Why does my 4 month old son's pee smell so bad? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

Brooke85 · 07-23-2008, 05:40 PM

It has a very strong odor to it...sometimes a fishy smell. He isn't red at all down there, hasn't acted overly fussy or has shown any signs that there could be an infection.

I use cloth diapers with him most of the time & I've noticed that there seems to be more of an odor when I change his cloth vs. a disposable. The liners I'm using are microfiber material...could that have anything to do with it? He's also exclusively on formula...hasn't had a bite of solids yet.

Any ideas? Thanks

kittyroo · 07-23-2008, 06:58 PM

I would take him in right away just to rule out infection. Just because there are no signs obvious to you, that doesn't mean there couldn't be something happening. Better safe than sorry, IMHO.

Viktorria · 07-29-2008, 07:12 PM

Strong urine odor could indicate dehydration or a UTI, so you should probably call your pediatrician, just to be safe. UTI's can be without symptoms in some babies, so its definitely worth following up on.

Is the smell strong all the time? My DD has a stronger smell when she wakes up in the morning, but I think that its because she's had one diaper on all night (disposable). The rest of the day that odor doesn't exist.

Good luck!

Brooke85 · 07-29-2008, 11:13 PM

I only notice it when he wears cloth diapers. It doesn't smell bad at all when he has a disposable on...perhaps I'm not washing the cloth liners right and they somehow bring out a bad smell in his urine?

I'm going to call his Dr. tomorrow to see what she says. Thanks