Observing Infant's Stool

OBSERVING THE INFANT'S STOOL

Stool Check

  • Yellow

    • Healthy!

  • Dark Green

    • Lingered inside for a while but it's okay

  • Grassy Green

    • The longer the digestion time, the greener the poop

  • Red

    • May indicate bacterial infection or food poisoning

  • White

    • May indicate biliary atresia, a serious liver condition; must contact your doctor

  • Black

    • Could indicate gastrointestinal bleeding in the stomach

Understanding Infants' Stool Patterns

  • A baby is considered constipated when the stool is hard and well-formed.

  • A baby has diarrhea when there are frequent watery bowel movements.

Stool Characteristics Based on Feeding Method

  • Bottle-Fed Infants

    • Stools are typically yellowish or mustard-colored.

    • Normal for 1 to 3 bowel movements each day if fed every 3 to 4 hours.

    • Appearance may include tiny seed-like particles in the stool.

  • Breast-Fed Infants

    • Stools are also yellowish or mustard-colored, but the color may slightly change to a greenish tint depending on the mother's diet.

    • Generally looser and smoother than those of bottle-fed infants.

    • It is common for a breast-fed infant to have a bowel movement after every feeding or once or twice a day if fed every 3 to 4 hours.

Diarrhea in Infants

  • An infant experiencing diarrhea can become dehydrated within two days.

  • Characteristics of diarrhea may include green, watery stool, foul odor, and increased frequency of stool discharge.

Definition of Diarrhea

  • Diarrhea

    • Defined as the abnormally frequent discharge of liquid fecal matter.

Causes of Diarrhea

  1. Equipment not properly sterilized

  2. Carelessly prepared or spoiled formula

  3. Allergies (potential food allergies)