How many times should a one month old poop

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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How Often Should a Newborn Poop?

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. D. — By Jane Chertoff on October 1, 2018

Newborn waste and their health

It’s important to monitor your newborn’s diapers. Newborn waste can tell you a lot about their health and if they are consuming enough milk. Dirty diapers can also help assure you that your newborn isn’t dehydrated or constipated.

How often your newborn poops during the first weeks of life depends largely on whether they are breastfeeding or formula-feeding.

Breastfed newborns typically have several bowel movements each day. Formula-fed newborns may have fewer. If you switch from breastfeeding to formula-feeding, or vice versa, expect changes to your newborn’s stool consistency.

There also may be a change in the frequency of diaper changes. Your baby may have an average of five to six wet (urine-filled) diapers each day during this time.

Read on to learn more about what to expect and when to call your baby’s pediatrician.

Dirty diaper by age

A newborn will pass meconium, a black, sticky, tar-like substance in the first few days after birth. After about three days, newborn bowel movements turn into a lighter, runnier stool. It may be light brown, yellow, or yellow-green in color.

Stool consistency in breastfed vs. formula-fed babies

Breastfed babies may pass seedy, loose stools. The stool may look like mustard in color and texture.

Breastfed babies may also have a looser, runnier stool. That isn’t a bad sign. It means your baby is absorbing the solids in your breast milk.

Formula-fed babies may pass a yellow-green or light brown stool. Their bowel movements may be firmer and more paste-like than a breastfed baby’s stool. However, the stool shouldn’t be firmer than the consistency of peanut butter.

Causes for changes to stool

You will likely notice a change to your newborn’s stool as they grow. You also may see a difference if their diet changes in any way.

For example, switching from breastmilk to formula or changing the type of formula you give your baby can lead to changes in stool amount, consistency, and color.

As your baby starts eating solids, you may see small pieces of food in their stool. These changes in diet may also alter the number of times your baby poops per day.

Always talk to your newborn’s pediatrician if you are concerned about a change in your baby’s stools.

When to seek help

See your newborn’s pediatrician or seek medical help right away if you notice the following in a diaper:

maroon or bloody stools
black stools after your baby has already passed meconium (usually after day four)
white or grey stools
more stool per day than is normal for your baby
stool with a large amount of mucus or water

Your newborn may experience diarrhea or explosive diarrhea in the first few months of life. It may be a symptom of a virus or bacteria. Let your pediatrician know. Dehydration is a common problem that accompanies diarrhea.

While uncommon in the newborn period, particularly with breastfeeding, your baby may be constipated if they are experiencing hard stools or having trouble passing stool.

If this happens, call their pediatrician. The pediatrician will recommend some things you can do to help. Apple or prune juice is sometimes suggested, but never give your newborn baby juice without a doctor’s recommendation first.

Seeking help for breastfed babies

If your breastfed newborn isn’t passing stool, it may be a sign they aren’t eating enough. See your pediatrician or a lactation consultant. They may need to check your latch and position.

Let your pediatrician know if you notice consistently bright green or neon green stool. While this is often normal, it may be because of a breast milk imbalance or sensitivity to something in your diet.

It may also be a symptom of a virus. Your doctor will best be able to diagnose the problem.

Takeaway

Your newborn’s stool is an important window into their health for the first few months of life. You may notice several changes in their stool during this time. This is usually normal and a healthy sign of growth and development.

Your pediatrician will likely ask about your child’s diapers at each appointment. Use your pediatrician as a resource. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or raise concerns you have about your newborn’s stool.

Last medically reviewed on October 1, 2018

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06 Months

How we reviewed this article:

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Baby poo. (n.d.).
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Hill DL. (2012). Baby’s first bowel movements.
healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Babys-First-Bowel-Movements. aspx
Hoecker JL, et al. (2018). I'm breast-feeding my newborn and her bowel movements are yellow and mushy. Is this normal for baby poop?
mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/baby-poop/faq-20057971
Jana LA, et al. (2009). The many colors of poop.
healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/The-Many-Colors-of-Poop.aspx
Jana LA, et al. (2009). Pooping by the numbers.
healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Pooping-By-the-Numbers.aspx

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Oct 1, 2018

Written By

Jane Chertoff

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — By Jane Chertoff on October 1, 2018

How many times should a newborn poop

Tiunova Elena

Published: 01/15/2023

Reading time: 6 minutes

5598

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.

On the one hand, a newborn does not know how to do much - eat, sleep and, in fact, dirty a 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.

Frequency and nature of stool in a breastfed child.

In the first two or three days after birth, the baby passes 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.

