Frothy infant poop
Foamy poop: Causes and remedies
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While normal stool is usually solid and brown, there can be many variations. Foamy or frothy stool is typically diarrhea-like and may appear to have bubbles in it. It may also seem oily or contain mucus.
A reaction to certain foods often causes foamy stool. If this is the case, it will be an isolated incident and resolve with time and hydration. Generally speaking, foamy stools can result from consuming more fat than the body can digest.
However, foamy stool can also signal an underlying medical condition. Read on to learn more about causes and treatments and when to see a doctor.
The five most common causes of foamy stool include:
1. Malabsorption disorder
When the body cannot effectively absorb or use nutrients in food, this is known as malabsorption disorder.
One common malabsorption disorder is celiac disease. This involves a person having an autoimmune reaction to consuming gluten, leading to intestines becoming inflamed and other gastrointestinal symptoms such as changes in stools.
Dietary intolerances to other foods can cause similar symptoms. These foods include:
- eggs
- fructose
- lactose
- seafood
- sugar alcohols, such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol
A person may have foamy stool after eating a certain type of food. They may also feel bloated or nauseous.
2. Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis can be an acute or chronic condition. It can hinder a person’s ability to digest fats.
This condition can cause significant pain, especially in the upper abdominal region, and pain can spread to the back.
Causes of pancreatitis include gallstones, alcohol misuse, pancreatic cancer, or genetic disorders that affect the pancreas.
In addition to foamy stool, pancreatitis may also include the following symptoms:
- fever
- nausea
- rapid heart rate
- swollen abdomen
- vomiting
- exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Pancreatitis may require admission to a hospital for treatment.
3. Infection
A bacterial, parasitic, or viral infection in the gastrointestinal tract can create gas bubbles, making stool appear foamy.
A common source of infection is the Giardia parasite. Consuming contaminated water or food may result in infection. A person may also come into contact with contaminated water when swimming, for example.
Other symptoms of an infection include:
- fatigue
- gas
- nausea
- stomach cramping
- unexplained weight loss
It can take anywhere from 2–6 weeks for symptoms of an infection to resolve.
4. Irritable bowel syndrome
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may have mucus in their stool, which can make the stool appear foamy.
Additional symptoms of IBS include:
- stomach pain and cramps
- diarrhea
- bloating
- constipation
5. Abdominal surgeries
Abdominal surgeries can affect digestion. These may include operations to remove a portion of the large or small intestine.
Surgeries may cause short bowel syndrome, which can lead to chronic diarrhea and foamy stool. This condition may be temporary and resolve once the body heals.
However, if a person has this syndrome in the long term, a doctor will usually recommend supplements to ensure that the individual receives adequate nutrition.
Frothy or foamy stool is especially common in babies and is not usually a cause for concern.
Foamy stool in babies is often a sign that they are getting an overload of lactose, a sugar found in breast milk.
Breast milk consists of two parts: foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk comes out for several minutes as the baby begins to feed. The richer and thicker hindmilk then follows.
Foremilk has fewer nutrients than hindmilk, and if a baby is getting too much foremilk, they will not be able to digest lactose correctly, which may cause stool changes.
If a baby has foamy stool frequently, it may be a good idea to breastfeed for at least 20 minutes on one side before switching to the other.
This will ensure that the baby is receiving enough hindmilk.
Treatments for foamy stool depend on the underlying cause.
A doctor may recommend eliminating foods that often cause intolerances. This can help determine whether one or more of these foods is responsible for the symptom.
If a doctor or dietitian diagnoses someone with IBS, they can also help develop a diet plan that will reduce the person’s symptoms. A person may want to avoid foods that commonly cause gas, as well as fried foods.
It may be helpful to keep a food diary to determine which foods lead to IBS symptoms.
For Giardia infections, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics and recommend drinking plenty of water and beverages with electrolytes to avoid dehydration from diarrhea.
A person can use electrolyte powder to make rehydrating drinks. Electrolyte powder is available for purchase online.
Healthcare professionals usually treat pancreatitis with intravenous fluids and pain medications.
In some cases, antibiotics may be necessary. If a person has chronic pancreatitis, a doctor may recommend surgery, though this is rare.
If a person has foamy stool on more than two occasions, they should see a doctor.
Seek immediate medical attention if any of the symptoms below accompany foamy stool:
- a temperature higher than 100.4°F (38°C)
- bloody stool
- dizziness
- severe abdominal pain
- severe diarrhea that occurs for more than 2 days
A doctor can evaluate a person’s symptoms and recommend tests to determine the underlying cause.
