Can baby poop too much
Baby Poop Guide | Children's Hospital Colorado
No one said it’s pretty or fun, but it’s a fact: As a new parent, you’ll spend a lot of time looking at your baby’s poop. The good news? All those diaper changes can give you insight into your baby’s health.
Our experts have created a baby poop guide to give you the 411 on your baby’s number two, with special information for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or with ongoing medical needs.
Infant poop frequency
Stool frequency in babies varies, so don’t put too much stock into how many times a day your baby “should” be pooping. Babies can poop as frequently as every feeding or as infrequently as every two to three days. Neither of these situations should cause you alarm. Breastfed infants tend to poop more frequently than formula-fed infants.
When should I call my pediatrician?
While every baby’s poop schedule is unique, if your baby hasn’t pooped in four days, you should call your pediatrician. This could be a sign of constipation.
Infant poop color
For new parents, or even experienced parents, the color of your baby’s poop can surprise you. Babies can create a rainbow of poops, but it typically doesn’t mean there’s a problem.
Almost all infants’ first poops will be thick, black and tarry looking. These stools are called meconium and are completely normal.
When your baby starts breastfeeding or drinking formula, their poop will turn green or yellow and have a more liquid consistency. Breastfed babies’ poop will stay in the green-yellow-brown palette as long as they continue breastfeeding.
Formula-fed babies’ poop will typically be slightly lighter, but similar in color to breastfed babies. Slight changes in color are typically the result of your baby’s intestinal lining or how they digest milk and aren’t concerning.
As your baby begins to eat solid food, it will change the color of their poop. This is natural, but certain colors can tell you something about your baby’s health or signal a warning sign.
Red baby poop
While it may look startling, red poop is almost always caused by red food or medicine. The exception? Bloody stool, which can signal allergies or bleeding in their gastrointestinal tract. Call your doctor if you see blood in your baby’s poop.
Green baby poop
This is completely normal, even when it’s dark green. Dark green poop is usually caused by bile, a fluid made in your baby’s liver that aids digestion. Inspect dark green poop closely (yes, this is your parental duty) to make sure it’s not black, as that could be cause for concern.
Black baby poop
If your baby has black poop after their very first poops, it could be a sign of stomach bleeding. Look at the poop under bright light and if it’s black instead of dark green, call your doctor.
Yellow baby poop
Any poop that is yellow, orange or brown is completely normal.
White or light grey baby poop
This is the one shade that should almost always alert you of a problem.
White baby poop could signal that your baby has a liver condition and isn’t digesting food properly.
When should I call my pediatrician?
Most colors are normal but call your doctor if your baby’s poop is white, black or has blood in it.
Infant poop consistency
Baby poop is softer and more liquid than older kids’ stool. The following consistencies are normal for breastfed and formula-fed infants:
- Soft and somewhat runny
- Slightly seedy
- Pasty (more common in formula-fed babies)
If your baby’s poop strays too far from these textures, that’s when you should get concerned.
When should I call my pediatrician?
Two situations should ring minor alarm bells:
- Very loose or watery stool for three or more diapers, which could lead to dehydration
- Hard, pellet-like poop — a sign of constipation
Never give your infant laxatives, enemas, suppositories or other stool stimulators without asking your doctor first.
What to know about poop for babies with complex medical needs
Babies who spend time in the NICU or have complex medical needs often need extra care or follow different developmental timelines than other babies. Parents need to learn new information about their baby’s condition and what to look for.
When it comes to baby poop, parents whose babies have medical conditions should be on the lookout for the same things mentioned above, with a few additions.
Poop for babies with gastrointestinal issues
Babies with gastrointestinal conditions or complications will face the greatest impact to their digestive systems. Their bowel movements and developmental schedule won’t be the same as their peers’. Here are some gastrointestinal issues that affect a baby’s poop:
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC): This is a serious intestinal disease for premature babies that occurs when the small or large intestine becomes inflamed. This can sometimes create a hole in the intestinal wall that allows waste to move into the baby’s bloodstream or abdomen, which can make the baby very sick.
