Infant stool, together with other signs, is an important source of information about a child's health. For the assessment to be objective and reliable, it is necessary to know what normal bowel movements should be in a newborn, and what symptoms indicate deviations. The frequency, color, structure of feces differ depending on the type of feeding, the age of the baby and other factors, so the variations in the norm are very numerous. One of the most common negative indicators is hungry stools in infants.
Baby chair - one of the indicators of baby's health
Breast-fed and bottle-fed chair
Depending on the type of food, the characteristics of a child's chair differ significantly. Also, its features are determined by the age of the child and other factors (health status, quality of the mixture, the amount of breast milk, external circumstances, etc.).
Norm options
The concept of normal stool in babies aged 0 to a year is relative. The fact is that its frequency, consistency, color and smell are constantly changing (especially in children who are on HB). Therefore, it is easier to name the deviations from the norm that parents should pay attention to and show the baby to the doctor:
- When breastfeeding, stool more than 7 times a day, and when feeding with artificial substitutes - more than 4-5 times;
- Defecation occurs less often 1-2 times a day;
- Feces have a strong unpleasant odor in the presence of mucus, bloody blotches or greenery;
- Stool is oily or watery;
- There are signs of constipation: the baby strains strongly during bowel movements, turns red, cries, jerks his legs.
On a note. In babies on HB, the stool can be varied (in artificial infants, it is more constant).
Color, smell, frequency
For artificial feeding, the following features are characteristic:
- Colour. Yellow or dark orange shades prevail. Often, white particles are present in the feces - the digestive system of the crumbs is not yet fully formed, therefore, a certain proportion of the mixture cannot yet be absorbed and comes out with the feces. If curdled lumps of food are observed in the stool, and the structure of the stool has changed to a more liquid one, then most likely the child is overeating. Bright yellow or orange stools indicate liver problems. Green feces that appear in a baby after 4-5 days of life can speak of diseases such as dysbiosis, rotavirus infection, lactase deficiency. Dark stools, as well as the presence of bloody streaks, indicate intestinal bleeding and require urgent medical attention.
- Consistency. Compared to children who are on HB, artificial babies have denser stools. Therefore, with this type of feeding, constipation often occurs. The normal structure of feces is mushy. After the introduction of complementary foods, the stool takes on a more formed appearance.
On a note. If the consistency of the feces has become liquid, then in the presence of changes in color, odor and frequency of bowel movements, this indicates an intestinal infection or individual intolerance to the components of the mixture (you need to choose another one).
- Smell. More pronounced than in babies feeding on breast milk. A putrid odor in the presence of a liquid structure of feces and foam in it (a possible cause is staphylococcal infection) is a cause for concern.
- Frequency. In the first days, emptying occurs about 6 times a day, a few weeks after birth, the frequency of stool is reduced to once a day (for comparison, in infants on HB, defecation occurs several times a day). This is explained by the fact that the milk mixture takes longer to digest than a natural product.
With IV, normal feces can look like this
When breastfeeding, an infant's stool has the following characteristics:
- Stool characteristics change frequently (before complementary foods are introduced). On the third day (after the release of the original feces), the stool becomes lighter in color, which is explained by the consumption of breast milk. If meconium persists for 4-5 days, the infant's nutritional status should be checked. On the 6-7th day, the feces become liquid or pasty, have a mustard color and a weak fermented milk smell. Green or orange is also a normal shade. The presence of mucus and white lumps should not be a cause for concern (as long as the child is doing well and is gaining weight all the time).
- The frequency of bowel movements in the first weeks is at least once a day (in many cases, emptying occurs after each feeding). If your baby poops less often than once a day, then it is probably not eating enough. To check this, you need to weigh the baby and compare the data obtained with the norm established by the WHO (the minimum increase at this age is 125 g per week). After six weeks, the frequency of bowel movements is reduced and until the introduction of complementary foods is once every 3-4 days. In this case, defecation should be easy due to the soft consistency of feces (despite its large volume). If the stool is hard and the emptying causes discomfort in the baby, there is reason to suspect that the baby is constipated.
Interesting. Regardless of the type of feeding, the frequency of stool in an infant can change under the influence of exciting and stressful situations. These include moving, visiting a hospital, receiving guests, and so on. Diseases and teething can also have an impact.
Stool with hepatitis B, norm and deviations
The concept of "hungry chair" in infants
If the baby's bowel movements are green, white lumps and mucus, the reason is most likely due to malnutrition caused by:
- Insufficient amount of milk from mom;
- Inactive breastfeeding (in particular, due to improper attachment);
- Frequent breast changes during one feeding "session";
- An improper diet for a nursing mother (a significant proportion are raw fruits and vegetables with a small amount of meat);
- Hypoxia during childbirth.
What does he look like
"Hungry stools" are distinguished by such signs as:
- Green color of feces;
- The presence of white lumps (particles of undigested food);
- The presence of mucus;
- The consistency of the stool is close to water.
Symptoms
A hungry stool in an infant is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- The baby rarely empties the bladder.
- Small volume of each urination.
- The urine has a strong odor.
- The baby's weight by 2 weeks of age has not returned to that at birth.
- By the end of the first month, the baby gained less than 450-500 grams.
- A child aged 1-1.5 months has rare stools.
- The frequency of feeding is less than 8-10 per day.
- Very loose stools ("water", "hungry stools").
- "Brick dust" (reddish marks on the surface of the diaper) occurs after four days of a baby's life.
- Symptoms of dehydration appear.
- The child gets tired quickly, sleeps a lot, behaves too calmly (which is completely uncharacteristic for small healthy children).
"Hungry stool" in a newborn
Komarovsky's opinion on the children's chair
Mothers are often worried about what kind of stool their babies have: frequent, rare, liquid, hard, etc. According to Dr. Komarovsky, parents are too sensitive about this issue, considering children's poop literally under a magnifying glass. This is not at all necessary, given that the nature of the stool in a newborn changes often, and the concept of a norm in this case is very relative. The main thing to remember: if changes in the stool occur against the background of a deterioration in the child's condition, then you need to see a doctor. If the baby is feeling well (active, gaining weight), then there is no cause for concern. No need to drag the baby to the hospital if the situation does not require it.
Should I see a doctor
If signs of "hungry stool" are found, there is no reason for an urgent medical examination. First, you need to establish the cause of the malnutrition, and then try to eliminate it. For example, if the nutritional deficiency is due to the lack of fat (“rear”) milk by the child, it is necessary to ensure the correct latch of the breast. To do this, you need to keep the baby on one breast as long as possible (until he lets her go). If this does not help, then most likely you will need to switch to mixed or completely artificial nutrition. It is also recommended to check and adjust the diet with the help of a breastfeeding consultant.
Important! If there are signs of dehydration and rapid fatigue, the baby needs urgent medical attention.
Stool in babies can be different - characteristics depend on numerous factors, the most important of which are the type of feeding and the age of the baby. The concept of normal stool encompasses many signs and features, therefore, it is very vague. "Hungry stool" in an infant is one of the types of deviation from the norm, which indicates a lack of nutrition in the newborn. You can correct the situation on your own or with the help of a hepatitis B counselor (medical intervention is necessary only in extreme cases).
