Greenish yellow poop in infants

Colored Stool and Diarrhea in Infants

Find out what color changes, diarrhea, and frequency may say about your baby's health.

Written by Lisa Zamosky

Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on March 31, 2022

New babies don't come with an instruction manual, but they do leave clues about the state of their health. Hiding in a baby's diaper is a wealth of information, and many new parents understandably find themselves spending a lot of time and energy trying to decode the messages left for them -- the amount, the color, the consistency -- and what it all means.

So what does the content of a baby's diaper say about their health? And when should you be worried about what's in the diaper? Here's expert advice.

How Much Poop Is Normal?

"A lot," says Kenneth Wible, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri and pediatrics medical director at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo.

"It depends somewhat on diet," Wible says. "Babies who are breastfed generally have more and thinner stools than babies who are formula fed. But five to six stools per day is pretty normal."

While it's a good idea to expect a lot of poop in the early stages of a baby's life, the frequency of bowel movements among children varies widely, notes Barry Steinmetz, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif.

"Some kids will go up to seven or eight times a day," he says. Other infants may go every other day.

Many parents become concerned when an infant's bowel movements suddenly drop in frequency. But particularly for breastfed babies, this is a common occurrence as a mother's milk becomes more mature.

"The mother's milk is so well balanced and the baby's digestive processes are so good, there's not a lot of residue," Wible says.

The key, Steinmetz says, is that the stool is soft and the child is eating well and gaining weight.

Consistency

There's often a large amount of liquid content in babies' stool because before six months, doctors recommend that babies get their nutrients exclusively from milk.

"It kind of looks as if you took a jar of mustard and mixed it with cottage cheese, especially for formula-fed babies," Wible says. "With breastfed babies, there is a lot more liquid and the milk curds in the stool are a lot finer and smaller."

Is It Constipation?

It's not simply the absence of stool but stool that is formed or looks like pellets that should tip you off that your child may be constipated.

Very firm or pebble-like stools require a call to the doctor. This can sometimes indicate that the child is dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration might include decreased tears, lack of saliva, and a sunken look in the eyes and the infant's soft spot. The soft spot, also called anterior fontanelle, is a space between the bones on the top of an infant’s skull. The soft spot can be present until about 2 years of age.

Most parents are concerned that the pained, red-faced look their baby gets while pooping means straining and constipation. That's usually not the case.

"A baby doesn't know how to ... contract the abdominal musculature and push," Steinmetz explains. "Plus, they don't have gravity helping them like when you sit on a commode."

By the age of 1, most kids have it worked out and lose the tortured look.

Signs of Diarrhea

When it comes to diarrhea, parents sometimes have a hard time knowing what they're dealing with because infants' stools are naturally loose. But looking for subtle changes in a baby's poop is often a waste of time, Steinmetz says.

"Blow-out diarrhea that goes up the back is not that subtle," he says. And it's just the kind of outburst that is common when diarrhea strikes very young children.

Call your doctor right away if there is diarrhea, especially with newborns, Wible advises. It can signal something more serious, such as a virus or other systemic illness dangerous for very young children.

What Does Color Mean?

Baby poop changes color and it's a constant concern for parents. But for the most part, it needn't be.

"Color has not much to do with anything except the transit time of food [in the baby's system] and the bile coming through the GI tract," Steinmetz says.

The poop color timeline works like this: Yellow means milk is moving through the baby's system quickly. When the process slows down, poop becomes green -- and can unnecessarily worry parents. Even slower, poop turns brown.

"That's why infants often have yellow stools, because they have a very fast transit time," Steinmetz says.

Colors of Concern

The main colors that should concern a parent and prompt an immediate call to the pediatrician are white, red, and black.

White poop can indicate an infection or a problem with bile, which is a fluid produced by the liver that aids digestion. Black is a sign of digested blood in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and red indicates fresh blood that could be coming from the colon or rectum.

Sometimes, however, breastfeeding newborns whose mothers' breast skin is cracking swallow their mother's blood while feeding, which comes through their stool, Wible says.