Both diarrhea and constipation can be symptoms of NEC. Some babies with NEC need to have some of their bowel removed, which affects their ability to absorb food. This can make them more prone to liquid stool and weight gain issues, even as they grow older. Our neonatal and gastrointestinal experts work together to get the best results for babies with NEC. - Babies with blockage or narrowing of bowels: These bowel issues often require surgery. Bright green poop or no pooping for the first few days of life are warning signs for blocked or narrow bowels.
Reaction to medication
When babies leave the NICU, they sometimes remain on medication or have different dietary needs. This may change the color or consistency of their poop. These changes shouldn’t alarm you, but you should know what to expect, so you can spot anything that really is a problem.
- Antibiotics: When babies are on antibiotics at home, they often have looser stool and are at higher risk for developing diaper rash.
If your baby is on antibiotics, try to change their diaper soon after they poop and apply a barrier cream like Vaseline® or Desitin® as a preventive measure. - Fortified breastmilk or medication: If your baby needs more calories, they may be given fortified breastmilk for feeding at home. Our doctors might prescribe medication to take at home for several conditions. Both of these could change your baby’s poop, so talk to your doctor to know what to expect.
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Before Birth (Prenatal)Babies (0-1) Toddlers (2-4)Kids (5-10)Pre-Teens & Teens (11+)
Diarrhea (0-12 Months)
Is this your child's symptom?
- Sudden increase in the number and looseness of stools
- Diarrhea means 3 or more watery or very loose stools. Reason: 1 or 2 loose stools can be normal with changes in diet.
Causes of Acute Diarrhea
- Virus (such as Rotavirus). An infection of the intestines from a virus is the most common cause.
- Bacteria (such as Salmonella). Less common cause. Diarrhea often contains streaks of blood.
- Giardia (a parasite). More likely in child care center outbreaks.
- Antibiotic Diarrhea. Many antibiotics cause mild diarrhea. This is not an allergic reaction. Keep giving the antibiotic. Call your doctor if any serious symptoms occur.
- Serious Causes. Most bacterial diarrhea goes away on its own. A few can cause a severe large bowel infection (such as Shigella colitis). C. difficile is a serious cause that can occur after being on strong antibiotics.
- Serious Complication: Dehydration. This is the health problem where the body has lost too much fluid. (See below for more on this).
Causes of Recurrent Diarrhea
- Cow's Milk Allergy.
Can cause loose, slimy stools in babies. Can be blood-streaked. Starts within the first 2 months of life. Need to avoid cow's milk formulas. - Lactose Intolerance. Lactose is the sugar in milk. Many people cannot absorb lactose. The gut bacteria convert the lactose to gas. The main symptoms are a lot of gas, loose stools and stomach bloating. Onset usually at age 4 or 5. This most often runs in the family (genetic).
Diarrhea Scale
- Mild: 3-5 watery stools per day
- Moderate: 6-9 watery stools per day
- Severe: 10 or more watery stools per day
- The main risk of diarrhea is dehydration.
- Loose or runny stools do not cause dehydration.
- Frequent, watery stools can cause dehydration.
Dehydration: How to Know
- Dehydration means that the body has lost too much fluid. This can happen with vomiting and/or diarrhea. A weight loss of more than 3% is needed.
Mild diarrhea or mild vomiting does not cause this. Neither does a small decrease in fluid intake. - Dehydration is the most important complication of diarrhea. Dehydration is a reason to see your doctor right away.
- These are signs of dehydration:
- Decreased urine (no urine in more than 8 hours) happens early in dehydration. So does a dark yellow color. If the urine is light straw colored, your child is not dehydrated.
- Dry tongue and inside of the mouth. Dry lips are not helpful.
- Dry eyes with decreased or absent tears
- In babies, a depressed or sunken soft spot
- Slow blood refill test: Longer than 2 seconds. First, press on the thumbnail and make it pale. Then let go. Count the seconds it takes for the nail to turn pink again. Ask your doctor to teach you how to do this test.
- Fussy, tired out or acting ill. If your child is alert, happy and playful, he or she is not dehydrated.
Diarrhea in Breastfed Babies: How to Tell
- Diarrhea in a breastfed baby is sometimes hard to tell.
- Normal breastfed stools are loose (often runny and seedy). Stools are yellow, but sometimes can be green. The green color is from bile. Runny stools can even be bordered by a water ring. These are all normal stools.
