Babies have different patterns of stooling
and elimination than adults. Some babies stool with each feeding,
while others may have a normal pattern of several times each week.
It is common for babies to change their pattern of elimination
as they grow and mature.
Your baby’s first stool is called meconium.
It looks black or greenish — black and sticky. It will look
this way for several days.
Then, depending on your baby’s diet,
she/she will have stools that are either yellow as in the breastfed
infant, to green and brown for formula fed infants. The stools
may be loose, curdy, soft, pasty, or seedy.
Breast fed babies often will stool frequently
and the consistency is looser than formula fed infants. It is
normal for breast fed babies to need diaper changes before and
after each feeding. However, if your baby is passing loose, watery
stools, more frequently he or she may have diarrhea. Diarrhea
is serious with newborn babies because they can lose more water
than they take in and lead to dehydration. You should call
your baby’s health care provider if you suspect your baby
may have diarrhea.
Constipation is unusual in small infants,
but can often be related to decreased fluid intake or change in
feeding patterns. A baby, who has hard, pebbly stools that are
difficult for the baby to pass, may be constipated. Discuss your
baby’s elimination patterns with your care provider if your
baby seems uncomfortable.
One of the most important ways a parent can
tell if their baby is well and getting enough fluids is by the
number of wet diapers your baby has a day.
Six to eight wet diapers are usually a good
indicator of sufficient fluid intake. The wet diapers should be
light yellow in color. Any other color, dark yellow, brown, or
pink tinged could indicate a serious health problem and should
be discussed with your baby’s care provider. You should also
call your baby’s health care provider if the baby has an
unusual odor to the urine, or seems uncomfortable when voiding
as this could indicate a serious health problem.
If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment,
concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient
Liaisons.
