I Thought My Baby Poop Was Supposed To Be Brown. Why Is It Green?
Only a parent can understand how a slight difference in the poop color of your baby can scare you out of your wits. But that’s how babies are raised; you cannot ignore a slight change you notice in your baby. Often new parents rush to their baby’s pediatrician asking “Why is my baby’s poop green?”. If you are looking for an answer yourself, you are at the right place. The good news is there is nothing to be alarmed about green poop. Let’s find out why:
REASONS FOR MY BABY’S GREEN POOP:
Did you have a mini panic attack as you opened up your baby’s poop only to find it filled with green poop? Before you fret, know that there is nothing wrong with it. Expect to see a rainbow of colors in your baby’s poop as they grow. Green poop can be seen in newborns, toddlers as well as older children for different reasons.
BABIES:
Most newborns do green poop as compared to older children. The reasons can be more than one:
- Baby’s first poop, often known as meconium, is often green or tarry black in color.
- Excess production of bile in babies at the time of birth often leads to green poop for a few days.
- Imbalance of hindmilk/foremilk is one of the top reasons for green poop where babies get more amount of foremilk which is watery as compared to hindmilk which is the fattier portion.
- Green poop can also be due to some changes in the mother’s diet.
- Sometimes green poop can be a cause of an allergic reaction to some food in the breastfeeding mother’s diet.
- Often formula milk also leads to green-colored poop in babies.
- Babies having some viral or bacterial infection can also cause green poop.
- Introduction of solids particularly green-colored foods can lead to green-colored poop as well.
TODDLERS:
Toddlers are obviously more interactive than the baby stage. At this stage, they are exploring everything whether it means to taste their rattles or crawl to the farthest corners of the home. This leads to being more exposed to catching viruses that is one of the main causes of green poop in toddlers. Chances increase by manifolds if you leave your baby at daycare.
At this stage, babies are also eating foods that might be green in color leading to green poop.
If you are giving an iron supplement to your baby, this may also cause the poop color to turn green.
IN OLDER CHILDREN
Older children can have green poop very frequently. The reasons might be:
- Green-colored food; artificial or natural both.
- Certain medicines or supplements.
- Your child having diarrhea can also lead to green poop.
FINAL VERDICT
Green poop is not an alarming situation but it is advisable to take your pediatrician’s opinion if the condition persists for a longer time. Especially when it is accompanied by symptoms like fever, vomiting or fatigue. He will rule out any illness
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