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Normal stool of newborns and children up to the first six months of life

The contents of a diaper excite every young mother. Any change or change in the frequency of bowel movements causes her to panic and forces her to look for diseases in the child. We understand how the gastrointestinal tract works in infants and what the baby's stool should be like.

Peculiarities of digestion in an infant

Despite the long intrauterine development, many systems and organs of a newborn child cannot fully perform their functions. The gastrointestinal tract is no exception. Babies don't have teeth to chew solid food, and their liver and pancreas don't produce enough enzymes.

In addition, the baby is born with a sterile intestine. Its settlement with beneficial microflora occurs in the first weeks of life, and full development can last up to a year. Children of the first half of the year eat only breast milk or a milk mixture adapted for their intestines. Feeding whole milk or fermented milk products is dangerous to his health.

The baby's stool is also different. In the first days of life, a newborn baby passes meconium - the original feces are usually dark green or black. Then it gradually changes color, smell and texture. What exactly it will be depends on the type of feeding and the characteristics of the child himself.

Stool norm in newborns and children up to a year

Normal stool indicators depend on how the mother feeds the child, whether he has congenital gastrointestinal diseases, allergies or intolerances. The frequency of stool in a newborn and children in the first half of life also depends on this.

With mixed feeding, the frequency and appearance of the stool depends on the proportion in which the child receives breast milk and an adapted formula.

At first, the baby can defecate after each feed. Over time, stool frequency decreases and volume increases. This can be scary for new parents. Our doctors remotely and at any time of the day will answer all questions about the health of the child and help determine when stool changes indicate pathology.

Newborn stool color

The second parameter, after the frequency, to which mothers pay the closest attention, is the color of the child's stool. Normally it is yellow or orange. It can be plain or with white patches. This color is typical for fresh stools when the baby has just gone to the toilet.

When exposed to air, the feces oxidize and become greenish in color. This is not a pathology. This color of the stool does not require treatment or medical attention. However, a sharp change in color, consistency or frequency of bowel movements, the appearance of foam, blood and streaks in the feces can indicate digestive problems - lactase deficiency, constipation, allergies, dysbacteriosis.

What problems does stool disorder indicate?

It is believed that the feces of a newborn should depart daily and not cause him any inconvenience. However, in children who are fully breastfed, stools may be completely absent up to 6 days. If after that the baby defecates without problems, and the feces themselves remain soft, this is considered a variant of the norm.

However, in some cases, a violation or change in bowel movements can indicate problems with digestion. The main ones are:

• constipation;
• diarrhea;
• allergy;
• intolerance to certain products;
• lactase deficiency;
• bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract;
• cracks.

The main symptoms to look out for include the following:

• the child becomes restless and capricious;
• he draws his legs to his stomach;
• the chair becomes rare and dense;
• the stool becomes too liquid and frequent;
• mucus, blood streaks, black blotches appear in the feces;
• stool immediately green;
• he smells bad;
• foam is visible in the feces.

These symptoms should be reported to the health visitor or pediatrician during the preventive visit. If blood is found in the diaper, you should immediately call an ambulance and hospitalize the child.

Changes in stool may indicate problems with the gastrointestinal tract in a child. It can be difficult for young parents to distinguish the norm from the pathology, so if you have any concerns, you should consult a pediatrician. Our doctors will answer all your questions about your baby's health, help you find the problem and tell you what to do in case of illness.

How to help your baby with stool problems

To help the baby, you need to understand why there are problems with the stool. To do this, the pediatrician will offer to undergo diagnostics - take blood tests, check feces, sign up for an ultrasound scan, colonoscopy or gastroscopy. The latter in young children are performed under general anesthesia and require temporary hospitalization.

