From the Guidelines
The normal range of bowel movements for a newborn during the first 7 days of life is 3 to 4 stools per day by the fourth day, as evidenced by a study published in Pediatrics in 2004 1. This range is particularly relevant for breastfed infants, where the passage of 3 to 4 stools per day by the fourth day is considered an indicator of adequate intake.
- The stools in adequately breastfed infants should have changed from meconium to a mustard yellow, mushy stool by the third to fourth day, as noted in the study 1.
- It's also important to monitor the frequency of bowel movements, as it indicates proper feeding and digestion.
- Parents should be concerned if a newborn goes more than 24-48 hours without a bowel movement in the first week, as this could indicate feeding problems or other issues requiring medical attention.
- The variation in bowel movements can be considerable, and the frequency can vary depending on whether the baby is breastfed or formula-fed, but the range of 3 to 4 stools per day by the fourth day is a key indicator of adequate intake in breastfed infants, according to the study published in Pediatrics 1.
From the Research
Normal Range of Bowel Movements in Newborns
The normal range of bowel movements in newborns during the first 7 days of life can vary.
- According to 2, more bowel movements per day during the first 5 days following birth were significantly associated with less initial weight loss and earlier return to birth weight.
- A study by 3 found that breastfed infants had an average daily defecation frequency of 3.65 times per day, which decreased significantly during the first 3 months.
- Another study by 4 reported that exclusively breastfed infants had a higher daily stool frequency (4.9 ± 1.7 times per day) compared to exclusively formula-fed infants (2.3 ± 1.6 times per day) during the first month.
- Research by 5 found that the median defecation frequency was highest at the age of 3 weeks (4 times/day) and that breastfed infants had a higher median defecation frequency compared to formula-fed infants.
- A study by 6 found that the frequency of defecation was highest on the 15th day (median of 6/day) and decreased with age, with exclusively breastfed infants having a higher stool frequency compared to those fed with both breast milk and formula during the first 5 months.
Factors Affecting Bowel Movements
Several factors can affect the normal range of bowel movements in newborns, including:
- Type of feeding: Breastfed infants tend to have more frequent and softer stools compared to formula-fed infants 3, 4, 5.
- Age: Stool frequency decreases with age, with the highest frequency typically occurring in the first few weeks of life 3, 5, 6.
- Color of stools: The color of stools can vary, with yellow or light brown being common in breastfed infants and green stools being more common in formula-fed infants 5.