The baby’s stools can be studied to get an idea of his health.. According Webconsultas, characteristics such as odor, texture, size and quantity can be examined if they are due to an abnormal or pathological reason.
Maintained constipation, runny stools with fever, bloody stools and pale stools are some of the signs that we have to pay attention to when observing our baby’s stools. This and more will be addressed below.
1. Meconium: the baby’s first evacuation
Typically, the baby performs its first bowel movement within the first 24 hours of life, during your stay in the hospital. This first evacuation has a proper name, meconium.
Meconium is a black, pasty, compact, sticky poop that is difficult to clean. Normally, babies have a bowel movement until the second or third day of life.
This is a substance that has been stored in the baby’s digestive tract during pregnancy, and is made up of remains of amniotic fluid that the fetus has swallowed during pregnancy.
The delay in the evacuation of meconium, that is, when it occurs after 24 or 48 hours of life, has been related to the development of some pathologies, such as cystic fibrosis.
On the other hand, the absence of intestinal transit with the accumulation of meconium in its interior can cause intestinal perforation in an extreme case. This is known as meconium ileum.
2. Warning signs
After the meconium stage, once the baby’s stools have normalized, it will be possible to observe certain warning signs that will be indicative of possible health problems. Some of these signs are:
- Constipation maintained despite adequate water and fiber intake
- Liquid stools accompanied by fever
- Bloody stools
- Pale stools
If the baby has liquid stools, and also has a fever, it is likely that he is suffering from gastroenteritis, so its hydration status should be evaluated. In any case, it is imperative to take him to a medical consultation as soon as possible.
On the other hand, bloody stools could be a indicator of intolerance towards cow’s milk proteinsBut it can also be gastroenteritis again if the baby has a fever.
Pale, almost white stools may suggest a case of acolia. Also, if your skin has a yellowish hue (jaundice), it is likely that the baby is going through some liver disease.
In short, the baby’s feces can be valuable to parents to the extent that they allow them know a little more about the health of your baby without having to resort to medical tests, although they should not be dispensed with.
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eldiariony.com
Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.