Baby Poop Smells Like Fish: A Parent’s Guide to Causes and Treatment

After becoming a mother, I gradually became familiar with my baby’s Poop. I learned quickly what was normal and what wasn’t when it came to smell, frequency, and color. But when I caught the first whiff of something fishy in my baby’s diaper, I panicked.

Suddenly Baby Poop Smells Like Fish Was something wrong with my breastmilk? Could he have an infection? As an anxious new Mom, a million worries swirled through my mind.

If your baby poo smells fishy. Then I can understand your situation very well. So, in this article, I shared the causes and treatments for fishy-smelling poop in baby’s that my child’s pediatrician told me and what I found out.

Because let’s be honest, as moms, we get up close and personal with enough dirty diapers to become poop experts! So if your baby’s poop smells like fish, don’t fret. Here’s my guide to deciphering what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to your little one’s smelly poop.

Is It Normal Baby’s Poop Smells Like Fish?

While breastfed baby poop has a sweet, mild smell, a truly fishy odor is not normal or healthy. Some poop smell is expected, but a persistent fish-like aroma likely signals an underlying issue.

Healthy breastfed stools will be yellowish, loose and have a mild, inoffensive scent. Formula-fed baby poop is pasty with a stronger smell, but still shouldn’t be overtly fishy.

If your baby poop smells like fish regularly, don’t panic, but do pay close attention and contact their doctor. Foul-smelling stools can be a symptom of various digestive or infection issues.

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Why does my baby’s poop smell like fish?

There are a few possible causes of fishy smelling baby poop:

• Sensitivity to something in mom’s diet: If breastfeeding, something mom ate like shellfish, eggs, or dairy could be passing through the breastmilk. Eliminating potential triggers from mom’s diet may help.
• Infection: Gastrointestinal infections from bacteria or parasites can cause fishy-smelling poop. Infections like salmonella need medical treatment.
• Antibiotics: After antibiotic use, the baby’s gut microbiome is disrupted, sometimes causing smelly poop. This should resolve after the antibiotics are finished.
• Digestive enzyme insufficiency: Conditions like lactase deficiency mean baby can’t properly digest components of breast milk or formula. This malabsorption leads to smelly stools.
• Bowel obstruction: Rarely, a blocked bowel prevents proper digestion, causing odorous poop. This requires prompt medical attention.

If the fishy smell persists, have baby examined by a pediatrician to determine the underlying cause.

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What Should I do if my Baby Poop Smells Like Fish?

Here are some tips if your baby has fish-scented poop:

• Discontinue any new foods for now, and eliminate common allergens from mom’s diet if breastfeeding. Dairy, eggs, shellfish, wheat, and soy are frequent culprits.
• Keep baby well-hydrated with breastmilk or formula while avoiding water.
• Watch for other worrisome symptoms like fever, vomiting, blood, decreased appetite, or crying/pain with pooping.
• Sanitize the diaper changing area and wash hands well after every diaper change to prevent infection spread.
• Take a photo of the poop to show the pediatrician. Detailed descriptions of color, consistency, and smell will help with diagnosis.
• Seek medical attention if the smell persists for more than 1-2 days, if the baby seems ill, or if additional symptoms appear.
• Probiotic drops can help restore healthy gut flora after antibiotic use. Consult your pediatrician.

While alarming, a fishy odor alone does not definitely indicate a serious problem. Still, be vigilant about any symptoms until the smell resolves.

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When To Worry for Baby’s Fishy smelling poop?

Here are some key points on when to worry about baby fishy smelling poop:

• Consult your pediatrician if the fishy smell persists or keeps recurring after multiple diaper changes or bowel movements. A persisting odor is not normal.
• Contact your doctor if the fishy smell is accompanied by other symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, fever, etc. These could signal an underlying infection or condition.
• Seek medical advice if baby seems particularly uncomfortable, irritable, or in pain when passing the smelly stools. This could indicate a bowel obstruction or other issue causing discomfort.
• Watch for signs of dehydration from fluid loss like decreased wet diapers, dry mouth, sunken eyes or fontanelle, irritability, and lethargy. Dehydration requires prompt medical treatment.
• Pay attention if baby is not gaining weight appropriately or is falling off their growth curve. Poor nutrient absorption from gut issues can impact growth.
• Be concerned if there is blood or mucus in the stool along with the fishy smell. This warrants notifying your doctor.
• Seek evaluation if the fishy smell starts suddenly and represents a significant change from baby’s normal odor. Sudden changes deserve investigation.

While fishy poop smell alone isn’t necessarily an emergency, always contact your doctor for assessment and guidance when concerned about your newborn poop smells like fish symptoms.

Why Does My Toddler Poop Smells Like Fish?

Here are some Reasons toddler’s poop smells like fish

• It’s not normal for a toddler’s poop to consistently smell like fish. Some odor is expected, but a truly fishy smell usually signals an issue needing attention.
• Possible causes in toddlers include gastrointestinal infections (like salmonella or giardiasis), antibiotic use that disrupts gut flora balance, constipation leading to built-up waste, lactose intolerance, or rarely, an intestinal blockage.
• Look for accompanying symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, vomiting, blood or mucus in stool, decreased appetite, weight issues, fever, or lethargy. These provide clues to potential causes.
• Eliminate recent food intolerances and allergens if symptoms appear after introducing a new food. Dairy, eggs, wheat, and shellfish are common culprits.
• Consult your pediatrician promptly if the fishy smell persists or the toddler shows concerning symptoms. Stool testing and medical analysis is needed to diagnose the issue.
• Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause but may include probiotics, dietary changes, hydration, anti-diarrheal or laxative medication, antibiotics, or rarely surgery for obstruction.

While disturbing, the fishy odor alone doesn’t necessarily indicate emergency status. But do have your toddler evaluated by a pediatrician and treat causes to prevent complications like dehydration or nutritional deficits.

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Conclusion On Baby’s Poop Smell Like Fish

It’s understandably upsetting when your precious baby’s poop smells like fish. While gross, it’s rarely an emergency on its own. In most cases, identifying and eliminating the cause resolves the fishy odor.

Still, do contact your pediatrician promptly for an assessment when concerned. With a few diet modifications and doctor’s guidance, your baby’s poop smell should go back to normal.