How often are your baby's bowel movements? (x-post from breastfeeding forum)

[KIMBER1983]

My daughter is now 7 weeks old. I am breastfeeding her since birth.
She used to poop every day or every other.
But for the last couple weeks or so she only goes every 6 or 7 days.
Its still soft yellow.
Is it ok that she goes that long without a bm?
Input & personal experiences please

[One Art]

6 or 7 days is fine, it means your baby is extremely efficient at digesting breastmilk.... on the other hand my baby is at abot two weeks without a bm on her own... (though she has gone twice now with rectal stimulation and it was not yellow but orangy-brown and kind of peanutbuttery in consistency) pediatricion reccomended 7-10 days rec stim because rectum felt really tight and then hopefully all will be ok....but in any case, your baby sounds healthy and normal! hth!

[Mrs_Hos]

Yes, that is normal. Some babies are poopers, others don't poop as much!
Yes, very efficient at using that breastmilk...I wouldn't worry unless she is SUPER fussy at each poop...
There isn't much a DR can do anyways, but talk about rectal stimulation...

[gen_here]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Hos

There isn't much a DR can do anyways, but talk about rectal stimulation...

Ugh! I just went through this with a PA... and that wasn't even why I was there! He actually wanted to stick his adult pinkie (and he had a pretty broad hand/fingers) into my tiny newborn's rectum because she hadn't pooped in 5 days. He wouldn't listen to me that it was totally normal for a bfed baby to go that long. I ended up walking out on him.

It's totally normal, Kimber... Mikki pooped the next day, the day after, and then went another 4 days before pooping again. Just like you said... looked totally normal, still nice and soft, etc. If she's not acting like she's troubled by it, it's all good

[CAUCmama]

Oh thank God, I was worried to death because my DD is only going every 2 or 3 days...I really wish in those guidelines of "normal" that the "experts" tell you they would tell you about variations. To read some things it makes it sound like your baby is starving to death and not getting enough to eat unless they poop 5 times a day.

[gen_here]

Originally Posted by CAUCmama

Oh thank God, I was worried to death because my DD is only going every 2 or 3 days...I really wish in those guidelines of "normal" that the "experts" tell you they would tell you about variations. To read some things it makes it sound like your baby is starving to death and not getting enough to eat unless they poop 5 times a day.

I've been through this before (my son is exactly 3 months older than your first, CAUCmama) - so you'd think it would be old hat. But if it weren't for the fact that my daughter is chunking on the weight and I'm spraying milk at times (something that never happened with him), I'd be freaking out about "starvation" by now, too. And I can't get over how hung up doctors can be about poop! Breastfed babies really aren't the norm anymore - I know that, but it's still shocking to me. And when you talk to a doctor or nurse about anything (like when I called about my newborn's horrid cold... then went in for what I still suspect is reflux), the only thing they could focus on was poop! I understand that formula fed babies can get plugged up from the added iron or artificial vitamin supplementation - but breastmilk is a laxative!!!! It is SO RARE for a breastfed baby to get constipated... but they aren't taught that.

I promise - it's totally NORMAL even if it isn't AVERAGE! It scared me at first, too... even though I know all this from reading and researching and talking to experienced moms. As the days ticked off without a poopy diaper, I got a little unsettled. But she was fine - I had to follow her lead, and she taught me to relax.

[twogreencars]

My DD does a BM every four or so hours...A lot of diaper changes - but at least I don't have to worry!

[CAUCmama]

Originally Posted by gen_here

I've been through this before (my son is exactly 3 months older than your first, CAUCmama) - so you'd think it would be old hat. But if it weren't for the fact that my daughter is chunking on the weight and I'm spraying milk at times (something that never happened with him), I'd be freaking out about "starvation" by now, too. And I can't get over how hung up doctors can be about poop! Breastfed babies really aren't the norm anymore - I know that, but it's still shocking to me. And when you talk to a doctor or nurse about anything (like when I called about my newborn's horrid cold... then went in for what I still suspect is reflux), the only thing they could focus on was poop! I understand that formula fed babies can get plugged up from the added iron or artificial vitamin supplementation - but breastmilk is a laxative!!!! It is SO RARE for a breastfed baby to get constipated... but they aren't taught that.

I promise - it's totally NORMAL even if it isn't AVERAGE! It scared me at first, too... even though I know all this from reading and researching and talking to experienced moms. As the days ticked off without a poopy diaper, I got a little unsettled. But she was fine - I had to follow her lead, and she taught me to relax.

Thanks...today at the doctor's office the nurse practitioner looked at me with a sad look on her face when I told her that DD only poops every two or three days, she shook her head and said in a pitiful voice, "she's not getting enough to eat momma." She's lucky I'm so hormonal because my normal reaction would be to cuss her out...so tired of being made to feel like a bad mother by medical professionals. Geee, I'm not bitter, LOL.

[midwestmeg]

my first pooped ALL THE TIME! this baby every day or two.... i was starting to worry so thanks for the thread!

[aniT]

My DS starting going 4 - 5 days in between poops when he was about 4 weeks old. I knew this was normal since I BF is older sister but I thought it started when she was older. I went to a LC when he was 5 weeks old because he was slow gaining weight, although by the time I got to the LC he was gaining about 1.5 oz a day. (and I should say he finally started gaining when he stopped pooping all the time.)

Anyway the only thing I got out of the visit was the DS needed to poop more so I should take him to our doctor and that he should weigh 13 - 18 oz more than he did at the time. I really did not get any help with our latch problems.

Anyway so I took DS to our naturapth who gave him something even though he had pooped virtually as I was walking out the door to our appointment. She also thought he should be going more until he was a bit older. Anyway since then he has been going every 3 - 4 days and seems perfectly happy. My midwife said oh that is normal, (which I KNEW it was but everyone else keep saying it wasn't normal til they were older. : )

DS has plenty of wet diapers, is gaining weight at a steady rate now so I am not going to worry about how often he poops unless he goes much past 5 days which he has never done.