- Breastfed babies often pass more than 6 stools per day. Until 2 months of age, they may pass a stool after each feeding. But, if stools suddenly increase in number and looseness, suspect diarrhea. If it lasts for 3 or more stools, the baby has diarrhea.
- If the stools contain mucus, blood or smell bad, this points to diarrhea.
- Other clues to diarrhea are poor eating, acting sick, or a fever.
Diarrhea in Formula-Fed Infants: How to Tell
- Formula-fed babies pass 1 to 8 stools per day during the first week. Then it starts to slow down to 1 to 4 per day. This lasts until 2 months of age.
- The stools are yellow in color and thick like peanut butter.
- Suspect diarrhea if the stools suddenly increase in number or looseness.
If it lasts for 3 or more stools, the baby has diarrhea. - If the stools contain mucus, blood, or smells bad, this points to diarrhea.
- Other clues to diarrhea are poor eating, acting sick or a fever.
- After 2 months of age, most babies pass 1 or 2 stools per day. They can also pass 1 every other day. They no longer appear to have mild diarrhea.
When to Call for Diarrhea (0-12 Months)
Call 911 Now
- Not moving
- You think your child has a life-threatening emergency
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Dehydration suspected. No urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears.
- Blood in the stool
- Constant stomach pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Vomits 3 or more times
- Age less than 1 month with 3 or more diarrhea stools in past 24 hours
- Severe diarrhea. 10 or more watery stools in the last 24 hours.
- Fever over 104° F (40° C)
- Fever in baby less than 12 weeks old.
Caution: Do NOT give your baby any fever medicine before being seen. - Weak immune system. Examples are sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids.
- Your child looks or acts very sick
- You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Moderate diarrhea. 6 or more watery stools in the last 24 hours.
- Stomach pains that do not go away after each diarrhea stool
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Close contact with person or animal who has bacterial diarrhea
- Contact with reptile (snake, lizard, turtle) in past 14 days
- Travel to country at risk for diarrhea within past month
- You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Diarrhea lasts more than 2 weeks
- Loose stools are a frequent problem
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Mild diarrhea (probably caused by a virus)
Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations
If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
- Bellevue
- Everett
- Federal Way
- Seattle
Care Advice for Diarrhea
- What You Should Know About Diarrhea:
- Most diarrhea is caused by a virus.
- Bacterial infections as a cause of diarrhea are not common.
- Diarrhea is the body's way of getting rid of the germs.
- The main risk of diarrhea is dehydration. Dehydration means the body has lost too much fluid.
- Most children with diarrhea don't need to see their doctor.
- Here are some tips on how to keep ahead of the fluid losses.
- Mild Diarrhea:
- Most kids with diarrhea can eat a normal diet.
- Drink more fluids to prevent dehydration. Formula or breastmilk are good choices for diarrhea.
- Do not use fruit juices. Reason: They can make diarrhea worse.
- Solid foods: If on solid foods, eat more starchy foods (such as cereal, crackers, rice, pasta). Reason: They are easy to digest.
- Formula-Fed Babies with Frequent, Watery Diarrhea:
- Keep giving formula but feed more often. Offer as much formula as your child will take.
- Mix formula the normal way. Reason: The formula contains plenty of water and doesn't need more.
- Solid foods: If on baby foods, continue them. Cereals are best.
- Breastfed Babies with Frequent, Watery Diarrhea:
- Give your baby breastmilk more often.
- Also, give extra fluid if breast milk isn't keeping up with the fluid losses.
You can use formula or ORS (Pedialyte). - Solid foods: If on baby foods, continue them. Cereals are best.
- Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS), such as Pedialyte:
- ORS is a special fluid that can help your child stay hydrated. You can use Pedialyte or the store brand. It can be bought in food stores or drug stores.
- When to use: Start ORS for frequent, watery diarrhea if you think your child is getting dehydrated. That means passing less urine than normal. Increase fluids using ORS. Continue giving breastmilk, formula or regular milk.
- Amount: For babies, give 2-4 ounces (60-120 mL) of ORS after every large watery stool.
- Caution: Do not give ORS as the only fluid for more than 6 hours. Reason: Your child will need calories and cry in hunger.
- Fever Medicine:
- For fevers above 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
Caution: avoid ibuprofen until 6 months or older. - Note: Fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
- For all fevers: Keep your child well hydrated. Give lots of cold fluids.
