What should be the consistency of feces in infants. What should be the chair of a newborn on artificial feeding: how many times a day according to the norm? What changes in the stool should be paid attention to and what they can indicate

What should be the feces (stool) in newborns and infants. How do the properties of feces depend on the nutrition of the child? In what case does a change in the nature of the child's stool indicate an illness?

In the first year of a child's life, functions digestive system the final ones have not yet been formed, and therefore, the feces (stool) of newborns and children of the first year of life has a number of characteristic features. The analysis of feces in children of the first year of life also has some features that are important to consider when trying to establish a diagnosis of dysbacteriosis or digestive disorders. The properties of a child's feces depend on the nutrition he receives, so the normal stool of children who are on breastfeeding, is very different from the normal stool of children receiving artificial feeding.

Features of the analysis of feces in newborns

The first stool, which is passed about 8 to 10 hours after the baby is born, is called meconium. Meconium is a mucus plug that contains a small amount of cells that line the intestines of a child, as well as tiny droplets of fat and a yellow-green pigment - bilirubin. Meconium is usually a sticky, thick, odorless substance that is viscous and dark green in color. The characteristic color of meconium is given by a pigment - bilirubin, which is formed during the breakdown of erythrocytes (red blood cells) of a child. As a rule, meconium is sterile, that is, it does not contain germs.

Normal discharge of meconium in the form of greenish-black mucus in a total amount of up to 100 g continues for another 2-3 days after birth.

What diseases are detected in the analysis of meconium?

The study of meconium is an important step in the detection of some congenital diseases of the child's digestive system. An important indicator is the time of discharge of the first meconium (normally, the first portion of meconium is excreted in the first 8-10 hours of a child's life). Delayed passage of meconium for more than 24 hours after birth is called meconium ileus and may be a sign of the following diseases:

1. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder characterized by increased production of thick mucus by the body's glands (including those in the intestines). Meconium in this case becomes too viscous and is not able to stand out.
2. Anomalies in the development of the intestine (overgrowth of the intestinal lumen - atresia, narrowing of the intestinal lumen - stenosis, etc.) are the cause of delayed meconium discharge. Treatment in such cases consists in the surgical restoration of intestinal patency.

Features of the feces of a child of the first year of life who is breastfed.

At breastfeeding The baby receives all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals with milk. In addition, mother's milk contains enzymes that allow the baby to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from mother's milk.

Fecal frequency in breastfed babies changes with age:

• In the first month up to 10-15 times a day
  
• In the next 4-5 months 2-5 times a day
• After 6 months 1-2 times a day or less
• After a year 1 time per day or 1 time in two days

false diarrhea

Once again, we draw the attention of readers to the fact that liquid, frequent stool This is completely normal for breastfed babies. Such a stool should not be considered as diarrhea or a sign of dysbacteriosis. In the letters of our readers, there are often such expressions as "a child who has been breastfed since birth had diarrhea ... numerous attempts were made to treat, but to no avail, while stool analysis shows the presence of dysbacteriosis." This situation can be commented as follows:

It is perfectly natural that a child who receives only liquid and easily digestible food passes liquid feces. Approximately the same chair will be in a perfectly healthy adult if he begins to eat only milk. After the introduction of complementary foods, the liquid feces of the baby will immediately begin to thicken and become the same as in adults, only after the child begins to receive exactly the same food as adults.
The fact that in children of the first year of life dysbacteriosis is often determined can be explained by the fact that the intestinal microflora is formed for quite a long time. We do not recommend treating dysbacteriosis in cases where the only symptom of the suspected disease is liquid feces. Treatment should be resorted to only if there are obvious and severe symptoms of dysbacteriosis: allergies, lag in body weight, severe bloating after 6 months.

False constipation

Due to the fact that breast milk is digested and absorbed almost completely, in some children, after 6 months, stools can become very rare (once a week or less). If at the same time the child feels normal, can empty his intestines on his own without crying and anxiety, such a schedule for fecal excretion should be considered normal. No treatment for constipation is required in this case.

Also, quite often, in children of the first months of life, some temporary difficulties are observed with the release of feces, which causes considerable concern on the part of parents, who immediately begin to actively stimulate the release of stool in the child with enemas, laxatives, gas pipes and even soap (!).
In such cases, attention should be paid to the consistency of the child's stool: if the stool is soft, no treatment is needed, since the difficulty in defecation is obviously not due to the fact that the stool is too dense, but to the fact that the child has not yet learned to control well bowel function. Note also that parents' persistent attempts to stimulate a child with soft stools can only exacerbate the problem, as they deprive the child of the opportunity to train his intestines to work properly. The use of enemas and laxatives is allowed only as an ambulance in cases where the child cannot remove dense feces. If a child has chronic formation of hard stools and the accompanying difficulty in defecation, he should be seen by a doctor and treated for constipation.

Features of the feces of a breastfed child

The feces of a child who is on natural (breast) feeding is an unformed mass of golden or yellow-green color, with a sour smell. Often, even with the same mother's diet, the color of the baby's feces changes from yellow to green, which should also not cause concern.
The reaction of feces to the content of bilirubin is normal in children is positive up to 6-8 months of age. Bilirubin gives feces a greenish tint, so green stools (feces) in a child under 8 months old, which is not accompanied by other signs of illness (fever, blood in the stool, restlessness of the child) should not cause any concern and does not require any treatment.
In infants after 8 months of life, bilirubin in the feces is practically absent, since intestinal bacteria turn it into stercobilin. Until the age of 8 months, the intestinal microflora is not sufficiently formed to completely convert bilirubin into stercobilin.