While foamy stool may be concerning, a change in diet may help reduce the amount of mucus causing the symptom.
If foamy stool is signaling a more serious condition, such as pancreatitis, a doctor can provide treatment and recommend methods for pain management and prevention.
Read this article in Spanish.
Baby poop: a guide for parents
Babies can poop almost every colour of the rainbow, which can make opening your infant’s diaper quite a shock.
From broadcasting their diets to alerting us to illness, our babies’ poop tells us what’s going on in their little bodies when they can’t, so it helps to have a newborn poop guide to know how to read the signs. What if your baby’s poop smells sour or like vinegar? What if your baby has smelly gas, but no poop? What if your breastfed baby’s poop suddenly smells bad, or there’s dark green baby poop?
We’ve put together a baby poop primer to help you figure out what your baby’s diaper is saying. If you need additional help, you can always use Maple to see a Canadian-licensed doctor online in minutes, 24/7.
How often should my baby poop?
If you’re a new parent, it’s normal to be worried your newborn poops too much or too little. So what’s the right poop schedule for a newborn?
Newborn poop frequency is a crucial predictor of overall health, especially in the first days after birth. Both breastfed and formula-fed babies should produce about six wet diapers, and one or more poops a day (once your milk comes in if you’re breastfeeding).
For breastfed babies, this pattern typically continues until about the six week mark when colostrum disappears from your breastmilk entirely. At this stage, the rate of what’s “normal” begins to vary widely; one poop a week can actually be normal for a breastfed baby at this point. As long as your baby is gaining weight and producing enough wet diapers, infrequent poops aren’t usually something you need to worry about.
You may also be wondering how babies produce poop at all if they only drink liquids. While newborns mainly ingest liquids, the digestive system can still turn them into waste. That being said, you shouldn’t expect your newborn’s poop to resemble an adult’s poop.
After your little one starts solids, you’ll likely see a much higher number of pooping diapers. So how often should a baby poop after starting solids? A formula-fed infant will generally produce one or two stools per day while a breastfed baby will usually pass more stool as much more of what they eat will be going undigested.
Their bowel movements will also be much smellier, and are likely to change colour and consistency depending on which foods they’ve eaten.
What are the different types of baby poop?
There are five main types of baby poop: newborn, breastfed, formula-fed, solid-fed, and partially digested. Here’s an overview of each type:
- Newborn poop: For the first few days, the poop tends to be tar-like and greenish-black. Some parents describe it as resembling motor oil. The poop then turns a more normal yellow-brown.
- Breastfed poop: Healthy breastfed baby poop is yellow and appears seedy, but can also appear slightly green. It should have more of a creamy, mushy consistency.
- Formula-fed poop: Compared to poop for a breastfed baby, poop for a formula-fed infant tends to be browner in color and denser in texture. Some parents compare it to peanut butter.
- Solid-fed poop: As you introduce solid food into your baby’s diet, you’ll notice a change in their poop.
The colour will become darker or browner and the consistency will become thicker. - Partially-digested poop: As your baby starts eating more solid food, you may notice chunks in their diaper. These are normal, as your baby’s stomach is still getting used to digestion. Your child may also be swallowing food without chewing it properly, which is also normal.
What does healthy baby poop look and smell like?
Healthy baby poop can vary in appearance. Again there’s a wide range of “normal” here. For formula-fed infants, baby poop consistency tends to be about the same as toothpaste, with a tan colour. But it’s also normal for a formula-fed baby to have green poop.
Breastfed babies typically produce mustard-yellow stool, about the same consistency as actual mustard. Breastfed babies often have white curds in their poop as well, making it look seedy. But depending on what else you give your baby, healthy poop can also be orange, red, green, brown, or even black — more on this below.
As for smell, when babies are still in the infant stage, their stool shouldn’t smell too bad. Once you begin incorporating solid foods into your baby’s diet, you may notice a change with regard to odour.
A colour guide to baby poop
Black poop sounds like it would be cause for an instant trip to the hospital. But actually, this tarry, sticky substance is called “meconium,” and all healthy babies produce it for the first few days after birth.
Likewise, dark green baby poop also isn’t as scary as it sounds. Often it just means your little one has been eating a lot of green things. Even if your baby hasn’t been chowing down on chard and spinach recently, there’s no need to panic.
Iron supplements can also cause your little one to have green poop. Or, the dark green poop might appear as the in-between phase between meconium and “normal” breast milk or formula poop.
