Urine Crystals in Babies
Discovering crystals in your baby's diaper can be perfectly normal in the first day or two of life if you are breastfeeding, but beyond that they are likely a reason for concern. Normal urine is typically colorless and has a very mild odor. If you notice urine crystals in your baby's diaper beyond the fourth or fifth day of life, you should contact your pediatrician.
Normal for Newborns
New babies that are being exclusively breastfed might have red or pink crystals in their diaper on the first or second day of life. This is normal and is because of the small amount of colostrum they are receiving not being in high enough quantity to produce liquid urine. Once your milk comes in between day 3 and 5, your baby should be producing at least six normal wet diapers per day.
Concern in Older Infants
If your baby is still producing urine crystals instead of clear urine beyond 5 days old, you should contact your pediatrician. This could indicate an improper intake of breast milk which results in dehydration.
Confusion
Sometimes an over-the-phone diagnosis by your pediatrician or her staff might confuse abnormal urine crystals with other normal diaper sightings. In circumcised baby boys, a red color--blood--is normal to see in his diaper. In baby girls, sometimes there is a slightly bloody vaginal discharge that happens due to receiving mom's increased hormones in utero.
Solution
Make sure that your baby has a proper latch with both lips flanged out, your nipple and around a half inch in all directions of your areola in his mouth, and that you can hear or see active swallowing while he is nursing. Seek advice from your pediatrician and an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) if your baby does not begin to produce normal urine in his diapers.
Formula-Fed Babies
Urine crystals present in a formula-fed baby's diaper is also an indication of dehydration. Check that you are preparing the formula correctly. If your baby's urine doesn't become normal quickly, contact your pediatrician for care.
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