Newborn poop day 4

How Often Should a Newborn Poop?

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

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months

How we vetted this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Baby poo. (n.d.).
dchs. nhs.uk/home/our-services/find_services_by_topic/healthvisiting/advice_guidance/hvs_bowel_movements
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

Jane Chertoff

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

Share this article

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

How Often Should a Newborn Poop?

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

Newborn waste and their health

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Takeaway

Last medically reviewed on October 1, 2018

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months

How we vetted this article:

Baby poo. (n.d.).
dchs.nhs.uk/home/our-services/find_services_by_topic/healthvisiting/advice_guidance/hvs_bowel_movements
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

Jane Chertoff

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

Share this article

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

norm, how many times a day, color

So many experiences are connected with how a newborn baby "walks big". Mom is worried about the frequency of the stool, its color, consistency. So how do you determine if the crumbs are all right with digestion? Perhaps he needs help?

Many mothers know that it is very important to monitor the baby's stool, and during the examination, the pediatrician is always interested in how the baby walks in a big way. This information is one of the most important points in diagnosing the health of the crumbs. Unfortunately, quite often mothers mistakenly interpret the completely natural and safe states of the baby. And because of these mistakes, they can start unnecessary treatment and worry about the baby for no good reason. So let's figure out how a baby's chair should look like and when to worry and when not.

Immediately after childbirth

When the baby is in the mother's tummy, he receives all the necessary substances and trace elements through the umbilical cord. The digestive system of the crumbs does not work, but his stomach is not empty. The baby sucks his fingers, opens his mouth and thus swallows a small amount of amniotic fluid. When the baby is born, this substance will be in his intestines and will gradually come out as the baby is attached to the chest and his digestive system begins to work.

So, the first stool of the baby is meconium: dark, plasticine-like feces. So the baby recovers the first day or two. Sometimes it gives him discomfort: the baby worries, cries, pushes, before he manages to go big. However, this is not always the case - many children recover easily, only slightly pushing.

If everything is in order with the baby, he was put to the breast in time and fed on demand, then his stool gradually changes. On the third or fifth day, the baby has the so-called "transitional stool", partly consisting of meconium, which is still in the gastrointestinal tract, partly from digested colostrum and milk. As a rule, streaks appear first in the meconium mass, then the feces gradually turn yellow. By the end of the first week, the baby's stool usually acquires the features of a normal infant: yellow, rather liquid.

When should you worry? If the baby did not go down in a big way in the first two days, it is necessary to consult a doctor. There are children with individual characteristics who will continue to do this less often than most babies. However, the cause of the stool retention should be determined by the doctor. If the crumbs have some kind of problem with intestinal patency, help will be needed immediately, but you should not diagnose your baby without a doctor.

We are at home

On the third or fifth day, the mother receives milk, and the baby has a fairly stable stool by the end of the first week. The literature sometimes says that the stool of newborns is "creamy", and this confuses mothers, who begin to suspect that something is not right with the crumbs. In reality, the stool of a healthy baby is liquid and not always homogeneous. The normal color of feces is yellow and its shades. You may notice lumps, a little mucus - it's not scary. Do not be afraid if the baby's feces have a greenish tint for up to three months due to the immaturity of the liver enzyme systems and the characteristics of bilirubin metabolism, such a condition has the right to be and also does not require treatment.

Many mothers sometimes worry that the baby's stool "suddenly" becomes watery and the baby walks in a big way with abundant gas, a sharp sound. Doctors in this case often suspect lactase deficiency. In reality, things usually go like this. In the period from 3 weeks to a month and a half, the baby has frequent growth spurts, so at certain moments the baby literally “hangs on the chest” to help the mother produce more milk. Within a day or a few, the baby needs to breastfeed more often and longer than before, and the mother begins to suspect that there is not enough milk. As a result, she often begins to shift the baby from one breast to another, and the baby receives mostly "forward" milk, which comes at the beginning of feeding from each breast. This milk is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, the baby is actively growing from it, however, the stool is liquid and gassy because of this milk (sometimes the “result” looks frothy if the baby is held over a pot or basin when he needs to clear out, and the mother can observe the consistency chair). In this situation, there is no need to panic - just the baby does not need to be constantly shifted from one breast to another, fearing that he is starving. Give the baby the opportunity to get "hind" milk, rich in fats, which will not cause flatulence and stay longer in the intestines.

In this situation (when the baby suddenly begins to clearly suck more milk), the mother may feel insecure and start drinking lactic teas. From this, more carbohydrates again begin to flow into her milk and the baby's stool becomes more liquid and with gases.

Similar problems due to "front" milk occur in the case of improper attachment to the breast, as a result of which the baby swallows the air and interrupts feeding itself, or simply cannot get "hind" milk. The best way out in this situation is to consult with a breastfeeding specialist to correct the application technique and stop panicking that the baby "does not have enough milk."

In short, don't worry if your baby has problems with this type of stool. Of course, the flora of his intestines is unstable, it is just beginning to be established - it takes at least three to four months. Your task is simply to feed the baby on demand and correctly and not to rush to treat him for imaginary diseases.

