No, infant saliva is not a child haunted by misfortune. Rather, it is the first intestinal contents of the newborn baby formed while still in the womb. Infantile saliva, also called meconium, is normally excreted by the child within the first 12 to 48 hours after birth. It is – hence the name – of a viscous consistency and greenish-black in color.
Infantile saliva: not yet a real stool
Basically, puerperal spew is not yet real stool. Rather, the odorless mass consists of mucus, intestinal cells, thickened bile and hair and skin cells that have been absorbed through the amniotic fluid. The intestines do not really start working until the child has eaten its first food – usually breast milk. Infantile pitch is not to be confused with intestinal pitch. Intestinal pitch is the name given to the first stool of newborn animals.
Meconium aspiration: infant pitch in lungs.
In some circumstances, meconium may be excreted before birth and thus enter the amniotic fluid. This creates a risk for the baby of swallowing or inhaling the infant’s meconium. In this way, the baby’s saliva could enter the lungs (meconium aspiration). This can lead to breathing problems. Especially in very long births and in transferred infants, meconium is occasionally excreted into the amniotic fluid. In most cases, however, this is mild.
Infantile meconium remains absent
It is more worrying if the baby’s saliva has not been excreted even two days after birth. In this case, there may be a stricture, obstruction, or intestinal transport disorder in the intestinal tract. The sooner the baby’s saliva is excreted after birth, the better. This is because early defecation reduces the newborn’s risk of developing jaundice. Breastfeeding can often speed up the elimination of meconium.
