A newborn poops little: norms for the development of the child's gastrointestinal tract, stool, feeding methods and opinions of pediatricians

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The frequency of bowel movements in a newborn, the number, color, smell, the presence or absence of various impurities and consistency is used to judge the work of the baby's gastrointestinal tract. According to the characteristics of feces, it is possible to determine whether the child is receiving sufficient nutrition, and whether he has developed any diseases. Attentive parents will always notice when a newborn begins to poop less. What to do in this case and should I be worried? This is exactly what will be discussed in the article.

On Norms and Variations

How many times should a newborn poop a day, what is the norm and is there one? It turns out that there are no rules. For each child, bowel movements depend on the degree of development of the digestive system, the method of feeding, on the type of obstetric care, various pathologies and many other reasons. One baby poops nine times a day, the other only two, and the thirdemptied only once every two days. Then it turns out that this newborn poops a little. And if at the same time the baby feels good, there are no painful sensations, there are no inclusions in the stool, then this will be the norm.

Defecation frequency

In the first day or two after birth, the baby passes out the original feces, which has a viscous consistency and is brown or black-green in color. From the second or third day, a transitional, semi-liquid yellow-green or dark green feces departs. And only on the fourth or fifth day, the newborn develops a characteristic rhythm of bowel movement. The range of acts of defecation is very wide: from once every two days to ten to twelve times a day. Most babies empty their bowels during feeding or immediately after eating.

But if a newborn poops a little, that is, once every two days and at the same time regularly, without pain and strong straining, then this is considered normal. As the baby grows, the number of bowel movements decreases. Then he poops the following number of times per day:

• at 2-3 months - from 3 to 6;
• in six months - 1-2;
• per year – 1.

In further periods of life, the frequency of bowel movements is maintained, as in a year, and the consistency from mushy turns into a formed mass.

Baby feces

Its properties are influenced by food. There are significant differences between the normal stool of a breast-fed baby and a formula-fed baby. First feces that come out latereight hours after delivery is called meconium. It is a mucous plug containing small fatty, yellow-green colored droplets and a small amount of intestinal wall cells. This unusual color is due to the pigment bilirubin. Meconium contains no bacteria, which means it is sterile. One of the important stages is its analysis, which reveals congenital anomalies of the digestive system, including cystic fibrosis.

The newborn does not poop. Is there any reason to panic?

If, upon returning from the hospital, the newborn began to poop a little, and after a few days the defecation completely stopped, you should not be afraid of constipation and get rid of it. In this case, it is advisable to observe the condition of the child. It is possible that the mother does not have enough milk, and the baby simply has nothing to poop. To clarify this fact, it is necessary to weigh the child before and after feeding. Having calculated the amount of milk received per day, it is necessary to compare it with the necessary (700 ml) that the child should receive in the first month of life. With a clear lack of mother's milk, measures should be taken to increase lactation or introduce complementary foods with mixtures. For this, the infant is supplemented after he has sucked at the breast, and completely replaces one or two feedings with artificial nutrition.

Breastfeeding stool

When a baby is breastfeeding, his stool is completely dependent on the mother's nutrition. If she completely follows the diet: she does not eat sweets, fatty and spicy foods, then the crumbs with digestion are all right. His feces are homogeneous, have a yellowishcolor and does not contain impurities.

When a woman consumes too much fat, milk also becomes fatty and difficult for the unformed digestive tract to digest. As a result, a newborn baby poops little, in addition, constipation is possible. White lumps appear in the stool. When a nursing mother consumes a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates, fermentation processes intensify in the baby's intestines. As a result, the stool, on the contrary, becomes more frequent, and its consistency is liquid and foamy. A strong swelling can provoke constipation. Mommy's lack of milk is also reflected in the stool, it becomes thicker and more viscous, then dry and acquires a grayish-green hue. You may experience constipation or pass small amounts of stool.

Stool for formula-fed and mixed-fed baby

If a newborn poops a little, then most likely he is on artificial feeding. Such babies empty their bowels less frequently than those who receive breast milk. Their feces are denser, dark yellow in color, have a putrid or sharply sour smell. A change in the usual mixture or a sharp transition to artificial feeding provokes, in some cases, constipation, in others - loose stools.

If babies start to be fed with natural cow's milk instead of adapted milk mixtures, then chronic constipation or diarrhea is possible. The stool becomes a rich yellow color and has a cheesy smell.

Newborn littlepooping: tips for every day

There are several rules that it is desirable to follow and then the baby's intestines will work well. And the baby will poop every day. The rules are simple:

1. Ensure physical activity throughout the day.
2. Give enough water.
3. Carefully introduce complementary foods, as the formation of the intestinal nervous system takes up to six months, and a new diet can provoke pain in the tummy and stool retention.
4. Stroking the belly clockwise stimulates the bowels. Manipulation is carried out within fifteen minutes. In addition, it is allowed to use an enema with water or enter suppositories with glycerin rectally.

Baby doesn't poop. Should I see a doctor?

If the baby poops a little or has no stool for a day, what should I do? First of all, carefully examine the feces. If after a daily delay they are in a natural state, then there is no reason for the disorder. If hard balls are found along with a liquid substance, you should consult a doctor to rule out an intestinal disorder.

