- Introduction
- Office Visits
- Phone Calls
- Feeding
- Solid Foods
- Vitamins
- Infant Nutrition
- Baby Care
- Bathing & Body Care
- Ear Infections
- Stools & Hygiene
- How Does Your Baby Look?
- Immunization
- Wheezing
- Spitting Up
- Fever
- Crying & “Gas Pains”
- Cough
- Sleep
- Constipation
- Bowel Movements
- Diarrhea
- Diaper Rash
- Teething
- Colds
- Vomiting
- Crib Safety
- Changing Table
- Jumpers or Walkers
- Signs of Illness
- Poisons
- Car Seats
- Choking
- Dosing
- Reading References
Bowel Movements
If your baby seems happy and content, is eating normally, and has no symptoms of ill- ness, then do not worry about minor stool changes. Changes in number, consistency, or color of stools are usually normal.
The number of stools a baby has daily varies. Some babies have a stool with every feeding – that is six to eight stools per day – or they may have one stool every two to three days. The consistency and color of stools will also vary from day to day. Breast-fed infants usually have very liquid, yellow or mustard-colored stools. This is not an indication of diarrhea. Formula-fed infants usually have yellowish-tan stools. All babies will occasionally go three to five days without a stool. If it is soft or runny, it’s normal.
Babies often strain, grunt, grimace, and turn red in the face when having a bowel movement. This is not a sign of a problem unless the stool is very hard.