Even red poop isn’t always a cause for concern. It’s likely the result of something baby has eaten (hello beets).
Breastfeeding issues might also cause your baby to ingest blood from cracked nipples, which would show up as blood in the baby’s poop. There are times, however, when black or red poop can signal something more serious — we’ll cover that in a bit.
Frothy baby poop
Your baby will likely have frothy, foamy poop from time to time, but contrary to what the internet says, it usually doesn’t denote an allergy or intolerance. So don’t cut out dairy, wheat, or caffeine just yet.
In a breastfed baby, frothy poop likely means that your letdown — the way the milk comes out of your breast — is quite forceful in one or both of your breasts. The first milk your breasts produce is called foremilk, and it’s usually more watery and higher in lactose than the fattier and thicker hind milk which follows.
If you have an oversupply or a strong letdown, your baby often ends up with more of the foremilk and less of the fattier hind milk, especially in the first few weeks of breastfeeding.
This can be hard on your little one’s digestion and result in frothy poop. Chances are your body will figure out what your baby needs after the first few weeks of nursing. In the meantime, you can try expressing milk into a towel before nursing.
Draining each breast before switching your baby to the other side will also help by limiting future oversupply.
Rarely, green, frothy baby poop does signal an allergy — likely to cow’s milk in your diet. It might also mean, however, that your baby is sick. A milk allergy can affect baby poop, usually with blood streaks or specks that can signal an allergy, so if you’re seeing green, frothy baby poop on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to speak to a doctor.
What causes mucus in baby poop?
Finding poop with mucus in your baby’s diaper can be alarming. Luckily this isn’t always a cause for concern. It’s common for infants and newborns to be congested in the winter months when the air is drier, or if they have a cold.
Because young babies don’t know how to blow their nose, they often end up swallowing a lot of mucus.
Using saline and a mucus aspirator will help unblock their nose and get rid of much of the mucus in their poop. If your baby isn’t congested, however, and mucus in their stool persists, alert your child’s doctor and bring a sample dirty diaper to the appointment. Sometimes mucus is a sign of intestinal issues.
Frequently asked questions about baby poop
- How do I clean my baby’s first poop? Some parents find that baby wipes and warm cloths tend to smear their newborn’s poop. To gently remove the mess, one trick you can try is applying olive oil on a clean cloth.
- Is it ok to let a baby sleep in a poopy diaper? If you see or smell baby poop, you’ll need to change the diaper. If there’s a little bit of wetness but no poop, you might be able to leave the wet diaper alone and wait until morning to change it, unless the diaper is soaked through.
- How long should I wait before changing a dirty diaper? It depends on whether it’s solid or liquid waste. For a poopy diaper, it’s best to change your baby as soon as you see or smell waste. If it’s a wet diaper, there isn’t too much wetness, and your baby doesn’t seem upset, you might be able to wait a minute. Keep in mind that in general, newborn babies need to be changed every two to three hours.
- Why is my baby’s poop so smelly? If your baby’s poop is particularly foul-smelling, it could mean they’re allergic to something they’ve eaten. If a strong odor persists for several days, it could be a good idea to check in with a pediatrician or health professional.
When to take your baby to the doctor
While it’s true that a wide range of baby poop colours are normal, there are some notable exceptions. White, grey, or very anemic, pale-looking clay-coloured poops might signal a serious issue with your child’s liver. And while black poop is expected for the first few days of the baby’s life, if it comes back, see a pediatrician immediately.
In an older child, black poop can mean a serious internal stomach bleed. Similarly, if your baby’s poop contains streaks of blood, you should contact their pediatrician. If their stool is hard and your little one frequently strains while pooping, it’s likely due to constipation, so you may want to learn more about foods causing and relieving constipation in babies. Sometimes, however, it can also be the result of an allergy.
Diarrhea in newborns can also be quite serious. If your little one has had diarrhea for more than 24 hours, it’s crucial to take them to a doctor. Newborns with diarrhea are at high risk of dehydration. If your baby has diarrhea and has fewer than six wet diapers a day, a sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on their head), a fever, or vomiting, seek emergency care immediately.
Paying attention to your child’s diaper is a great way to monitor their health. Know the signs that can signal trouble, but also keep in mind that food is the most likely culprit of funny-coloured baby poop.
So always make sure to check and if you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask.
If you’re wondering if you should take your baby to the doctor or if you need medical advice, you can see a Canadian-licensed doctor on Maple in minutes, 24/7. Health professionals are always available on Maple to help give you peace of mind.
