Loose stools in a breastfed baby, what to do?

Normal stool color for babies

An infant's stool goes through several stages and is normal at different times. In the first days of life, the baby produces meconium - a dark, slightly viscous mass that is practically odorless. Original feces are formed in the womb and consist of amniotic fluid swallowed by the baby, mucosal cells and other intrauterine formations. Such feces should not frighten young parents; it is natural and does not indicate a violation.

After the mother's milk appears, the baby's stool changes again and transitional feces appear. It consists of the remains of original feces and parts of mature feces formed during the digestion process. Transitional stool is yellow-green in color. A slightly sour odor may occur.

Mature stool, which is established in the first months of life, has a pure yellow color, the consistency of stool should be uniform, without lumps or streaks of blood. This is already formed feces, which normally does not have a strong odor.

When complementary foods are introduced to the baby, the appearance of the stool may change again and acquire a thicker consistency.

The child is born with sterile clean intestines. There are no microflora-forming bacteria in it yet, neither opportunistic nor beneficial. In the first days of a baby’s life, his body undergoes a restructuring of the intestines and colonization with microorganisms. Immediately after the birth of the newborn, it is advisable to attach it to the breast. Mother's milk is an amazing product; its composition is completely suitable for the baby's delicate intestines. The baby receives the necessary dose of antibodies that can fight for health.

Normal stool in a baby

Diarrhea is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements. The intestinal motor function of a one-month-old baby is quite energetic, which is manifested by frequent bowel movements: in the first two weeks in a newborn - 3-5 times, during the first year of life - 1-3 times a day, in a one-year-old child - 1-2 times a day. In infants, the process of defecation is a spontaneous (reflex) act, and starting from two years of age, bowel movements are a voluntary (conscious) process.

The child's first bowel movement occurs during the first day of life and is called meconium (original feces). It consists of epithelial cells, bile, enzymes and has a greenish-black color. The manifestation of meconium is necessarily recorded in the developmental history of the newborn, as this indicates intestinal patency. The stool of a breastfed baby is yellow in color and has the consistency of liquid sour cream with a sour odor.

Since artificial formulas for feeding are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract longer than breast milk, the baby can defecate 2 times less often. At the same time, the volume of feces will be greater. The stool of a formula-fed baby is light yellow in color with an unpleasant odor. If the feeding formula is poorly absorbed in the digestive tract, white lumps may appear in the stool.

A child's normal stool ranges in color from bright yellow to light yellow. The color of stool begins to change and becomes brown only after the introduction of complementary foods at 6 months. In the first year of a child’s life, loose, yellow stools are not a pathology and do not require treatment.

Causes of yellow diarrhea in a newborn

Yellow diarrhea can be caused by many factors. Some are nothing to worry about, others should be taken seriously. When a newborn has yellow diarrhea, several features should be taken into account:

This shade of stool in the first year of life can be quite natural if the stool is free of impurities.
Sudden yellow stools that last for a long time are a sign of the disease.
In an infant, loose yellow stool can cause dehydration; treatment of diarrhea should be timely and competent.

The reasons why a newborn baby develops loose yellow stool with water may be the following:

violation of the feeding regime;
premature or incorrect introduction of complementary foods;
nutrition for a nursing mother;
infectious agents;
diseases affecting the stomach, pancreas or liver;
overfeeding;
intestinal dysbiosis;
teething;
a consequence of antibiotic therapy - loose stools occur due to an imbalance of intestinal microflora, which is suppressed by antibacterial drugs.

Breastfed

Yellow, loose stool in a healthy breastfed baby is quite normal, unless characteristic changes are observed: acid, foam and lumps. A one-year-old baby eats harder foods that make up his diet; harder feces will be quite normal. The newborn's diet consists exclusively of liquid mother's milk. Parents should be wary of excessive bowel movements and loose stools. Sometimes these symptoms may indicate the following reasons:

intolerance to foods consumed by a nursing mother;
eating dirty foods;
infectious diseases;
teething;
reaction to the introduction of complementary foods.

Artificially fed

Formula-fed babies are more susceptible to intestinal upset. This is due to the baby’s underdeveloped digestive organs. It is still difficult for him to digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates; the mixture is not completely absorbed. Diarrhea in a child can be caused by the following reasons:

The disease is celiac enteropathy. Characterized by impaired absorption in the intestine, the small intestine undergoes atrophy. The reason is gluten, a substance that babies do not always digest successfully due to the lack of the required amount of enzymes that break down the substance. Symptoms of celiac disease include foamy stools, decreased appetite, lethargy, and weight loss. In laboratory tests, pathogenic microorganisms are not detected, which is the main factor in the inability to digest gluten. Therapy involves a diet that excludes gluten-containing foods, including wheat, rye or oats.
Replacing the mixture. It is highly not recommended to suddenly switch from using one mixture to another. Baby food differs in composition, and the baby’s digestive system is not so versatile as to assimilate a new product. In addition to bowel dysfunction, the child develops a skin rash and excessive gas formation. These factors irritate the baby. If the transition is forced, you must remember to gradually add a new product to the artificial diet.
Intestinal dysbiosis. Together with breast milk, the baby receives beneficial bacteria that inhabit the microflora and contribute to the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Formula-fed babies do not have this privilege; an imbalance in the intestines may occur. Microbes begin to multiply at an accelerated pace, and the child simply does not have beneficial bacteria to fight them. It is necessary to treat dysbacteriosis with means that restore the microflora.

Liquid yellow stool in infants

Home / Gastrointestinal tract / Yellow liquid stools in infants

The main indicator of the health and well-being of a baby in the first months of life is his stool - qualitative and quantitative indicators of his bowel movements. Changes in stool are one of the most common reasons for contacting a pediatrician. Most often, parents are interested in why their baby has such liquid yellow feces.

