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Your
Baby's Digestive Health
What to look for--and
what to ignore--in your baby's diaper.
New parents are
often worried about the contents of their baby's diaper and whether
or not she's keeping her food down. While all babies will spit up
or produce a strange-looking stool from time to time, in most cases
it's nothing to be concerned about. But some symptoms can indicate
trouble. Here's the scoop on common digestive problems your child
may encounter and what you can do about it.
Reflux
The emptying
of baby's stomach isn't yet coordinated. Sometimes it takes weeks
for the normal squeezing pattern of the stomach to get into rhythm.
Until that happens, milk can sit in her stomach longer than normal
and then come back up. This is called reflux.
Most cases of
reflux disappear once baby is between 4 and 12 months old. However,
the following symptoms may indicate that your child is having problems:
Poor feeding:
Reflux can cause burning and irritation of the esophagus (also called
heartburn) which makes a baby lose her appetite and act irritable.
Babies with these symptoms will often arch and pull off the nipple
soon after starting a feeding.
Frequent hiccups:
It's normal for all babies to hiccup, but infants with reflux do it
a lot. This is caused by the extra air in his stomach and by the spasms
of his esophagus irritated by refluxed stomach acid.
Congestion and
breathing problems: Chronic acid reflux can irritate the upper airways,
causing baby to cough, wheeze, and be congested. These symptoms tend
to worsen at night, when baby lies flat.
If your baby shows any of the above symptoms, her pediatrician may
recommend treating her with medication. Otherwise, you can greatly
help matters by burping baby often (after every ounce of formula or
after every couple of minutes of breastfeeding) and keeping her upright
for 20 minutes after each feeding.
Vomiting
The most common
cause of vomiting in babies is an infection of the intestinal tract
by any virus that happens to be going around. The illness usually
starts with a sudden bout of vomiting, often with fever or diarrhea
(not necessarily in that order). Most infections run their course
in two or three days, although a child's tummy often isn't up to snuff
for days after.
The biggest risk
involved with these viruses is dehydration. Red flags that your baby
is getting dehydrated are a drop-off in the normal number of wet diapers
and a shortage of saliva. If your baby won't take--or can't keep down--breast
milk or formula, offer her a tablespoonful of an electrolyte solution
such as Pedialyte or Rehydralyte every 15 minutes or so. Call your
pediatrician if she's vomiting up the solution.
In rare instances,
vomiting in infancy can indicate that baby was born with, or has developed,
a malformation of the digestive tract. One common condition is called
pyloric stenosis, which occurs when the muscle at the exit of the
stomach thickens, preventing milk from passing through it. No one
knows what causes it, but it usually shows up in babies between 3
and 5 weeks of age. The telltale sign of pyloric stenosis is projectile
vomiting--vomiting that's forceful enough to shoot across the room.
If your baby is diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, usually by an ultrasound,
he'll need an operation to open the blockage at the outlet of his
stomach.
Diarrhea
Another big concern for parents is diarrhea. Defining exactly what
constitutes diarrhea is tricky; it's probably best to think of it
as a bowel movement that's significantly more frequent and watery
than usual.
Diarrhea in babies
is usually caused by a virus. One type, rotavirus, is responsible
for most cases of diarrhea in kids. Rotavirus usually shows up during
the winter in kids between 6 and 24 months. Once rotavirus takes hold,
the only thing you can do is make sure baby stays hydrated. Your pediatrician
would need to perform a test on baby's stool in order to make a definite
diagnosis.
If your baby
has diarrhea that just won't go away for more than two to three weeks
and she lacks fever or cold symptoms, she could have a milk allergy.
In addition to watery stools, allergic babies may be colicky, suffer
from cramping when they have bowel movements, have small amounts of
blood and mucus in their stool, and develop a rash. Most allergic
babies get better once put on a hypoallergenic formula such as Nutramigen
or Alimentum.
Constipation
Constipation--or
hard stool--is a common problem, especially after a baby starts eating
cereals. If you notice that your child's stools are firm and dry,
or he's having difficulty passing them, try cutting out rice cereal
for a day or two to see if that does the trick.
Another common
time for babies to develop constipation is around their first birthday.
It's no coincidence that this is also when most parents start children
on whole milk. Too much milk can lead to sticky, claylike stools that
present a real problem for some toddlers. If you suspect milk is the
culprit, try limiting your child's intake to 16 ounces per day.
Starting Solid
Foods
Once your baby
starts solid food, you'll notice all sorts of changes in his stool.
While this may seem alarming, it's entirely normal. Watch for the
following differences in your baby's diaper:
Frequency: Your
baby's pooping pattern can change temporarily the first time you give
him certain foods. For example, bananas and rice cereal cause fewer
stools in some babies, and fruit can cause an increase in dirty diapers.
Odor: Stool gets
its foul odor from the bacteria that live and grow in the colon and
make up the bulk of a baby's stool. As new sugars make their way into
the colon, different types of bacteria grow and prosper. The result
can be an unpleasant odor.
Color: Your baby's
stool may turn funny colors depending on what he eats. Carrots and
squash can appear yellow in the diaper. Artificially colored juices
can create a scary resemblance to blood, and dark green veggies are
notorious for causing very dark stools. With few exceptions, these
changes are nothing to worry about. But if you notice black or red
stools that you can't connect to any food, tell your pediatrician.
Consistency:
The consistency of your baby's stool will change depending on what
he eats. They can range from hard or firm to loose and slimy. But
look out for watery stools that soak into the diaper, which may mean
your baby is sick or has a food allergy. Also, although you may see
mucus in his stool when he eats certain fruits, like bananas, lots
of it can indicate an irritated colon, also pointing to a food reaction.
Your
should know:
The
information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes
only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical
advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose
or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your
pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any
questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's
condition.
Rebornne Baby. American Baby
