Baby poop frequency is a highly concerning topic for many parents, but when do pediatricians start to worry?
Understanding the way our baby’s digestive system works and what we expect as normal can help parents have peace of mind when it comes to baby poop.
How Often Should My Baby Poop?
Breastfed Babies
In the early days of breastfeeding, we expect a newborn to pass a stool (meconium) in the first 24 hours of life. Colostrum acts as a laxative to push the sticky black meconium through the baby’s digestive system. This achievement is often celebrated by parents and newborn nursery nurses alike.
After that, we expect breastfeeding babies to have several stools per day in the days leading up to their mother’s milk fully “coming in.” Often, once she has larger volumes of milk that the baby is taking, the infant will poop after every feeding. Poops can come in many different shades and consistencies.
As the days and months go on, the baby’s digestive system starts to mature and the baby will start to poop less often. Some babies start to have a regular eat, sleep, poop routine that parents can predict.
However, there is a wide range of normal for exclusively breastfed babies. Your older baby might poop after every single feeding or go days or even a couple of weeks without a single poop. Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby and it is used very efficiently by their gut, which often results in less frequent diaper changes for you. However, be aware that once that poop comes, it usually comes with explosiveness (and often occurs in public places 🙂
It is rare for an exclusively breastfed baby to have true constipation. Breast milk contains factors that help the baby’s digestive system to develop and absorb nutrients.
As your baby ages to 6 months, introducing solid foods often changes a baby’s poop schedule. Sometimes certain foods will cause the baby to have some constipation while others may poop more in response to the new routine.
Formula Fed Babies
Baby formula takes a little more effort to move through a baby’s system than breast milk. Often formula-fed babies will poop several times a day in the beginning and then poop less often as they grow.
It is easier for certain babies to become constipated when they are fed formula. However, infrequent stooling does not always equal constipation.
Lack of baby poop or constipation
Constipation is defined as infrequent stooling. Your baby may be constipated if they:
- poop fewer than 3 times per week (formula-fed babies)
- have a difficult time pushing their poop out
- have small, dry pellet-like stools when they do go
- act distressed or like they are in pain after eating
My baby is dramatic when he poops. Does that mean he is constipated?
Infant dyschezia is the fancy word that us doctors use for this. Essentially, it means that your baby is acting like he or she is working really hard to push out a stool, but they are not always constipated.
If you think about it, your baby does not come out of the womb with a six-pack of abdominal muscles and they lay down all of the time. Pooping involves a lot of coordination of several muscle groups. It also helps to have gravity on your side when you are trying to poop. Babies have immature muscles and are working against gravity to move poop out of their bodies. This can result in some drama!
How to treat baby constipation
Depending on the age of your baby, generally increasing the baby’s fluid intake will help alleviate constipation.
If your baby is older than 6 months old, a sippy cup with some water in it may be all that he or she needs to help him have a stool. If that doesn’t help, you can give an ounce or two of fruit juice. Often, prune, pear or apple juice will do the trick. Babies who are eating solid foods may eat fruit or vegetables to relieve their lack of pooping. The fiber in these foods can help move stool through their bodies. It may also be helpful to lay off the foods, like rice cereal, for a few days. Cereal can cause older babies to become constipated.
In younger babies, fruit juice can be used to help relieve constipation. Just be sure to consult your baby’s pediatrician as babies under the age of 6 months of age have immature kidneys. These organs can’t always concentrate urine well and if you give your baby too much fluid (other than breast milk or formula) you can cause their salt levels to be off. This can lead to a very sick baby.
Glycerin suppositories that are made for babies can also provide relief from occasional constipation. Just don’t get too overly ambitious and do this often. Repetitive rectal stimulation over time will train the body to require it anytime the baby needs to poop.
In older babies and kids, there are many medications that can be used to relieve constipation. I wrote an article about childhood constipation that you can read if you have more questions.
Don’t stress about baby poop
Rarely, a baby who has frequent constipation may have an underlying medical condition. It is best to consult with your child’s pediatrician if you suspect that your baby is not pooping often due to a medical condition. Otherwise, take heart. Baby poop is a topic that you will soon leave behind as your child grows.
© 127 Pediatrics; July 2022
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house calls only pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX. We also have an at-home pediatrician serving the Aledo area. Dr. Wadley sees patients all over Tarrant county for concierge breastfeeding medicine consults, lactation consults, fourth-trimester care, tongue tie clipping, and medical ear piercing.