Normal healthy infant stool is mushy with small dense lumps. The color of the stool varies from yellow to light brown. The stool will remain yellow as long as the baby is breastfed. The smell of feces is faint, slightly sour. In bottle-fed babies, the stool has a denser structure and is darker in color. Frequency – from 6 to 10 bowel movements. Ideally, the frequency of stool almost coincides with the frequency of feedings. Further, with the introduction of complementary foods, the color, consistency and smell of stool will change.

Parents should learn to distinguish baby's loose stool from diarrhea.

Signs of diarrhea in infants: • increased frequency of bowel movements; • liquid, watery structure, foam; • greenish tint; • Strong smell; • inclusions of mucus, milk lumps, etc.; • the contents of the intestine are abruptly and quickly thrown out; • inflammation of the anal mucosa; • the child is worried, often cries, curls up his legs, etc.

Some of the listed symptoms, alone or in combination, may occur in an absolutely healthy baby. Liquid, bright yellow stool in a baby should not frighten parents. The main indicator in this case is the baby’s behavior.

If some symptoms are present, but do not in any way affect normal weight gain, healthy appetite and good health, then there is nothing to worry about, the baby is absolutely healthy.

Causes of loose stools in infants:

Colds and acute respiratory viral infections, otitis media, sore throat, rotavirus or other viral infection. When the baby gets better, his stool will also normalize.
Teething.
Food poisoning. Diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting and dehydration (eyes and fontanel sink in), high fever.
Intestinal infection, parasites (giardia). In addition to diarrhea, there is an increase in temperature, the stool contains blood, the baby is lethargic and weakened.
Allergic reaction. Loose stools accompany a rash on the cheeks, elbows and knees.
Dysbacteriosis. Along with loose stools, rash, colic, bloating, and poor weight gain are observed.
Diseases caused by metabolic disorders (cystic fibrosis, celiac disease). Other symptoms are similar to allergies (bloated stomach, low weight, rash).
Changing formula or using non-sterile feeding equipment.
Improperly organized breastfeeding. Yellow-green liquid stool of a baby indicates that he is not receiving hindmilk, which is richer in fat. In this case, you should express the liquid foremilk a little before starting feeding, in which case the right amount of fat will enter the baby’s body. In a baby, loose yellow stools with mucus can also occur for the same reason.
Lactose deficiency.
Violation of the mother's diet, taking antibiotics. A sensitive baby immediately reacts to new foods or an increase in the amount of familiar foods. An extra cup of black tea can also cause diarrhea and colic.

Keeping a food diary by a nursing mother will minimize the occurrence of food allergies in the baby and prevent the occurrence of diarrhea.

Liquid yellow stool with mucus or liquid green stool that has a strong, unpleasant odor can be symptoms of serious illnesses. As a rule, changes in stool characteristics are accompanied by:

increased body temperature;
vomit;
blood, mucus and foam in stool;
constant crying and anxiety, severe pain;
the frequency of bowel movements increases sharply;
signs of dehydration.

If you have some of the listed signs, you need to urgently consult a doctor, and before he arrives, you must, first of all, reassure the parents themselves and calm the baby, put him to the chest or give him a bottle. The pediatrician will determine the possible cause of the baby’s illness and prescribe the necessary tests and appropriate treatment or give a referral for examination by a specialist.

It is absolutely normal for a baby to have loose yellow stools. If nothing else bothers the baby, the color and consistency of the stool reflect changes in the mother's diet and the stages of development of his intestines. Colonization of the baby's intestines with the “needed” microflora is a fairly lengthy process, so if changes in the color and consistency of stool do not bother the child, then you should not interfere with this process.

28 Sep 2020 admin 3461

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Associated symptoms

Diarrhea is accompanied by a general deterioration in the child’s condition. Symptoms appear:

mucus, yellow;
foamy diarrhea;
mucous stool, foam;
lumps of undigested food;
feces with water;
sour odor, yellowish color with granular formations.

These symptoms should not be ignored by parents.

The manifestation of intoxication serves as a dangerous signal. Intestinal infections are classified into types:

Invasive type. The infection has a bacterial etiology. Salmonella and Shigella infect the epithelium, diarrhea foams and becomes watery.
Secretory type. The cause is bacterial, the pathogens are on the surface of the intestinal mucosa. The secretory type is characterized by liquid white stools that resemble water.
Mixed type. The clinical picture combines generalized symptoms of the above types.

When everything's alright

The baby begins to defecate from the first days of his life. But this is not yet related to nutrition - mother's milk is completely absorbed by the body, and the baby does not even pee at this stage of life. But fecal discharge is already present in the baby, and loose stools are far from yellow , but quite dark.
This is the rejection of meconium from the body, the so-called natural feces, which accumulated while the baby was in the mother’s womb. From the second week, natural physiology begins to work as expected. Breast milk is digested, the required amount is absorbed, and the excess is excreted in the form of feces. The longer the baby eats natural lactose with little complementary feeding, the more often the baby will have loose yellow stools. This color is normal, as it should be when feeding on milk.

If the baby is bottle-fed, the baby's stool will be yellow, but not liquid enough. Formula milk has a slightly different consistency than breast milk, so small lumps are observed in the stool.

Gradually, the stool turns from liquid to thicker due to the fact that complementary foods are introduced to the child. By the age of one year, the baby can already defecate like an adult - the consistency of the mass becomes denser, the color becomes darker.

Treatment of the condition

Before the doctor arrives, first aid must be taken. It consists of the following actions:

Increase breastfeeding.
Add a water-salt solution. You can make it by dissolving a teaspoon of salt and 4 tablespoons of sugar in cooled boiled water. The solution must be prepared strictly according to the instructions, and not based on your own taste. A weakly concentrated solution will not give results, and a highly concentrated solution will only aggravate the situation and increase diarrhea and vomiting.
The volume of fluid is restored based on body weight: 10 ml per kilogram.

