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The emotions of your baby’s first poop may seem confusing. Meanwhile, meconium, because we are talking about it, is an important sign for paediatricians as to whether the newborn baby is healthy.
Meconium – what is it?
The meconium is the first poop of a newborn. How many times can meconium be excreted? Only once because of its composition still in the fetus. The discharge forms in the baby’s intestines around the 16th week of pregnancy and increases in the following months. Mice indicates the proper functioning of the intestines of the fetus. It contains many substances, including:
- amniotic waters which are the source of food for the fetus,
- fetal goo,
- fetal gastrointestinal epithelial cells,
- bilirubin,
- cholesterol,
- digestive enzymes,
- lanugo, or the nap covering the body of the fetus.
The name of the meconium is related to its appearance. The baby’s first poop is black or black-green and has a thick, sticky consistency, like tar.
By when should meconium be excreted?
Most often, a newborn donates meconium in the first XNUMX hours after birth. This is an average for babies born on the planned date. Premature babies shed meconium a little later than normal. Most often it happens within the first two days of being born.
The timing of meconium expulsion is very important for pediatricians. It is a signal informing about the baby’s health. Returning the first poop too late may be associated with some discomfort. On the other hand, timely meconium can soothe parents who are concerned about their newborn’s health.
Meconium too late – what does it mean?
Although the appearance of meconium in newborns too late does not always mean illness, it certainly deserves closer monitoring of the baby’s health. Typically, delayed excretion of meconium due to medical conditions is accompanied by symptoms such as tearfulness, irritability and restlessness. The relationship between meconium and feeding is also important. When something is wrong, your newborn baby may refuse to eat.
Late meconium can be a symptom of:
- Hirschprung disease resulting from the lack of some nerve plexuses in the intestinal wall, and thus disturbances in the course of peristaltic movements in the child’s digestive system,
- cystic fibrosis – a genetic disease associated with disorders of the respiratory and digestive systems, which increases the density of excretion and makes it difficult to pass it.
Premature meconium donation – danger
The problem may be not only too late, but also premature expulsion of meconium by the newborn. It still takes place in the mother’s womb, and therefore in the amniotic fluid. Getting into them substances contained in the excretion is dangerous for the fetus, as there is a risk of meconium aspiration syndrome. It can lead to certain medical conditions, especially those related to hypoxia in the child. A common cause of early meconium donation are various types of intrauterine infections, although it also happens in the case of transferred pregnancies.