That's no cause for alarm, and your doctor may be able to perform a test to tell who the blood belongs to.

Occasionally, green, mucus-like poop can be caused by a virus commonly seen in babies. If your child has green poop and symptoms of diarrhea, fever, or irritability, call your pediatrician.

Solid Food and the Changes They Bring

When your child begins eating solid food, expect a firmer consistency and a change in the color of your child's poop, notes Wible.

"How it will change is unpredictable, but it will change," he says.

In general, it's a good idea to pay attention to the contents of your baby's diaper, as long as you keep it in perspective, Steinmetz says. Typical signs of an issue of real concern -- blood in the stool, vomiting blood, abdominal distention -- are hard to miss.

Still, if an issue is keeping you up at night, don't hesitate to call your doctor's office.

What's Typical and When to See a Pediatrician

Poop color can be one way to learn about your baby’s health. Your little one will go through a variety of poop colors, especially during the first year of life, as their diet changes.

It’s important to understand that what’s typical for adult poop doesn’t necessarily apply to baby poop. This includes color and texture.

Below are the most common poop colors you may see and why.

	Baby’s diet	Is it typical?
Black	breast milk or formula	This is expected in the first few days of life. It’s not typical if it comes back later in infancy, though.
Mustard “seedy” yellow	breast milk	This is typical.
Bright yellow	breast milk	If it’s overly runny, it could be a sign of diarrhea.
Orange	breast milk or formula	This is typical.
Red	any diet	This may be from introducing red solids into your baby’s diet or from something else, such as blood. If they’ve eaten a red solid, see if their next stool returns to its usual color. If not or if you haven’t recently introduced red solids, call their pediatrician.
Greenish tan	formula	This is typical.
Dark green	diet includes green-colored solids or iron supplements	This is expected.
White	any diet	This may indicate trouble with the liver, so call your child’s pediatrician.
Gray	any diet	This may be a sign of a digestive concern, so call your child’s pediatrician.
Brown	any diet	This is typical.

While your baby may have different poop colors during infancy, it’s important to know what’s considered “normal” and when you should call your child’s pediatrician.

Below is a breakdown of all the possible changes you may see in your baby’s stool, what these might mean, and how long they may last.

Black

A newborn’s first stool is likely to be black, with a tar-like consistency. This is called meconium, and it contains mucus, skin cells, and amniotic fluid. Black stool should not last more than a couple of days.

Mustard yellow

Once the meconium passes, a newborn’s stool may be a mustard yellow color. This color of stool is also most common in breastfed or chestfed babies.

Bright yellow

It’s typical to see bright yellow poop in breastfed or chestfed (and sometimes formula-fed) babies. Bright yellow poop that’s much more frequent than usual and extremely runny, though, could be diarrhea. Diarrhea can increase the risk for dehydration.

Orange

Orange poop occurs from pigments picked up in your baby’s digestive tract. It can occur in both breastfed and formula-fed babies.

Red

Sometimes your baby’s poop can also turn red from dark red foods and drinks they have consumed, such as tomato juice or beets. Red poop could also mean there’s blood in your baby’s bowel movements from an intestinal infection, among other causes, which should be addressed by a pediatrician.

Red blood in a baby’s poop can also occur from milk allergies or from an anal fissure. Certain red-colored medications, such as amoxicillin or cefdinir, may also cause red poop.

It’s a good idea to call your child’s pediatrician if your baby has red stool.

If they’ve recently eaten red food, you may consider waiting to see if the next stool returns to its usual color before calling your pediatrician. But don’t wait to see if your baby experiences other symptoms like vomiting or stomach pain before calling the doctor

Greenish tan

Formula-fed babies may have poop that’s a combination of greenish tan and yellow. Their poop is also firmer than that of a breastfed or chestfed baby.

Dark green

Dark green poop is most common in babies who are starting solid foods that are green in color, such as spinach and peas. Iron supplements can also cause your baby’s poop to turn green.

White

White poop can indicate that your baby isn’t producing enough bile in their liver to help them digest food properly. This is a serious concern. White poop at any stage should be addressed by a pediatrician.

