When is meconium passed

Most infants with meconium aspiration syndrome recover completely. Some babies may have a higher risk of lung infections and wheezing, particularly in their first year of life. Reviewed by: Jay S. Greenspan, MD. Neonatology at Nemours Children's Health. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Meconium? What Is Meconium Aspiration Syndrome? Meconium can make it harder to breathe because it can: clog the airways irritate the airways and injure lung tissue block surfactant, a fatty substance that helps open the lungs after birth With treatment, most babies with meconium aspiration syndrome get better with no problems.

What Causes Meconium Aspiration Syndrome? Babies are more likely to pass meconium when: They've had a long or hard delivery. They are born past their due date.

The mother has a health problem, like diabetes or high blood pressure. The mother smoked or used drugs during the pregnancy. They didn't grow well before birth. Some aspects of parenting are a little messier and, for most people, poop falls firmly into this category!

Still, even the messy moments are an important part of the great parenthood adventure ahead. Read on to find out precisely what meconium is, where it comes from, and how to deal with it.

You may be wondering why your newborn even needs to poop at this point, given that he's hardly had a meal yet. Well, from as early as about week 13 of your pregnancy, your little one started sipping the amniotic fluid surrounding him in the womb. Practicing these swallowing motions helped his digestive system to develop in preparation for life outside the womb. If a baby has meconium aspiration syndrome, then treatment will begin right away in the delivery room.

Further treatment may include putting a tube into the airway and suctioning out some of the meconium. The baby will need to go to the special care nursery or the neonatal intensive care unit for further tests and treatment. Meconium peritonitis occurs when there is rupture of the bowel before birth the bowel opens and then there is a hole in the bowel. The meconium leaks out into the space that surrounds the bowels peritoneum and there is an inflammation of the lining of the abdomen peritonitis.

Sometimes, the bowel heals on its own while the baby is still in the womb. Other times, the baby may require surgery to fix the underlying problem. Skip to main content. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Listen Focus.