Diarrhea is a consequence of a disruption in the functioning of the body; it is prohibited to use means that abruptly interrupt loose stools without identifying the cause.

The main therapeutic measures are aimed at restoring water balance. Electrolytes can restore the mucous membrane and help the intestines absorb fluid. Non-infectious diarrhea can be treated only in such gentle ways. If the causative agent of the infection is known, antibiotics will be required.

Children after six months are allowed to drink a decoction of dried fruits.

When to see a doctor

It is important to understand that a newborn baby has bowel movements much more often than an adult. It is necessary to monitor the normalization of stool; diarrhea, in the absence of proper treatment, can lead to dehydration of the child’s body. If you experience the following dangerous signs, you should consult a doctor:

diarrhea;
temperature;
lack of appetite;
vomit;
The child passes thin, foul-smelling feces.

If at least one of the above factors occurs, parents should immediately contact a specialist. In the first month of life, loose stools accompanied by water are dangerous for the baby.

Restoring the microflora will require a complete revision of the diet of a nursing mother. The lactose that the baby eats is able to absorb enzymes from the food that the baby’s mother eats. Depending on how much fluid the child has lost, he is given rehydration agents to replenish his water balance. They can be administered by intravenous injection or orally.

Causes of loose stools in breastfed babies

Diarrhea in breastfed babies can occur for a variety of reasons. Most often, the following factors contribute to this:

Errors in the nutrition of a nursing mother. A woman should adhere to a certain diet (for example, it is strictly contraindicated to consume white cabbage in any form, legumes, cakes and pastries with rich cream, fast food, etc.).
Intestinal infections in infants. Many children face this problem (due to a weakened immune system). Bacteria and viruses can enter a child’s body if the rules of hygiene during feeding are insufficiently observed and in a number of other cases. A distinctive sign of an intestinal infection (not counting loose stools) is high body temperature and sometimes vomiting.
Dysbacteriosis (disturbance of intestinal microflora). The development of dysbiosis is facilitated by long-term use of antibiotics by a nursing mother or child.
Lactose intolerance. In this case, frequent loose stools are caused by a lack of a special enzyme in the child’s body - lactase (promotes the breakdown of lactose). The stool has a foamy consistency and a sour odor.
Teething. Often, during teething, babies experience diarrhea (without odor). Associated symptoms: high body temperature and increased salivation.
Overfeeding the baby or replacing one breast with another too often. Thus, the baby receives only light foremilk, and does not receive enough fatty “hind” milk.
Diseases of the digestive system (appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, etc.).

Loose stools in infants can also be caused by acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, otitis media, and even simple fright. But the exact cause can only be determined by consulting a doctor.

Possible complications

Diarrhea can cause a number of complications, sometimes not directly related to bowel function, but they occur due to lack of treatment. Complications can be expressed as follows:

Dehydration.
Inflammation of the middle ear.
Pneumonia.

A competent examination by a specialist will help to avoid possible complications, which involves not only identifying the clinical picture visually, but also with the help of laboratory tests: urine, feces and blood tests. At an appointment with a pediatrician, the child’s heart rhythm should be checked, the whole body should be examined, and the baby’s reaction to tapping should be assessed.

The main factor that determines the outcome and speed of treatment is timely consultation with a doctor.

Young parents with newborn children ask different questions. They expect them to have the same stools as adults. Babies eat liquid food, so the consistency is different. Many cases of loose stool in breastfed infants are normal. It is important to monitor its frequency, color, and consistency. Alarming symptoms are an increase or decrease in the number of bowel movements, color changes, and foreign inclusions. If problems arise, you should immediately contact your pediatrician. He will help prescribe adequate drug treatment or refer you to a surgeon if the case is complex.

Normal stool during breastfeeding

In breastfed babies, the normal consistency of stool looks like a thin porridge that is golden or yellowish in color (sometimes with a greenish or brownish tint). In this case, small white inclusions may be present in the stool. After the introduction of complementary foods, the feces become thicker than usual and acquire darker shades. The smell is normal - slightly sour.

The color of the stool largely determines the diet of a nursing mother. So, if a woman eats mainly dairy products (milk, kefir, cheese), then the baby’s stool will be yellow; if she eats plant foods (fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, etc.), the color of the stool will turn greenish.

Consistency of stool with different diets

Due to differences in the composition of formula and breast milk, a baby may have different stool consistency:

The stool of a mixed-fed or bottle-fed baby will be different. The consistency becomes pasty, dense, and the unpleasant odor becomes several times stronger. The more mixture is present in the baby's diet, the stronger the smell will be pronounced after bowel movements. Due to the fact that with mixed feeding, newborns receive only foremilk, the color of the stool may become greenish. In babies who eat only formula, it is close to brown and pale.
Loose stool in a newborn during breastfeeding is normal if it is yellow in color (variants of shades are possible, depending on the mother’s diet) and has a slightly unpleasant smell of sour milk. Even a change in the color of stool to green is considered normal. This happens when mom eats mostly vegetables and fruits, especially raw ones. A baby's loose yellow stool indicates the predominance of dairy products in the mother's diet.

After complementary feeding, loose, yellow stools are less common. It depends on the products introduced. Based on the fact that you gave the baby, the stool may become harder or change color. Most often, changes can be noticed after the introduction of meat, eggs, and cereals.

When pathological stools appear and colic occurs, doctors first of all recommend changing the mother’s diet. Infants who are bottle-fed are offered a new formula (a different brand, fermented milk or made from goat milk).