Gray

Like white poop, baby stools that are gray in color can mean your baby isn’t digesting food as they should. Call your child’s pediatrician if your baby has poop that’s gray or a chalky consistency.

Color can indicate quite a bit about your baby’s poop, but it’s also important to consider texture. The combination can tell you a lot about your baby’s health that color alone can’t.

Newborn poop consistency

Newborn poop has a thick, tar-like consistency. This is standard, and both the color and texture of a newborn’s poop will change within the first couple of days of life.

Talk with your child’s pediatrician if your baby’s poop hasn’t changed to being looser and yellow within a few days of birth. This can be a sign they aren’t getting enough milk.

Breastfed or chestfed consistency

Babies fed breast milk have looser stools that may contain seed-like substances. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your baby has diarrhea.

They may have also more bowel movements more frequently because breast milk is digested faster. This is also not considered diarrhea.

Formula-fed consistency

Formula-fed babies tend to have firmer poop that’s tan to brown in color with some green and yellow. Your baby may be constipated if they strain during bowel movements and have infrequent, hard stools.

Weaning stage consistency

The weaning stage is a transitional phase when you move from solely nursing to feeding baby other types of fluids and solid foods. During this phase, your baby’s poop may become more firm. You may also notice stronger-smelling stools as well.

After introducing solids

Once you’ve introduced solid foods to your baby’s diet, their poop will start to bulk up like typical adult poop.

Constipation consistency

Extremely hard poop that’s difficult to pass could mean constipation. Small, pebble-like drops that are dark brown in color are also a sign of this. If your baby is constipated, these remedies may help. But speak with your child’s pediatrician before trying home remedies to relieve baby’s constipation.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea in a baby consists of loose, watery stools that occur more than once every feeding. It can be difficult to pinpoint diarrhea in a young infant because their bowel movements are naturally looser than babies who are on solid foods.

Mucus or frothy stool

A mucus-like or frothy texture can sometimes occur when your baby is drooling from teething, then subsequently swallows their drool.

If you see this texture in your baby’s stool and they’re not drooling, it could be caused by an infection that requires pediatric treatment.

The presence of mucus in the stool is standard in newborns as they pass meconium. It’s also seen in babies who swallow their drool. However, mucus can also be caused by a bacterial infection or other trouble in your baby’s intestines.

As a rule of thumb, you should call your pediatrician if your baby is older than a few days, is not drooling, and has persistent mucus in their stool.

Blood may be present in a baby’s stool from straining during constipation. It could also be a sign of an infection, which warrants a call to the pediatrician.

Small amounts of blood are sometimes ingested during nursing if your nipples are cracked. This appears as specks of black or dark red in your baby’s poop.

Once your baby starts solids, you might notice food pieces appearing in their poop. This is because some foods aren’t digestible and will quickly pass through your baby’s system.

It’s OK if your baby doesn’t pass stool every day. This does not necessarily mean there’s a concern. A newborn can have few bowel movements early on.

If you’re breastfeeding or chestfeeding, your baby may poop only once per week when they get to the 3- to 6-week mark. If your baby is formula-fed, then you should see bowel movements occurring around once per day. Anything less than this could indicate constipation, though some formula-fed babies don’t poop every day, either.

Your baby will likely have a daily bowel movement once they’re on solids. Pooping more than once after each feeding at any stage could indicate diarrhea.

Know that changes in color and even consistency are expected during your baby’s first year of life. But it’s also important to monitor these changes in case you need to call your child’s pediatrician.

The color of baby poop shifts for various reasons. Feeding and age can also affect the overall color and consistency.

If you’re ever concerned about your baby’s bowel movements, call your child’s pediatrician for advice. You should also take your baby to the pediatrician if they have diarrhea accompanied by a fever.

Extremely hard and dry stools are usually a sign of constipation. But if your baby is vomiting or otherwise ill, it may be a sign that they are dehydrated. See your child’s pediatrician if you suspect your baby’s dehydrated.

