# Newborn's poop smells strongly astringent/bitter?



## JavaFinch (May 26, 2002)

My DD is almost a month old (born early and her due date is actually tomorrow). She's generally quite happy, doesn't cry inconsolably or anything ever, but she:

hiccups a lot (did before birth, too)

spits up through her nose a lot, both milk and sometimes curdled milk - she doesn't spit up a HUGE amount and not every time, no projectile vomiting or anything. She'll often make gagging faces but then either swallowed it down or it never came up.

She grunts a LOT at night when I try to put her down after she's sleeping to fall asleep. She doesn't grunt nearly as much when I'm holding her, though. I don't remember this loud grunting with DS at all.

She is gaining weight at a good rate. The two times I Had her weighed she gained 8 and 9 ounces both weeks (in a row)

I thought she was just a 'happy spitter' but now I'm seeing a new 'symptom' that has me worried - not sure it's even connected.

Her poop, which used to smell more like a typical breastfed baby (butterscotch kind of smell) has changed. It's still yellow, but it smells totally off - like an astringent/bitter smell - it's a pretty strong smell. It smells almost like some sort of bitter plant or grass or even chemically. She poops a lot, too, maybe a dozen times per day?

Is this smell and the other things a sign of some intolerance? Does anyone have advice? Thanks!


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## elizaMM (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm not sure what a bitter/astringent smell would be like but I'm surprised to see you calling the typical smell "butterscotch".

My babe's poop smells more like sour milk and I've heard others describe it that way as well.

Do you think your babe's poop did or does smell like that???


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## mousebandit (Jan 20, 2008)

did they do the first and second round of newborn screenings on her? There's some of those things that they screen for that symptoms are strange-smelling poops - there were specific different ones. Maybe you should go to one of the newborn screening websites and read about it? I know they usually want to do one within 24-48 hrs of birth, and then I think the second one is done within a week (or two)? Not to unnecessarily scare you - I just remember them talking about specific smelling poops as signs of some of those things. It's probably not any big deal, probably just something you ate - just better safe than sorry!

Tracey Mouse


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