probiotics and prebiotics that restore the microflora. Infants under one year old are usually prescribed Linex, Lactobacterin, Probifor, Acipol.

On artificial feeding

Breast milk will not replace any mixture, even the highest quality. Therefore, artificial mothers should carefully look at the baby's chair. You need to know what diarrhea looks like in a baby. Normal stools should be yellow to brown in color. The color of the feces depends on the mixture on which the child is. Defecation, repeated 5-6 times a day, an unpleasant smell of feces, fever, definitely speak of diarrhea.

Diarrhea can be identified by the nature of the bowel movements:

intestinal infection will cause diarrhea with foam and mucus;
diarrhea with blood in the chest - good reason to call an ambulance. It can be provoked by a serious intestinal infection, which can only be fought in a hospital. Doctors will tell you how to treat the baby, and what antibiotics to take;
watery stools appear with lactose intolerance;
white lumps - when overeating infant formula;
increased fat content of the stool occurs due to a lack of enzymes.

The change in the usual yellow color of feces to green in babies with artificial feeding can be periodic or permanent. If this is a periodic phenomenon, and there is no general malaise, then the body has responded to a change in nutrition (switching to a new formula with a high iron content).

A chair with foam in the baby, mucus and blood in the stool is a serious reason to see a doctor. It is dangerous to treat diarrhea with folk methods in newborns. A qualified doctor will advise the necessary drugs and the mixture to which the baby should be transferred. If they managed to introduce complementary foods into the diet, they refuse it for the duration of treatment.

When teething

After 5-6 months, babies begin to erupt teeth. In some babies, they appear at 3-4 months. Stool in diarrhoea, loose and profuse. It's stressful for a child. Infections cling to a weakened body. If the stool is frothy, blood or mucus appeared in it, it means that pathogenic bacteria are actively multiplying in the intestines. It is necessary to treat diarrhea in infants that occurs during teething with plenty of drink and drugs that the doctor will prescribe.

For infection

Symptoms of intestinal infection appear depending on the nature of its pathogen. Acute poisoning is especially difficult for newborns. The small intestine becomes inflamed, the child's stool becomes plentiful and frequent. The temperature rises a lot. After passing the tests, determining the type of bacteria or viruses that caused diarrhea, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

In case of intestinal poisoning and dysbacteriosis, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, give the baby rehydrants. Usually, doctors prescribe Humana Electrolyte, Hydrovit, Naturalai. Good effect give adsorbents. Smecta is considered a popular remedy. It can be given from the first days. This is a natural safe preparation based on purified clay. Smecta is not absorbed into the blood. It passes through the intestinal tract, completely leaves the body of the baby, relieving spasms, pain, stopping diarrhea. Smecta absorbs toxins and microbes, leaving beneficial bacteria. The medicine is diluted with warm water, stirred until smooth and offered to the baby. If the doctor has prescribed other drugs, including antibiotics, Smektu is given to the child 2 hours after taking the pills.

What is the danger of diarrhea in infants

Severe dehydration is the main danger of diarrhea in children. If crumb:

losing weight rapidly
does not pee for 4-6 hours;
cries without tears;
his lips dry up;
there is frequent vomiting with bile;
sunken eyes and;
he is lethargic and sleepy

need to call an emergency. This condition threatens not only the health, but also the life of the baby. The smaller the child, the more dangerous for him dehydration. The loss of only 10% of fluid from the total body weight is fatal for the baby.

You need to know that the work of the intestines of a baby is different from an adult. What is considered normal stool in a newborn baby? When breastfeeding, the baby often empties the bowels after each feeding, sometimes more often. If the child at the same time gains weight well, is calm - this is the norm for him.

Why is diarrhea dangerous for newborns?

An important quality of a child's stool, along with its frequency and color (the color can be different, it depends on the food that the nursing mother eats, the main thing is that there are no impurities - mucus, blood, pieces of food) is its consistency - how liquid it is. The fact is that the body of a newborn to a greater extent than an older child, and even more so an adult, consists of water, and dehydration is extremely dangerous for a newborn. The lack of water intake into the body disrupts all metabolic processes, so the child must receive water - in the form of a simple unsweetened liquid or special children's teas.