Delayed stool

Mothers worry not only about the appearance of the stool, but also because of its periodicity. How often should the baby "do things"? Normally, the baby walks in a big way several times a day, usually after feeding. However, in some children, the norm may be a chair and once a day, and even once every few days. Typically, these children have an anatomically weak anterior abdominal wall and intestinal motility. Such a periodicity of the stool can be considered the norm, if the baby still walks more regularly, the stool is of normal consistency and, in general, the baby is cheerful and cheerful and does not suffer from colic. It's not worth worrying. However, if the baby is allergic, then you need to do everything possible so that he goes to the toilet at least once a day. Atopic dermatitis is much more severe if the baby does not empty the intestines often enough - consult a doctor about this.

Babies also have physiological delays in stool at the age of one and a half to five months. Here it is important to monitor the condition of the baby. If he experiences discomfort, you should consult a doctor. Children can hold back their stools for psychological reasons, just as adults sometimes cannot go to the toilet if they are nervous. Do not panic because of a one-time problem, but if the problem persists or recurs, consult your doctor.

However, in babies there are not just "delays" of the stool, but also real constipation. Constipation is called not only when the baby does not go to the toilet at all, but also feces "peas", overdried, when a bowel movement is difficult. What could be the reason?

Regular constipation is usually caused by improper feeding of the crumbs. However, this condition can also occur if the mother does everything right, but she has her own health problems, for example, with the thyroid gland. Medications can also be the cause of constipation. For example, intestinal weakness is provoked by all kinds of sedative mixtures and drugs, which are often prescribed to children by neurologists at an early age. Even cough medicines or tooth gels can cause constipation. In any case, the doctor should deal with this. You should not give your baby medicines and laxatives on your own, or act on it mechanically with an enema or gas tube. It is better to discuss with the doctor the issues of feeding, drug treatment and the lifestyle of the baby - so you can understand the problem.

Weaning time

Of course, when you start to introduce complementary foods, the baby's stool pattern changes. First of all, you need to remember that the task of the first complementary foods (at 5, 6 months) is not to feed, but to help adapt to new tastes, to new food. Give the baby complementary foods in the amount of "lick" and only gradually move on to doses "with a marigold" or "half a teaspoon". Recall that you need to introduce one product into the diet of crumbs so that you can understand how and what the baby reacts to. Quite often, as soon as we give the baby “with a fingernail” some food, it is not digested - we find the product in the feces almost in its original form. Within one or two days, this is normal, the baby’s body has not figured out the new component in the stomach, but if this continues on the third day, the product must be removed from the diet, since it is obvious that the baby is not yet ready to accept it. You need to take a break for a week or two, without offering the baby anything but the breast, then try again with another product.

The baby's body can also react more violently, for example, with loose stools and abdominal pain, and sometimes with allergies. In this case, you also need to cancel the product and keep the baby breastfed so that the gastrointestinal tract calms down.

When you introduce protein to your baby, he may react with constipation. To avoid this, you need to remember simple rules. Proteins require more liquid, so if this is your baby's first food (for example, cottage cheese), give him more breast milk. If you started introducing proteins when the baby is already drinking liquid, provide him with a drink. Do not worry about the fact that the introduction of new products has to be postponed - nothing terrible will happen to the baby. And be especially calm about the opinion that at 6-7 months the child needs to be given meat products so that he grows well. Not all children are able to absorb such a protein; for many, even a homogenized meat product at this age will lead to constipation and overload the kidneys. Let the baby eat breast milk for a longer time and receive vegetables and fruits as complementary foods - this way you will avoid many problems with the stool.

In general, mothers' concern about baby's stool is quite justified: after all, this is an important diagnostic symptom that allows you to understand a lot about the baby's condition. However, it must be remembered that not all situations require intervention, and most problems can be solved simply by correcting feeding mistakes. Do not rush to treat the baby and resort to medication, start with a diet.

Text: Anna Babina
Consultant: Olga Ivanovna Tkach, pediatrician, Center for Traditional Obstetrics

Normal stools of newborns and children up to the first six months of life

The contents of a diaper excite every young mother. Any change or change in the frequency of bowel movements causes her to panic and forces her to look for diseases in the child. We understand how the gastrointestinal tract works in infants and what the baby's stool should be like.

Peculiarities of digestion in an infant

Despite the long intrauterine development, many systems and organs of a newborn child cannot fully perform their functions. The gastrointestinal tract is no exception. Babies don't have teeth to chew solid food, and their liver and pancreas don't produce enough enzymes.

In addition, the baby is born with a sterile intestine. Its settlement with beneficial microflora occurs in the first weeks of life, and full development can last up to a year. Children of the first half of the year eat only breast milk or a milk mixture adapted for their intestines. Feeding whole milk or fermented milk products is dangerous to his health.

