The original stool of a newborn is characterized by a thick consistency, dark green color and lack of odor. During the transition period, when the microflora colonization process takes place in the intestines of the crumbs, the discharge can become more frequent and change color to green-yellow. In subsequent periods, the type of feces directly depends on the type of feeding.
Original feces - meconium
The first feces of a newborn is a sticky mass of dark green or dark olive color, which contains mucus, epithelial cells, prenatal hair, amniotic fluid, bile and water. Meconium accumulates in the baby's gastrointestinal tract, appears in the first twelve hours of his life and disappears in 2-3 days. As a rule, original feces are odorless, their consistency is rather viscous, similar to resin. The discharge of the first feces is a good sign that signals that the gastrointestinal tract of the baby is functioning in a normal rhythm.
"Transitional" chair
Starting from the 4th-7th birthday, the nature of the newborn's stool changes - it becomes more frequent with a heterogeneous consistency, it can be clearly distinguished into lumps, mucus and a liquid part. Stool color in patches varies from dark green to greenish yellow or even whitish. This chair is usually called "transitional", which is associated with transient intestinal catarrh of the infant - the process of colonization of microflora. After a few days, the frequency of secretions decreases, they become homogeneous, mushy, they no longer contain an admixture of mucus.
Breastfed and bottle-fed baby's chair
Babies who eat adapted infant formula or use them as complementary foods have a yellowish brown or pale yellow stool. Due to the fact that artificial nutrition is not as well digested as mother's milk, the stool has a stronger consistency than that of an infant. The odor of the discharge will also be more pronounced, similar to that of an adult's feces.
In newborns who are breastfeeding, feces are bright yellow or mustard in color. The discharge has a slightly sweet smell, it is liquid, but coherent, sometimes streaks can be observed in them. It should be remembered that infant feces can change color and texture as new foods are introduced into the diet of a nursing mother. This should not be scared if the newborn is not capricious, eats normally and empties without problems.
What should be alarming?
If the child is not gaining weight well, is often anxious and gives off foamy feces of a bright green color, you should consult a pediatrician about lactose deficiency. Hard feces in a newborn is also considered an abnormality. Constipation can be caused by poorly selected formula or unhealthy diet of a nursing mother. If the baby poops with diarrhea for a long time, you need to consult with a specialist about a possible dysbiosis.
