Baby poop is usually described as smelling like vinegar. This is because the baby’s body produces acetone, an odorless and colorless compound that evaporates quickly. Acetone does not have a strong odor but gives off the smell of vinegar when it mixes with other compounds.
The smell can sometimes be strong, especially if more than one baby is in diapers at home. However, it is nothing to worry about as long as it only lasts for up to two or three days. It will disappear once your baby starts eating solid foods and his diet changes.
If you are still worried about this change in your baby’s poop odor, it might be best to talk to your pediatrician about it. Let’s take a look in detail.
Breastfed Babies Poop Smell Like Vinegar
If you’re breastfeeding and notice that your baby’s stool smells like vinegar, you can take comfort in knowing that this isn’t a cause for concern — it’s just a natural byproduct of breast milk.
Breast milk contains lactic acid, which gives it its sour smell. The lactic acid is also responsible for making the milk taste sour when it goes up a mother’s nose while nursing or bottle-feeding her baby. It may seem strange that breast milk can smell sour when we associate sour foods with being spoiled or rotten, but that’s just because we’re used to eating more solid food than liquidy foods like milk!
It is not a hard and fast rule that your baby smells vinegar when he or she is breastfed but they can also smell their poop like a rotten egg for many reasons.
What Are The Reasons Behind Babies Poop Smell Like Vinegar?
There are many reasons why your baby’s poop smells like vinegar. Vinegar is a common ingredient in many foods, and it’s also used as a disinfectant.
If you’ve had a baby, then you know that their poop can vary in color, size, and consistency — and sometimes even smell. Babies’ digestive systems aren’t fully developed when they’re born, so their poop has a higher water content than adults’. It also contains more mucus, which helps protect the colon from getting irritated by the bacteria in its diet.
Due To Lactic Acids
A breastfed baby’s poop smells like vinegar because of all the lactic acids in breast milk.
Lactic acid is a byproduct of lactose, the sugar found in breast milk (and cow’s milk). Lactose breaks down into lactic acid and galactose when digested.
As a result, breastfed babies experience increased lactic acid levels while drinking their mother’s milk.
Teething
Babies may also notice that their poop smells like vinegar when they’re teething because their mouths hurt (and thus produce more saliva) or when they’ve eaten something acidic (like orange juice or yogurt).
The good news is that this isn’t anything to worry about. The lactate found in breast milk helps break down other nutrients into simple sugars that your baby can use as energy. It also helps prevent infections by killing bacteria before they can take hold of your baby’s body.
Bacteria In Intenstine
The reason why baby poop smells like vinegar may be due to an excess amount of bacteria in their intestines or an imbalance in their digestive system.
Formula Milk Babies Poop Smell Like Vinegar
The composition of breastmilk is different than the composition of formula, so it should come as no surprise that breastfed babies tend to have less complex bowel movements than formula-fed babies. Breastmilk contains more easily digestible sugars and fats, making it easier for babies to absorb nutrients efficiently and eliminate waste without much fuss. On the other hand, formula milk typically contains whey protein isolate and maltodextrin as well as lactose sugar (all of which can cause gas). Babies fed formula instead of breast milk may have more acidic stools than breastfed because of formulas’ different kinds of sugars. Formula-fed babies sometimes have trouble digesting lactose (the sugar found in milk), making their stools smell like vinegar.
Diarrhea Smells Like Vinegar
If you have diarrhea, your body loses fluids quickly because of a change in the balance of electrolytes. The body needs these minerals to maintain proper fluid levels in its cells and blood vessels. When there’s too much water loss from vomiting or diarrhea without enough replacement of fluids, it causes dehydration.
Dark Urine May Cause Poop to Smell Like Vinegar
Dehydration causes many unpleasant symptoms, including weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and muscle cramps. The main symptom of dehydration is dark urine because the concentration of waste products in the blood increases faster than they can be removed through urination.
One possibility is that your baby is dehydrated, and the concentrated urine gives their poop a strong smell. Another possibility is that your baby has an infection or illness, such as a bacterial or viral infection, causing diarrhea and the smell of vinegar.
It’s important to monitor your baby’s symptoms closely and to contact their healthcare provider if you have any concerns.
What Can You Do If Your Baby’s Poop Smell Like Vinegar?
If your baby’s poop smells like vinegar, it’s important to determine the underlying cause. Here are some steps you can take:
Contact Your Baby’s Healthcare Provider
Let your baby’s healthcare provider know about the vinegar-like smell in their poop. They can evaluate your baby’s symptoms and provide appropriate treatment if necessary.
Check For Signs Of Dehydration
Dehydration can cause concentrated urine, which can give poop a strong smell. Check your baby’s diaper to see if they produce enough wet diapers. If you are concerned about dehydration, offer your baby small amounts of breast milk or formula more frequently. If your baby is older than 6 months, offer small amounts of water or an oral rehydration solution.
Monitor Your Baby’s Diet
Certain foods can cause changes in the smell of your baby’s poop. If your baby has started eating solid foods, pay attention to what they are eating and see if there is a correlation between the vinegar-like smell and a particular food.
Practice Good Hygiene
Make sure you are changing your baby’s diaper frequently and using proper hygiene techniques, such as wiping from front to back, to prevent the spread of infection.
Follow Any Recommended Treatment
If your baby’s healthcare provider determines it has an infection or illness, they may recommend treatment such as antibiotics or other medications. Follow their instructions carefully to help your baby recover as quickly as possible.
FAQs
What does rotavirus poop smell like?
Rotavirus is a contagious virus that causes diarrhea in babies and children. Rotavirus is spread through contact with fecal matter from an infected person or contaminated object like a diaper changing table or toy.
Why does my baby smell like vinegar when she sweats?
Notice a vinegar-like odor coming from your child’s sweat glands. It could be because of something called bromhidrosis — or body odor caused by bacteria on the skin that break down sweat byproducts into acids that give off an unpleasant scent. This condition is more common in children than adults because their bodies are still developing and growing rapidly.