So, the analysis of the feces of a breastfed baby is normal:

• yellow-green stools, mushy or liquid
• positive for bilirubin (before 6-8 months of age)
• has a sour smell and slightly acidic environment (рН = 4.8-5.8)
• infant stools may contain white blood cells (blood cells designed to fight infection), as well as mucus and visible undigested milk clumps
• intestinal flora is not fully formed

Features of the feces of a child of the first year of life, who is bottle-fed

In a healthy formula-fed baby, the feces have some differences compared to the feces of a child receiving mother's milk:
The color of the feces of a child who is bottle-fed is pale yellow or light brown, has bad smell and more alkaline reaction (pH = 6.8-7.5)
The consistency of the stool is pasty (if the child is receiving liquid formulas) or semi-solid if the child is receiving solid foods.
The stool test for bilirubin is also positive until 6-8 months of age.
Microscopic analysis of the feces of a child of the first year of life reveals single leukocytes and a small amount of mucus.
Feces depart 1-2 times a day, in greater quantities than with natural feeding.

Waste diseases in children infancy, causing changes in the analysis of feces:

1. Celiac disease is a disease characterized by a deficiency of a special enzyme that promotes the absorption of gluten, a substance found in wheat flour, oats, rice, rye and barley. The disease manifests itself only when the child is introduced to complementary foods containing foods with gluten (various cereal cereals, bread, cookies). Undigested gluten causes an allergic reaction in the body, resulting in intestinal inflammation. Symptoms of celiac disease are: frequent stools (up to 10 times a day) of light yellow color, with bad smell, anxiety of the child, lack of weight gain, etc. Analysis of the feces of a child with celiac disease: feces contain a large amount of fat (steatorrhoea).
2. Lactase deficiency is a disease in which the child's body does not produce enough lactase, an enzyme that promotes the absorption of lactose (carbohydrate breast milk). Lactase deficiency manifests itself in the first days of breastfeeding: stools are quickened (up to 10 times a day), feces are watery, have a sour smell, the child is restless, cries, does not gain weight. In the analysis of feces, a large amount of fat (steatorrhoea) and lactic acid are determined - a substance that is formed from milk lactose under the influence of intestinal microflora.
3. Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is inherited. With cystic fibrosis, the glands of the body produce a viscous secret that makes it difficult for all organs to work. In the intestinal form of cystic fibrosis (the predominant lesion of the digestive system), the child's feces have a viscous consistency, a grayish color, an unpleasant odor, and “glistens” due to the presence of fat in the feces (steatorrhoea). An analysis of the feces of a child with cystic fibrosis reveals a large amount of fat (steatorrhoea), at an older age, with the introduction of complementary foods, muscle fibers (creatorrhoea), connective tissue, and starch. All these substances in the feces indicate a lack of digestion of food. Like

   The baby's chair worries most modern parents. No matter how often it appears, what consistency and what color it is, these questions are very pressing. It is difficult to know what is normal and what is out of the norm. Quite often, panicking parents cause a lot of anxiety for pediatricians. Even one day of delay in bowel movements, for many, seems unbearable. But, after all, the baby adapts to the outside world and knows how to react to it. And caring and excessively zealous parents, it remains to watch their child and help him if necessary.

   What is the stool for the baby?

   So, first of all, you should figure out what kind of chair the baby should have. Exact figures and norms are not given in this case. Everything is purely individual and the baby's stool is formed based on the portion eaten and the quality of the food consumed. It is quite normal if after each breastfeeding the baby's stomach is cleared. In the first weeks, this happens regularly. If there is no emptying, then you should not panic. It may appear in 2-3 days. And this is also natural.

   As soon as the baby was born, his bowel movements may have a dark green color. Such a chair of the baby due to the release of the contents of the intestine. At that time, its nutrition was a little different, so when it comes out, it turns green. You should not be afraid. When all the food processed by the developing intestines comes out, the feces will acquire a normal yellowish tint. This will happen on the 3-4th day, the field of the birth of the baby.

   In some children, stool retention occurs due to a change in diet. They are only getting used to their mother's milk, so adaptation can take several days. If the baby's stool does not appear after 3 days, then it is recommended to contact a pediatrician. In most cases, it will be enough to massage the tummy or make an enema with cold water. Everything will be restored and the baby will feel better.

   Constipation can be provoked by complementary foods. Some mothers think that the child does not eat enough. After all, it is simply impossible to explain his cry to others. Introducing complementary foods in the early days, they provoke the colonization of the intestinal tract with new bacteria, resulting in constipation. If it is possible to feed yourself, then it is not worth the risk with complementary foods. It is better to introduce it a little later. And if there is absolutely no milk, then you should prepare for the initial constipation and slight pain in the intestines of the child. Although, it all depends on the diet.

   What is the stool of the baby, regarding color? If he is breastfed, then yellow without impurities, liquidish, of various sizes. For formula-fed babies, yellow stools are also characteristic, of a denser consistency, which comes at regular intervals.

   It is quite normal to empty both 3-8 times a day, and once every 3 days. It all depends on the colonization of the child's body with beneficial bacteria and the ability of enzymes to break down the food eaten.

