Many new mothers have asked me about newborn bowel clothes. In fact, it’s probably the number 1 question I get, bar none. I often get frantic calls from new mothers whose baby hasn’t had a bowel movement in 24 hours. So, let’s talk about poop!!
Newborns have bowel movements that vary in behavior. The first few days, your colon is made of a sticky black substance called meconium. This is very normal. This is the substance that fills their intestines while they are in the womb. It is difficult to clean and does not come off easily. After the first few days you should see what we call “transitional stools” which are still dark in color but slowly loosening up, their little bottoms easier to clean and maybe with some yellow seeds in them. These can range in color from very dark brown to green and may have yellow spots.
From this point (approximately 4-7 days after birth), you will begin to see progressively more yellow and looser stools. Now these can also be on the green side, depending on what the baby is ingesting. If you’re breastfeeding, your diet may have something to do with it. If the baby takes vitamins of any kind or iron supplements, the stool may be much darker in nature. But they should be quite loose and easy to clean. If you are breastfeeding, this trend will continue. The stools will be loose, yellow/greenish, and usually very frequent in the first few weeks. They can also be very explosive!!!
When my son was a newborn, I was changing his diaper on the changing table and I reached to the right side of the table to get a new diaper. When I raised my head, I saw a flash of something pass right in front of my eyes and then I saw the “splat” on the dresser right next to me. I stared in awe at how this little creature could produce something with so much force behind it. Wow! I just lost my mind too!
You don’t actually exert as much force, it has a lot to do with the small area you shoot from. My point in all of this is to say that this is all very NORMAL. What mom hasn’t experienced this or something like it, or the occasional poop “on the back” that makes you giddy?
If you continue to breastfeed, you will also notice that as your baby goes through growth spurts, he may go from having a bowel movement every time you feed him to not having a bowel movement for 2 or 3 days. Again, very normal. The mother’s milk is very well used by their little bodies and in a big growth, it just runs out. There is nothing left to remove. So if you’re used to changing a dirty diaper every time you feed your little baby, don’t worry when that changes. All babies go through growth spurts. His bowl clothes are constantly changing. It is very unusual for a breastfed baby to be constipated.
If you are bottle-feeding and formula-feeding, your stools might be a bit more solid. They are usually what I call “dumb putty poops”. This may be dating me, but that’s what it seems like. The more solid consistency is due to the way they digest formula differently than breast milk. Again, it is very normal. Bottle-fed babies can also have varying degrees of regularity. This is also due to growth spurts in the baby.
So you ask, “When do I worry?” Most doctors won’t even flinch if you tell them your little bundle of joy hasn’t pooped for 2 or 3 days. Usually there is nothing to worry about. We don’t call it constipation unless the actual stool looks like little solid pebbles. So there are some interventions that can be done. Try a warm bath and move your baby’s legs as if he were riding a bike. This sometimes helps relax the muscles. Talk to your pediatrician if the baby seems very uncomfortable for long periods of time or is past 3-4 days. There are a multitude of remedies out there; most of them from their own kitchen. But, every pediatrician has different opinions on this, so it’s best to talk to yours.
If the stools are soft or loose, but infrequent, don’t worry. Most likely, your baby is just growing. Call your pediatrician if:
1. It has been more than 3-4 days,
2. Your baby seems very uncomfortable for much of the day
3. You see blood in the stool when you leave
4. Feces are small hard stones
It is very rare, but there are some conditions that may require medical attention.
Babies only have to focus on eating, sleeping, and pooping, so their attention is entirely on the “task at hand.” His intense focus can sometimes be misread as discomfort, but wait. They will return to their normal angelic appearance in no time. Baby systems are very efficient. They usually work easily on autopilot. Just relax and enjoy the moment. Someday you may write about it or tell stories at parties and embarrass your own adult child.