Other symptoms of dehydration in a baby include:

fewer than six wet diapers a day, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics
fussiness
mood that’s less playful than usual
crying without tears
excessive fatigue
skin that changes in color or has a wrinkled appearance
sunken soft spot on the head
sunken eyes

Monitoring your baby’s stool can be a useful way to identify health problems that your baby can’t otherwise tell you about. If you ever have any concerns, don’t hesitate to call your child’s pediatrician.

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Baby's green stool - Articles about baby food from pediatricians and MAMAKO experts The child's stool suddenly began to look completely different, instead of yellowish, it turned out to be green. What does it mean? Why does a baby have green stools? The reason is important. Greens in the diaper can be a completely normal and harmless manifestation of changes in the intestinal microflora or a symptom of the disease. Dark green, yellow-green, green stools with mucus, green diarrhea - when to worry and call the doctor, and when are green stools still in the "green zone"?

- Anastasia Anatolyevna, what kind of stool should a healthy baby have and what deviations are acceptable?

— Stool color differs between breastfed and formula-fed babies. If greenery appears in the stool, and its consistency and frequency remain normal, this is acceptable.

— What diseases can be a symptom of green stool in a newborn?

- Various diseases can provoke the appearance of green stools, primarily disorders in the baby's gastrointestinal tract and infections:

liver or gallbladder dysfunction;
diseases of the pancreas;
dysbacteriosis;
bacterial infections;
viral intestinal diseases;
helminthic infestation;
food allergy.

- Let's see what green stool means in common problem situations.

Situation 1. Green loose stools in an infant

- If diarrhea occurs suddenly, accompanied by vomiting, fever, intestinal colic - this is a disease. It can be caused by enteroviruses, pathogenic fungi, intestinal bacteria. For example, staphylococci and streptococci, entering the intestines of a child, begin intensive reproduction and change the acidic environment to an alkaline one. Therefore, the color of the stool changes.

Situation 2. Green feces with dysbacteriosis in infants

— Every baby faces dysbacteriosis: it occurs during the formation of the necessary microflora in the intestines. The unnaturally green color of the stool in dysbacteriosis is due to the content of dead leukocytes in the feces. They accumulate in the intestinal area and increase the inflammatory process. The stool turns green due to fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines. Other manifestations of dysbacteriosis include bloating, gas formation, and a skin rash. The child's stool will return to normal when the microflora is fully populated.

If the child is gaining weight well, nothing bothers him, then green stool is considered normal. Other symptoms will indicate indigestibility of food.

Green stool in a baby - causes

— What symptoms should a child see a doctor against the background of green stools?

- Decreased appetite in a baby, fever, colic, abdominal pain, bloody impurities and mucus in the feces, vomiting, rash on the body - such complaints should be an obligatory reason for a visit to a children's doctor. Upon examination, he will recommend a list of studies to make the correct diagnosis.

If a green stool appeared during a change in nutrition, but the child has an adequate weight gain, good health, he is active, his appetite is normal, then there is no reason for concern. This may be a one-time manifestation that will disappear without any complaints.

Green stool in a child - what tests to pass:

blood and urine test – the presence of inflammation in the body is determined;
coprogram - the presence of an inflammatory process in the intestine is assessed,
analysis of feces for dysbacteriosis - to assess the intestinal microflora;
biochemical blood test - checking the functioning of the digestive organs;
scraping for enterobiosis - confirms or excludes a parasitic disease;
Ultrasound examination of the digestive system - to assess the functioning of the pancreas and liver.

— How to treat green stools at home?

— The child must be treated by a specialist. Therapy depends on the cause of green impurities in the feces. In case of malnutrition, a change in the diet of mother and child, a decrease in the volume of complementary foods, and the selection of the right complementary foods are prescribed.

If an infection is suspected, the child must be hospitalized in a specialized department, because adequate assistance can only be provided there.

Treatment of intestinal infection and green stool:

drinking regime - to prevent dehydration;
sorbents - to remove pathogenic toxins from the body;
antibacterial drugs - are prescribed when a causative agent of a bacterial intestinal infection is detected.

