As soon as you deliver your baby, you become a very possessive parent. You are filled with lots and lots of questions, as you want the best for your baby. A very common question asked by every mother, is how often newborn should poop? Yes, understanding the nature and frequency of newborn pooping is very necessary as it is an indication of their health. When babies are welcomed in this new world, they leave the protective covering of their mother’s womb.
Babies are very delicate and it is necessary to understand them properly, so as to avoid any confusion and also so, you can take proper care of their health. On average, during the first year, babies go through at least 2000 dirty diapers. Having a newborn poop chart is necessary to understand the bowel movement of your baby.
Let’s see what all things matter in a newborn’s pooping. Check out the blog-
Baby’s First Poop
Many times babies’ first poop is within 2 days of their being born. The first poop of the baby is called Meconium, this is black in colour and has a sticky tar-like substance. Baby’s first poop consists of skin cells that your baby sheds and swallows when in your womb. After meconium has passed, stool consistency starts to vary on whether the newborn is breastfed or formula-fed.
How often should a newborn poop on breast milk
If you have decided to breastfeed your baby, you will notice a different color of poop. During the starting days, your baby’s digestive system is still in the developing stage. Breastfed milk is loaded with nutrients, but the baby’s body is not so developed that it can absorb all its nutrients. Therefore, the breastfed milk which your baby drinks, most of it passes through the stool giving the stool yellow color.
For breastfed babies, you can expect at least four poops a day, and that too in the first few weeks. Later, the frequency of the poop starts to increase as they grow. You can expect around 12 poop a day at a later stage.
How often should a newborn poop on formula-fed milk
Compared to babies, who are breastfed, the poop of formula-fed babies is far less. The reason is the lack of colostrum in their diet. Colostrum acts as a natural laxative and it is present in very high amounts in breast milk. Formula-fed babies have the frequency of pooping 3-4 times a day and also the texture is more solid.
The color of the poop is greenish and darker. Later, when they grow up, poop becomes once a day, which indicates the well-being of their digestive system.
Reasons to monitor Pooping
If you are thinking about why we need to monitor our baby’s pooping or why do, we need a pooping chart. Well, the following are the reasons to keep track of a baby’s bowel movement-
- To understand whether the baby is getting enough food or not. When the baby is just born, it gets difficult to track the baby’s food quantity. To know, your baby is not starving you should monitor their pooping.
- If there is a hard or dry stool, that means your baby is not getting enough liquid, which will be a sign of concern.
- If the baby is pooping too much, that is also a sign of concern, as it can lead to signs of diarrhea.
- Explosive diarrhea can be a sign of infection with bacteria and viruses.
Above, are the reasons it is necessary for you to monitor pooping.
Signs of Concern
- If you find traces of blood in the baby’s poop.
- If you feel the baby is constipated.
- If the poop is filled with mucus, meaning it has some allergy.
- If the newborn’s stool color is black in color.
- If the stool is white or grey in color.
Conclusion
So, above are some of the things you should keep in mind during the Newborn poop. Newborn’s stool is an important thing during the first few months. It tells us about their bowel movement, and that everything is fine with the baby. During these months, you can notice several changes in the baby’s stool.
Making a newborn pee and poo chart will be beneficial for you as it will help you to understand your baby more properly.
How did you understand your newborn’s pooping?
FAQ
Q: What do different baby poop colors mean?
A: The color, texture, and even smell of newborn poop keep changing. But if you feel something is not right, it is better to consult a doctor.
Q: Does my Baby have Diarrhea?
If you find your baby’s poop waterier, thin, or streaked with mucus, and also if they are pooping more than often, then yes your baby is suffering from diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by anything, antibiotics, milk allergies, viral illness, etc.
Q: What is Melena in Babies?
Melena is a thick, black, or tarry stool that is different from meconium stool. This indicates bleeding in the digestive tract which is a sign of concern.
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