   In the first days of life, the color of the stool in the baby is dark green, close to black. The consistency resembles tar. Very viscous and sticky. The residual contents of the intestines consumed in the womb come out.

   Grey-green or slightly yellowish stools usually appear on the fourth or sixth day. It all depends on the amount of milk and its quality. The more the baby eats, the more likely it is that the stool will acquire a normal shade. Baby stool at least 4 times a day, although there are deviations.

   Yellow stools appear in babies as early as the second week of life. It remains the same shade for a long time if the baby is breastfed.

   With age, a change in the color of the baby's stool can indicate the introduction of complementary foods. After all, it is he who has the greatest influence on the color of feces. If you started to give a few drops apple juice or even 50 milligrams each, then you should not be surprised when the baby's stool has acquired a black tint. This is due to the fact that the lack of enzymes aimed at digesting exclusively breast milk cannot yet cope with new complementary foods. As a result, the stool oxidizes and comes out in an unsightly black color. The color of the baby's stool when introduced into the diet of carrots or pears may acquire a more yellow tint. After broccoli and zucchini, it is common to see a slightly greenish tint to the stool.

   The color of the stool in the baby depends on many indicators. It may vary depending on the nutrition of his mother, complementary foods, and the composition of the mixture used.

   Normal breast stool

   Depending on age, normal stools in infants can be recognized. If in the first days of life the appearance of green feces is quite normal, due to the absorbed amniotic fluid, then by the end of the first week, this is not acceptable.

   At the age of 3-7 days, the color of the stool acquires a gray-yellow hue and a more dense texture. Emptying happens up to 7-8 times a day, but 1 time in a couple of days is quite normal.

   From a week to a month and a half, the baby's stool resembles yellow or brownish semolina in consistency. In this case, emptying is observed up to 6 times a day.

   From one and a half months, the normal stool in the baby is quite variable. It can be both mushy and more liquid. Color range from yellowish to green. The frequency of emptying is from 1 to 4-6 times a day. Much depends on the foods consumed by the nursing mother.

   With the introduction of complementary foods, the baby's normal stool changes greatly. His intestines adapt to new foods, resulting in both bright yellow and reddish, greenish and brown stools. Its consistency is quite variable. It all depends on how the product eaten affects the baby's body.

   Frequent stool in the baby

   Most parents find it difficult to understand that frequent stools in infants, of normal consistency, yellow or brownish in color, are the norm. If the child is active, eats well, gains weight, goes to the toilet no more than 7 times a day, then this is not a cause for concern. Here the reason lies not in diarrhea, but in the specifics of bowel movement. Thus, it better assimilates the resulting products.

   If the baby's stool has changed, become liquid, it has foam impurities, an unpleasant sour smell and mucus - you should contact your pediatrician. Perhaps the child has an intestinal infection and it is worth taking measures immediately. Or the reason lies in the wrong complementary foods or dry mix. You need to act very quickly, since dehydration, due to regular loose stools, is inevitable.

   Rare stool in the baby

   For most parents, infrequent stools in babies are cause for panic. Many mothers, and especially fathers, find it quite difficult to explain that this is the norm. In the first days of life, the child may experience delays in bowel movements and it is impossible to stimulate his intestines in any case. Even if the baby does not have a stool for 2 days, then on the third day he can empty himself without any problems. You should not assume that every child in the first days of life must go to the toilet at least 4 times a day. The body is individual. A rare stool in infants, if it is observed once every 3-4 days. And then, for some, this is the norm.

   Rushing to help the baby, in this case, can only aggravate the situation. Frequent enemas can wash out the nascent gut flora and then further digestion of food can become even more problematic. If you want to help your baby in the first days of life, you should massage his tummy clockwise. In most cases, this helps not only to improve digestion, but also as a prevention of colic.

   If there is a significant delay in the baby's stool against the background of poor health, fever and excessive arousal, it is advisable to put a cool enema to release the contents of the intestine.

   Blood in the stool in the baby

   As soon as blood is found in the stool in the baby, it is worth alerting. Even if the reason lies in the cracks in the nipples and she got into the esophagus along with mother's milk, you need to check everything well. Some babies, especially those under three months old, lack vitamin K. Surprisingly, it is practically absent in mother's milk and is very difficult to accumulate. As a result of its shortage, the blood loses its tendency to clot and hemorrhage may occur during internal organs. Blood in the stool in infants, even in small amounts in the form of streaks, may indicate hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Timely intake of the vitamin can improve the situation and prevent the progression of the disease.

   Another reason why there may be blood in the stool in a baby is a small crack in the anus. If the child does not often go to the toilet or has constipation, then a crack can appear quite simply. Even from a simple fart.

   Sometimes, for blood in the stool in a baby, they take the introduced complementary foods: beets, tomatoes, watermelon.

   Loose stools in the baby

   Wanting to find out the reason for the observed liquid stool in infants, it is worth understanding his diet. Often, the culprit of such torment for a child is his caring mother. Even banal cucumbers can provoke loose stools. An abundance of vegetables, in the first months, can lead to regular loose stools. With the introduction of complementary foods, you should not worry about the liquid consistency. Infection may be a cause for concern. Against the background of loose stools, it can rise heat, the child becomes irritable, refuses the breast. Emptying occurs more often than 8 times a day. You should immediately call an ambulance, as dehydration can be fatal.

