Bad luck

As Bad luck (Meconium) is the name given to the newborn's first bowel movement, which is green-black in color. Babies usually shed it within 12 to 48 hours, but some also shed it in the womb, which can lead to what is known as meconium aspiration syndrome.

What is Kindspech?

Bad luck or Meconium is the name of the baby's first bowel movement. This accumulates in the intestine of the unborn child between the tenth and fourteenth weeks of pregnancy. From this time onwards, the fetus occasionally ingests amniotic fluid, which contains sodium, potassium, sugar, proteins, trace elements as well as skin cells and hairs. This is then used to create the child spook.

Furthermore, the Kindspech also contains mucous membrane cells, mucus, intestinal cells and thickened bile. Most of the time the first chair is odorless and very tough. Until the middle of the second trimester, the meconium is still white, the greenish-black color is due to the so-called biliverdin, which is a breakdown product of the red blood pigment. The term meconium comes from the Greek language and means something like "poppy seed juice".

The term child bad luck is likely due to the consistency of the stool, which, like bad luck, sticks to the child's skin and is very difficult to remove. Strictly speaking, however, Kindspech is not yet a real stool, as the child's intestine must first take up its functions. It takes over this activity with the first ingestion of food, which then replaces the Kindspech with normal digestive products.

When should Kindspech be eliminated?

Typically, the child spit is excreted within 12 to 48 hours of birth. In any case, elimination should take place up to four days after the birth, otherwise health complications may occur.

If the Kindspech is not excreted, an intestinal obstruction, a constriction in the intestine, cystic fibrosis or a transport disorder can be possible reasons for this. Blockage can also occur with certain medications (ganglion blockers, opiates, magnesium sulfate) that were taken during pregnancy.

Tips to encourage the departure of Kindspech

The passing of the first chair can be encouraged by breastfeeding. The first breast milk that is produced immediately after birth is particularly suitable for this. This milk is yellowish and thick and contains a lot of protein, immune bodies and minerals, but little fat and is easy to digest. If the Kindspech is eliminated relatively quickly, the risk of newborn jaundice can also be reduced.

Kindspech in amniotic fluid

Sometimes the child spit is already secreted in the womb. The amniotic fluid is then cloudy and greenish in color, the reason for this usually being transmission or a very long birth. Before the 37th week of pregnancy, there is hardly any meconium loss, as the intestinal perestalsis is still very low.

Another trigger can be a disease in the mother or child, which puts the unborn child under stress. As a result, the oxygen supply decreases and the blood flow to the intestine decreases. As a result, bowel movements can occur and the child's spit can be eliminated.

Other causes that can lead to premature excretion of the meconium are: drug consumption by the mother, pathological changes or malformations of the umbilical cord. Intrauterine growth retardation (insufficient child growth) can also promote this situation.

If there are complications: meconium aspiration syndrome

Amniotic fluid that contains meconium occurs in about ten to twenty percent of births between the 38th and 42nd week of pregnancy. Meconium aspiration syndrome, on the other hand, is much less common. If the amniotic fluid contains meconium, it can get into the child's airways in the womb or during childbirth.

This inhalation is known as meconium aspiration. If meconium is inhaled, regions in the lungs develop that are insufficiently ventilated, while others are over-inflated. The breathing gas can get into the alveoli, but when you exhale it does not escape and remains in the lungs. This will overstretch the affected areas.

The ventilation behavior is uneven, which can also be seen on an X-ray. Some components of Kindspech, such as proteins, enzymes, or bilirubin, can damage the lungs and cause severe shortness of breath or an over-inflated lungs, which is known as meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).

The first signs of this are green and viscous amniotic fluid, gasping for breath and discolored skin, which can also be covered with woodpecker. This condition is life-threatening for the child. In the case of very weak children, attempts are made to suck off the child's pecking sensation, and other measures such as resuscitation, ventilation or antibiotics may also be necessary.

Food should also be built up very carefully, as newborns with a MAS often do not tolerate food very well at the beginning. The severity of a MAS can be subject to strong fluctuations. Newborns can have mild, moderate or severe breathing disorders, which may also require artificial respiration.

Immediately after birth, children with a MAS often suffer from difficult breathing, accelerated breathing, breathing noises or a blue discoloration of the mucous membranes and skin. Depending on the duration of the shortness of breath, cardiovascular depression can also occur. A premature birth does not pose a risk for the occurrence of a MAS; a MAS is rarely found in premature babies.