Is teething poop a thing? Does teething cause diarrhea? It is well known that teething is linked to diarrhea since many parents noticed it in their children.
However, the link between teething and diarrhea does not appear to be proven. In addition, increased drooling was thought to be a contributing factor to diarrhea during teething. Teething occurs between the age of 4 months to 2 years of the child’s age. During this time you child’s immune system is still underdeveloped, making them suspitable to many other ailments that would cause diarrhea.
If your baby experiences teething and diarrhea simultaneously, they should be treated separately.
The symptoms of diarrhea, in particular, shouldn’t be ignored, as they can lead to dehydration or other severe medical conditions.
During teething, babies may swallow a large amount of saliva, which may disturb the balance of the gastric system and cause diarrhea. Despite this, diarrhea in babies cannot be directly linked to it.
Why do Babies Get Diarrhea While Teething?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teething is not directly responsible for diarrhea. The baby’s diarrhea can also be caused by other factors. Around 4-6 months, parents start feeding their babies solid foods and the teething process begins.
It will take time for your baby’s digestive system to adjust to these foods, which can lead to diarrhea.
According to medicinenet.com, it is also around this time that babies begin losing the antibodies they had received from their mothers when they were born. When they don’t have enough antibodies, they are more prone to getting infected, resulting in diarrhea.
RELATED: 7 Signs Your Baby is Teething: 7 Ways to Soothe the Gums
Is Diarrhea Common with Teething?
Teething should not cause diarrhea or intestinal discomfort, but loose or discolored stools can occur, some parents also find that their child gets diaper rash along with the loose stools.
It is common for breastfed babies to have light yellow to green stools, while formula-fed babies may have stools that are more varied. In formula-fed babies or older toddlers, loose stools are easily recognizable. It should be noted that diarrhea is not one of the symptoms of teething.
Do Babies Poop Change When Teething?
Your baby’s poop may look yellow, soft, runny, lumpy, and soft if you are breastfeeding him, but we still can’t call it teething poop as it is not specific to teething. If your baby drinks formula milk, his poop will be camel to brown and will be thicker in consistency.
Can Teething Cause Acidic Poop?
The most obvious indicator here may be diaper contents. You may notice that your baby’s stools are loose and watery. Bulky and frothy stools are also common. It is even possible that the baby can be acidic, so your baby may experience diaper rash from being irritated.
How Many Times Should Baby Poop?
There is nothing unusual about babies pooping 7 or more times a day, and even normal for poop to shoot out of their diaper and land on their back.
How can you tell if they have diarrhea? A change in diet might result in diarrhea if your child suddenly starts pooping a lot more than usual.
Make sure your baby stays hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids and continuing breastfeeding if you are.
Teething and Diarrhea
If your child’s stool becomes watery, contact the pediatrician because it could be a sign of a more serious infection. Additionally, the increased saliva produced during teething can make stool slightly loose. In cases where diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting or a high fever, it is particularly important to consult a pediatrician.
What Does Baby Diarrhea Looks Like?
When parents ask about diarrhea, they mean frequent pooping. However, this is different from a breastfed baby who may have 8 to 12 bowel movements each day.
Their stool is usually yellowish in color and contains little pieces that resemble seeds.
They are going to be loose bowel movements for formula-fed babies. They may be a little tanner than a breastfed baby and have only one bowel movement per day.
It has a peanut butter-like consistency and is slightly thicker than a breastfed baby. Should your baby have a watery stool or if you are concerned about diarrhea, call your pediatrician. They will likely ask you about other observations.
In other words, there’s really no way to tell for sure unless you have a doctor or provider look at your baby’s stool if you’re concerned and have him checked out if there’s a problem.
Caring for Baby When They Have Diarrhea
Increase your baby’s fluid intake or by recommending an Oral rehydration solution if your child is atleast 6 months old.
It’s best to stick with your baby’s normal diet, although you may want to reduce yogurt with live cultures. Also, watch for dehydration, because babies can lose a lot of fluid rapidly. Crying without tears and having fewer wet diapers on them could be a sign of dehydration.
You can also give your child rice water, pureed bananas or carrots to help stop the diarrhea.
Caring for your baby when they are Teething
When your baby is teething, they will most likely have sore gums. You relieve the teething pain by rubbing your baby’s gums with a cool wet wach cloth, you could also rub your baby’s gum with a cooled teaspoon.
Common Questions the Doctor May Ask
You may be asked about your baby’s eating patterns if they’ve vomited, if they have a fever, or if they seem lethargic and weak.
You will also be asked how many diapers your baby has worn recently and when was the last time you changed a diaper.
Keep Baby Hydrated
When a baby has diarrhea, they can become dehydrated quickly if they have an excessively dry mouth.
One of the things you can do to avoid dehydration is to increase the number of feedings you give your baby while you contact the pediatrician.
Signs of Dehydration
- It is crucial for your baby to stay hydrated and for you to recognize when they are dehydrated.
- It is important to pay attention to urination if there are less than six wet diapers per day.
- If your baby is pooping all the time, get him checked out right away if you suspect diarrhea.
- When your baby’s head appears soft or sunken or when he cries and doesn’t have tears where he usually does.
- When his mouth is really dry or the corners of his lips are cracked, this may be a sign of dehydration. Give your baby breastmilk or formula or even water if you have already introduced water to them.
Final Thought
Parents should understand what symptoms to look for when their children are getting their baby teeth. While other mothers will tell you how their children cope with teething, keep in mind that there is no point in comparing your baby to others because every baby handles teething differently. Some children may need pain medication to help ease the pain in their gums.
Always use your best judgment when something needs medical attention. Additionally, remember that even though teething is not a fun milestone for mom and baby, it will pass. Eventually, you will look back on it as a memory.