Ever since you brought your little baby home, you can’t stop marveling at how tiny yet perfectly formed every little part of your baby is. While you will continue to obsess over all these details for months and years to come, one not so beautiful detail that you will definitely obsess about is your baby’s poops and pees, and all the many related queries that will come attached, such as how many times, when, how much, and even the color.
Instead of losing sleep over your baby’s diaper contents and whether your baby is feeding enough and why is there more coming out in the diaper than is going inside your baby, take a look at some pee and poo basics that will also help you keep a track of your baby’s overall health.
Understanding The Beginning
For the first few days, your baby will not be able to produce much in terms of body waste, and only after you have fed your baby for a few days, for about three to five days, will you notice any considerable wetting, which will be about eight to ten diapers a day. Make sure to keep a count and tell your baby’s doctor about it at the next visit, and in case you do not notice an increase in diaper use within a week to ten days of bringing baby home, get in touch with your baby’s medical practitioner immediately.
These days, most newborn diapers come with super absorbent technology, which means that you may feel it is not wet while actually it is, which can again make you feel worried. A good way is to check the diaper when it is fresh and dry, and regularly touch it on the inside while your baby is wearing it, to see how much change has happened. Don’t go by the wetness indicators given outside alone. Alternatively, you can also use cloth diapers or nappies to get a clearer idea.
Texture, Smell And Color
Right after birth, your baby’s poop will be a dark black color, almost like tar, and this first poop, also known as meconium, may happen while your baby is with the nurse in the hospital, so in most cases you may not see it at all.
As your milk starts to flow in and as baby gets more used to the feeding, the poop will slowly start turning brown and a little creamy in consistency, almost like toothpaste. If your baby is on formula feed, the poop will continue the same way, while if your baby is breastfed, the poop will gradually turn to a yellow and thinner version.
How Much
How much your baby poops and how often is also a function of whether your baby is on breastfeed or formula. Your baby may poop after each feed, but if your baby is on formula, the poop time will be less frequent, and may be as far and few as at a gap of a few days.
Also, your baby will make a lot of grunting noises and turn red in the face while pooping, but it is perfectly normal, and does not indicate constipation, something that most new parents are worried about. As long as your baby is not crying in discomfort or pain and is pooping smooth stool every two to three days, trust that all is fine. Do mention your concern and your baby’s pooping habits and schedule to the doctor in the next visit though.
Spit Ups
Spitting is also another common thing you will soon see your baby doing, no matter how much you try to avoid. Your baby may spit up as much as ten to twelve times a day, sometimes even more, and it can range from a small trickle to full fallout.
Your baby’s digestive system is still immature and the milk that comes out is often a mix of a little of the feed and some other liquid that is inside. Either way, it does not mean that your baby is losing nutrition; it is just a normal process for your baby’s digestive system to adjust. If your baby feels uncomfortable after spitting or cries, make sure you speak to the doctor about it.
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