After making a diagnosis, the doctor will suggest treatment and related activities:

1. If an allergy is suspected, a nursing mother will be offered to follow a hypoallergenic diet. If the baby is bottle-fed, they will offer to change the mixture.
2. Also, the doctor will give recommendations on the diet of the child. Breastfeed your baby freely, but less than once every two hours. Formula-fed babies can tolerate long intervals.
3. In case of allergies, the child may be recommended to take antihistamines and sorbents.
4. With confirmed lactase deficiency, the child is either transferred to a lactose-free mixture, or it is recommended to give special enzymes before feeding.
5. If constipation, diarrhea and dysbacteriosis are suspected, the child may be prescribed drugs to improve the stool or special mixtures with lacto- and bifidobacteria.
6. If an infection is suspected, against which diarrhea began, the baby may be prescribed antibiotics and antiviral agents.

If congenital pathologies of the development of the gastrointestinal tract are detected during the examination, the doctor takes appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures. Which ones and for how long depends on the type of disease and its degree.

Important! Abdominal problems are often associated with increased gas or colic. In this case, it is recommended to massage the abdomen, put a warm heating pad on it, or put the bare tummy against the mother's stomach.

FAQ

How many times a day should a newborn have a stool?

+

In the first days of life, the child passes meconium. After that, the chair can be after each feeding. In a month-old baby, the frequency of stools is removed and varies from 1 to 6 times a day. In children who are fully breastfed, it can recede up to 6 days.

What does feces look like in newborns?

+

Newborn babies have black or dark green stools. Over time, it brightens, becomes yellow-orange. It may contain white blotches and heterogeneities.

What are the problems with the chair?

+

The problems are indicated by the absence of stool against the background of the child’s anxiety and a change in the consistency of feces, too frequent stools, bad smell, foam, green color of feces immediately after a bowel movement, the appearance of streaks and inclusions of red and black or mucus in it.

What to do if the child does not poop?

+

If the child behaves normally (does not cry, does not act up and does not tighten his legs), and after the stool is pasty and easily leaves, then nothing needs to be done. If the child is worried and cannot poop, you need to see a doctor. He will conduct examinations and prescribe treatment.

Expert opinion

A change in the stool of a newborn, its complete absence or too frequent bowel movements can indicate digestive problems, allergies, and congenital diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. To distinguish the norm from pathology, you need to know what happens and how often a normal stool happens, what signs indicate pathology and when you need to see a doctor.

We publish only verified information

Article author

Pruzhinin Mark Yulievich pediatrician

Experience 30 years

Consultations 1572

articles 104

An experienced pediatrician with extensive experience and clinical experience in various medical organizations, resuscitation and intensive care and neuroinfection. Works with leading experts, attends international and Russian conferences.

Normal stools of newborns and children up to the first six months of life

The contents of a diaper excite every young mother. Any change or change in the frequency of bowel movements causes her to panic and forces her to look for diseases in the child. We understand how the gastrointestinal tract works in infants and what the baby's stool should be like.

Peculiarities of digestion in an infant

Despite the long intrauterine development, many systems and organs of a newborn child cannot fully perform their functions. The gastrointestinal tract is no exception. Babies don't have teeth to chew solid food, and their liver and pancreas don't produce enough enzymes.

In addition, the baby is born with a sterile intestine. Its settlement with beneficial microflora occurs in the first weeks of life, and full development can last up to a year. Children of the first half of the year eat only breast milk or a milk mixture adapted for their intestines. Feeding whole milk or fermented milk products is dangerous to his health.

The baby's stool is also different. In the first days of life, a newborn baby passes meconium - the original feces are usually dark green or black. Then it gradually changes color, smell and texture. What exactly it will be depends on the type of feeding and the characteristics of the child himself.

Stool norm in newborns and children up to a year

Normal stool indicators depend on how the mother feeds the child, whether he has congenital gastrointestinal diseases, allergies or intolerances. The frequency of stool in a newborn and children in the first half of life also depends on this.

With mixed feeding, the frequency and appearance of the stool depends on the proportion in which the child receives breast milk and an adapted mixture.

At first, the baby can defecate after each feed. Over time, stool frequency decreases and volume increases. This can be scary for new parents. Our doctors remotely and at any time of the day will answer all questions about the health of the child and help determine when stool changes indicate pathology.