In the first month and a half, the baby may poop after each feeding.
If before 4-6 weeks of life he poops less than once every 24-36 hours, this may indicate a lack of nutrition. Weight gain must be controlled. On average, for the first weeks of life, it should be 125-150 g.
As for consistency and color, the stool should be mushy, from bright yellow to greenish in color.

This is important!

If the baby eats with appetite, gains 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.

After one and a half months, the baby may start 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.

Hard shaped stools, crying and strong straining during defecation should alert - these are signs of constipation.

Recent research from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that, with normal health and behavior, a baby aged 4-6 weeks and before the introduction of complementary foods may pass stool 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 consistency.

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 bottle-fed newborn can poop once a day even in the first weeks.

After one and a half months, formula-fed babies should have a bowel movement daily.

Formula-fed babies will have a firmer stool consistency than breastfed babies, but should still be soft. Hard, shaped stools in infants, regardless of the method of feeding, are a sign of constipation.

Color may vary depending on mix. 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.

What can affect stool frequency and consistency?

Food. 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.

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.

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.

If the child is on IV, Nutrilak Premium COMFORT can help to normalize the stool. The mixture is specially designed for sensitive tummies.

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.

Author of article

Tiunova Elena

Pediatrician of the highest category, nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor of the department of faculty pediatrics and propaedeutics of childhood diseases, Ural State Medical University

About the author

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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?

Products from article

Nutrilak Premium Baby Powder COMFORT

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How much does a one-month-old baby poop and how many times should he poop?

Contents

Very often, young mothers are overly concerned about the health of their child, sometimes panicking at the slightest change in the behavior of the baby. One of the most frequently asked questions to pediatricians and more experienced mothers is the question - how many times should a monthly baby poop per day and in what quantity.

The second reason why this issue remains one of the main ones for all mothers is that the stool and its quantity are individual for each child, and can vary depending on nutrition, general condition of the body, drinking regimen, and so on.

Let's try to answer the question in detail: “How much does a one-month-old baby usually poop on average?”

The approximate amount of feces of a one-month-old baby on breastfeeding is fifteen grams. Gradually, this amount will increase to 40-50 grams;
In a breastfed baby, the stool is usually a homogeneous yellow slurry with a sour milk odor. However, with this diet, stools with small lumps, sometimes greens (if a baby has green stools with mucus), are also considered the norm.
The amount of feces in children with artificial feeding is greater, up to 40 grams.
When infants formula feed, the color of the feces may be light yellow or dark brown, and the smell is quite strong. A small amount of mucus in the stool or small white lumps is considered normal. So excess milk fats that are not digested are removed from the body.

How many times a day should a one-month-old baby poop

A child of this age usually has breastfeeding stools after each feeding, that is, 8-9 times/day.

There are cases when a child poops 1-2 times/week!!! but with a larger volume. If the child is in good health, colic is not bothered, then this frequency is normal for the child; Yes, yes, it happens.

Artificial children's stool is rarer. Usually 1 to 4 times/day . If this happens less often, it is considered constipation.

Main problems. When is the best time to consult a pediatrician?

If a one-month-old baby poops more than 10-12 times a day, and if the stool has a specific smell, it begins to foam and the color has changed (turned green), then it is worth contacting a pediatrician. Perhaps these are mom's diet errors or more serious diseases.
If the child has not been able to poop for a long time, and often cries, then he probably has constipation (how to treat constipation?). It is best to deal with this problem with gentle methods - eating foods with a laxative effect, drinking plenty of mom. In extreme cases, the use of an enema is allowed. And taking medicines only on the recommendation of a doctor.
Often the baby is in trouble with such a phenomenon as colic in infants, increased gas formation. This problem is also corrected with the help of nutrition, abdominal massage.
Diarrhea in an infant (See article on diarrhea)

Not recommended:

If the mother's suspicions and concerns are confirmed, and the child actually has an abnormality or infection, then should not be :

Wean the child and switch to IV;
Limit feeding time "by the clock";
Give baby water or tea to drink;
Self-medicate.

So, in this article, we tried to answer the question of how much, on average, a one-month-old baby should poop in sufficient detail. The main thing that a mother needs to do is to carefully monitor her diet if the child is on breastfeeding, and the amount of formula given during artificial feeding. If you change the consistency of feces and the general condition of the baby, you should consult a pediatrician.

Article: if a month old baby does not poop

Video: How often should a newborn have stools and urinate?

Anna Sergeevna Fedyaeva, neonatologist, employee of the department of pathology of newborns and premature babies in the Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Nizhny Novgorod, talks about the frequency of babies' stools and the dependence on the type of feeding.

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