Is it normal for babies to have diarrhea and foamy stools?

Problems with infants and young children always worry parents, especially when the baby is not in good condition. So is it normal for a baby to have diarrhea and foamy stools? Why don’t we pay attention to the following content together? I hope it will be helpful to you. My baby’s health is my biggest concern.

Observation points for normal bowel movements

1. Meconium The main component of meconium is water, accounting for about 72%. It is composed of epithelial cells shed from the fetal intestine, bile, concentrated digestive juices and swallowed amniotic fluid. Meconium is first excreted within a few hours after birth (usually within 10 hours). It is dark green and a little shiny, much like the asphalt on the road surface melted by the scorching sun in summer. It has no odor and gradually transitions to normal baby feces within 2-3 days after feeding.

2. The feces of breastfed babies are golden yellow, mostly uniform and paste-like, with occasional small milk curds and a sour taste, 2-3 times a day. Even if you have bowel movements 3-5 times a day, it can be considered normal if the stool does not contain too much water and is mushy.

3. Artificially-fed infants’ feces: Infants fed with milk (including milk powder) or goat’s milk have light yellow feces, which are mostly formed, contain more milk curds, are alkaline or neutral, are large in quantity and smelly, and occur 1-2 times a day.

4. The feces of mixed-feeding infants: The feces of infants fed with breast milk and cow's milk are similar to those of infants fed with cow's milk, but are yellower and softer. After adding complementary foods such as cereals, eggs, meat, and vegetables, the stool characteristics become close to those of adults, and should be taken once a day.

Abnormal stools of various shapes and sizes

If your baby's stool frequency suddenly increases or becomes thinner without changing the amount or type of food, this should be considered abnormal.

1. Foamy stool

Eating too much starch or sugary food can increase the fermentation of food in the intestine, and the resulting stool will be dark brown, watery and foamy.

In any case, if you feel that the baby's condition is not normal and you can't handle it yourself, then go to the hospital for a check-up. The baby's body is more fragile, and if you are sick, you can't delay treatment. The baby's resistance is weaker than that of adults.