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 Ask Dr. Jana
A Baby's Lack of Bowel Movements | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
My one-week-old daughter has not had a bowel movement in about 36 hours. She is breastfed and seems to be eating well. She is urinating regularly (i.e., three wet diapers today as of 11:00 this morning). Is this cause for alarm?— Russell in New York City | | | ANSWER |
October 19, 2000 | | | Dear Russell,
You are right to be concerned about your daughter's lack of bowel movements.
By one week after birth, a mother's milk should have come in. When it does, typically there is a noticeable increase in a baby's urine output and number of bowel movements. The bowel movements also should have changed from black and tar-like to a mustardy yellow in appearance. At one week of age, most breastfed babies will have several bowel movements a day, if not every time they eat.
As a pediatrician, I use both the frequency and appearance of bowel movements and urination to gauge whether or not a baby is getting enough to drink. Even if a baby is getting enough breast milk, there are other reasons why she might have difficulty having a bowel movement. Any time a parent tells me his baby having infrequent bowel movements, I insist on evaluating the baby myself and finding out more about her feeding habits, her weight gain, and other factors. For these reasons, it is very important for your daughter to be seen and evaluated by her pediatrician.
Also, you might like to take a look at the extensive information about breastfeeding and newborn care on our website.
— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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