The baby's body is not able to synthesize some of the enzyme substances used to process food. The main source of nutrition for him is mother's milk. Its chemical composition depends on the use of those foods that a nursing woman eats. Thus, the baby in the first months of life forms the natural reactions of the body. The exit of feces and urine is carried out involuntarily, that is, whencomes the extreme degree of pressure on the walls of the intestines and bladder.

If a baby poops little or does not poop for two or more days, then you need to see what he eats. If he is breastfed, then everything is in order, since breast milk is perfectly absorbed. In case of using infant formula, consult a doctor. The feces of a formula-fed child have a specific texture and smell. In addition, such nutrition is not completely absorbed, and the body needs a regular release of the existing surplus. It is very difficult to name the exact number of times how many times a child should poop per day. The intestines are just beginning to establish their work and some failures are possible. For example, in one and a half month old children, acts of defecation with liquid contents occur five to six times a day. Further, the feces thicken, and he poops less often.

Therefore, if there is no feces for three days or you think that the baby poops a little, but at the same time feels good and farts regularly, then everything is fine with him and he is he althy. Reason for concern is:

• stagnation of gases;
• tight tummy;
• pulling up the legs to the stomach;
• constant loud crying.

In this situation, medical assistance is required.

Causes of delayed stool

As the digestive system develops, each baby develops an individual frequency of bowel movements. The norm is considered to have a bowel movement once a day, several times a week, since onnatural feeding all the nutrients are absorbed and the baby simply has nothing to poop. That is, there is no reason for concern. However, if the feces were regular, and then the newborn began to poop less, then you need to look for the cause. Remember that changing the usual mode for a day is not considered a reason for unrest, but more - it requires attention. Delays can be caused by:

• malnutrition of a breastfeeding woman;
• weakness of the anterior abdominal wall or intestinal motility;
• psychological factors.

In order to cope with these problems, you need to perform simple manipulations:

• enrich mom's diet with fiber foods;
• create a calm and comfortable external environment so as not to disturb the baby;
• regularly perform stroking movements in a clockwise direction, along the tummy.

If the above measures do not help and the regularity of the stool has not improved, then you need to call a doctor.

Pathological stool changes: constipation

Why does a newborn poop little? Violation of the frequency of defecation can provoke diseases, digestive failure and other pathological conditions. Changes can be in the form of constipation, irregular stools and diarrhea. Let us consider in more detail such a condition as constipation. It is manifested by the following signs in a newborn:

• lack of stool during the day, if he previously pooped several times a day;
• frequent straining accompanied by intense crying;
• feces of a dense consistency.

The most common causes of constipation include:

1. Wrong choice of blends.
2. Lack of fluids.
3. Using cow's milk.
4. Mom doesn't have enough milk and the abuse of protein, flour products, as well as tea and coffee.
5. Immaturity of the digestive system.
6. Intestinal obstruction.
7. Concomitant pathologies, for example, an anomaly of the nervous system, etc.

A newborn doesn't poop every day. What is the reason?

What to do if a newborn poops a little? Parents need to understand that babies who are naturally and artificially fed empty their intestines in different ways, since the frequency, nature of the stool and the amount of feces depend on nutrition. Even if the chair is once every ten days or seven times a day, it is still the norm. However, in case of the slightest concern related to the he alth of the baby, you should definitely consult with a pediatrician. If the baby used to poop normally, but poops a little for several days, but at the same time nothing bothers him, and he is cheerful, what should I do? The following suggestions will help you deal with this problem:

• tummy massage;
• changing the diet of a nursing mother;
• mix change;
• setting an enema.

When a newborn poops less, but he has a soft tummy, good mood, excellent appetite, then your baby is he althy, and there are no reasons for frustration. Pediatricians advise mothers carefullymonitor the behavior and condition of your baby. Remember that the baby's body is not a clock to work accurately. The norm for some children is not necessarily the norm for others. And in most cases, parents' anxiety is unfounded.

How often should a newborn pee and poop? Expert opinion

Often, anxious mothers turn to the pediatrician with such a problem - the newborn pees a little and poops, what should I do? The opinions of doctors on this matter are as follows:

1. On the first day after the appearance of the light, the baby may not urinate at all, and this situation is normal. However, most often you have to change diapers up to eight times, provided that the mother is breastfeeding. With artificial feeding, the baby receives more fluid, so the frequency of urination increases. Further, within a few days, the baby rarely pees, and the urine acquires a rich orange hue. Then, the frequency of urine output increases again and diapers have to be changed after two to three hours.
2. The frequency of bowel movements is affected by the method of feeding, the diet of the mother, the individual characteristics of the newborn. One or two days after birth, the original stool comes out. The fourth - fifth day is called the transition period. If a lot of meconium has accumulated in the intestine, then it continues to depart. Feeding during this period is only being established, and the babies poop from one to three times a day. In the second week of age, the amount of stool output is from one to ten times. The norm is recognized and defecation every other day. Until the sixth week, it is considered that ifstool crumbs less than four times a day, then he does not eat up.

With artificial feeding, the frequency of stool coincides with the frequency of feeding. The feces are more dense. These babies are more likely to be constipated.

Thus, if the baby feels great and is gaining weight well, but at the same time, as it seems to you, the newborn began to poop little and also write little, then there is no reason for concern. Otherwise, medical assistance is required.