I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. Consult your pediatrician before making changes to your baby’s diet or if you have concerns related to your baby’s digestive health. Please see the product label/website for acceptable use and benefits. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product-related questions or comments toll-free at 1-800-BABY123 or through the Contact Us link on Reguline.com or Enfamil.com
As parents, we want to know our little ones are healthy, and part of that means observing their diaper habits. Since their stool is one of the few indicators that your little guy or girl is doing well and their digestive system is working, it’s important we know what to look for. Since babies change in consistency, frequency, and even color, it’s easy to be left wondering if everything is okay.
When my youngest was born, she was full-term, but the doctors were worried because she was so small. I tried breastfeeding her, but she didn’t want any part of it. The doctors were concerned about her weight, which, of course, freaked me out. I just wanted her to eat something; we tried the bottle, and, of course, my stubborn little girl took to the bottle. She ended up having occasional constipation early, which is scary, especially as a new mom, and you’re not sure what’s normal and what’s not normal. I can’t count the times I was on the phone with my mom, asking her questions about my baby’s poop. Between chats with my mom, plenty of doctor visits, and my partnership with Enfamil®, I’ve learned a lot about baby poop recently, and I wanted to share what I’ve learned.
I know it’s not the most attractive subject, but when it comes to an infant’s life, it’s a necessary topic, so I thought I would share a few things I’ve learned along the way.
Things Parents Need To Know About Baby Poop
Here are a few things parents need to know about baby poop.
How often should my baby poop?
Babies typically have bowel movements several times a day, but others can go less frequently. If you breastfeed your baby, they likely poo more than babies who are fed formula. As their digestive system matures and they begin eating new foods, their bowel movement habits will also change.
Constipation: what is it exactly?
Constipation is when stool spends too much time in the colon, according to the National Institutes of Health. When it spends too much time in the colon, it often becomes hard and dry because the colon absorbs too much water from your little ones stool, making it more difficult to poo.
How can parents know whether or not their baby is constipated?
I think this is something every parent wonders about at some point. It’s important to remember that adults and infants are different, and you cannot compare the two. Straining during a bowel movement isn’t always cause for alarm because infants have weaker abdominal muscles than adults.
I remember I used to freak out because my daughter would cry and her face would get red. Come to find out, she was okay. It takes more effort for a little one to have a bowel movement than for an adult.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics there are five signs that can suggest your infant is actually constipated:
- Is the baby straining for more than 10 minutes without a bowel movement?
- Are an infant’s stools hard or contain blood?
- Are they having dramatically more or fewer bowel movements than before?
- Is your infant excessively fussy?
- Are they spitting up more than normal?
If your little guy or girl is showing these signs, you should contact your baby’s doctor. It might not be anything to worry about, but when it comes to our children, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Since it’s hard to tell whether or not a baby is constipated by the frequency of bowel movements, it’s important to pay attention to the color, texture, ease of passing, and size of your infant’s stool.
There are not any individual stools that they should have because their digestive system and diet can affect their stools. Formula-fed babies and breastfed babies have stools when they begin eating solid foods, and they will start to have more formed stools.
What does it mean when an infant’s stool is hard and dry?
If you are concerned about your baby having hard and dry poop, it might be a good idea to visit your little one’s health care provider.
What if my baby has a loose or watery stool?
If the loose or watery stool lasts more than 24 hours, it may be diarrhea, and it’s likely a good idea to visit your infant’s health care provider.
What about the color of the stool?
Stool color often depends on your infant’s diet and digestive system. Once a baby begins eating solid foods, you might even notice their stool is different colors depending on what they have eaten. However, there are certain colors parents should look for and be concerned about:
- It’s possible for this to indicate there is blood in the upper part of the digestive system.
- Red streaks indicate there is blood in the lower part of the digestive system.
- White: This can mean the bile is not reaching the stool.
If you notice that the baby has black, tarry-looking stool, red streaks in their stool, or white stool, be sure to contact your baby’s doctor. To learn more about stool colors, you can visit a parent’s guide to stool colors.
Efamil® RegulineTMM is an infant formula for feeding through 12 months of age that is designed to help support your little one’s digestive health and promote comfortable stooling. It has the DHA, choline, and complete nutrition expected from a routine infant formula.
Enfamil® RegulineTMM is designed to promote soft infant stools and help support digestive health. Enfamil® RegulineTMM has two prebiotics, which are a type of carbohydrate also found in breastmilk and help feed the beneficial bacteria in an infant’s digestive system.
To learn more about Enfamil® RegulineTM, you can visit or call Enfamil® at 1-800-BABY123.