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Foamy stools in babies - Articles about baby food from pediatricians and experts MAMAKO
— Alla Anatolyevna, is frothy stools in a child a separate disease or a symptom of some kind of ailment?
- Infant stools are different from adult stools, and you should not expect "adult" stools from a small child.
Newborn stool: age characteristics
— In what cases is frothy stool in a child under one year old an indication for a medical examination?
— If the baby is restless, moody, lethargic, eats poorly, gains weight poorly, burps, does not keep intervals between feedings, does not eat the entire portion for feeding and at the same time asks for food more often than required, may not sleep at night - you should contact to the doctor.
In other cases, the stool with foam in the baby should not disturb the parents.
Why a baby has foamy stools: real and imaginary reasons
- Alla Anatolyevna, we will also consider some pathological causes of foam in the baby's stool.
Dysbacteriosis
— Violation of the composition of the microbiota, which we call dysbacteriosis, is the norm in a small child. Therefore, dysbacteriosis is not considered a disease, all children have a different microbiota. If the microbial composition in the body is disturbed, the child may experience pain due to the gases secreted by the microbes. Bloating, foamy stools with colic will not be a disease.
Intestinal infections
— When caring for a child in the first months, and especially in the first weeks of life, it is not worth talking about intestinal infections. At this age, he has little contact with people, receives mainly breast milk or powdered milk formula.
Intestinal infection is caused by pathogens - rotavirus, enterovirus, norovirus, paravirus or Salmonella, Shigella bacteria, which are transmitted by contact from a sick person to a healthy one. Therefore, foamy stools in a newborn and a child in the first months of life are unlikely to appear due to an intestinal infection.
In children of the second half of life who receive complementary foods, they begin to crawl, get up, or even walk on the playground by the handle, foamy stools can be a sign of an intestinal infection, which is most often accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting, deterioration of health, fever, appetite disorder.
Lactase deficiency
— In babies, this is a secondary phenomenon that appears against the background of immaturity of the pancreas and disappears with time. Lack of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down milk sugar (lactose), may be accompanied by frothy, sour-smelling stools, increased gas, and bloating.
Foamy stools in and of themselves are often not a disease.
The reason for making an appointment with a doctor will be the appearance of blood and mucus in the stool, regurgitation, low weight gain, insufficient nutrition, skin rashes, fever, anxiety, shortening of the intervals between feedings.
- Yellow foamy stools in babies, green stools with foam after formula, loose stools with foam - characteristics that many parents hear. What tests can be done to determine the cause of such conditions?
— Perform a coprogram — an informative study of the stool. A small piece of feces is placed in a container. A laboratory doctor under a microscope examines its organoleptic properties, color, smell, texture, content of fats, starches, undigested pieces and dietary fiber, determines the presence of mucus, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and reaction to protein in the stool.
Also, the doctor may prescribe:
- complete blood count - look at the general indicators, whether there is inflammation, a tendency to allergies, whether the iron content is sufficient;
- analysis for macro- and microelements - potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium;
- analysis for fecal calprotectin, an inflammatory protein;
- eosinophil cationic protein test - if allergy is suspected;
- Abdominal ultrasound and functional tests.
— How to treat and fix a child's stool? Can his parents help him?
Pediatricians do not treat foamy stools. The child may be prescribed probiotics, since foamy stools are accompanied by a fermentation process in the intestines during the formation of the microbiota. The therapy lasts 28 days, during this period the microbes colonize the entire gastrointestinal tract, after which the drug is gradually excreted.
Simethicone preparations for colic, bloating, gas, flatulence in some children cause foamy stools.
If the child feels well, the foam in the stool will disappear on its own as the digestive organs mature and the intestinal microflora develops.
- Can prolonged frothy stools lead to dehydration?
- Foamy stools cannot cause dehydration. But if it is associated with diarrhea, vomiting, high fever in an infectious disease, then this can lead to dehydration.
At the first suspicion of an infection, it is better to consult a doctor and treat the child. In general, however, the infectious process is more typical for children of the second half of life, since before that they communicate only with family members.
A frothy stool in a small child is very common, but does not always indicate an illness. If the baby is in good health, there is no cause for concern. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract, digestion, weight gain, nutrition may be accompanied by foamy stools. In this case, you need to consult a doctor for an additional examination.
* Breast milk is the best food for babies. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a child's life and continued breastfeeding after complementary foods are introduced until the age of 2 years. Before introducing new products into the baby's diet, you should consult with a specialist. The material is for informational purposes and cannot replace the advice of a healthcare professional.
