Poop Frequency: The Normal Ranges Are Wider Than You Think

Baby bowel habits worry parents more than almost anything else, largely because newborn stool frequency ranges from after every feed to once every few days, and both ends of that are ordinary. What matters is consistency and comfort rather than the count.

The ranges

In the first weeks, breastfed babies often have several loose yellow stools a day, and formula-fed babies slightly fewer. By six weeks, many breastfed babies slow down considerably and can go several days between stools, sometimes up to a week, without being constipated, as long as what eventually arrives is soft. Formula-fed babies tend to stay more regular. Once solids start, frequency and texture change again, and some foods change the colour dramatically, including beetroot and blueberries.

• Soft and comfortable is the standard, not a particular frequency.
• Hard, dry pellets with straining is constipation whatever the count.
• Watery, frequent stools with a change in behaviour is diarrhoea.
• White, pale, or black stools are always worth a call.

What helps a slow gut

For a breastfed baby over six weeks who is otherwise well, nothing is needed. For constipation, extra water with meals once solids start, more fruit and fibre, and less processed food. Prune, pear or apple juice in small amounts can help older babies. A footstool so the knees are higher than the hips makes passing easier. Do not use glycerine suppositories or laxatives without medical advice in a baby under a year.

Ask for a review if constipation lasts more than a couple of weeks, if there is blood on the stool, if a baby is vomiting or not gaining weight, or if toilet training has regressed with withholding. Chronic constipation in toddlers is common, is best treated early and properly, and usually needs a course of prescribed laxatives rather than dietary tweaks alone.