The smell of your baby’s poop usually depends on the food they are being fed. However, if your baby’s poop smells like vinegar, there are several reasons why.
Usually, this smell does not indicate the appearance of a serious illness. Instead, it is probably connected to the way your baby digests the food they eat.
There are also possible solutions for this problem, therefore preventing the parents from getting stressed and scared over their baby’s health.
Main Points
- The smell of a baby’s poop usually depends on what foods they are being fed and how their digestive system reacts to them.
- Intolerance of milk can lead to the baby’s poop smelling like vinegar regardless of whether they are being fed with formula or breastfed.
- Baby poop smelling like vinegar can be connected to the baby’s irregular digestion and improper reaction to of certain types of foods.
- Although it is uncommon, diseases and viruses can also be connected to the vinegar-like smell of a baby’s poop.
- Eliminating the use of dairy products such as milk from the baby’s diet can help you get rid of baby poop smelling like vinegar.
Why Does Baby Poop Smell Like Vinegar?
Baby poop smelling like vinegar is usually the first indicator of improper digestion of the food that the baby is being fed. This unusual smell of a baby’s poop can also indicate that your baby’s digestive system rejects certain types of foods.
Intolerance of Milk – How Does It Affect the Poop Smell
A sour smell of baby poop can be a result of many factors, one of which is the baby’s intolerance of food products that contain lactose such as milk.
If you are breastfeeding your baby, their intolerance of milk can be dependent on what you have consumed in your system and is now fed to the baby.
Lactose intolerance among babies usually depends on the milk they are being fed by using a baby formula which produces a vinegar-like smell.
The baby being intolerant to milk can lead to the development of constant bloating, uncomfortable cases as well as a loose stool.
Also Read: Can Babies Eat Jello?
Improper Reaction to Certain Types of Foods
On certain occasions, babies are sensitive to the certain types of foods they are consuming which can ultimately lead to their poop smelling foul and vinegary.
The reason for this is connected to the baby developing a certain food allergy that may be running in your family. Because of this, it is very important to consult a doctor on the different ways you can help your baby get rid of this awful smell.
Certain types of foods can cause irritations within the digestive system of a baby which can lead to the need for professional medical assistance.
If your baby’s poop smells like vinegar and it also changes color by containing bits of blood in it, they are probably allergic to dairy products such as milk.
Vinegar Smell of Baby Poop and Irregular Process of Digestion
Oftentimes, certain types of food that are being fed to a baby, may be difficult to digest for their system and therefore produce a vinegar smell of baby poop.
This type of sensitivity to certain types of food can lead to a sour smell of a baby’s poop which is not typical for children during the early stages.
The baby’s irregular process of digestion can also result in the poop being bigger than it usually is, accompanied by a vinegar-like smell.
Foods that can lead to a baby’s improper digestion and the production of vinegar baby poop smell are nuts and eggs.
Diseases Connected to a Vinegar-Like Smell of Baby Poop
The baby’s poop having a vinegar-like smell does not usually indicate that there is a development of a certain type of disease or illness.
However, there is a possibility of the baby’s poop smelling like vinegar due to the development of certain viruses that are accompanied by vomiting and an unusual dark color of the baby’s poop.
A loose stool with a vinegar-like smell can also be connected to the baby developing symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and the appearance of blood parts in the stool.
An unusual smell of baby poop is not most commonly connected to diseases and viruses but it is important to consider all possibilities in order to provide proper help for your baby.
How to Get Rid of the Vinegar Smell of Baby Poop?
After examining the different possibilities of the baby poop smelling like vinegar, it is time to go through all the different possible solutions in order to get rid of this problem.
Before you see a doctor, you can try to make certain changes in your baby’s diet such as changing the baby formula that you are feeding to your baby.
A good strategy would also probably be removing products that contain dairy from your baby’s diet and observing what changes this does to the smell of your baby’s poop.
If no positive changes occur or the vinegar smell of baby poop does not disappear after some time, the best solution would be to visit the hospital and take counsel from a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my baby’s poop smell sour?
The sour smell of a baby’s poop can be a result of the baby being intolerant to milk and dairy products, developing problems with their digestive system or, showing signs of food allergies.
When should I worry about baby poop smelling like vinegar?
The vinegar-like smell of baby poop should not last for a long time. However, if you happen to notice that your baby’s poop smells like vinegar for long periods of time, then you have to seek help from a doctor.
Is it normal for a breastfed baby’s poop to smell like vinegar?
The vinegary smell of a baby’s poop can also be common among babies who are breastfed because they are consuming everything that the mother is consuming. Therefore, if the mother has consumed a large number of dairy products, this can lead to the baby developing lactose intolerance, improper digestion, or high sensitivity to certain types of foods.
Also Read: Why Babies Sleep with Their Bum In The Air?
Final Words
Baby poop smelling like vinegar is usually not a point of great concern for parents since it is commonly connected to the indigestion of certain types of foods.
However, it is important for parents to get informed about the different factors that can lead to the sour and vinegary smell of your baby’s poop.
The reason for this is being aware of the different solutions that can be implemented in order to get rid of this smelly problem.
I am a stay-at-home mom of a wonderful son. I write on this blog as a hobby to help fellow mothers in their parental journey 🙂