Newborn Digestion: The FAQ on Breast Milk Stool

Photo by Ana Curcan on Unsplash

Baby stool changes significantly, making it one of the most popular topics of conversation among parents. Does that sound familiar? But this is not only understandable, it's also important! After all, your baby can't tell you they're feeling a bit unwell, but the diaper contents provide insights.

What does the breastfed baby's stool usually look like? Breastfed stool is mustard brown to light yellow. Even with consistency, there is no single answer: breastfed stool can be liquid, soft, or yogurt-like.

With breastfed stool, much is considered normal

However, those who have never changed a diaper don't know how to differentiate between normal stool and diarrhea. The type of food also has a significant influence: that's why we want to show what the stool of a breastfed baby looks like.

Observing is important, but remember: especially in the first year, much is normal and dependent on the type of nutrition.

Bowel movements in breastfed babies - the breastfed stool

What consistency and color should breastfed stool have?

Ochre, yellowish, or mustard brown - there is not one single color for breastfed stool. The consistency also varies greatly: whether liquid, soft, or yogurt-like - these stool types are all completely normal.

The smell ranges from aromatic to slightly sour. Some even say it smells like yeast or even fruity. What scent describes the contents of your baby's diaper for you?

Breastfed stool often appears at the end of the first week of life. At this time, mature breast milk follows transitional milk, which literally reshapes the stool's consistency. Before the transitional milk (right at the start), there was the black-green meconium (also called newborn stool).

Find more on this topic in our blog post on newborn stool, as meconium is colloquially known.

How often does a breastfed baby have bowel movements?

The frequency of bowel movements varies for each baby. However, when the diaper remains empty, many become alarmed. You need not worry; these fluctuations are a part of your child's development. Your baby is growing and the digestive system is maturing.

These growth spurts of your baby influence digestion. But that's not the only factor: external changes also quickly show in the diaper. You probably know this from your own digestion, which can be influenced by factors such as stress or the menstrual cycle.

What it means when bowel movements are absent

Breastfed babies sometimes don't have bowel movements for days. Midwives say that five to seven days are absolutely within the norm. It can even be that your baby has bowel movements only every ten days. There's no need for concern.

What influence breastfeeding has on the number of eliminations

Generally, fully breastfed babies have more frequent bowel movements than those fed with a bottle, as this study shows. Roughly speaking, breastfed children have bowel movements anywhere from several times a day to every 10 days. Whether ten times a day or only every ten days - for breastfed children, much counts as normal.

How is it with your baby? You see, there's no clear definition of normal for this topic. It is completely normal for babies to sometimes not have a bowel movement one day or to have more the next. In most cases, these are normal fluctuations.

As a parent, you have a sense of how your baby is doing. Trust in it!

Photo by @nathalie.pulcini

How long does a baby have breastfed stool?

The duration your baby has breastfed stool depends on the length of breastfeeding. Generally, it can take up to six weeks for a breastfed baby's stool to settle into a regular consistency.

Some babies may have less frequent bowel movements than others, which is not a cause for concern as long as your baby is healthy and shows no other signs of issues.

It is important to note that your baby's stool can change when starting solids or if the mother changes her diet.

How thin can breastfed stool be?

A watery stool is quickly interpreted as diarrhea. However, your baby's digestion differs significantly from ours. This can be somewhat confusing as an adult.

Due to the wide range of possible consistencies, even liquid and frequent stool is perfectly normal.

What does diarrhea look like in breastfed babies?

Breastfeeding protects against diarrhea. Often, thin stool is completely normal and does not count as diarrhea.

If your child actually has diarrhea, you might notice an unusual color, smell, or consistency. The stool is exceptionally watery or occurs much more frequently than normal, and the child doesn't seem to be well? Then there's a high chance that your child has an infection. Once your child starts on solids, the risk of diarrhea also increases. Diarrhea is often triggered by unhygienic solid foods or dirty objects that the child puts in their mouth.

The influence of breast milk on healthy digestion

Breast milk has a significant impact on your baby's bowel movements. It is specifically designed to meet the needs of a newborn and contains many important nutrients that help babies stay healthy.

