Dr. Manny: New book about baby’s poo is great for parents

I just love the books by Josh Richman and Dr. Anish Sheth.  They’re first book, “What’s Your Poo Telling You?” is great and full of valuable information.

But now, their new book, “What’s Your Baby’s Poo Telling You?” is just a gas!

Of course, looking at poo is nothing new.  A practice that has been done for centuries, observing the color and texture of stool can be a very valuable way of detecting disease.

One of the most memorable poos perhaps came from King George III – the same King of England who lost the American colonies during the American Revolutionary War.  King George suffered from acute intermittent porphyria – a rare autosomal dominant metabolic disorder that affects the hemoglobin in your red blood cells.  Interestingly enough, this caused his poo to be a red purple color – and may have even contributed to the “madness of King George.”

This new book focuses specifically on children’s poo, which is quite important.  Baby poo can help families not only determine if their young ones are suffering from medical problems, but it can also serve as a guide through the evolution of their child’s nutritional maturity.

Let’s consider some examples found in the book:

During the newborn period – once the infant excretes meconium shortly after birth – the poo will begin to change color, especially if his or her mom is breastfeeding.  The poo will most likely turn a nice yellow color, with a somewhat sweet smell. But if the poo changes to green, this might be an indication that there are some problems with breastfeeding techniques.

Another newborn condition depicted in the book is jelly stools – similar in texture to grape jelly.  This could indicate to the parents that there is a direct intestinal problem, which might require immediate medical attention.

So you see, this book is just great for new parents.  Remember: everything that comes out of your body could potentially tell a story.