   Foamy baby stool

   Carefully understanding the problem, we can say that the foamy stool in the baby has several reasons, which depend not only on the characteristics of his body, but also on his mother.

   • Lack of nutrition. When the baby feels the need for food, but does not receive it in sufficient quantities, the foamy stool in the baby can become a pattern. If the mother does not have enough milk, then the problem can be solved with the addition of formula.
   • Deficiency of lactase. Foamy stools in infants are often associated with a lack of lactase, an enzyme responsible for processing mother's milk. In this case, there are two options for solving the problem: add this enzyme to your diet or stop breastfeeding.
   • Food allergy. When introducing complementary foods, you should be very careful. The baby's body may react ambiguously and the foamy stool in the baby will appear with noticeable frequency. If, after the first sample of complementary foods, the baby has a foamy stool, then its introduction should be postponed for one to two months, until there are more enzymes in the baby's body responsible for the proper processing of food.

   It is very easy to correct a frothy stool in a baby if you make a minimum of effort and carefully monitor the ongoing changes in the child's body.

   Stool with mucus in the baby

   In cases where there is a stool with mucus in the baby, it is impossible to do without resolving the problem with enzyme deficiency. The baby's body simply cannot cope with the amount of food, resulting in not only mucus, but also loose stools. In some cases, it is advisable to introduce complementary foods in the form of rice porridge, and for others, kefir is useful. It all depends on the age of the child, the method of feeding the regularity of the stool with mucus.

   

   One of the main concerns of parents of toddlers is the baby's stool. It always seems to parents that it is their child who does “it” in a completely different way, and they are ready to go through hundreds of studies in order to find non-existent problems. Two problems - constipation and diarrhea - are sometimes created by the parents themselves. However, the problem is often considered to be absolutely normal “major results” of the child’s life. To be able to distinguish between normal and problematic stools, you need to know the norms. Here we'll talk about them.

   Baby chair

   Chair in children different type food differs significantly in quality and appearance. Therefore, it is impossible to compare the contents of a diaper in a baby and an artificial one. Due to the fully digestible nutrition of the ideal composition, babies are very rare, only in the case of real illnesses they can have problems with stool. Breast milk does not cause any problems with digestion by definition. However, it is these kids who have the most imaginary problems.

   The biggest questions are the number of bowel movements of the child: usually they are from 8-10, almost after each feeding, with a volume of about a teaspoon, up to once every 5-7 days, but with a large volume. This phenomenon is called a physiologically rare stool, it occurs due to the almost complete digestibility of breast milk - there is simply no “waste” left.

   The appearance of a stool with “water” is quite acceptable, with yellow staining and interspersed with white lumps, a stool when spitting, a mushy mass. In infants, up to 6-7 months, stool with the presence of mucus, lumps, pieces and even greenery is quite normal - this is the formation of microflora and the work of enzymes - there is no need to get into this process with “therapeutic” measures. If, with any variant of the stool, the child is cheerful and healthy, smiles, farts well, eats and sleeps, gains height and weight, this is normal and the child has no problems with the stool.

   What Not to Do

   Many parents, in the absence of a stool in the baby, try to look for constipation in the child and begin to treat them with barbaric methods. I advise you to first try all the methods of "treatment" on yourself, and then apply it to your child. It is forbidden to induce stools by inserting a piece of soap into the rectum, cotton buds, the tip of a thermometer or other foreign objects!

   The introduction of soap into the rectum causes irritation and chemical burns mucous membrane of the rectum, this causes severe pain in the child, and inflammation of the rectum disrupts its normal operation.

   Insertion of thermometers and sticks into the rectum leads to mechanical injury and disruption of the intestinal sphincter apparatus, which can lead to disruption of the well-coordinated work of the intestine and the formation of true constipation. All artificial stimulants suppress the natural urge to defecate, and children stop going to the toilet "in a big way" on their own, only with stimulants. In order for reflex defecation to occur, it is necessary to create a certain pressure of stool masses in the lumen of the rectum, which will allow sending an impulse from the rectum to the brain and opening the sphincter. Until the volume accumulates, it may take several days.

   In addition, you should not supplement the child with various drops, teas and infusions - espumizan, smecta, plantex, dill tea - you should not interfere in the process of the physiological formation of the intestinal microflora and the formation of enzymes without extreme necessity.

   How is bowel function established?

   After the baby is born and the first cry, its microflora is formed - the baby receives it from the air, from the skin of the perineum and mother's chest, and this microflora begins to colonize the intestines. In the first two or three days of his life, he empties the intestines from meconium - a dark, olive-colored mass that looks like glue or plasticine. These are the remains of intestinal epithelial cells and digested amniotic fluid nine months pregnant. When swallowing amniotic fluid, the baby trains his digestion to work after birth. Meconium has practically no smell, it is very difficult to wash off diapers and buttocks. For the first three days, he should completely move away and then the nature of the chair will change.

   The stool begins to liquefy, it becomes more frequent, heterogeneous blotches appear in it - liquid, mucus and whitish lumps; its color is also heterogeneous - there may be areas of dark color with yellow fragments, whitish and colorless, watery. Defecation can occur six or more times a day. This stool is called transitional, and it means the settlement of the intestines with microflora and the inclusion of enzymes in the digestive process. As the intestines are settled, the stool can take on a different look and color due to irritation of the intestinal wall by microbes and the formation of intestinal immunity. In about one to two weeks, the stool begins to return to normal - it becomes homogeneous, mushy, yellow in color, happens less often and ceases to contain impurities and mucus. This is facilitated by exclusive breastfeeding - if the baby is not given pacifiers, bottles and additional food and drink. If this is present, the correct physiological stool will take longer to form.