What are the causes of diarrhea?

Diarrhea in newborns can begin due to the slightest inaccuracies in the diet, and not only their own, but also their mothers - if breastfeeding. The use of fruits, often - watermelon, melon, zucchini, can cause diarrhea and disruption of the newborn's digestion. This is simply amenable to correction, you just need to find out what exactly caused diarrhea and exclude this product from the diet.

Sometimes the cause of diarrhea in a newborn is intolerance to individual components of food - either milk or a mixture. A previously rare pathology has become common - intolerance to milk protein or carbohydrate lactose - milk sugar, gluten of cereals - most often wheat. This is also tested empirically (there are tests for lactose tolerance). Unsuitable foods have to be excluded from the diet or replaced - there are lactose-free formulas and milk on sale, many children who cannot tolerate cow's milk absorb goat's milk quite well.

Diarrhea, or diarrhea, in a newborn may be a manifestation of a surgical pathology, sometimes of a congenital nature, which may not appear from the moment the child is born, but after a week or even a month - this is a different pathology of the development of the intestines, pancreatic ducts, and also be a sign of an acute surgical disease - appendicitis or intussusception, which is usually associated with pain, often severe and fever. The presence of these signs in addition to diarrhea requires an urgent consultation with a pediatric surgeon and the determination of treatment tactics.

Diarrhea can be a consequence of the development of an intestinal infection in a newborn, both viral and bacterial origin. Diarrhea can also signal food poisoning of a non-bacterial nature, arising from the immaturity of the pancreatic enzyme apparatus.

And diarrhea caused by an intestinal infection should not be treated at all if it does not greatly affect the child's condition. Diarrhea in this case is a protective reaction of the newborn's body to a pathological agent and with its help the intestines are cleansed of poisons and toxins. The main thing in this case is to prevent dehydration of the newborn by replenishing the body with fluid. And yet, in case of high temperature, you can relieve the symptoms with a small dose of paracetamol - that's all the treatment, but it is illogical to use drugs that relieve increased intestinal peristalsis - the body will be in contact with the poison longer, while it will clear itself of toxic substances. Only if diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, high fever, it is necessary, in order to avoid dehydration, to urgently hospitalize the newborn for the possibility of intravenous fluid infusion, and possibly exposure to a bacterial agent.

And the last cause of diarrhea in newborns, which is also quite common, is dysbacteriosis caused both by taking medications and by all of the above digestive disorders - infection, food intolerance or an unbalanced diet. Violation of the ratio of different types of bacterial flora requires the introduction of bifidopreparations, among which there are those designed specifically for newborns.

The stool of a newborn baby causes a lot of excitement for his loving mother. Firstly, this is one of the most reliable and convenient, and maybe even the most accessible in the first weeks and months of a baby’s life, an express method for assessing his health. Secondly, the baby's feces can be so different that it makes many of us repeatedly think: is everything okay with him?

One of the most common problems faced by new mothers is diarrhea in the newborn. Frequent and loose stools in a child do not give us rest: how to recognize the norm and pathology and what to do? Today we will discuss these important issues.

What should be the chair of a newborn?

Practice shows that often mothers, due to increased suspiciousness and lack of experience, take the usual normal bowel movements for babies as diarrhea. And therefore, it is necessary to first find out which stool is considered the norm for a newborn?

In general, we recommend that all young parents study this topic separately - and then many anxieties, fears and doubts will disappear by themselves, and you will not look for non-existent problems in the child. But we will briefly describe the normal stool of a newborn in this article. And it directly depends on what kind of feeding the baby is on and how many months he is.

In the first days after birth, all babies pass the original feces, called meconium in medical terminology. This happens on the first or second day of life, less often (with insufficient nutrition of the baby) - later. Meconium is odorless, but it looks frightening - dark green, sometimes almost black tar. Then, as new food enters the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn, and with it various microorganisms, a children's stool is formed. By three or four months, there is already a certain regimen of bowel movements, normal for each individual child's body.

