Green poop in babies can be a shock to parents, but green poop can actually be caused by a number of factors, including diet, digestive issues, or iron deficiency. Some of these factors can indicate your baby’s health, so it’s important to pay attention.
Naturally, a baby will pass stool from the body for the first time within 24-48 hours after birth. The baby’s stool will be sticky, green mixed with gray or black, called meconium. But the color of the stool will gradually change to golden yellow or may be slightly green depending on the amount of breast milk the baby receives. If the baby starts to eat formula or liquid food, the baby’s stool will be dark yellow, brown or dark green depending on the food or milk the baby eats.
Causes of green poop in infants
While green stool in infants may be normal, there can sometimes be other causes that cause the green color, such as:
Eat green foods
Green stool in babies can be a result of eating green foods while breastfeeding, such as green leafy vegetables or food dyes, or it can be a result of babies starting to eat foods with green ingredients, such as certain beans or spinach. Therefore, the diet of both you and your baby can affect the color of your baby’s stool.
Receiving different amounts of foremilk and hindmilk
During breastfeeding , milk changes at each stage. The milk produced in the first stage is called foremilk, which is low in fat and high in sugar. Then the milk gradually changes to milk with higher fat and calories called hindmilk. However, if the baby receives too much foremilk, it may cause an imbalance of sugar and fat, resulting in rapid digestion. ทางเข้า https://ufabet999.app This results in the baby’s stool being green, liquid and frothy.
Most of the time, green stool from this cause is not dangerous as long as the baby is healthy and at a healthy weight. However, emptying the breasts will help the baby get the right amount of foremilk and hindmilk, which can help to eliminate the condition.
The baby is sick.
If the baby has diarrhea or a viral infection, the baby’s stool may be green, frequent, have a red bottom, may have an unusual smell, be thick and sticky, and may have mucus stuck to it.
Food allergies
A food allergy is a reaction to the nutrients ingested, which may cause the baby’s stool to be green and mucus-filled, or may be accompanied by other abnormalities such as an upset stomach, difficulty breathing, or hives on the skin. The cause of a food allergy may be from consuming formula milk, starting to eat a new type of food, including foods, drinks, or medicines that the mother uses, which may also cause the baby to have an allergic reaction.
Inadequate milk intake
If your baby doesn’t get enough milk, it may result in your baby having fewer bowel movements than usual, green stools, being underweight, being irritable and lethargic. If you suspect that your baby has an eating disorder, you should consult your doctor immediately.
Other causes
In addition to the above causes, green stool in infants can be caused by vaccinations or iron intake, which causes the stool to turn dark green to almost black. However, this condition does not cause harm to the child because when the child stops taking iron, the stool color will return to normal. Or in cases where the child needs to receive treatment for jaundice by using light therapy (Phototherapy), the stool may also turn green.