The composition of breast milk varies during breastfeeding and adjusts to your baby's needs. In the first days after birth, breast milk contains colostrum, which is rich in antibodies and protective substances to protect your baby from infections. Breast milk also contains special sugars that help promote the growth of good bacteria in your baby's gut, thereby supporting digestion.

The enzymes in breast milk support digestion

Enzymes in breast milk promote babies' digestion. In particular, breast milk contains lipase, an enzyme that helps to break down fat molecules in the milk and facilitate the absorption of nutrients. As a result, the baby's bowel movements can be soft and easily excreted. Absolutely fascinating how nature has set this up, isn't it?

Another important aspect is that breast milk provides babies with enough fluid to prevent constipation and ease bowel movements. Breast milk also has a natural laxative effect that can stimulate digestion.

Breast milk thus has a positive impact on your baby's bowel movements! It delivers all the essential nutrients, enzymes, and protective substances that the baby needs to be healthy.

How can I promote my newborn's bowel movements?

Many parents know that a newborn's digestion is an important aspect to ensure it is healthy and happy. Therefore, they want to understand and promote the baby's bowel movements.

Remember that every baby is different and may have different needs. Keeping this in mind helps with worry-free diapering. With these tips, you can optimally support your child with their eliminations.

1. Breastfeeding
   It is important to ensure your baby gets enough breast milk. You promote bowel movements simply by breastfeeding. As described above, the milk contains natural laxatives and stimulates digestion.
2. Abdominal massage
   A gentle abdominal massage can help stimulate the newborn's digestion and relieve constipation. Gently massage your baby's belly clockwise, being careful not to apply too much pressure.
3. Warm bath
   A warm bath can also help stimulate the newborn's digestion. The warm water relaxes the abdominal muscles, allowing the baby to relax better, often leading to bowel emptying.
4. Fluid intake
   It's important that the baby gets enough fluids to prevent constipation. Ensure your baby drinks enough milk or water to stay hydrated. Before starting solids, no additional water is necessary.

Removing stains and more - how to diaper your breastfed baby

Should I change the diaper before or after breastfeeding? All parents face this question, and over time, you and your child will find a common way. As your baby does not yet have a regular rhythm after birth, the timing of diaper changes doesn't matter much. You will notice when the diaper is full and your baby feels uncomfortable.

This changes after the first four weeks of life. Then it makes sense to change the baby after breastfeeding. The reason is that many babies have bowel movements during or after breastfeeding. This is due to the high lactose content in breast milk, which helps boost the baby's metabolism and promote digestion.

How Judes support you during breastfed stool

The advantage of Judes is how uncomplicated and easy they are to use in everyday life. And this applies even from the first days of life: whether meconium or breastfed stool - Judes are leakproof.

Since the breastfed stool is water-soluble, it can easily be washed out of the diaper in the washing machine. Poo Paper is not needed for this type of stool. If there are stains on the inner diaper, you can simply hang it in the sun. A few hours later, the discolorations will be gone.

The conclusion on newborns' bowel movements

The contents of your baby's diaper are a good indicator of health and well-being. However, the child's digestion develops significantly in the first months. What consistency is right? And is the color of the newborn's stool healthy?

Breast milk has a strong influence on bowel movements. It is designed to ensure that your baby gets everything needed and supports digestion optimally. However, every child is also somewhat different. Normally, breastfed stool is mustard brown to light yellow and has a liquid to yogurt-like consistency.

How often your baby has bowel movements can vary widely. As long as your baby seems content, there's no need to worry. By the way, breastfed babies have more frequent bowel movements than bottle-fed babies.

The timing for changing diapers doesn't matter initially - your baby doesn't know a rhythm yet. After the first four weeks, it makes sense to change after breastfeeding since many babies have bowel movements during or after feeding.

Cloth diapers support you during this time thanks to sustainable and easy diapering. Since the breastfed stool is water-soluble, you don't need Poo Paper at the start; you can simply wash out the Judes.