Patient's question:
Detailed medical history and consultation purpose: My baby is formula-fed. Previously, her bowel movements were normal, occurring 1-2 times daily. Recently, over the past week, she has been having 5-6 bowel movements per day, sometimes green and sometimes yellow, with sticky, sour-smelling, and sometimes runny consistency. How should this condition be checked and treated? Thank you!Doctor's answer:
If you are breastfeeding, your baby's stool will be loose because 80% of breast milk is water. If a breastfed baby passes formed stool, it is considered constipation.Breastfed infants typically have yellow or golden-yellow stools, with a uniform consistency like cream or paste. Occasionally, the stool may be slightly thin and greenish, with an acidic smell but no odor. They usually have 2 to 4 bowel movements per day.
Formula-fed infants have pale yellow or clay-colored stools, which are drier and harder, often streaked with curds, and have a strong odor. They typically have 1 to 2 bowel movements per day.
If your baby normally has only 1 to 2 bowel movements per day but suddenly has 5 to 6, it may indicate illness. However, if your baby has more frequent bowel movements but is otherwise healthy and not losing weight, there is no need to worry.
There are many causes of infant diarrhea, which can be broadly categorized into two types:
One type is non-infectious factors, such as improper diet or changes in weather. Dietary causes include overeating or undereating; changes in food composition, such as adding too much sugar (in contrast, insufficient sugar intake can lead to constipation). Weather changes, like a child getting cold, can disrupt intestinal function; hot weather can reduce stomach acid and digestive enzyme secretion, leading to poor digestion and diarrhea.
The other type is infectious factors, such as unclean feeding utensils or food, which introduce bacteria into the body and cause diarrhea. Long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics can disrupt the intestinal microbiome, leading to diarrhea. Additionally, conditions like acute upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, otitis media, urinary tract infections, or pharyngitis can cause diarrhea due to fever and the effects of pathogenic toxins.
Regulating the intestines is not an overnight process. A child's gastrointestinal system is not yet fully developed, so probiotics like Meizi can be taken long-term. My son took Meizi continuously for a whole year! Meizi and He Sheng Yuan are probiotics (not medications) that help regulate the gastrointestinal system—loose stools can be adjusted to be less loose, and constipation can be adjusted to be less dry. Meizi is reasonably priced, while He Sheng Yuan is relatively more expensive.
If a breastfed baby develops diarrhea, do not wean them prematurely. Instead, you can shorten the duration of each feeding session, allowing the baby to drink only the first half of the milk. The first half of breast milk contains more protein, which is easier to digest and rich in nutrients, while the second half has more fat, which is harder to digest. If necessary, the mother can drink a large glass of diluted salt water 30 minutes to an hour before feeding to thin the milk, and then breastfeed the child again.