Some infant formulas can also make your baby's poo dark green. If you change from breast to formula feeding, you'll find that your baby's poos become darker and more paste-like. Some babies fill their nappies at or around every feed. Some, especially breastfed babies, can go for several days or even up to a week without a bowel movement. Both are normal. It's also normal for babies to strain or even cry when passing a poo.
Your baby isn't constipated as long as their poos are soft, even if they haven't passed one for a few days. From day to day, week to week, your baby's poos will probably vary. If you notice a marked change of any kind, such as the poos becoming very smelly, very watery or harder, particularly if there's blood in them, you should talk to your doctor or child health nurse. Pale white or near white poos may be a sign of jaundice. If you're worried, speak to your midwife or child health nurse.
Most babies have occasional loose stools poo. Breastfed babies have looser poos than formula-fed babies. Diarrhoea is when your baby frequently passes unformed watery poos. It can be caused by an infection and may be accompanied by vomiting.
This is called gastroenteritis a stomach bug , which is usually caused by a virus, such as rotavirus. Diarrhoea and vomiting are more serious in babies than older children because babies can easily lose too much fluid from their bodies and become dehydrated.
They may become lethargic or irritable, have a dry mouth, and have a pale or washed-out colour. If your baby becomes dehydrated, they may not pass much urine and they may go off their feeds.
Babies under 6 months old should always be checked by a doctor if they have vomiting and diarrhoea because they are at higher risk of dehydration. Some children between the ages of 1 and 5 pass frequent, smelly, loose stools that may contain recognisable foods, such as carrots and peas. If your baby or child comes into contact with other family members or people for example, at childcare , wash their hands using liquid soap in warm running water, and dry their hands, frequently.
Keep toilets clean and wash towels frequently. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Diarrhoea is large, runny, frequent or watery poo. Make sure your child has enough to drink as she recovers from diarrhoea. For this reason, checking diapers may be an effective way of telling whether a breastfed baby is receiving enough food. Stool with an unusual color or consistency can indicate an underlying health problem.
Newborns older than 1 month may poop much less frequently than those who are younger, particularly if they breastfeed. Below are some signs to look out for:. It is not uncommon to find specks of black blood in poop as a result of breastfeeding with cracked, bleeding nipples. But if red blood is present, call a doctor. Also, green streaks throughout poop can be a sign of infection. If stool is gray or white, this could indicate that an infant is not digesting food properly.
If a baby has finished passing meconium and later passes black poop, this can be a sign of internal bleeding. According to the Food and Drug Administration FDA , if an infant is passing loose and watery stool for more than 1 day, there is a chance of dehydration. The American Academy of Pediatrics note that a baby might have constipation if they have one or fewer bowel movements per day, with stool that is hard. A baby with constipation may also cry or show other signs of straining.
Some babies turn reddish. Gentle exercises may help a baby poop. Try laying the baby on their back and gently moving their legs. Irregular or infrequent pooping can indicate that the baby is not getting enough food, especially if they are breastfeeding.
A lactation counselor can help increase the amount of milk. Often, this involves nursing more and pumping after each nursing session. Receiving the right guidance early on increases the chances of the baby receiving enough nutrition from breast milk alone.
The FDA recommend calling a doctor if an infant has any of the following:. It is important to note that blood may appear in stool as a result of irritation of the rectum.
A pediatrician can recommend cream to help reduce the discomfort. Call a doctor if a newborn has constipation that has not responded to home treatment or is accompanied by any of the following:. Sometimes, a baby may have a little blood in their stool from straining to poop. However, two or more blood-tinged stools may indicate a more serious problem.
You might see some dark green poos for a few days. Change from one formula to another This can lead to changes in appearance and consistency of poo. Constipation Constipation is when the poo is hard and dry, and looks like little marbles or pebbles. This kind of poo is difficult for your baby to push out, which can be upsetting for your baby. Constipation is more likely to happen in bottle-fed babies. It usually happens when the formula has been made with too little water.
Babies might also get constipated when they start solid food. This normally sorts itself out in a few weeks. If your baby is straining and pooing hard, dry pebbles or if you see blood in the poo, speak to your GP or child and family health nurse. Diarrhoea Diarrhoea is when your baby does very runny or even watery poos, more often than usual.
0コメント