The baby's stool is also different. In the first days of life, a newborn baby passes meconium - the original feces are usually dark green or black. Then it gradually changes color, smell and texture. What exactly it will be depends on the type of feeding and the characteristics of the child himself.

Stool norm in newborns and children up to a year

Normal stool indicators depend on how the mother feeds the child, whether he has congenital gastrointestinal diseases, allergies or intolerances. The frequency of stool in a newborn and children in the first half of life also depends on this.

Type of	Description
Chair in newborns while breastfeeding	In the first six months, the stool is mushy, soft, blotches and inclusions may occur. The first months does not smell strongly, then the smell changes. May be completely absent for several days.
Chair in infants with artificial feeding	The chair is regular from one to 6 times a day. Often associated with feeding (a bowel movement occurs before or during it). Thicker, pasty, smells stronger than breastfed babies

With mixed feeding, the frequency and appearance of the stool depends on the proportion in which the child receives breast milk and an adapted mixture.

At first, the baby can defecate after each feed. Over time, stool frequency decreases and volume increases. This can be scary for new parents. Our doctors remotely and at any time of the day will answer all questions about the health of the child and help determine when stool changes indicate pathology.

Newborn stool color

The second parameter, after the frequency, to which mothers pay the closest attention, is the color of the child's stool. Normally it is yellow or orange. It can be plain or with white patches. This color is typical for fresh stools when the baby has just gone to the toilet.

When exposed to air, the feces oxidize and become greenish in color. This is not a pathology. This color of the stool does not require treatment or medical attention. However, a sharp change in color, consistency or frequency of bowel movements, the appearance of foam, blood and streaks in the feces can indicate digestive problems - lactase deficiency, constipation, allergies, dysbacteriosis.

What problems does stool disorder indicate?

It is believed that the feces of a newborn should depart daily and not cause him any inconvenience. However, in children who are fully breastfed, stools may be completely absent up to 6 days. If after that the baby defecates without problems, and the feces themselves remain soft, this is considered a variant of the norm.

However, in some cases, a violation or change in bowel movements can indicate problems with digestion. The main ones are:

constipation;
diarrhea;
allergy;
intolerance to certain products;
lactase deficiency;
bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract;
cracks.

The main symptoms to look out for include the following:

the child becomes restless and capricious;
he draws his legs to his stomach;
the chair becomes rare and dense;
the stool becomes too liquid and frequent;
mucus, blood streaks, black blotches appear in the feces;
stool immediately green;
he smells bad;
foam is visible in the feces.

These symptoms should be reported to the health visitor or pediatrician during the preventive visit. If blood is found in the diaper, you should immediately call an ambulance and hospitalize the child.

Changes in stool may indicate problems with the gastrointestinal tract in a child. It can be difficult for young parents to distinguish the norm from the pathology, so if you have any concerns, you should consult a pediatrician. Our doctors will answer all your questions about your baby's health, help you find the problem and tell you what to do in case of illness.

How to help your baby with stool problems

To help the baby, you need to understand why there are problems with the stool. To do this, the pediatrician will offer to undergo diagnostics - take blood tests, check feces, sign up for an ultrasound scan, colonoscopy or gastroscopy. The latter in young children are performed under general anesthesia and require temporary hospitalization.

After making a diagnosis, the doctor will suggest treatment and related activities:

If an allergy is suspected, a nursing mother will be offered to follow a hypoallergenic diet. If the baby is bottle-fed, they will offer to change the mixture.
Also, the doctor will give recommendations on the diet of the child. Breastfeed your baby freely, but less than once every two hours. Formula-fed babies can tolerate long intervals.
In case of allergies, the child may be recommended to take antihistamines and sorbents.
With confirmed lactase deficiency, the child is either transferred to a lactose-free mixture, or it is recommended to give special enzymes before feeding.
If constipation, diarrhea and dysbacteriosis are suspected, the child may be prescribed drugs to improve the stool or special mixtures with lacto- and bifidobacteria.
If an infection is suspected, against which diarrhea began, the baby may be prescribed antibiotics and antiviral agents.

If congenital pathologies of the development of the gastrointestinal tract are detected during the examination, the doctor takes appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures. Which ones and for how long depends on the type of disease and its degree.

Important! Abdominal problems are often associated with increased gas or colic. In this case, it is recommended to massage the abdomen, put a warm heating pad on it, or put the bare tummy against the mother's stomach.

FAQ

How many times a day should a newborn have a stool?

In the first days of life, the child passes meconium. After that, the chair can be after each feeding. In a month-old baby, the frequency of stools is removed and varies from 1 to 6 times a day. In children who are fully breastfed, it can recede up to 6 days.

What does feces look like in newborns?

Newborn babies have black or dark green stools. Over time, it brightens, becomes yellow-orange. It may contain white blotches and heterogeneities.

What are the problems with the chair?

The problems are indicated by the absence of stool against the background of the child’s anxiety and a change in the consistency of feces, too frequent stools, bad smell, foam, green color of feces immediately after a bowel movement, the appearance of streaks and inclusions of red and black or mucus in it.