Your new little one is just beginning to explore food and is still getting used to this digestion thing. But too much diarrhea can lead to too much water loss for a tiny baby. Opening a diaper might reveal a rainbow of colors and textures. This is because babies can have different kinds of watery poop or diarrhea at different ages and stages.
A rule of thumb for poop: Any earthy color is just fine! Meconium poop is black to green and looks greasy or tarry. You might see a bit of it mixed in with other poop for a day or two more. They also poop a lot — sometimes several times a day. So it can be hard to know if they have diarrhea or not. However, if your infant has stools that are very runny or larger in size — maybe even leaking out of their diaper — and are more frequent than usual, then they have diarrhea. If your baby is partly or completely formula-fed, they might have less watery or loose poops.
Formula milk usually gives babies firmer poops that are light tan in color. Diarrhea in formula-fed babies will still be a bit watery, though the color can vary just as with normal stool. There are many causes for baby diarrhea. Most of these are common and go away on their own. A medical study on babies found that infants who are breastfed only have less diarrhea than babies who are partly or completely formula-fed.
About 27 percent of breastfed babies got diarrhea often while almost 72 percent of babies who were on formula exclusively got diarrhea often. These include:. For example, if you eat a lot of spicy food or sugar desserts one night, it might change your breast milk. Even a tiny change can trigger diarrhea in sensitive baby tummies, though it is not common for this to happen very often.
Call your doctor if any serious symptoms occur. Serious Causes. Most bacterial diarrhea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection such as Shigella colitis. Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid. See below for more on this. Can cause loose, slimy stools in babies. Can be blood-streaked. Starts within the first 2 months of life. Need to avoid cow's milk formulas.
Lactose Intolerance. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Many people cannot absorb lactose. The gut bacteria convert the lactose to gas. The main symptoms are a lot of gas, loose stools and stomach bloating. Onset usually at age 4 or 5. This most often runs in the family genetic. Diarrhea Scale Mild: watery stools per day Moderate: watery stools per day Severe: 10 or more watery stools per day The main risk of diarrhea is dehydration.
Loose or runny stools do not cause dehydration. Frequent, watery stools can cause dehydration. Dehydration: How to Know Dehydration means that the body has lost too much fluid. Mild diarrhea or mild vomiting does not cause this. In the United States, children younger than 4 years may have diarrhea 1 or 2 times each year. Diarrhea can be acute lasts a short time or chronic lasting more than 2 weeks. Most diarrhea in children is caused by viruses.
Diarrhea can also be caused by bacteria, parasites, changes in diet such as drinking too much fruit juice , problems with the intestines such as allergy to foods , and the use of some medicines. Most of the time mild diarrhea lasts from 3 to 6 days. Sometimes a child will have loose stools for several days more. As long as the child acts well and is drinking and eating enough, parents do not need to worry about loose stools. Children with viral diarrhea have a fever and may vomit.
Soon after these symptoms appear, children get diarrhea. The most important part of treating diarrhea is to prevent your child from becoming dehydrated. Urinates less often for infants, less than 6 wet diapers per day.
Stools will be loose if dehydration is caused by diarrhea. Vomit that looks green, tinged with blood, or like coffee grounds. Mild diarrhea without vomiting. Diarrhea often goes away in a couple of days on its own.
Most children with mild diarrhea do not need to change their diet and electrolyte solutions are usually not needed. Mild diarrhea with vomiting. Children who have diarrhea and are vomiting will need to stop their usual diets. Electrolyte solutions should be given in small amounts, often until the vomiting stops.
Breastfeeding should continue. You should continue breast-feeding when your baby has diarrhea. Breast milk can help ease symptoms of diarrhea and speed up recovery. Monitor your child carefully, looking for signs of dehydration. This can help prevent diaper rash and irritation. Use water instead of wipes, which can further irritate the skin. Over-the-counter creams with zinc oxide such as Desitin can also help soothe and protect skin.
You should also take them to the doctor if they show any of the following symptoms:. Diarrhea in infants and young children can quickly lead to dehydration, which is a dangerous condition. A complete medical history and physical examination will be required. Avoid giving your child foods or liquids that trigger diarrhea.
Stick with bland foods instead such as potatoes, toast, or bananas until the diarrhea has subsided. Here are some preparatory measures to keep in mind:. The U. Both are given in multiple doses to babies during their first months of life. Explosive or severe diarrhea usually resolves on its own with self-care.
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