What causes explosive, gassy and smelly poop in an infant?
Patient: Hi, I have a 5 month old.  He is totally breastfed.  He always has greenish poos with white lumpy bits and sometimes green lumps.  Also, his poos are very explosive, gassy and smelly.  He hasn't often had a 'normal' poo.  He is also in a lot of discomfort, and he tends to go about 5-7 times a day and very quickly after a feed.  He has also started to be sick after most feeds too, so his gp has prescribed him gaviscon.  This helped for a few days, then blocked him up, so we have stopped it and his paedetrician has prescribed ranitidine, which again doesn't really seem to be helping that much as he wakes up screaming in the night and arching his back.  He is not hungry but just in pain.  Does anyone know what this could be?  Thank you Doctor: Hi...Thank you for consulting in Health Care magic.This is called evening colic and is quite common in this age group. This happens when the baby sucks at the breast very fast and in eagerness to drink milk will gulp in air too. Unless the air comes out like burping or flatus this discomfort will be there and next time check if the baby is sucking too fast and gulping in air too. You will be more convinced. Usually I don't advice any medicines for this as they give only temporary relief.The two best ways to relieve this distress is - 1. Do not put  the baby in lying position after feeding till the baby burps out the swallowed air.2. If  still crying - put the baby in prone position and keep patting the back gently so that the baby passes off the flatus and gets relieved.Hope my answer was helpful for you.  I am happy to help any time. Further clarifications and consultations on Health care magic are welcome. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your kid good health.Dr. Sumanth MBBS., DCH., DNB (Paed).,