   From the moment lactation is established and the microflora in the intestine settles down, the baby begins to go to the toilet with a “mature” stool - this is a bright yellow homogeneous slurry of the consistency of thick sour cream with the smell of cottage cheese. This indicates good assimilation of milk, although its frequency may vary from several times a day to once every 5-7 days. Such a rare chair is a normal occurrence in GW. At the same time, the baby’s well-being is excellent if he has enough milk and there are no additional supplements and supplements. At the age of 2-4 months, there are usually from 15-20 to about 50 grams of feces per day. With the introduction of complementary foods, the stool begins to take shape, becomes less frequent and changes character.

   Artificial chair

   Usually, stools in formula-fed babies are thicker, darker in color (from greenish to brown), and occur from several times a day to once every one or two days. If bowel movements occur less often, the mixture is most likely causing constipation or you are not giving your child enough water. On average, children poop on IV 1-2 times a day, the amount of feces is about 30 g. Due to the predominance of decay processes in the stool, there is Escherichia coli and bifidoflora, there may be some mucus and whitish crumbs; this suggests that the baby has not yet fully absorbed the fats of the mixture, or you have overfed him.

   With the introduction of complementary foods, the stool thickens and begins to take shape in a soft sausage or gruel, the color becomes dark brown, there are no impurities in the form of blood or mucus. Stool frequency 1-2 times a day.

   This is a chair that should ideally be and which reflects the full functioning of the intestines. But there are options for deviations from the norm, which are not considered a pathology, but are very scary for parents. Then moms and dads demand immediate actions from the doctor, which are not needed and can only do harm. But how to understand - where did “this” come from in the diaper?

   Norm and deviation options

   Often, white lumps, similar to curdled milk, are found in the child's stool. With a good or excessive weight gain, they talk about some redundancy in the supply of milk or mixture; this happens when a baby is breastfed on demand. This is a good sign: there is more than enough milk, just a certain amount of protein and fat does not have time to be processed by enzymes and comes out unchanged - a milk residue is formed. But if at in large numbers lumps in the feces, the child does not gain weight well - this usually indicates a lack of enzymes (primarily the liver and pancreas), that is, the intestines cannot cope with the digestion of food. In this situation, the doctor may prescribe enzyme preparations for the time of intestinal maturation.

   Often the stool may have a more liquid, even watery texture with foam, be splashy or with a border of watering on the diaper, sour smell. Sometimes such stools pass when gas is released - in small portions. The stool is yellow or mustard in color, not changed. This condition is called milk imbalance or transient lactase deficiency. If a child receives a lot of fore milk, rich in milk sugar (lactose) and milk liquid, then lactase, an enzyme that is still limited in the intestines of a child, simply does not have time to cope with all the milk sugar that has come in. Then part of it enters the intestines and is fermented by microbes to gas and water - this is how excessive gas formation and active metabolites appear - including lactic acid, which irritates the intestinal walls and causes increased peristalsis and loose stools. In case of insufficiently thorough washing, irritation of the anus zone may occur - it is necessary to use protective cream. Correcting the situation is quite simple - you do not need to "save" milk, it is necessary that the breasts are always soft. Then the baby will receive back, poor in lactose, but more high-calorie milk.

   However, often when similar situation unreasonably diagnosed with lactase deficiency, which does not reflect the true picture. Lactase deficiency is manifested by poor weight gain, which cannot be corrected even with the normalization of breastfeeding. This is a congenital defect of the enzyme or its severe deficiency (although over time, the enzymes can ripen). Often there is an excess of lactose (milk sugar) in mother's milk - this is a genetic feature or a consequence of an unbalanced diet. The diagnosis is confirmed by an analysis of feces for carbohydrates, and, of course, monitoring the well-being of the child. And with the introduction of restrictions in the diet and the appointment of lactase, the condition returns to normal. Do not rush to transfer the child from breast milk to lactose-free mixtures - lactose is necessary for the body, therefore, breastfeeding will be correct even with lactase deficiency and the introduction of an enzyme to digest lactose.

   The most terrible thing for parents is the presence of "green" in the feces, which causes panic or thoughts of the most terrible diseases. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, children early age(up to about 4-6 months) is the norm. With feces in the first months of life, a lot of bilirubin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) is released, it oxidizes to a greenish tint in air. Hence the "romantic" admixture of greenery. Sometimes it happens that a mature stool is not established in any way and the baby’s stool has an unsightly appearance for a long time: with greens, lumps and threads of mucus. This happens when the baby is malnourished, inactive sucking and other problems - a hungry stool. Another reason for such a chair is the predominance of raw fruits and vegetables in the diet of a woman with a lack of meat, with hypoxia in childbirth. Then the mucous membrane recovers longer and more difficult, the enzymes mature later.

   What is mom to do?

   First of all, you need to remember the rule - if the child is not bothered by anything and there are no painful manifestations, he has the right to any chair. Even infants can have a long period of stool formation due to difficult childbirth or the establishment of full breastfeeding. The body is a complex system and each has an individual development program, it is impossible to drive everyone under a single standard. If a child gains from 500 g per month, urinates well and often, there are no painful manifestations - this means that this is his normal stool, no matter what impurities it contains, and there is no need to interfere in the delicate process of adjusting the intestines.

