Diagnosing health problems in children and adults are fundamentally different things. If for people who can truthfully and reliably make complaints, interviewing a doctor, taking an anamnesis are inalienable procedures, after which a decision will be made on the appointment of certain drugs and manipulations, then with babies (of all ages), the situation is much more complicated.
A variety of analyzes are the only way to get the most information about pathological processes in the body. One of the most obvious and accessible diagnostic tests for children's analyzes is the study of bowel movements, so it is not surprising that many mothers, like doctors, are interested in why the baby has green poop, whether this is a problem or not.
What is the norm?
The proper functioning of the digestive system of a newborn baby suggests that the food will be digested in full, without generating a large amount of waste. Many doctors agree that breast milk should be so absorbed by the baby that it can poop once every few days without feeling any problems with the tummy.
In fact, this situation is more likely an exception to the rule. Brown, yellow, light green and green poop in infants are found with almost the same frequency, and each of these options can be interpreted as the norm. For some, this may be a feature of the body, but some babies thus make it clear that something is wrong with the gastrointestinal tract, so it is important to find out if there is a problem in the diaper appearing green poop. In infants, all body systems are formed incredibly quickly, but still they are too undeveloped and are sensitive to everything new.
Stability. What do we know about her?
Scientists are doing their best to create adapted milk formulations that will look like breast milk as much as possible, but the result of their work is albeit high-quality, but artificial nutrition. The main difference between mother’s milk is that its composition is incredibly changeable. Studies prove that at all stages of feeding, a mother satisfies the various needs of her growing child due to the fact that milk contains the necessary vitamins, macro- and micronutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, antibodies. This composition changes daily, saturating the baby with everything necessary, giving him the opportunity to develop correctly and harmoniously.
Each such change in breast milk may be a reason for changes in stool. Green poop in infants is most often a problem for breast-fed babies. Many pediatricians complain about errors in the nursing diet, someone claims that the mother’s nutrition cannot directly affect the baby’s feces, however, each specific case is special, and it’s impossible to say with certainty that the baby’s tummy will not negatively respond to innovations in the diet.
Child on willow
It's no secret that the best food for newborns is mother's milk. The exception is rare genetic diseases, liver problems or protein or lactose tolerance when a baby needs special diets. But in a number of other cases it is necessary to switch to adapted milk formulas.
Baby formula is a more stable substance than breast milk, and if mother could find a composition that is ideal for her baby, which does not cause allergic reactions, disorders and changes in stool, one should not experiment with new options once again.
Pediatricians say that artificial feces should be yellow or brown in color, and green poop in infants indicates adverse processes in the intestines.
Why is the child so crap?
Before understanding the digestive characteristics of infants , it should be said that the first stool - meconium - can also be dark green, even with black color. This substance has a pungent smell, thick and viscous to the touch and is the result of the life of the child during the period when he was in the womb. Mekonium can be secreted within 1-3 days, gradually being replaced by normal baby kakami, which mothers observe in diapers. Dark green poop in a baby can be an original feces, but if the baby is no more than a week old, in other cases, you should carefully monitor the baby and his stool, fixing everything new, and when the situation is in doubt, you should consult a doctor.
The feces of children on HB should be mushy, yellow, without impurities (water, mucus, blood), with a slightly sour smell. When you see that the “fruits of labor” of your beloved child are not of the same color, it is worth remembering that the green color of the poop in infants can be acquired. This means that feces are oxidized in air, and what was originally yellow can turn green, brown and a lot more to do a few minutes after the bowel movement. Here are a few reasons for the "green" in the diaper:
- overeating - the enzymes produced by the baby’s pancreas and contained in breast milk may not be enough, and the food is not completely digested;
- lactose intolerance;
- lactase deficiency (when the child is on hepatitis B, the problem may be if the child does not get to the back, more fat milk, in which there are more substances necessary for the normal functioning and growth of the baby);
- intestinal infection.
Myths About Dysbiosis
Pediatricians often make a scary-sounding and rather incomprehensible diagnosis of dysbiosis in children. After its birth, the child first of all should be able to populate his body with beneficial bacteria. Natural feeding, normal, non-sterile environment around allow you to go through this process as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Western pediatricians and their domestic colleagues confidently convince mothers around the world that even if the intestines have problems with the necessary microorganisms, which has become the reason explaining the yellow-green poop in infants, taking a variety of drugs is more likely to calm worrying parents, than a necessary measure of impact. Seven to ten days is the period for which the body itself will cope with the problem with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Real problems
Any mother is always entitled to seek medical advice if she is concerned about the state of health of the child. But in what cases is it better not to postpone the visit to the doctor? If the mother notices that the child goes to the toilet irregularly, is uncomfortable, has gas and has a swollen stomach, there are watery, plentiful green poop with mucus (in infants this does not always indicate problems, but it is better to play it safe) - you should go to the pediatrician.
All these symptoms, especially in combination with crying, fever, profuse regurgitation, lethargy, may indicate an intestinal infection that requires quick and effective treatment, which consists in measures to replenish fluid and lost trace elements in the body.
Parents should also be wary if green poop is a new symptom that is not the norm for the baby. If the child does not bother anything, he does not lose weight, he has a good mood, normal sleep and appetite, most likely he has no health problems.
What can be done?
Self-treatment of a small child is dangerous, and any doubtful questions should be discussed with your doctor or local pediatrician, who can reliably assess the situation. A change in stool after treatment with potent drugs, including from the antibacterial group, requires help from the baby and his intestines, for this you can normalize the microflora through children's lactobacilli.
The slightest suspicion of an intestinal infection requires an immediate visit to the hospital, dehydration in infants occurs so quickly and suddenly that it is almost impossible to cope with it at home.
When the green poop was the result of experiments with the mixture, porridge, complementary foods or mother's dinner, it is worthwhile to postpone the innovations and allow the baby to recover.
Age framework
Green poop in infants up to six months is a common reason why mothers turn to specialists. Most often, the child has no problem, and all these are temporary difficulties and features of the formation of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas. Since the introduction of complementary foods, the baby’s diet changes dramatically, he begins to eat not only liquid foods, color, texture, stool smell change. Very often in this period the intestines work, the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet favorably affects digestion and motility.