Loose stools in infants are normal

The phenomenon of loose stools in a breastfed baby is completely within the normal range. A newborn baby has the right to poop 7-8 times a day (sometimes even more often). His stool is mushy or watery, may have white lumps, usually yellow in color, sometimes with a green or brown tint.

A breastfed baby has a sour-smelling stool, but in babies fed formula, the smell of stool is quite unpleasant, and the color is often greenish (due to the abundance of iron in the formula).

Frequent loose stools in a baby should not cause concern for the mother if the baby looks healthy, happy, eats well and is gaining weight. The boundaries of the norm in this situation are quite blurred - some babies can soil their diaper up to 10 times a day, while others only once every 2-3 days. First of all, rely on the baby’s condition and mood.

But don't forget to watch for warning signs. They are the ones who will tell you when loose stools in a newborn while breastfeeding require increased attention and, possibly, medical attention.

Dr. Komarovsky notes that if a baby has loose yellow stools, this is normal. According to the doctor, diarrhea often occurs during teething, when babies put everything in their mouths that comes to hand, turning into small vacuum cleaners. And also during the period of adjusting the gastrointestinal tract and creating the correct microflora. The main thing is to notice the alarm bells in time.

Differences between loose stools and diarrhea

Due to the immaturity of the intestinal microflora, infants often suffer from diarrhea, especially in the first 6 months of life. You should only worry when frequent bowel movements in a baby are accompanied by:

a significant increase in the frequency of bowel movements;
watery stool that looks like colored water;
sudden ejection of the mass from the intestines, with an audible sound;
a very unpleasant odor, becoming stronger, smelling of acid;
a pronounced green tint;
appearance of foam
drops of blood or mucus in the masses.

If at the same time the baby’s temperature does not rise, there is no weakness or dehydration, then there is no need to worry. Most likely, the intestinal reaction occurred to a product that the nursing mother had not eaten before. Watery stool in an infant without other symptoms of diarrhea goes away on its own within a few days.

Frequent bowel movements in a newborn require special treatment if the baby has signs of acute indigestion. He shows anxiety, sleeps poorly, cries, and pulls his legs towards his stomach.

Causes and treatment of loose stools in infants

Sometimes stool becomes more liquid, stool becomes more frequent, and negative symptoms appear. Often your health worsens and weakness develops. It is important for parents to know the main causes of problems with the digestive tract.

Infectious diseases

Certain symptoms indicate the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the body. Food poisoning is rare (due to age). In severe cases, many infectious diseases are a reason for urgent hospitalization of the infant.

Certain symptoms indicate the development of an intestinal infection:

defecation more than eight times a day;
the stool is loose, often watery, with a large amount of mucus, a pungent, unpleasant odor;
the color of stool changes (marsh or dirty green);
increased body temperature, often up to 38–39 degrees;
deterioration of health: general weakness, restless sleep, causeless crying, loss of appetite.

Recommendations for parents:

If loose stools are combined with other negative signs, contact your pediatrician. If an intestinal infection is suspected, the help of a pediatric gastroenterologist is often required;
due to the frequency of bowel movements more than 10–20 times a day (a dangerous phenomenon occurs in severe forms of rotavirus infection in children), dehydration develops, and the baby becomes weaker. Immediate hospitalization is required. Before the ambulance arrives, give your baby a little water to avoid complications;
remember: jokes with intestinal infections are inappropriate; dehydration of a small body can lead to serious consequences. Fortunately, it is not difficult to recognize “intestinal flu”, enteritis, and other pathologies: the symptoms are clearly expressed. The task of parents is to pay attention to the characteristic symptoms in time and call a doctor without delay.

The effect of food on stool consistency

The change in the consistency of stool in a baby is associated with the mother’s diet. Any “wrong” product causes digestive problems in a child, and diarrhea develops.

If your baby's stool has become looser, but there are no severe symptoms (frequent regurgitation, painful colic, severe bloating), remember what you recently ate. You will probably find a product that was not previously in the diet.

Sometimes loose stools appear after the introduction of complementary foods. It is not difficult to identify the irritant: the child’s body quickly reacts to a new product.

Important! Sometimes the cause is overeating. Too much of the usual food does not have time to be digested quickly, causing the mother to have upset bowel movements. When breastfeeding, negative changes immediately affect the baby's condition.

Helpful Tips:

After introducing complementary foods, do stools remain too liquid for several days? Refuse the new type of food, replace it with another product that is easier on the stomach and intestines;
Is the baby's disorder related to the mother's poor diet? Eliminate “forbidden” foods from your diet, do not experiment until you finish breastfeeding, and eat only proven foods.

Lactose intolerance: what is it?

Pathology occurs when there is a lack of a special enzyme responsible for the breakdown of lactose (milk sugar). Lack/absence of a beneficial enzyme provokes digestive problems.

In addition to loose stools, other signs of fermentation appear:

bloating;
frequent regurgitation;
colic.

Sometimes the phenomenon is temporary. The baby consumes more “foremilk” with a high lactose content, but the enzyme is not completely absorbed. The reason is that fattier (“hind”) milk does not enter the body; the lack of fat interferes with the absorption of lactose.

If you have a combination of negative symptoms, visit your pediatrician with your baby. After passing tests (blood, feces), ultrasound of the abdominal organs, the doctor will refer you for a consultation to a pediatric gastroenterologist. The specialist will prescribe treatment.

Intestinal dysbiosis

Liquid feces in the absence of problems with the functioning of other organs and systems are not a sign of pathological changes in the intestines. For breastfed infants, there is nothing wrong with the fact that the stool is not hard, but soft.

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You should be wary if the following signs appear:

at the age of 6 months and older, severe bloating develops after eating;
allergic reactions often occur after the introduction of complementary foods;
The baby is not gaining weight well, becomes restless, irritable, and sleep deteriorates.

