Newborn - Elimination Patterns

Urination

While feeding is being established during the first few days of life, it is normal to see only 3-4 wet diapers within a 24 hour period. Please call our office if you notice any pink or red tinged color in the front of your baby's diaper. This may represent urate crystals in the urine and can be a sign of dehydration and inadequate fluid intake. After 1 week of age, breast-def and bottle-fed babies should have at least 6-8 wet diapers/day. In the breast-fed baby, this is one of the major ways we know that the baby is getting enough fluid from mom's milk.

Stooling

The initial stools of a newborn are called meconium. It typically has a thick, black, and sticky consistency that can be difficult to clean during diaper changes. The color of the stools should gradually change over the following days to a yellow or green color with a seedy appearance. Your baby's stool may change color from time to time -- this is normal. The baby's stools should generally be soft, but the consistency can vary from time to time as well. If you notice any blood in the stool, please call our office.

Stooling patterns can differ greatly from baby to baby. Many babies will grunt and grimace while they are stooling, and this is quite normal. Since breast milk is more rapidly digested than formula, we find that breast-fed babies tend to stool more often, sometimes up to 6-7 times/day. However, the normal stooling pattern of a baby can vary from 1 stool/day to 1 stool every 4-6 days! If your baby has not stooled for 7 days or longer, please call our office.

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