   Medical correction measures must be applied if the child is worried about severe pain, he screams and presses his legs to his stomach, and the stomach itself is tense; if he has rashes, itching and problems with weight and height. It is necessary to consult a doctor, conduct an examination and scatological examination of feces, adjust the mother's diet. But feces for dysbacteriosis is an absolutely unnecessary and not indicative analysis, it is practically meaningless to conduct it.

   What should be really worrying?

   Call a doctor immediately or ambulance if a child has loose stools (mucous or with pieces) in the presence of fever, vomiting or feeling unwell - these are signs of an intestinal infection, and this cannot be the norm. No medicines, except perhaps for smecta, can not be given to a child - self-medication in such cases is deadly, dehydration and convulsions may occur.

   It is also necessary to pay attention to the retention of stool in a child on IV for more than 2 days - this indicates constipation and may indicate the need to change the mixture or feeding regimen. It is also necessary to pay attention to stool retention in infants with rare urination and highly concentrated urine.

   In addition, the intervention of a doctor requires the appearance of a stool in a baby or an artificial stool that resembles a dense sausage or “sheep balls” - these are also manifestations of constipation that require correction.

   Especially dangerous is the appearance in the stool of an admixture of blood, scarlet or clotted. Sometimes small streaks of blood appear when spitting with straining due to a crack in the anus. However, these should be isolated and very rare occurrences. The constant presence of blood in the stool can be caused by a number of diseases: allergies and problems with the rectum, infectious diseases, and even malformations of the anus.

   The development and formation of the baby does not end in the womb. After birth, adaptation to external factors occurs, getting used to a new diet. An alarming moment for young mothers is the unusual green color of the baby's feces. Let us consider in more detail what factors can affect the occurrence of this color of discharge, whether it poses a danger to the life and health of the baby, and we will also tell you what parents should do in this situation.

   At different stages of development, the baby undergoes a change in feces from liquid unnatural color to the faction characteristic of each person. Parents must be sure to control the frequency, consistency, color and presence of odor in the discharge of the child.

   First three days of life

   During this period of a little man's life in his intestines, the accumulation of amniotic fluid residues that entered the body at birth, intestinal epithelial cells, bile, mucus, etc. occurs. Such feces are called original or meconium.

   The discharge is black, auburn, or olive in color, resinous in texture, and odorless. Green stool in a newborn is due to the non-bacterial nature of the formation. The appearance of secretions is the first sign of the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

   For the first two or three days, the body of a breastfed infant (HB) completely assimilates the mother's colostrum, so stool masses are not formed.

   Fourth - sixth days

   The infant is developing the work of the intestinal system, associated with a change in the composition of the milk of a nursing mother and the formation of bacteria in the digestive tract.

   The process takes place in two stages:

   • transitional feces

   The baby's stool looks like gruel, thick sour cream, the color is predominantly yellowish, with occasional splashes of green (residual meconium phenomena). The presence of a white mass is not a deviation, a stool with mucus in a small amount in the baby. A change in the appearance of feces occurs under the influence of bacteria in the digestive tract.

   • Mature feces

   The secretions acquire a dark green color with a transitional gray tint, the consistency is mushy. At first, the frequency of bowel movements is about ten times a day, and as you get used to breast milk, the frequency of fecal secretions decreases to one or two times within three to seven days.

   This is due to the complete absorption of the nutrients of breast milk in the gastrointestinal tract of the infant. It is necessary to strictly control meconium in the stool: if on the fifth day its presence in the stool is observed, you should consult a doctor. The structure of fecal masses can be affected by artificial feeding.

   Second week of life - 28 days

   The baby's feces acquire a light brown, mustard color. The consistency of the mass is mushy. Green loose stools of the baby or constipation indicate the occurrence of abnormalities.

   First months

   At the stage of feeding the baby with breast milk, the stool is normally mature. The waste products of the baby can be light brown, grayish and even green. Kal month old baby on GW should be of medium density: not liquid and not solid.

   At 3 years old, the presence of food inclusions in the stool is allowed, and the color directly depends on the food consumed by the child.

   
   

   Causes of green stools in babies

   Green stools in babies are not always a cause for alarm. Let's highlight the main factors from which "herbal" feces can appear in baby during the first months of his life.

   Causes of green stool

   Sources of unnatural color of feces in a baby:

   • composition of mother's breast milk;
   • the use of complementary foods;
   • deviation of the baby's immunity;
   • age changes.

   When breastfeeding

   The basis for the appearance of greenish feces in a child on HB can be:

   • mom's food assortment: if the diet is rich in green vegetables and herbs;
   • intoxication of the body of the nurse due to poisoning;
   • exposure to medications: for example, taking antibacterial agents;
   • malnutrition: limited amount of breast milk, early rejection of breastfeeding. At the same time, the feces become liquid, frothy, the weight of the baby falls.

   
   

   With artificial and mixed feeding

   The green shade of the stool in infants on mixed feeding occurs depending on the composition of complementary foods:

   • the artificial mixture is enriched with iron;
   • food causes an imbalance in the child's body, manifest;
   • incorrectly selected or incorrectly prepared food;
   • dysbacteriosis, immune system failure: complex components of complementary foods make it difficult for the digestive tract to work.