Non-infectious causes of green stools in a child - what to do:

lactose intolerance - lactose is excluded from the child's diet;
allergic reaction - determine the allergen and exclude it from the diet of an artificial child or a nursing mother;
helminthic invasion - give anthelmintic drugs;
dysbacteriosis - correct the intestinal microflora with pre- and probiotics.

— What can be considered the best prevention of green stool?

- Timely and correct introduction of complementary foods, nutrition without overeating, dietary compliance by the mother, individually selected milk formula will contribute to comfortable digestion in a small child.

There are many reasons leading to green stools in babies. Green stools can appear in both breastfed and formula fed babies. Whether the change in the color of the stool is caused by infectious diseases, your pediatrician will help you figure it out, who will select the right treatment.

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Green feces - causes, what diseases it occurs in, diagnosis and treatment

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes over time, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

Green feces: causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Definition

Greenish stool in people of any age can be both a normal variant and evidence of serious changes in the body.

Feces is a waste product of the body, formed in the large intestine, consists of 80% water and 20% solids. The dry residue includes undigested food (40%), almost completely non-viable intestinal microflora (30%), secretions of the glands of the intestinal wall (mucus) and dead cells of the intestinal mucosa (30%).

The composition and nature of feces are determined by nutrition, the state of the digestive system, intestinal microflora, and the presence of concomitant diseases.

The composition of the normal intestinal microflora includes a large number of bifido- and lactobacilli, E. coli, bacteroids. They are useful because they perform a protective function and inhibit the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. Enterobacteria, enterococci, clostridia, staphylococci, streptococci, fungi of the genus Candida are present in a smaller amount in the intestine. With uncontrolled reproduction, they can cause unpleasant symptoms.

Varieties of green stool

Green stool occurs in normal and pathological conditions. With the pathological nature of the stool, the general well-being of the patient changes, the frequency of defecation, the consistency of the stool, its smell, impurities of mucus, pus, and blood may appear.

Possible causes of green stools

The most common cause of green stools without changing its other characteristics is the consumption of green plant foods - spinach, sorrel, lettuce, etc. , as well as foods containing green food coloring. In this case, the color of feces normalizes on its own within one to two days after stopping the use of these products.

Another normal variant is meconium, the first feces of a newborn. It is viscous, sticky, dark green in color, consists of dead cells of the intestinal wall, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile.

The intestines of a newborn baby are gradually colonized by microorganisms. At the same time, the composition of the microflora of a breastfed baby, despite the predominance of lacto- and bifidobacteria, is more variable than that of a formula-fed baby.

Some bacteria can affect the color of stool and turn it green. With good health, appetite and the absence of other symptoms, these phenomena are considered a variant of the norm.

Persistent disturbance of the composition of the intestinal microflora (dysbacteriosis) is considered a pathological condition that affects the color of feces.

When taking tableted and encapsulated iron preparations, excess iron is excreted naturally, the feces acquire a dark, greenish, up to black tint.

Kal completely restores its characteristics after the end of the course of medication.

Possible causes of green stools include infectious and inflammatory diseases of the stomach, small and large intestines.

Diseases that cause green stool

Lactase deficiency is a congenital or acquired condition in which the activity of the lactase enzyme and the ability to digest lactose are absent or reduced. Congenital lactase deficiency begins in early childhood and persists throughout life; transient deficiency develops against the background of immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of a newborn (occurs at 3-6 weeks of life and decreases as the child grows and develops). Secondary lactase deficiency is a consequence of a previous disease, accompanied by damage to the cells of the intestinal wall.

The main symptoms of lactase deficiency are severe bloating, intestinal colic, loose frothy stools after drinking breast or whole cow's milk.

With insufficient processing of lactose in the gastrointestinal tract, the processes of fermentation and decay begin, which cannot but affect the composition of the microflora. With a pronounced imbalance of microorganisms, green stools may appear.

Violation of the ratio of normal and pathogenic intestinal microflora is called dysbacteriosis . This condition can occur against the background of a sharp change in nutrition, with insufficient consumption of plant foods and dairy products, due to inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, gastric and duodenal ulcers, infectious lesions of the small or large intestine, after taking a course of antibacterial drugs, against the background of a decrease in immunity .

