Do you ever wonder why newborn farts smell really bad? It can be quite a shock for new parents when they experience the foul odors coming from their tiny little bundle of joy.
Most parents are also surprised to discover that newborn farts smell much worse than the average adult.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the shocking truth about newborn farts and find out why these little toots can pack such a punch.
Also read: Bad Breath in Babies: Causes and How to get rid of baby bad breath?
Table of Contents
Why do newborn farts smell Really bad
One of the reasons why newborn farts smell really bad is due to their immature digestive system.
When a baby is initially born, every cell in the body goes through a series of abrupt, dramatic changes that prepare them for life outside the womb.
Consequently, during the first few days of life, the infant no longer depends on the umbilical cord to carry nutrients from the mother to them. The infant must now eat and digest food reasonably autonomously.
The organs of a newborn baby are still figuring out how to work, and they need several probiotics for proper digestion which is another reason why newborn farts smell so bad.
In other words, some proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids included in your breast milk or their formula may be more challenging for your newborn to digest adequately.
Due to fast digestion during the first month, food typically slips through your newborn’s system without completely breaking down.
Gas can then become stuck in the bowels and make babies fart much more frequently.
Additionally, newborns lack the intestinal flora required for breast milk digestion. This is another reason why your newborn farts smell really bad.
In the digestive tract of adults, bacteria assemble to facilitate easier food digestion. And, since newborns have a clean gut, it will take some time for the bacteria to grow in their bodies.
Instead, newborns have pro-bacteria in their bodies, which can produce gas and cause your baby to fart frequently and smell bad.
These are smells from a newborn baby’s fart and their meanings.
Do you want to read: Your breath smells like poop? 7 major causes and Treatments
Newborn farts smell like sulfur
#Why do newborn farts smell like sulfur
Sometimes a newborn may fart sulfur, which smells bad. Even in small doses, sulfur has a bothersome odor. Fruits and vegetables that a mother may have eaten find their way into breast milk before entering your baby.
If you must eat any of these vegetables, like cauliflower, you don’t need to be concerned about getting sick. Your body will expel the sulfur once digestion is complete.
Although eating vegetables can cause a powerful fart odor, meats’ sulfur content raises the bar. The farts are much foul and last longer. These foods typically contain more sulfur and are more affluent.
Newborn farts smell like rotten eggs
Some newborn farts smell really bad and could be comparable to rotten eggs.
#Why do newborn farts smell like rotten eggs
Infants’ farts that smell like rotten eggs may be caused by breast milk. The smell of your gas and the gas of your breastfed infant can both be affected by certain foods, including eggs, of course.
Eating foods high in sulfur and fiber can also cause a farts to smell like a rotten egg. Examine your food to discover if anything might be the root of your nasty farts.
Newborn farts smell like sour milk
#Why do newborn farts smell like sour milk
If your child’s farts smell like sour milk, they may not be able to process lactose properly. Another possibility is that the lactose is being absorbed quicker than the infant can process it.
Breastmilk has more sugars in the foremilk than the hindmilk, and too much of it results in too much lactose. Sour milk is one of the main reasons why newborn farts smell so bad.
If a mother doesn’t drain one breast before going to the next, lactose can build up. According to experts, the first breast should be drained before switching to provide a balance of nutrients.
If a mother learns that her child is lactose intolerant, she might consider working with her baby’s doctor.
Newborn farts smell like metal or iron
#Why do newborn farts smell like metal or iron
Due to very high iron concentration in their diet, your baby may occasionally have a metallic odor in their farts.
An unusual or unpleasant gas could signify food sensitivity or a more serious underlying medical condition.
Most of the time, babies waste time 15-20 times per day, which is as frequently as an adult in total growth. It demonstrates that excessive and offensive farting is a sign of trouble, just like in adults.
If your child’s capacity to absorb nutrition is not the root of the problem, an infection can be. If you observe that your infant is experiencing pain or cramps due to this gassiness, consult your pediatrician and have some tests done to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Newborn farts smell like cabbage
#Why do newborn farts smell like cabbage
A straightforward way to determine why a baby’s fart smells the way it does is to consider which cuisine the smell most strongly conjures up in your memory.
If you’re nursing, cabbage is another food that may significantly affect how your baby farts. So, if you breastfeed your infant and their fart smells like cabbage, remember the last time you had this food
Why does breastfed baby gas smell like rotten eggs
Breastfed babies are exposed to various nutrients, flavors, and scents via their mother’s milk; they occasionally experience smelling farts.
Based on what Mother has eaten recently, breastfed infants’ gas may have different smell patterns, including rotten eggs.
Generally speaking, when you nurse your infant, the baby will taste some of what you’ve eaten.
Your breastmilk can carry trace amounts of the foods you eat to your baby. As a result, if you consume something that causes you to feel gassy, your baby may also be affected.
Some of the reasons newborn farts smell like rotten egg include
Components of lactating mother’s diet.
While you are breastfeeding, your infant also consumes whatever you eat. Your infant will consume some foods high in sulfur, which may cause its flatulence to smell like rotten eggs.
Some of the veggies high in sulfur include Broccoli\sBeans, Cabbage, Belgian spuds, and Spinach.
These foods shouldn’t worry you, but when they are digested in your baby’s stomach, the foul smell from their gas also goes away.
A newborn baby’s fart may smell really bad like rotten eggs or sulfur if your diet is high in meat that contains sulfur.
Infection
Additionally, a newborn farts smell really bad like rotten eggs if their stomach is infected.
Newborns frequently suffer from a gastrointestinal condition known as gastroenteritis.
Viruses or bacteria in the digestive system bring it on. When holding a newborn improperly, bacteria or viruses could enter the intestinal tract.
To avoid baby gastroenteritis, it is crucial to routinely wash your hands and wipe your breasts while taking a shower.
Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy
The most prevalent allergy in children is an allergy to cow’s milk proteins which the lactating mother might have consumed. It occurs when one of the proteins in a cow’s milk triggers an immunological response in a newborn.
It can result in the baby’s gas smelling like rotten eggs and causes digestive problems like belly discomfort, agony, and excessive crying.
If you consume dairy products while breastfeeding, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, or any other item containing milk or milk products, casein, or whey, it may cause problems for your infant if they are sensitive to cow’s milk protein.
Should a baby’s gas smell like rotten eggs
No, a baby’s gas shouldn’t smell like rotten eggs. However, if a baby’s gas smells like rotten eggs, it may indicate an allergy to anything they’ve eaten or taken in from your breast milk.
A baby’s farting is normal. However, whether breastfed or given a bottle, newborns tend to ingest more air than toddlers and adults. Food sensitivity or allergies might also contribute to a baby’s frequent farting.
Babies’ farts smell like rotten eggs because they are susceptible to breast milk, and the rotten egg smell can result from what the mother had taken into her body or eaten previously.
Another reason newborn farts smell bad could be the digestive issues of the newborn baby. Due to the infant’s immature digestive system, the baby’s fat could smell like rotten eggs.
As a lactating mother, what you eat matters a lot to the health of your newborn, so every lactating mother should be careful of what she eats.
Bottomline
Newborn farts smell really bad because they may be intolerant to breastmilk, which is just one of the numerous factors contributing to the baby’s immature digestive tract.
It is normal for newborn babies to fart frequently, and the smell can be quite unpleasant. However, it is usually nothing to be concerned about unless your baby’s fart smells unusually strong or foul.
If you are concerned, it may be best to consult a pediatrician to make sure everything is alright.
No matter how bad the smell of your newborn’s farts may be, remember that it won’t last forever and you will soon be enjoying the more pleasant aromas of your little one.