Combined with frequent, loose stools, these signs often indicate a lack of beneficial bacteria in the intestines.

Be sure to contact your pediatrician. The doctor will study the symptoms, prescribe probiotics to correct the composition of the microflora, and give recommendations on introducing new types of complementary foods and creating a diet for the mother.

In the absence of a positive result, a consultation with a pediatric gastroenterologist and a comprehensive examination of the little man is required. Self-medication of dysbiosis in infants is prohibited.

Stool frequency

Unlike adults, infants defecate more often. The number of bowel movements during breastfeeding depends on age:

a newborn has normal loose stools - after each feeding or up to 10 times a day;
from 2 to 6 months – up to 5 times per day;
after six months of age - up to 2 times a day or less.

Normal and pathological: physiological differences

How to distinguish normal stool from pathology? Most mothers who observe a baby's stool for the first time fall into a panic, and for good reason: when applied to the symptoms of “adult” diarrhea during breastfeeding, natural stool looks like terrible diarrhea. However, this is not quite true:

A breastfed baby may have stool after each feeding and even during it. This is explained by the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract and the natural relaxation of the sphincters during sucking.
Normal for a newborn: 5-40 times a week!
On artificial feeding - less often, up to 28 times a week.

It is difficult to determine the difference between diarrhea and the normal consistency of stool in a baby; when consuming breast milk, the stool can be liquid or thick, it all depends on what the mother ate.

Do not panic if your baby's stool is watery, yellow (yellow-green) in color with lumps of casein. You can even be calm in the presence of green feces, shaped like porridge. But at the same time, the child is gaining weight well and feels great.

Signs of discomfort, malaise in a baby, an admixture of mucus and blood should definitely alert you; you need to call a pediatrician. On artificial feeding, the feces will be denser, with a specific smell, while in a one to three month old baby the feces smell of kefir.

What to do if the number of bowel movements increases?

Doctors give some advice to mothers who experience diarrhea in their infant:

Review your diet. A nursing mother should eat a balanced diet. Vegetarianism, raw food diet, strict diets, and protein restriction are excluded. In the first months, it is best to keep a diary of the nursing mother in order to know which product the baby’s intestines gave an inadequate reaction to. New foods must be introduced in small portions. Beans, cabbage, and pears need to be especially carefully introduced into the diet.
Monitor the condition of the baby. If alarming symptoms appear, you must call your local pediatrician.
Do not change the type of feeding. Unlike formula, breast milk contains antibodies that protect against intestinal infections. It protects against dehydration, is the most easily digestible food, and contains vitamins and minerals. Mother's milk also contains beneficial bacteria that colonize the intestines.

For artificial drinkers, there is only one recommendation - change the mixture. Most often, diarrhea in artificial babies is a reaction to the inappropriate composition of the mixture. At the same time, switching to a new composition does not mean that diarrhea will immediately stop. During the transition period, its symptoms may persist.

Steady green and frequent stools during breastfeeding may be the cause of an imbalance in the feeding process itself: the baby spends little time feeding or the mother often changes breasts. The baby manages to eat only the fore milk, while the fattier and more nutritious hind milk remains untouched. The result is frequent and watery bowel movements, as such milk is quickly digested. If you do not change breasts during feeding, the situation will improve.

What should a mother's diet be like if her baby has loose stools?

When feeding a baby with breast milk, a woman must definitely adjust her diet, since even the slightest deviation from the recommendations can lead to digestive problems for the baby. If the baby has loose stools, the mother needs to reconsider her diet. To normalize the process of bowel movement, a nursing woman should exclude from the menu:

food containing preservatives, artificial colors and additives;
exotic products;
sweet, confectionery and bakery products;
alcoholic, carbonated and caffeinated drinks;
cocoa;
food that provokes increased formation of gases in the intestines (white cabbage, all types of legumes, asparagus, black bread, bran);
onion;
garlic;
chocolate;
semolina;
semi-finished products;
fast food;
citrus fruit;
spicy and spicy dishes.

Along with this, a woman who is breastfeeding is not recommended to try new products. During this period, it is better to replace cow's milk with fermented milk products. A nursing mother should also avoid eating highly allergenic foods: honey, seafood, chicken eggs, vegetables and fruits with brightly colored peels and pulp.

In what cases is medical help needed?

Combinations of symptoms that mean medical attention is needed:

restless behavior: the baby twitches his legs, the stomach is swollen, sleep is disturbed, there is no appetite;
weight loss, vomiting, fever - these signs mean that help is needed urgently, call an ambulance;
there are no tears when crying, a weak cry, a hole in the place of an open fontanel, the appearance of a strong odor from the urine and its darkening, rare urination, fever, lethargy - observed with dehydration;
Putrid and unpleasant odor from stool is a sign of infectious damage to the intestinal microflora.

Additional symptoms mean that the diarrhea will not go away without treatment. If you notice dehydration or your baby starts vomiting, you should not wait for the doctor to arrive, but call an ambulance. Self-medication for any intestinal pathology in infants is excluded.

Loose stools in a newborn are within normal limits

The baby's digestive system is not fully formed immediately after birth. It continues to form for some amount of time. In this regard, loose stools in infants are quite common. Moreover, in a breastfed baby, since breast milk has a laxative effect.

The main thing for determining the “normality” of a newborn’s stool is still its behavior and condition. If the child’s behavior and condition has changed, you need to pay close attention to his digestion. Especially when there is causeless crying, increased body temperature, vomiting, and lethargy of the child.

For a newborn older than 1 week, that is, just after you are discharged from the maternity hospital and upon returning home, indicators of normal stool are: the consistency of liquid semolina porridge, inclusions of white or green color, a small amount of mucus, color from yellow to light brown, the smell of sour milk.

