Does Your Baby's Poop Talk About His Gut Health?
Baby can only reveal his feelings of anger, anxiety, and frustration by crying, which is hard-hitting for parents. A baby’s immune system is immature at birth and have limited resistance to infections. That’s why babies are prone to bacterial infections and need to be protected against all those types of health demons. But do you know that baby’s poop also reveals a lot about their wellness and health condition. Yes, you heard it right. Poop is like a window into gut health.
Paediatricians often advise parents of a newborn to keep a track of their baby’s poop. Studies indicate that baby’s motions change their colour and consistency during the first few days of life. It’s greenish to start with and gradually, it changes to light yellow in colour. A healthy infant may occasionally pass stool of normal consistency at intervals of as long as 12 to 24 hours.
Nutrition during baby’s early days has a major impact on the gut health (gut refers to digestive system) of a baby. Hence, a baby should be put to breastmilk soon after his birth, as it’s the most optimal source of nutrition for them. Along with the nutrition, prebiotics (oligosaccharides) in breast milk helps in developing the gut health and immunity. Galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) are prebiotics from lactose (milk sugar) and chicory roots.
Benefits of prebiotics on stool characteristics may include:
- Softer stools
- Prevents hard stools
- Better stool frequency
So, prebiotics in an important ingredient for gut health. Healthy gut, Healthy Stool, Happy baby!
