Patient's question:
A male infant who is 50 days old suddenly had green stools, which is a cause for concern. Please provide an explanation—is this normal or not? Why are the baby's stools green?Doctor's answer:
The common reason for a baby having green stools is that the baby's intestines metabolize food quickly, and bile is not fully oxidized in the intestines before being excreted, resulting in green stools. The baby's main food is breast milk or formula, which contains a significant amount of fat. Fat requires bile to aid in digestion, and bile is green in color. Therefore, green stools are a physiological symptom during infancy and do not require special intervention or excessive concern. As the baby grows older, their bowel movements will gradually return to their normal color.