After the introduction of complementary foods, the newborn's liquid stool may change from yellow to a denser consistency and a sharp, unpleasant odor may appear. Again, all this is a variant of the norm only if there is no change in the child’s condition and behavior, and there is timely weight gain.

Causes of pathologies

There are several diseases that are accompanied by diarrhea in infants:

Functional disorders have terrible consequences. They are treated on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a pediatrician. Pathologies of this type can lead to dehydration. The reason for their appearance is a violation of the diet by the nursing mother (unbalanced nutrition), non-compliance with the rules for introducing complementary foods, and teething. Intestinal disorders can be combined with decreased appetite, flatulence, and the presence of undigested pieces of food in the stool. Antifoam agents, probiotics and preparations with simethicone are used for treatment.
Watery stool in a newborn occurs with dysbacteriosis of various natures. With it, there is a decrease in the number of lacto- and bifidobacteria, which are necessary for the baby to absorb the breakdown products of fats and carbohydrates. Without them, normal digestion of food is impossible. In place of dead beneficial bacteria, pathogenic microorganisms enter the intestines. This type of pathology is characterized by diarrhea and chronic constipation. For treatment, drugs with cultures of living bacteria are used - prebiotics, eubiotics.
Against the background of diseases of the respiratory system of the body, extraintestinal disorders appear. What complicates the child’s condition is that such diseases are often treated with antibiotics that kill beneficial intestinal microflora. Treatment is carried out with prebiotics and probiotics.

Pediatricians often recommend preventing the occurrence of extraintestinal disorders. To do this, prebiotics and fermented milk products enriched with them must be taken simultaneously with antibiotics.

Malabsorption is much less common than other pathologies. It is also accompanied by loose stools in infants. With it, the amount of digestive enzymes produced is extremely small or completely absent. There are two types of pathology: lactose intolerance and celiac disease. If there is lactose deficiency, the child must be fed dairy-free formulas; in the second case, the diet is adjusted (usually grains are excluded from it).

Most often, loose stools in infants are not a cause for concern. This symptom does not require specific treatment or strong medications. The easiest way to get rid of diarrhea is by adjusting the mother's diet and taking special products enriched with beneficial bacteria. Treatment should not be stopped after improvements appear, otherwise a relapse is possible.

Mothers carefully study their babies almost from the moment of the first cry. Everything is noted: whether the eyes are funny, whether the nose is warm, whether the cheeks are plump, whether there are constrictions on the arms and legs. With no less curiosity and amazing pedantry, young mothers study the contents of a diaper or diaper for several minutes, looking at the quantity, color, and character of the stool. Even the smell of feces is given more than enough attention. And this is an absolutely correct approach to the issue of child health.

It is precisely such observations of the baby’s bowel movements that will help the mother determine the health status of the baby, the degree of absorption of mother’s milk and whether the nurse eats correctly. So what does normal stool look like for a naturally breastfed baby? What consistency, color and smell are normal, and when is it time to go to the neonatologists? This is what we will find out now!

What should you do if your newborn has loose stools?

In children who suck breast milk, except for the condition, there are no other signs (unpleasant odor or unusual color), such a condition is normal.

Liquid diarrhea in a newborn on an artificial diet may be a sign of intolerance to milk protein (cow's). This intolerance is not entirely uncommon and occurs in 5-7% of children, whether they are breastfed or bottle-fed.

Usually diarrhea is accompanied by painful cramps, the child may lose weight and refuse food.

The body thus protects itself from substances that harm it.

If the baby is bottle-fed, in consultation with your pediatrician, you will need to change the type of milk. There are alternative baby foods on our market that are recommended in case of diarrhea.

Parents often worry about loose stools in their newborn. But it is important to understand that breastfeeding is normal physiology. There is no need to worry if there are no other signs of a condition disorder.

There are situations when loose stools in a breastfed baby indicate the development of diseases, but this condition is always accompanied by additional external signs.

It’s very easy to explain why a newborn’s stool is loose when breastfeeding. When eating only high-calorie, soft and fatty foods, feces cannot harden. A mushy consistency is normal until complementary feeding is introduced in infants.

The shade ranges from yellow to light brown. At times, the color may change, but if there is no mucus or blood in the stool, and if there is no pain in the tummy, then everything is fine.

Stool color varies from light yellow to dark brown

If a newborn has loose yellow stools, but the baby has good dynamics in weight gain, has no problems sleeping and does not show alarming signs, then his parents should not worry in vain. The baby eats liquid, easily digestible food and therefore it is logical that the feces are liquid. This should not be associated with diarrhea.

A breastfed baby can normally defecate 7 to 10 times a day in the first month of life. Bowel movements occur after feedings. From 1 to 6 months, the baby goes to the toilet 2-5 times every day, and after six months - 1 or 2 times, and maybe less often.

With frequent pathological bowel movements, the baby quickly loses the fluid it needs. At this time, the baby needs to be given a lot of water to prevent dehydration and disturbances in the functioning of organs and systems.

If a newborn has loose stools, behaves restlessly, cries often and heavily, or has a bloated tummy, you should urgently call a doctor.

Normally, a baby has loose yellow stool, but it can be greenish, light yellow or brownish. The color depends on the nutrition of the nursing woman. When dairy products are included in her diet, the feces are yellow, and plant products are greenish.

The norm is the absence of mucus and blood in the stool. Sometimes curdled lumps may appear, and the smell is like sour milk. If the baby is feeling well and has a stable weight gain, there is nothing to worry about. This is a natural response to easily digestible food.

It happens that in addition to teething, painful sensations in the gums, flow of saliva and irritability, other symptoms are added. One of them is a violation of the consistency of stool.