At first, the baby's feces will be more liquid and neutral in smell. But as the child grows older, it thickens and begins to smell characteristically. The stool will change with the introduction of complementary foods, and by the year, subject to a varied diet of the child, it looks like an adult's stool.

The feces of a breastfed newborn "have the right" to be anything, pediatricians say: frequent, rare, liquid and thick, as well as varied in color and even contain curdled blotches of undigested milk. Almost completely, its appearance depends on the diet of the nursing mother, although over time this dependence will gradually decrease. But still, in the baby’s feces, normally there should be no impurities of mucus, blood (single fragments are acceptable as an exception) and undigested food particles, no matter what feeding he is on.

Babies can defecate almost after every feeding - that is, 5-6 times a day, but once every few days is also the norm. "Normal" baby stools are mushy, of a uniform consistency, of a yellowish color of any shade - from the lightest to the darkest. It has a sour milky smell.

If the baby eats mixtures, then compared to the previous case, his feces will be denser and darker (sometimes on the contrary - lighter), differ in smell (not for the better) and such a wide variety in consistency and color, as is allowed for infants, already No. "Artificial babies" empty their intestines much less frequently than babies.

Any deviations from the above norms may indicate some violations in the digestive tract.

Diarrhea in a newborn: how to recognize?

It should be noted that there can be no strict criteria for a “normal” baby stool: this concept is extremely individual, and what is the norm for some may be a deviation for others. But how then to recognize diarrhea in a newborn?

They say about the development of diarrhea when a child defecates more than 6-12 times a day (or two more often than usual), while the stool becomes quite liquid (thinner than usual), not formed, often almost watery, and the baby experiences obvious discomfort: restless , eating or sleeping poorly, not gaining or losing weight enough, acting up. For children in the first months of life, it is the consistency of the stool that is decisive, and not its frequency.

Pathological liquid stool with diarrhea in infants often contains some impurities (mucus or blood), foams, has a pungent, pungent putrefactive odor and can cause not only pain in the tummy, but also severe irritation on the baby's skin. Watery or discolored stools indicate a violation of the child's health.

Causes of diarrhea in newborns

Indigestion in newborns occurs very easily and quickly due to the low activity of the enzymatic system and the failure of the gastrointestinal tract. It is especially difficult for a small stomach to digest fatty foods, including milk (breast is not included here).

There can be several reasons for this painful condition. In the very first place, if diarrhea occurs, it is necessary to establish what exactly caused the violation of the stool in the newborn. It could be:

Diet Violation. At the slightest violation of the baby's stool, the mother should mainly analyze her menu. Anything you eat can cause baby anxiety and loose stools. Vegetables and fruits have this property most of all (if we talk about a healthy diet that a nursing mother should follow): melons, apricots, watermelons, zucchini, etc. If the child is already receiving complementary foods, then it is very likely that loose stools caused some new product.
Intolerance to certain food components. It could be an allergic reaction to certain substances. Recently, cases of intolerance to milk sugar, protein, cereal gluten, etc. have become more frequent. It is possible to determine the “aggressor” with the help of special clinical studies (the pediatrician will refer you for tests). Please note that the same applies to milk mixtures - perhaps the diarrhea in a newborn arose precisely because of a mixture that was not suitable for him. Diarrhea can also cause the introduction of drugs.
Intestinal infection or SARS. Despite the fact that newborns seem to have little contact with potentially infectious objects and people (intestinal infection can be either bacterial or viral in nature), there are not so few cases of infection among infants. Moreover, this reason is in the first place. If vomiting also joins diarrhea, especially against the background of elevated body temperature, then it is almost certainly an infection that occurs. With SARS, other symptoms characteristic of viral diseases are also manifested: cough, runny nose.
Dysbacteriosis. And although this diagnosis is not often met abroad, our doctors like to put dysbacteriosis in almost every newborn child. It is characterized by frequent painful emptying of liquid sour stools with a pungent odor, foam, undigested particles. Dysbacteriosis occurs as a result of a violation of the normal intestinal microflora (more precisely, in the case when beneficial bacteria are unable to resist the rapidly developing pathogens). This can happen for any of the above reasons, as well as after the use of certain groups of drugs (in particular, antibacterial or laxatives).

