Baby poop smells different than that of adults, and there are different kinds of odor that a baby’s bowel movements can have.
As bad as a baby’s BM can stink, you’ll want to take a good breath every now and then to make sure that there aren’t any tell-tale odors of something bad going on.
Of course, you need not stick your nose right up to the poo, but just make sure that during most diaper changes, you allow yourself normal breaths to know what’s going on.
Bad Smelling Baby Poop
Well of course it’s bad; there’s no such thing as a pleasant scent from feces.
However, you’ll be able to tell the difference between what you normally detect when changing a diaper and what’s clearly more stinky than usual and out of the ordinary.
“The main odor that concerns doctors is new foul smelling odor, says Dr. Lisa Lewis, MD, a board certified pediatrician in Fort Worth, Texas, and author of “Feed the Baby Hummus, Pediatrician-Backed Secrets from Cultures Around the World.”
“Of course, poop doesn’t smell good, but baby poop typically smells quite different from adult poop,” continues Dr. Lewis.
“A foul smelling odor can be associated with something the baby ate or can mean unwanted bacteria.
“Bacteria in the stool will typically be associated with other symptoms such as diarrhea.
Sour or Sweet Odor
“A sour smell can indicate intolerance to a food or certain component in formula or breast milk, such as cow’s milk allergy.
“Intolerance to food, formula or a component in the breast milk will typically have other symptoms such as abdominal cramping, constipation or diarrhea.
“Baby poop may also take on a different odor as various foods are introduced.
“For example, if a baby is eating a lot of blueberries, parents may note blueberry remnants in the stool AND a sweet odor!”
Don’t be alarmed by blue poo!
Having 25+ years’ experience, Dr. Lewis completed her pediatrics residency at Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Scott and White Memorial Hospital. For two years afterward she was assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at Texas A&M University Health Science Center.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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