   Common Sources

   The basic factors for the manifestation of green stool in infants are:

   • processes of chemical oxidation under the influence of oxygen;
   • inflammatory foci in the gastrointestinal tract of an infant due to difficult childbirth;
   • natural excretion of bilirubin (bile pigment) from the body;
   • additional nutrition with a mixture with a high concentration of sugars and iron;
   • lactose intolerance, bacterial imbalance;
   • the impact of diseases, poor functioning of the endocrine system, malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract.

   
   

   Dysbacteriosis

   If the balance of vital bacteria is disturbed, the natural functioning of the intestines is disturbed in the baby's body. The condition is characterized by an increase in body temperature, a violation of the process of excretion of feces, psycho-emotional disorders.

   With a favorable course of the disease, the baby's immunity copes with it on its own. With a long-term disorder, you will need to take foods enriched with bacteria.

   lactase deficiency

   The condition is expressed by difficulty in the processing of milk sugar due to the small amount of lactase and, as a result, the development of dysbacteriosis. At the same time, the stool is liquid, greenish-yellow with a pungent odor and a foamy consistency.

   The deviation passes on its own after nine months of the baby's life, less often up to a year. Sometimes there is a hereditary deviation. To restore the baby's stool, it is recommended to adjust the nutrition of the mother producing HB, as well as the use of therapy to replenish lactase in a child at 2 years old.

   By month

   The stages of development of the baby's body directly affect the appearance of green color in feces:

   • 1 month: green stool in a newborn is the norm, a consequence of the adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract to nutrition, if the process is not accompanied by third-party symptoms;
   • 2 month: dysbacteriosis is possible due to the unstable state of the intestines of a two-month-old baby;
   • 3 months: due to slow development, green stools in a 3-month-old baby may be an indicator of the norm;
   • 4 months: a common cause of green feces is untimely complementary foods;
   • 5 month: the color shade of the stool in a baby of five months depends on the conduct of additional nutrition;
   • 6-7 months: the baby eliminates discomfort from emerging teeth by biting foreign objects, so the green stool in the child will be an indicator of disorder, infection;
   • 8-10 months: bilirubin no longer affects the color of the feces, the discharge depends on the composition of complementary foods;
   • 11-12 months: Green stools in a 1-year-old baby are indicative of food intake or an allergic reaction.

   Green stool as one of the symptoms of the disease

   Parents should take immediate action if the discharge of green feces in a child is accompanied by the following symptoms:

   • decreased mobility, drowsiness, moodiness;
   • loss of appetite;
   • frothy stool consistency in infants,
   • strong putrid smell of feces one year old baby, bowel movement green foam;
   • green loose stools are very often excreted in infants;
   • blood entry as a cause of damage to the gastrointestinal tract;
   • persistent diarrhea in a child of one and a half years;
   • vomiting, frequent;
   • the child has green loose stools with mucus in large quantities;
   • flatulence, colic;
   • skin rashes.

   The shade and consistency of green stools, what does it tell us

   By the degree of saturation with color and the density of green feces, one can judge the reasons for the changes:

   • deep green: normal; depends on the food assortment; dark green, loose stools in infants may be due to lactase deficiency;
   • light green, yellow-green: normal indicator; violation of lactation or lack of HB in back fat milk;
   • black-green: typical only for newborns, in other cases it is a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, a nutritional error;
   • rich green: lack of hindmilk, food pigmentation;
   • green foam: lactase deficiency, low fat milk with breastfeeding;
   • mushy: an indicator of the norm;
   • green stools with mucus, watery, liquid, too hard stools: deviation of the digestive tract, development of the disease.

   The reason for panic in parents should be the general deterioration in the condition of the baby.

   What to do with green stool?

   When a shade of green appears in the stool, it is recommended to carry out the following actions:

   1. Provide the right, let him get enough and complete the GW on his own.
   2. Make breastfeeding regular, depending on the needs of the body.
   3. Control the diet with HB, give up artificial additives, exotic products.
   4. Treat your baby's bowel problems under the supervision of a doctor.
   5. Don't worry if your stools turn green after taking smecta.
   6. Thoroughly study the composition of artificial complementary foods, ensure optimal selection for the baby's body (for example, use NAS mixtures).
   7. Green stools without accompanying warning signs are normal and do not require intervention.
   8. The use of additional nutrition in due time.
   9. Dr. Komarovsky can give an online consultation on his website.
   10. The frequency of green stools in combination with anxiety symptoms are essential for seeking medical attention.

   Green stool in a newborn during breastfeeding is not always a deviation. If your child is developing normally, cheerful and active, there is no need to worry again why the child has a green stool and tirelessly torment the child with visits to the doctor.

   Control nutrition during hepatitis B, provide children with proper care, monitor their behavior and then there will be much less cause for alarm.

   A mystery for young parents is the stool in a newborn while breastfeeding. A mystery, because children's bowel movements are very different from adults and it is difficult to understand whether everything is normal.

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   Norm

   Which it should be newborn stool:

   • structure - liquid;
   • color - from yellow to light brown;
   • frequency - without sharp drops.

   Important! Ideal condition: uniform mass without lumps, close to sour cream in density, milk chocolate in color, smell is weak.