Newborn stool color

The second parameter, after the frequency, to which mothers pay the closest attention, is the color of the child's stool. Normally it is yellow or orange. It can be plain or with white patches. This color is typical for fresh stools when the baby has just gone to the toilet.

When exposed to air, the feces oxidize and become greenish in color. This is not a pathology. This color of the stool does not require treatment or medical attention. However, a sharp change in color, consistency or frequency of bowel movements, the appearance of foam, blood and streaks in the feces can indicate digestive problems - lactase deficiency, constipation, allergies, dysbacteriosis.

What problems does stool disorder indicate?

It is believed that the feces of a newborn should depart daily and not cause him any inconvenience. However, in children who are fully breastfed, stools may be completely absent up to 6 days. If after that the baby defecates without problems, and the feces themselves remain soft, this is considered a variant of the norm.

However, in some cases, a violation or change in bowel movements can indicate problems with digestion. The main ones are:

• constipation;
• diarrhea;
• allergy;
• intolerance to certain products;
• lactase deficiency;
• bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract;
• cracks.

The main symptoms to look out for include the following:

• the child becomes restless and capricious;
• he draws his legs to his stomach;
• the chair becomes rare and dense;
• the stool becomes too liquid and frequent;
• mucus, blood streaks, black blotches appear in the feces;
• stool immediately green;
• he smells bad;
• foam is visible in the feces.

These symptoms should be reported to the health visitor or pediatrician during the preventive visit. If blood is found in the diaper, you should immediately call an ambulance and hospitalize the child.

Changes in stool may indicate problems with the gastrointestinal tract in a child. It can be difficult for young parents to distinguish the norm from the pathology, so if you have any concerns, you should consult a pediatrician. Our doctors will answer all your questions about your baby's health, help you find the problem and tell you what to do in case of illness.

How to help your baby with stool problems

To help the baby, you need to understand why there are problems with the stool. To do this, the pediatrician will offer to undergo diagnostics - take blood tests, check feces, sign up for an ultrasound scan, colonoscopy or gastroscopy. The latter in young children are performed under general anesthesia and require temporary hospitalization.

After making a diagnosis, the doctor will suggest treatment and related activities:

1. If an allergy is suspected, a nursing mother will be offered to follow a hypoallergenic diet. If the baby is bottle-fed, they will offer to change the mixture.
2. Also, the doctor will give recommendations on the diet of the child. Breastfeed your baby freely, but less than once every two hours. Formula-fed babies can tolerate long intervals.
3. In case of allergies, the child may be recommended to take antihistamines and sorbents.
4. With confirmed lactase deficiency, the child is either transferred to a lactose-free mixture, or it is recommended to give special enzymes before feeding.
5. If constipation, diarrhea and dysbacteriosis are suspected, the child may be prescribed drugs to improve the stool or special mixtures with lacto- and bifidobacteria.
6. If an infection is suspected, against which diarrhea began, the baby may be prescribed antibiotics and antiviral agents.

If congenital pathologies of the development of the gastrointestinal tract are detected during the examination, the doctor takes appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures. Which ones and for how long depends on the type of disease and its degree.

Important! Abdominal problems are often associated with increased gas or colic. In this case, it is recommended to massage the abdomen, put a warm heating pad on it, or put the bare tummy against the mother's stomach.

FAQ

How many times a day should a newborn have a stool?

+

In the first days of life, the child passes meconium. After that, the chair can be after each feeding. In a month-old baby, the frequency of stools is removed and varies from 1 to 6 times a day. In children who are fully breastfed, it can recede up to 6 days.

What does feces look like in newborns?

+

Newborn babies have black or dark green stools. Over time, it brightens, becomes yellow-orange. It may contain white blotches and heterogeneities.

What are the problems with the chair?

+

The problems are indicated by the absence of stool against the background of the child’s anxiety and a change in the consistency of feces, too frequent stools, bad smell, foam, green color of feces immediately after a bowel movement, the appearance of streaks and inclusions of red and black or mucus in it.

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