Undigested Food in Poop...

Updated on May 06, 2011
R.. asks from Cleveland, TN
12 answers

My 1 year old DD has been on solid 'solids' since around 7-8 months, eating small chunks instead of purees. She usually has had chunks of undigested food in her diaper for nearly every BM. I figured it was simply because her digestive system was only digesting what she needed, and the rest was just passing through. Especially since she is growing and seems otherwise healthy. She is also breastfed, so really I haven't been too worried about her getting nutrition.

However, in the last month or so she started having some diarrhea and vomiting issues. I took her to the pediatrician, and we are waiting on the results of her stool samples. I let a friend change her diaper for me, and she saw the chunks of carrots and some little broccoli 'beads' (the head part of the broccoli... lol) and seemed very alarmed about it. When I told her it was normal she freaked out. She went on about the possibility of digestive issues... It's nothing I have ever brought up to my pediatrician, because I just assmed it was normal. Like I said, she has done it since eating chunk food, and she is still growing and everything. (I should add... she only has 4 teeth, 2 top and 2 bottom, so while she can chew her food into a swallowable consistency, she doesn't quite mush it all the way...)

Almost every BM she has will have little chunks of whatever she at in it, but it's mixed in with normal poop. When she has been having her diarrhea, the chunks will be in her diaper but the actual poo has already absorbed into the diaper.

So... as when I have any questions... I take it here first while I wait for the chance to ask the pediatrician. lol. I will add this to my nice little list, but in the meantime, does this seem strange to you?

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.R.

answers from Phoenix on

Have you heard the 'in a raisin, out a raisin' phrase...

The foods you mention are easy for your little one to swallow without chewing and they'll shoot right on through. Any vegetable with a fiber coating, like corn and all vegetables that are high in fiber will travel fast without much digestion time. Even whole grain bread will blow on through. Since you notice this tendency now with fruits and veggies be careful how you transition her onto whole grains.

Does she have a rash to go along with the lack of undigested tidbits? If so, you might want to chop the veggies finer, or go back to puree veggies mixed over rice/pasta until things slow down a bit.

2 moms found this helpful

D.G.

answers from Lincoln on

sounds normal! I've been a toddler teacher for 20 years and oh the things I see in poop! I worked with a lady one time who freaked because my friend's daughter had weird black stuff in her diaper. I said it was probably olives from the night before - nope licorice! corn, peas, carrots, raisins are very typical to find. and blue icing tends to make it all sorts of shades of green that will freak out some parents too!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Tucson on

Your child is fine, as for the diarriah and vomiting, they are not connected. My 2 year old still has food in her poop (carrots, outer skin from oranges) Pediatrician said its normal. Your friend has probably read to many parenting books.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.:.

answers from Phoenix on

Normal! Nothing like a few whole corn kernels in some poop, huh?!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

They do not chew too well, at this age.
Hence, lots of un-chewed food. A kid this age does not completely macerate their food. When chewing.
And some foods, like corn, are insoluble fiber.
Does not dissolve, in water.

"Insoluble Fiber: Insoluble dietary fiber doesn't dissolve in water and passes through your digestive system largely unchanged. It is estimated that 65 to 75% of dietary fiber in our diet is "insoluble."
Insoluble fiber may be found in bran (the outer covering of corn, oats, rice, wheat), whole grains (corn, barley, rice, wheat, oats), cereals, edible skins of fruits and vegetables, celery, brown rice, and some vegetables."

Here is the complete link to this article, about fiber and poop:
http://allonhealth.com/dietary-fiber/dietary-fiber-types.htm

1 mom found this helpful

J.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

My DD, has the same thing, a few carrot chunks & a couple of peas, almost every day! Pretty normal, especially if it wasnt chewed, or chewed very well.

1 mom found this helpful

K.D.

answers from Sacramento on

normal! i FREAKED the first time i saw a whole lima bean in my sons diaper :)

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R.Y.

answers from New York on

Normal if it is fruits and veggies. Try to give soft cooked veggies until you little one has more teeth.

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K.D.

answers from Charlotte on

I'll chime in with the normal. We would feed my son mixed vegetables at that age and guess what came out? It was probably that way until at least 18 mos. I can't really remember when it stopped.

K.L.

answers from Redding on

Haven't you ever heard the term "corn poopies"?
When my son ate veggies he would have a diaper full of little square carrot pieces. raisons turned back into grapes and yes Diann purple stuff makes the most beautiful greens the next day! Olives look like big black beetles,,eww.. And if he has diarrhea its running thru the intestines even faster so more stuff will show up before it's digested.

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

So if she has chunks of solid food in her poop then it sounds like she's not chewing her food. It sounds to me like she's not ready for the chunks yet. She doesn't need pureed, but probably mashed and super-soft chunks (if any) like banana. If you choose to keep giving her chunks of food, then the chunks should not be cut larger than your pinkie finger nail. All of her foods should be very soft. It's still there because she's not digesting pieces that are so big.

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