   

   Feces in babies

   Structure

   In a breastfed newborn stools resemble coarse mustard. Firstly, there is no reason to harden feces. Milk itself is liquid. Secondly, the muscular system and the rectum are not yet able to push through the hardened masses, and nature has provided for this. Thirdly, the microflora has just begun to form, so the work of the digestive system is slightly “lame”.

   • daily;
   • thick;
   • homogeneous;
   • yellow-brown.

   Since the stool in newborns during breastfeeding is unstable, it is useless to sound the alarm at the slightest deviation. Seek help from a doctor should be with a complex deviation, or when additional symptoms.

   When to sound the alarm:

   • frequent stools in a newborn while breastfeeding - more than 10 times a day;
   • the color of the feces in the child becomes black;
   • in stool visible blood;
   • there is a lot of mucus in the feces;
   • with a sharp change in the frequency of bowel movements.

   Any deviations in the structure of fecal masses in infants on breastfeeding are caused by the mother's diet.

   

   Any changes in feces should alert parents

   Dyspepsia

   Frequent occurrence in the postpartum period. Women in the maternity hospital are cleaned, removing hairs and remnants of the baby's place from the uterus, which could not come out during childbirth. To prevent inflammation, antibiotics are prescribed. It is impossible not to take the medication - it will begin in the uterus inflammatory process. But you need to help the child cope with the problem - to inform the pediatrician about the fact of taking antibiotics. He must prescribe medicine to the baby. It copes well with the problem of Linex in capsules - it relieves inflammation in the intestines and improves the functioning of the microflora. It is convenient to dissolve it in expressed milk and give it to the baby.

   Constipation

   It's hard to detect. May appear:

   • in the form of a sharp decrease in the frequency of bowel movements - the baby stably went to the toilet 6-7 times a day, and then stopped pooping;
   • the child pushes and cries during bowel movements.

   Constipation occurs because of:

   • congenital weak peristalsis - the muscles of the intestine weakly contract and do not push the stool to the exit;
   • mother's diet is excessively high-calorie;
   • mother eating foods that contribute to constipation in adults;
   • gases do not allow feces to pass;
   • mixture not suitable for artificial feeding;
   • the child has nothing to poop.

   

   Constipation in the chest

   Constipation is often caused by fatty milk. Milk can be naturally fatty, even if the mother drinks only water, or its fat content may increase due to the diet of a woman who eats high-calorie foods. It doesn't have to be fried potatoes and grilled chicken. Regular milk in the supermarket is available in 2 degrees of fat. The same milk from the hands on the market is much fatter. The issue of adjusting the calorie content of mother's milk is individual. It depends both on the woman's body and on the needs of the baby.

   Eating foods that promote constipation in adults will lead to a similar effect in the newborn.

   In the first 3-4 months, all newborns suffer from intestinal colic- stuck bubbles of gas in the intestines. Abundant accumulation of bubbles in one place form an air lock and do not pass feces.

   When a newborn does not receive the necessary amount of nutrients from mother's milk, he stops going to the toilet. He simply has nothing - everything that got into the body is instantly absorbed. The problem occurs:

   • if a woman has watery milk;
   • milk began to disappear;
   • the child does not eat well;
   • the baby is incorrectly applied to the breast.

   Diarrhea

   The main danger of diarrhea is body dehydration.

   A rare stool in the baby should cause concern, if:

   • structure clearly watery;
   • foam is observed in the feces;
   • bowel movements occur more than 10 times a day;
   • the skin around the anus is reddened.

   Diarrhea causes:

   • infections or inflammation in the intestines;
   • Mom ate the wrong food.

   If a breastfed newborn has abnormal color, frequency or density, but the baby feels good, there is no reason to panic. The first thing parents should do is track mom's diet. If a woman ate prunes, rare discharge from the baby is guaranteed. If you drank a liter of milk, the color will turn orange due to an excess of bilirubin. If the mother takes antibiotics, the child will begin dysbacteriosis or dyspepsia. I ate peas - the baby puffs up, and the feces turn green.

   

   Diarrhea in an infant

   How to fix a chair in a baby:

   • exclude from the mother's diet foods that caused deviations;
   • make belly massage to push gas bubbles through the intestines;
   • if deviations are caused by inflammation or infections - immediately start treatment;
   • correctly apply to the chest;
   • follow a diet to control the level of fat content in milk;
   • choose a mixture for artificial feeding.

   To determine which product caused a negative intestinal reaction in a breastfed baby, you will need to follow the rule: introduce no more than one new product per day into the mother's diet.

   To improve the passage of gases in infants put on the stomach, stroking the tummy clockwise, lightly pressing the edge of the palm, or put a warm diaper on the stomach.

   Inflammation and infections are treated exclusively under the supervision of a pediatrician.

   Important! Diseases are always accompanied by fever, moodiness of the child, additional symptoms.

   If you put the baby to the breast incorrectly, he will not receive useful substances. "Forward" milk liquid and low-calorie, acts as a drink, and the "back" - fatty and high-calorie - as food. The child must completely empty one breast at a time.

   Mixes may not be suitable. The neighbor's child is fine, but the native child has constipation / diarrhea. No matter how much the package costs, they throw it away and go for another brand.

   Useful video: baby stool - what is the norm and what is not

   It is important to control the frequency and color of bowel movements, so as not to miss the development of a dangerous disease. Mom needs to carefully monitor her diet, and not eat anything fatty, spicy, high-calorie.

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