Bowel Movements

Most babies move their bowels by the time they are 48 hours old, but thereafter there is no set schedule. Some babies seem to have a stool after every feeding while others “go” only once every few days. The frequency of stools changes in the first couple of months.

For breast fed babies, initially the stool may be green-black and sticky, but soon becomes the more normal seedy, mustard-like stool. Formula fed babies have more of a soft-formed stool one to three times a day.

At the end of the second week, some babies will forget to relax the rectal muscles for a bowel movement. They will cry, grunt, strain and turn red in the face and appear to be in pain, just like the constipated baby. However, instead of passing a large firm stool, only the beginning portion is hard and the rest is perfect consistency or even loose.

If your baby produces small, hard pellets consistently, call your pediatrician. DO NOT give laxatives, enemas or suppositories without consulting us first. Your baby is not constipated if two or three days go by between movements. Breast-fed babies in particular can go for a few days and even longer between bowel movements. Then they may grunt and strain before producing a soft stool. This is not constipation.

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Diarrhea
Diarrhea is defined as excessively watery stools with little substance remaining on the surface of the diaper, occurring with frequency. If it lasts more than one day, or is becoming more frequent, please call our office.

Diaper Rash
The best approach to the treatment of diaper rash is to:

1. Remove the diaper and let your baby air dry as much as possible.
2. Apply an over-the-counter diaper ointment as needed. This provides a barrier between the skin and urine/feces.