New mums usually ask this question “why is my baby’s poop foamy”, most time, they panic when their baby’s poop becomes foamy, and that is understandable seeing that they’ve not experienced such before. The act is commendable because their panicking shows that they are observant and pay attention to their baby’s day to day well-being.
But it shouldn’t be allowed to go overboard as foamy poop in most cases isn’t a symptom of a deadly disease. Foamy baby poop is very common, especially among breastfed babies. It isn’t a cause for alarm except if it becomes unbearable.
Your baby may have foamy poop for different reasons. If your baby relies on breast milk only and has a foamy poop, it might be a result of an imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk (we discussed this down the line). If you feed your baby formula, her foamy poop might be a result of an allergy.
These two reasons aren’t the cause of foamy poop in babies, if you are a new mum and you want to understand why your baby has foamy poop and how you can put an end to it, keep reading to get the details.
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What Is Foamy Baby Poop?
To confirm that what you saw as your baby poop is actually what it is, compare our description of foamy poop with your baby poop to avoid misinformation.
Foamy poop is bubbly, watery poop. The colour can differ depending on what the cause is and what the baby eats. Breastfed baby’s foamy poop may be yellow while a formula-fed baby’s poop may be yellow or light brown. It can also be more firm.
As said earlier, your baby’s foamy poop isn’t something to worry about except if your baby shows other symptoms along with it.
Is Foamy Poop In Babies Normal?
Most times, foamy poop in babies isn’t too much of an issue but when it comes to other symptoms, there will be a need to visit a pediatrician.
The pediatrician will help to examine the baby to dictate if the foamy poop is a symptom of microbial activities or infection.
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What Causes Foamy Poop in Babies?
Foamy poop among babies can be caused by different factors and it differs based on the food that babies eat mostly, either breast milk or formula. The factors include:
1. Imbalance in foremilk and hindmilk consumption
This is the major cause of foamy poop among breastfed babies. Their poop gets foamy once there is an imbalance in their milk consumption. If your baby takes more foremilk and less hindmilk, your baby’s poop will become foamy in no time and he will want to nurse more often.
This happens often when you have an oversupply of breast milk and you introduce the second breast faster when the baby is yet to get the taste of hindmilk in the first breast.
You will know that your baby is having breastmilk imbalance if you notice a painful reaction when you touch his abdomen, if he cries often, if he releases gas more often than normal, and most especially if his poop is foamy and greenish.
2. Teething
In both breastfed and formula-fed babies, foamy poop is usually a result of teeth production or teething. If your baby is teething, there’s a chance that he will have foamy poop.
If you want to be sure that your baby’s foamy poop is a result of teething, look out for other teething symptoms like consistent crying, fever, red cheeks, the release of excess saliva (more than usual), chewing of fingers, or anything close.
If you observe these symptoms alongside foamy poop, it means your baby is teething and as a result, releasing foamy poop. If this is the case, there’s no need to panic, you should channel that effort into looking for ways to ease your baby’s discomfort and pain.
3. Sensitivity/Allergy
This occurs among formula-fed babies. If you fed your baby formula and after your observations, he isn’t teething, it may be that he is sensitive to the formula you feed him. To confirm this, you should look out for symptoms like vomiting, abdominal pain, skin rashes, constant gas release, and restlessness.
In severe cases, the symptoms of allergy to the formula include hives, swelling of body parts, hardness in breathing, and anaphylaxis. In this case, you will need to rush your baby to the hospital for immediate treatment.
4. Microbial infection
Even though this isn’t always the case, your baby’s foamy poop may be a sign of a microbial infection called Giardia and bacterial gastroenteritis. This infection comes with great pain and discomfort and needs immediate medical attention.
But before then, ensure that your baby is infected for real by looking out for other symptoms like the constant release of gas, feeling pain when you touch his abdomen, tiredness, nausea, and obvious weight loss. If you notice these symptoms, rush your baby to the hospital as delay might result in dire consequences.
Apart from Giardia, your baby’s foamy poop might be a sign of other illnesses such as chronic diarrhea, or viral infection. Although this happens in rare cases, it isn’t something to overlook. If your baby releases foamy poop for 2 days in a stretch and it’s obvious he isn’t teething and it isn’t as a result of insufficient hindmilk, it might mean that he’s having diarrhea.
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What Is the Difference Between Foremilk And Hindmilk?
Most first-time mums don’t have an idea what foremilk and hindmilk are and how important it is to feed their baby these two kinds of milk in equal proportion. This leads to problems that should have been avoided.
Foremilk is the first milk that comes out when you begin to nurse your baby. It is watery, clear, and thin. It also has a bluish tint sometimes. The milk contains a high level of lactose but has low calories.
Hindmilk as the name implies is the milk that comes after foremilk. Unlike foremilk, it is more thick and creamy and contains high levels of calories and high fat.
To give your baby a balanced proportion of foremilk and hindmilk, you must allow your baby to nurse on a breast long enough before introducing the second breast. That way, he will be able to get to the hindmilk before going over to the other breast.
What Should I do If My Baby Has a Foamy Poop?
If you observe that your baby’s foamy poop is a result of inadequate hindmilk consumption, employ these patterns to give your baby balanced milk:
1. Express the foremilk
Pump your foremilk into a cup and when you are sure that the foremilk has been exhausted (you can use the properties above to identify the hindmilk), allow your baby to take the hindmilk which is more thick and creamy.
2. Don’t introduce the second breast too fast
As earlier mentioned, allow your baby to nurse on one side of the breast very well before introducing the second side. That way, he will get to ingest both the foremilk and the hindmilk from both sides of the breast.
3. Nurse your baby consistently
Babies aren’t adults that eat three times a day. Try as much as possible to nurse your baby at any chance you get and allow him to feed until he is full. Don’t limit his nursing to one side of the breast, let him take both sides.
4. Change the formula
This is for formula-fed babies. If your child is allergic to a certain formula, kindly change that formula after giving him adequate medical treatment. You should try some lactose-free formulas
5. Give them homemade food
If your baby is above 6 months, you can try out some homemade food. You can blend some cereal and give it to them but you must be observant to notice their reaction to the food you give them.
You can even begin to give them the food you eat yourself as most babies begin to eat solid food as early as 6 months old. If you are taking any proteineus food like eggs, you can crush some and give it to your baby.
6. Give your baby enough water
If you find out that your baby’s foamy poop is a result of teething or diarrhea, give him lots of water. You can use a sterilized water bottle with a pacifier, he will appreciate it.
7. Give him pacifiers to chew
This might sound a bit funny but it’s worth it. if your baby is teething, his gums will be itchy and he will be needing to scratch his gums as often as possible. If you give him a pacifier to chew, you will be doing him a truckload of favour.
8. Consult a Pediatrician
It’s always good to do the right thing. Instead of carrying out self-medication on your baby, take him to the hospital to see a qualified Pediatrician. The doctor will examine your baby to find out if his foamy poop is a sign of microbial infection or teething.
If he finds out that it’s an infection case, he will either place your baby under supervision or give you drugs that will help you take care of the situation depending on how severe the case is.
Conclusion
If your baby has foamy poop, don’t freak out. Invest time into finding out why he has a foamy pool and how to remedy the situation. In most cases, the issue can be resolvable without visiting the hospital.
But if your baby is exhibiting other symptoms alongside foamy poop, it’s wise to consult a Pediatrician for a proper medical examination.
In any case, be on top of the matter as a parent and ease your baby’s pain and discomfort.