The baby is teething, he cries and experiences discomfort.
A very common reason when a baby has loose stools is teething under the influence of a bacterial infection.

It enters the child’s body due to the fact that he begins to intensively drag his hands and any available objects into his mouth in order to scratch his inflamed gums.

Saliva protection in infants is poorly developed, so the infection manifests itself in the intestines, causing diarrhea.

To reduce the negative impact of teething on the body, you need to:

periodically wipe saliva from your chin;
pay more attention to hygiene - change your blouse more often so that saliva does not accumulate on it;
You should wash your hands frequently or dry your hands with wet wipes.

To avoid diarrhea during complementary feeding, you must adhere to the following rules:

monitor the quality of food, introducing complementary foods very carefully;
when restructuring the body, you should be careful about the choice of dishes;
Proper nutrition will reduce the risk of dysbiosis.

Often the causes of loose stools in infants are the adaptation of the digestive system to new foods.

At the same time, the intestinal microflora is populated with beneficial bacteria. But a sufficient amount of enzymes is not yet produced, and the anatomical location of the gastrointestinal tract helps speed up the digestion of food.

Yellow diarrhea in a newborn is not uncommon. This is due to a whole list of reasons.

Among them are the following:

immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract of a small child;
binge eating;
food allergies;
food poisoning;
infectious diseases;
taking medications;
dysbacteriosis;
underdevelopment of the digestive organs.

Most often, of course, the causes of diarrhea are found at the top of the list and do not entail any complications. But this does not mean that parents can ignore the yellow diarrhea that occurs in their child. It is very important to closely monitor the baby.

If diarrhea is a one-time occurrence or passes over a period of time and is not accompanied by fever, changes in the baby’s appetite or well-being, then there is nothing to worry about. Most likely, the child simply overate or the immature intestines for some reason could not cope with the food.

It is also possible that feeding rules were not followed: for example, the bottle was not sterilized before preparing the formula. If he was given some new product that day, then perhaps he should refuse it for now.

Why else can a breastfed newborn have yellow diarrhea? Of course, because mom ate something wrong. If a woman has somehow changed her diet, then she should give up new products, spices or some cooking methods.

After a year, the child’s feces already have a more familiar appearance to humans: formed, light brown in color. Thanks to this, if the baby begins to diarrhea at this age, it is much easier to recognize it.

There is no need to compare or guess whether the baby’s stool has become more watery than usual. This makes it easier to recognize the problem as such, but does not help to understand why the situation has arisen.

The intestines of a one-year-old child are already more or less developed and accustomed to cope with many “adult” foods. However, like a baby, a baby over the age of one year can overeat, eat something stale, and experience food allergies or infections.

At the same time, it is easier for the baby’s body to cope with the consequences of overeating or mild allergies. But help is still needed to overcome poisonings and infections. How to understand that this time there is nothing to worry about?

The signs are approximately the same as in the case of a very young child:

diarrhea quickly goes away on its own;
the baby is cheerful and does not complain of pain;
does not refuse food;
he has no fever;
there is no blood or mucus in the stool.

If there is no reason for concern, then all that remains is to remember what has changed in the child’s life recently. Now this question concerns not only nutrition, but also the psychological state of the baby, as well as his environment. The cause of diarrhea at this age can be a sudden change of environment, for example, moving, or some other stress.

Treatment of diarrhea in children over one year of age is in many ways similar to those measures that are used for infants. Yellow diarrhea in a 1-year-old child can also cause dehydration, although a one-year-old baby is already able to remind his parents of his needs.

In the same way, enterosorbents, such as smecta and activated carbon, are used to remove toxins. Naturally, with increasing age, the dose also increases. Children over one year old are given 4 sachets per day for the first 3 days, then for a few more days - a reduced dose, 2 sachets per day. Children over one year old are given activated carbon 4 tablets per day.

Diarrhea may be a reaction to antibiotics. The fact is that antibiotics kill not only pathogenic microflora, but also those microorganisms that help a person in the process of digestion. To restore damaged microflora, the child needs to be given a drug with beneficial microflora.

Yellow diarrhea in a year-old child without fever can be treated with folk remedies. In addition to those indicated in the previous section, a decoction of hawthorn fruits helps well. In addition to the fact that it will help cope with dehydration and strengthen the stool, it will also saturate the body with microelements and vitamins.

After all, diarrhea provokes the loss of all these substances. In addition, it also helps remove toxins from the baby’s body. 5 g of hawthorn fruits are poured with boiling water and then boiled for about 10 minutes. After this, the finished broth is cooled. The child is given a tablespoon of decoction 3 times a day.

At the birth of a baby, its resistance to pathogens of intestinal infections and allergic agents is extremely low. Even if parents carefully observe hygiene standards, it is not always possible to avoid the penetration of viruses and bacteria into the baby’s body. If frequent bowel movements in a newborn are accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature and loud crying, then you need to urgently call a doctor or take the child to the nearest medical facility. If an acute intestinal infection is suspected, prompt treatment, including antibiotic therapy, is necessary.

Frequent bowel movements in a newborn during breastfeeding can be caused by various negative factors.

Such conditions are not considered pathological by pediatricians, but can provoke serious consequences, the most dangerous of which is dehydration. Dyspepsia is the result of an unbalanced diet of a nursing mother, as well as improper introduction of complementary foods to the infant. A common cause of peristalsis disorder in a child is teething due to decreased appetite.

It is normal for a newborn to have loose stools.

Loose stools are not always a pathology

In what cases is treatment necessary?

However, every mother should understand that not all liquid bowel movements of the baby are 100% normal. In some cases, this is real diarrhea in a child, which needs to be treated. It is not difficult to determine this if you know the signs of intestinal problems and diseases. In this case, it is important to pay attention not only to what the baby pooped, but also to the general condition of the baby.