- Diaper Rash - Prevention:
- Wash buttocks after each stool to prevent a bad diaper rash.
- To protect the skin, use an ointment (such as Vaseline or Desitin). Put it on the skin around the anus.
- Return to Child Care:
- Your child can go back to child care after stools are back to normal.
- The fever should also be gone.
- What to Expect:
- Viral diarrhea lasts 5-14 days.
- Severe diarrhea only occurs on the first 1 or 2 days. But, loose stools can last for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Blood in the diarrhea
- Dehydration suspected (no urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth, and no tears)
- Diarrhea lasts over 2 weeks
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.
Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.
Last Reviewed: 12/30/2022
Last Revised: 12/30/2022
Copyright 2000-2023 Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.
How many times should a newborn poop
03/25/2021 Reading time: 6 minutes 245909
nine0011 Contents of the article:- Frequency and nature of stool in a breastfed child.
- Frequency and nature of stool in a formula-fed child.
- What can affect stool frequency and consistency?
Even the most squeamish girls with the birth of a baby become tireless researchers of the contents of a dirty diaper.
- Isn't it a lot? But not a little? Isn't it rare? But not often? Is the color normal? Is the consistency good? Is it supposed to smell like this? - young mothers are ready to discuss these subtleties at any time, regardless of the enthusiasm of the interlocutor. They can be understood. nine0010
On the one hand, the newborn does not know how much - eat, sleep and, in fact, dirty the diaper. Therefore, there are few topics for discussion at first, but I want to talk. On the other hand, it is indeed possible to draw conclusions about the state of health of the infant from the answers to these specific questions.
The frequency and nature of the stool in a breastfed child.
In the first two or three days after birth, the baby leaves the original stool - meconium. If a young mother does not know about this, she may be frightened by a sticky dark mass that is difficult to wash off. When a woman has milk, the baby's feces brighten, acquire a mushy texture and a milky, slightly sour smell.
nine0010
In the first month and a half, the baby can poop after each feeding.
If, up to 4-6 weeks of life, he poops less than once every 24-36 hours, this may mean a lack of nutrition. It is necessary to control weight gain. On average, for the first weeks of life, it should be 125-150 g.
As regards consistency and color, the stool should be mushy, bright yellow to greenish in color.
This is important!
If the baby eats with appetite, adds well, behaves actively, then the shade of the contents of the diaper is not so important. Anxiety should be caused by an admixture of blood in the stool, streaks of mucus, blisters and a sharp putrid smell. This should be reported to the pediatrician immediately. nine0015
After a month and a half, the baby may begin to poop less often. For many mothers, this is a source of serious concern. If the baby does not poop for a day, two, three, anxiety covers. But this condition for a breastfed baby is most often the norm.
If the child behaves as usual, and the stool after the delay is soft and moves away effortlessly, then everything is in order.
A hard, shaped stool should alert you, crying and straining strongly during defecation are signs of constipation. nine0010
Recent studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest that, with normal health and behavior, a baby aged 4-6 weeks and before the introduction of complementary foods may pass stools even once a week or less often. But be attentive to the condition of the baby and still consult a doctor before ignoring a ten-day stool retention in crumbs.
With the introduction of complementary foods, the baby's stool will become more formed, but should still retain a soft texture. nine0010
This is important!
When the baby begins to receive complementary foods, he should defecate at least once a day. If the baby has signs of constipation - rare or formed hard ("sheep") stools, difficult bowel movements - you need to consult a doctor to find and eliminate its cause.
Frequency and nature of stool in a formula-fed child.
A newborn on artificial feeding, even in the first weeks, can poop once a day. nine0010
After one and a half months, formula-fed babies should have a bowel movement daily.
The stool consistency of formula-fed babies will be firmer than when breastfed, but should still remain soft. Hard, shaped stools in infants, regardless of how they feed, are a sign of constipation.
The color may depend on the type of mixture. It is usually yellow or dark yellow. Too bright or very dark shades, a pronounced green color is a deviation from the norm, you need to consult a doctor. nine0010
What can affect stool frequency and consistency?
Nutrition. The frequency and nature of the baby's stool is primarily affected by the type and quality of the food he receives. For babies, it is important that the mother's diet is balanced and varied, so that she does not smoke or drink alcohol.
