A must-have guide for new parents! Decoding the "health code" from baby's poop

After becoming parents, studying baby's poop has unknowingly become a "compulsory course" for everyone every day. Baby's poop is like a "language" for parents. We can understand the baby's digestion through the color, properties, frequency, and smell of the stool, which may also be a key warning for certain diseases.

So, how do you tell if your baby's poop is normal or if you need medical attention? Let's take a look with experts from the Department of Neonatology at Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine !

1. What does normal baby poop look like?

Dark green stool is the stool excreted by a newborn within 24 hours after birth, also known as "meconium". It is composed of amniotic fluid, mucus, dandruff, etc. It is black-green or dark green in color, sticky and odorless, and is usually excreted in 2-3 days.

Yellow-green stools are transitional stools for newborns 2-4 days after birth. This type of stool indicates that the baby has begun to digest the earliest breast milk or formula milk, and the baby's intestinal function can function normally.

Golden yellow stool is the normal stool color for breastfed babies. It is paste-like or thin-paste-like and has no obvious odor.

Brown-yellow stool is the color of stool for formula-fed babies. It is normal for stool to have varying colors, such as various shades of yellow or even mixed with brown.

2. How many times a day is normal for a baby to poop?

1. Meconium: 3-5 times a day;

2. Exclusive breastfeeding: 2-5 times a day, or even 7-8 times a day;

3. Milk powder feeding: 1-2 times a day;

4. Mixed feeding: 1-3 times a day.

The frequency of bowel movements varies from baby to baby at different stages due to changes in food and development of the digestive tract. The frequency of bowel movements is related to the amount of milk consumed. Parents do not need to worry too much about the frequency. As long as the baby has a normal diet, a normal growth curve, and a good mental state, whether it is three bowel movements a day or three times a week, it is within the normal range.

3. If my baby has green stools and milk curds, does that mean he is sick?

This situation is related to the digestion and absorption function of the baby's gastrointestinal tract.

1. Overfeeding: As soon as the baby cries, parents worry that the baby is hungry, so they rush to feed the baby. As a result, the nutrients the baby gets far exceed the amount he needs. Those nutrients that cannot be completely digested and absorbed will be excreted with the feces, becoming green feces and milk curds visible to the naked eye.

2. Baby diarrhea: The intestines move too fast during diarrhea, which causes nutrients to be metabolized before they can be completely digested and absorbed. The baby's stool becomes green or mixed with milk curds.

3. Formula milk factor: The nutrients consumed are not completely digested and absorbed, and the baby's stool may be green, which may be light green, emerald green, or dark green. If there are no other abnormal conditions, no intervention is required.

4. In what situations do you need to seek medical attention promptly?

1. Red stool: gastrointestinal bleeding and anal fissure may occur

It may indicate intestinal infection, allergies or injury, or even other serious medical problems.

2. Gray clay-like stool: biliary atresia

This indicates that the baby may have liver or bile duct diseases such as bile deficiency or bile duct obstruction. If the baby has grayish white or white clay-colored stools, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

3. Black stool: Gastrointestinal bleeding

This may indicate a serious condition such as intussusception or intestinal bleeding.

The number of bowel movements in newborns varies from person to person, and whether it is abnormal cannot be judged solely based on the number of bowel movements. A comprehensive assessment is needed of the baby's stool characteristics, the presence or absence of accompanying symptoms (such as fever, vomiting, abdominal distension, etc.), mental reactions, appetite status, etc.

Reasonable feeding methods, adequate sleep, and good eating habits can effectively protect the baby's intestines. With a healthy intestine, the stool will be moderate in hardness.

If you have any questions, please consult your doctor in time. The medical staff of the neonatal clinic will provide you with more specific advice and guidance. Let us pay attention to the baby's "poop" and escort the healthy growth of the child.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Yao Teng, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by YH)