Very rarely, but it still happens that diarrhea in a newborn is due to immune deficiency or physiological pathology in the structure of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. A urinary tract infection or appendicitis is not ruled out, but these are more "exclusive" causes. Also, diarrhea can develop against the background of helminthic invasion (in particular, giardiasis), which is more typical for older children.

How to treat diarrhea in newborns?

Treatment of diarrhea in infants is determined by the cause that caused loose stools. If the culprit of stool diarrhea is any product in the diet of a mother or child, then it should be excluded from the menu completely, looking for an alternative to it (in the case of formula or milk). Perhaps, for the speedy removal of the toxin from the body, the pediatrician will advise some medicines suitable for newborns.

With an intestinal infection, a diet and medications are prescribed: antiviral, antibacterial, antipyretic, adsorbing - depending on the exact diagnosis and manifestations of the disease. No remedy for diarrhea at your own discretion should not be given to a newborn. Dysbacteriosis is treated with bacterial cultures and a sparing diet.

It is extremely important to prevent dehydration, which occurs especially quickly in newborns and has extremely serious consequences. The body of a newly born child is much more water than an adult, and therefore any loss of fluid (due to vomiting, diarrhea, frequent urination or increased sweating) should be replenished immediately. Remember also that along with the fluid from diarrhea in a newborn, nutrients that a growing baby really needs are also leaving the body. Therefore, it is necessary to act immediately.

A newborn with diarrhea must be given to drink water, special baby drinks or electrolyte drinks - in small portions, but very often (every 5 minutes, a teaspoon). Do not refuse breastfeeding, and even try to put the baby to the breast as often as possible, but exclude milk and juices from the baby's diet. A child who is formula-fed or complementary in the acute period should be given mainly drink, but he should not be allowed to starve. Already 6-8 hours after the start of rehydration, the baby can be fed with the usual mixture, just start by using water to prepare it, gradually adding milk and increasing its concentration until it completely replaces water.

Do not forget about enhanced hygiene during this period: wash the crumbs' perineum after each emptying, lubricating the skin with baby oil or cream to avoid irritation and diaper rash. Also, keep your own hands clean when preparing food, carrying out childcare manipulations and in any contact with him.

Go to the hospital without delay if there are signs of dehydration in newborns:

excessive excitement and anxiety of the child or a sharp withering and severe weakness, lethargy, drowsiness;
dry skin and mucous membranes;
cracked lips;
strong thirst;
fontanel smoothness;
scanty urination (or urination occurs less frequently than every 3 hours);
change in the color of urine (it is dark and saturated);
increase or decrease in body temperature;
loss of appetite;
weight loss;
sunken eyes;
dark circles under the eyes.

It is urgent to go to the hospital if the diarrhea in the newborn lasts more than three days without signs of improvement, against the background of ongoing diarrhea, the child refuses to drink and eat, and also if the stool contains blood or mucus in large quantities.

Diarrhea in newborns is normal

And finally, I would like to focus your attention on the fact that you should always focus on the well-being and condition of the baby. If it seems to you that he often walks in a large, rather loose stool, but at the same time the baby feels great, sleeps calmly, eats with appetite and normally gains weight, and the tummy is soft and the gases leave well, then most likely there are no reasons for worry.

Please note that on the third or fourth day after childbirth, a normal stool disorder occurs in newborns, since the intestines, sterile up to this point, began to take food, and along with it, bacteria also settle in it. The formation of microflora occurs, during which the so-called transient dysbacteriosis in newborns is noted, which does not require any treatment and does not pose any threat to the baby.

In addition, during the first three months of a child's life, the stool may normally be slightly greenish due to the high content of bilirubin (against the background of physiological jaundice in newborns).

Remember, the baby is still very small - the enzymatic system is weak and not able to work at full capacity. Give him time and the opportunity to adapt to this world - and perhaps over time the chair will improve. But do not start really pathological conditions: in newborns, intoxication develops very quickly and dangerous complications occur. It's always best to take your child to the pediatrician to make sure everything is fine.

Let your kids feel great, and you will be calm for them!

Especially for - Ekaterina Vlasenko