If the child is allergic - so that the mother does not eat foods that cause an allergic reaction. Properly selected milk formula is important for babies on artificial feeding. If these conditions are not met, it will immediately be noticeable in the stool of a newborn. nine0010
Functional disorders. In newborns, malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract may occur not due to illness, but due to the immaturity of the body - both the gastrointestinal tract itself and the nervous system. That is, a healthy baby without errors in nutrition can still experience constipation or diarrhea.
Infectious diseases. Often, it is by the nature of the stool of a newborn that one can notice that an infection has entered the body. Rapid loose stools, foam, an unpleasant odor will immediately indicate the onset of the disease. nine0010
Taking medications. Iron preparations have the most pronounced effect on the color of the stool: it becomes gray-black.
If the child does not take iron-containing medicines, then this color of the stool is an alarm. It may indicate intestinal bleeding.
So, a dirty diaper is not "fuuu", but a source of valuable information about the well-being of the baby. If you have doubts about what you saw, do not hesitate to consult your doctor. nine0010
(11 ratings; article rating 4.4)
how to recognize, causes, treatment, how to stop diarrhea in a baby?
Every mother knows that babies poop often: in a breast-fed baby, the frequency of bowel movements can coincide with the frequency of feeding. And babies often have tummy ache and colic due to the fact that the gastrointestinal tract is completely immature and is just beginning to be populated by beneficial bacteria.
Therefore, it is not always clear to a young mother whether everything is fine with her baby. How do you know when something is wrong? nine0096
For a baby under three months old, the normal frequency is three to six times a day if the baby is breastfed, and about two times a day if he is bottle-fed. At the same time, the frequency of the stool can also change normally, due to the fact that the baby was nervous or the mother changed the menu. Therefore, when talking about diarrhea in a baby, they first of all take into account not how often he poops, but the volume and nature of the stool, as well as the behavior of the baby himself.
You can suspect diarrhea in a baby if he poops twice as often as usual, while the stool becomes much thinner (in a breastfed baby, it is usually liquid and poorly formed), changes color, pathological impurities appear in it: a lot of mucus, blood, foam, undigested food particles, if complementary foods have already begun. The behavior of the baby also changes: he cries, presses his legs to his chest, or, conversely, stretches out to the line.
The tummy may swell and growl. nine0010
If the diarrhea is caused by an infection, the child has a fever and becomes lethargic.
Causes of diarrhea in infants
The most common cause of diarrhea in infants is dysbiosis, that is, a change in the composition of the intestinal microflora. This may be due to a viral or bacterial infection, but is usually due to other causes such as:
- late attachment to the breast;
- artificial feeding;
- products not according to age; nine0016
- use of antibiotics;
- food allergy;
- lactose intolerance;
- chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (ulcerative colitis and others).
One way or another, all these conditions disrupt the normal balance between beneficial and harmful microbes in the intestines, and consequently, digestion and intestinal motility: too much fluid remains in the intestinal lumen, which causes diarrhea.
Treatment of diarrhea in children
Seek immediate medical attention if:
- there is blood in the baby's stool;
- diarrhea accompanied by vomiting;
- the child has a fever;
- the baby stops peeing or pee less than four times a day;
- no tears during crying, skin and mucous membranes become dry;
- fontanel sinks;
- The baby's skin, when gathered into a fold, does not straighten out immediately.
If your baby is stable, you can try to manage the diarrhea on your own. Change diapers more often: feces irritate baby's delicate skin. If complementary foods are introduced, cancel it, leave only breast milk or formula that the baby eats constantly. nine0010
Give the child a drink. Adherents of breastfeeding argue that the baby has enough liquid contained in breast milk. This is true, but only if the child is healthy. During diarrhea, fluid loss increases several times, and it is dehydration that is the most common cause of death from intestinal infections. You can supplement it with plain boiled water, but it is better with a special solution of salts, which are also actively lost during diarrhea (Regidron, Trisol, Ringer's Solution, Humana Electrolyte). If the child is older than nine months, you can give rice water. nine0010
To restore the normal balance of microflora, you can (and should) give probiotics. The best option is a complex of bifido- and lactobacilli.