Symptoms of dysbacteriosis include constipation or unstable stools, impaired processing and absorption of beneficial nutrients, bloating and pain in the abdomen.

Among intestinal infections, which are characterized by the appearance of green stools, dysentery, giardiasis, salmonellosis, and rotavirus are distinguished.

Dysentery is caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella, which are excreted in the stool by an ill person or carrier. Shigella enter the body through dirty hands, and after 2-3 days, the development of the disease begins. Bacteria multiply in the large intestine, irritating and damaging its wall.

Symptoms of dysentery are false painful urge to defecate, as well as frequent, scanty liquid stools of dark green color with impurities of blood, mucus, and pus.

The patient's general health worsens, he is worried about weakness, body temperature rises. At the same time, due to light stools, the risk of dehydration remains low, but perforation of the intestinal wall is possible.

Giardiasis is caused by protozoa - Giardia. The transmission mechanism is fecal-oral, infection is possible through direct contact with a sick person or through contaminated water and food. It takes up to four weeks from the moment of infection to the onset of symptoms. More often sick children and adults with low acidity of gastric juice.

The simplest cause symptoms of inflammation of the small intestine: nausea, bloating, pain in its upper and middle thirds, around the navel, frequent (up to 5 times a day) liquid, profuse, frothy, foul-smelling green stools.

Extraintestinal manifestations are also possible - skin rashes, pronounced allergic reactions.

Giardia

Salmonellosis is caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella. They enter the human body through poorly thermally processed eggs, dairy products and meat. The period from infection to the onset of the disease lasts up to two days. The symptoms of salmonellosis include spasmodic pain in the upper abdomen and near the navel, nausea, vomiting (up to 3 times a day), as well as frequent (up to 15 times a day) plentiful, liquid, frothy, fetid stools of the color of marsh mud.

The disease is dangerously severe intoxication, dehydration, possible entry of salmonella into the blood and dysfunction of many organs and systems (sepsis).

Rotavirus is spread by food, water, airborne droplets, household. Perfectly preserved in the external environment, resistant to most disinfectants. For the development of the disease, it is enough for just a few viral particles to enter the mouth. It begins with symptoms of an acute respiratory viral infection - fever, redness and sore throat. Then frequent profuse vomiting and frequent (5-15 times a day) loose stools, which can be of different shades, including yellow-green, join. Against this background, dehydration quickly develops.

Which doctors to contact

If there are signs of an intestinal infection, especially in a child, it is best to call an ambulance team, which, if necessary, will take the patient to the infectious diseases hospital.

Otherwise, please contact therapist general practitioner, pediatrician gastroenterologist.

Diagnostics and examinations in case of green stool

To determine the causes of green stool, the doctor conducts a thorough interview and examination of the patient, clarifies the mode and nature of nutrition, finds out concomitant diseases and conditions.

For a more complete understanding of the picture, a number of laboratory and instrumental research methods may be required:

complete blood count with an expanded leukocyte formula;

What to do if green stool appears

You need to see a doctor, get an examination and follow the recommendations of a specialist.

To prevent the occurrence of green stools, you should eat a balanced diet, observe personal hygiene, take care of the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

Treatment for green stools

Treatment is not required only in one case - when the green color of the stool is associated with dietary errors.

Adults with lactase deficiency are advised to follow a diet low in whole and powdered milk. Breastfed children are prescribed lactase preparations, and artificially fed children are prescribed low-lactose or lactose-free mixtures.

With established dysbacteriosis, diet and medications that normalize the intestinal microflora are required. In rare cases, drugs are prescribed that inhibit the growth and development of a certain type of microbe.

In intestinal infections, the main task is to maintain water balance (if necessary, fluid is administered intravenously) and to remove intoxication.

If there is a drug that specifically affects the causative agent of a particular disease (antibiotic, bacteriophage, etc.), it is recommended to be taken. At the same time, measures are taken to restore the intestinal microflora.

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