Green liquid stool in a baby

Important! If a child is switched from breast milk to formula, this is the absolute norm!

If not, watch your child. Green feces with a foul odor, gas bubbles, flatulence and acute pain in the baby’s tummy are characteristic of:

Only a doctor will tell you the exact diagnosis, after first sending the child’s stool for analysis and conducting a detailed clinical examination of the baby.

Liquid yellow stool in an infant

It is usually regarded as the absolute norm for a baby. But sometimes it can also be a pathology. If your baby has loose yellow stool that foams, it could be:

diathesis;
manifestations of allergies (but then the baby will definitely have a skin rash);
food poisoning (fever and sometimes vomiting);
reactions to medications;
binge eating.

If the stool is loose and the child is restless, a parasitic infection of the small organism is possible. In any case, contact a neonatologist. It is especially important to do this if liquid yellow poop develops:

fetid putrid odor;
black inclusions;
blood spots.

Watery stools

Important! If it is observed in a baby who is accustomed to compotes and teas, this is not a pathology, just try to limit the amount the baby drinks, allow him more to the breast.

If watery stools are observed in a child who is exclusively breastfed, and the infant defecates as if “under pressure” and with pain, these may be signs of:

dysbacteriosis;
improper peristalsis in the small intestine;
problems with the rectum or sphincters in the intestines.

Again, you should consult your pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis. However, if the baby passes watery feces without pain, the baby feels completely normal, eats well - there is no reason to worry.

Why does feces liquefy?

Whether a baby will develop diarrhea is determined by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of his body. But the discharge of liquid yellow feces usually signals an infection of the intestines or poor absorption of food masses. Sometimes liquefied yellowish masses indicate diseases of the biliary system.

The main cause of loose stool in a child under 1 year of age is rotavirus infection. Additional symptoms of the so-called “stomach flu” are:

persistently high temperature;
nasal congestion;
cough and redness of the throat.

Initially, liquid yellow stool is released for 2 days. Subsequently, the shade changes to dirty gray. This condition is not treated with antibiotics because it is associated with viral activity.

Another answer to the question why the baby began to have loose, yellowish stools is the diet disrupted by the nursing mother. Eating forbidden foods and eating inflated portions leads to a change in the nature of children's poop. If mom starts watching her diet, she can refuse the doctor’s services. The diarrhea will stop on its own.

The third point that reveals the secret of passing watery stools is partial sucking of breast milk. The appearance of liquid yellow stool in a baby indicates that the baby satisfies hunger only with foremilk. What does this lead to?

The fattier product remains in the mammary glands.
The baby is not getting enough nutrients.
Milk absorption is incomplete.
The feces are excreted with a very liquid consistency, sometimes with foam and increased gas formation.

Features of the diet of a nursing mother

Under normal conditions, only mother's milk affects baby's stool. Breast milk is affected by what the mother eats.

It is important to follow a diet while breastfeeding. Although you probably know this yourself. We’ll just remind you what a nursing woman can eat:

cereals cooked in water (rice - with caution, it strongly strengthens);
durum pasta;
boiled poultry, rabbit or beef;
low-fat fermented milk products;
baked apples;
bananas;
vegetable oils;
lean broths;

vegetable soups and stews without cabbage and legumes;
White bread;
hard cheese;
any potatoes (except fried);
biscuits;
crackers or bagels;
weak teas, compotes, mineral water.

A nursing mother should be especially careful with products containing:

dyes;
preservatives;
stabilizers;
allergens;
crude fiber;

vinegar;
alcohol;
nutritional supplements;
taste and smell stimulants.

The more serious the mother is about her diet, the less problems the baby has with the tummy and, accordingly, with bowel movements.

Frequency

If a baby develops loose yellow stool quite often, this is not a reason to sound the alarm. Each organism has its own characteristics, and one baby may poop after each meal (and even between them), while another may defecate once a day, or even 2-3 times a week.

This should not bother the mother if it does not bother the baby. When the child is active, eats well, does not cry and defecates without straining, then liquid yellow stool in an infant can be considered normal , despite the frequency of its occurrence.

The information that an infant can defecate once a week should not discourage the mother. The main thing here is how the whole process happens. If the baby behaves restlessly during bowel movements and sulks intensely, this is a reason to consult a doctor. Perhaps the baby has poor intestinal permeability, which should not be overlooked.

Loose stools in a baby - video

In this video, a nursing mother of a one-month-old baby explains in detail what the stool of a breastfed baby should be like, and when to see a doctor and have a coprogram done (examination of the baby’s feces).

Many mothers take looking at the contents of a diaper or diaper more than seriously. And that’s right - sometimes it’s better to “play it safe” than to miss alarm bells. Liquid stool is normal for a baby who eats breast milk.

Even if it has acquired a greenish tint, it’s not scary. But if the crumbs’ poop suddenly changed color, an unpleasant odor appeared, defecation became painful and colic became more frequent, or you discovered bloody spots in the stool - this is a serious reason for your mother to reconsider her diet and contact a highly qualified specialist.

What to do if your baby has loose stools?

In such a situation, it is recommended that the mother:

carefully monitor the baby’s condition;
change your diet by excluding fatty, fried, pickled and spicy foods;
continue breastfeeding;
refuse additional feeding of the child (mother’s milk, which is 90% water, will help replenish lost moisture);
change baby formula for a bottle-fed baby.

If it is not just loose stools, but diarrhea, you should immediately show the child to the pediatrician. Treatment of diarrhea is based not only on eliminating the symptoms, but also on stopping the causes of the disease. Information on medications used for excessively frequent bowel movements in an infant is presented in the table.