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 but also important! After all, your baby can't tell you that they feel a bit uncomfortable, but the diaper content provides insights.

What does a newborn's breast milk stool normally look like? Breast milk stool is mustard brown to light yellow. There is also no single answer regarding consistency: breast milk stool can be liquid, soft, or yogurt-like.

A lot is considered normal with breast milk stool

However, those who have never changed a diaper do not know the difference between normal stool and diarrhea. The type of nutrition also has a significant impact: therefore, we want to show what a breastfed baby's stool looks like.

Observation is important, but don't forget: Especially during the first year, much is normal and depends on the type of nutrition.

Bowel Movements in Breastfed Babies - Breast Milk Stool

What Consistency and Color Should Breast Milk Stool Have?

Ochre, yellowish, or mustard brown - there is no single color for breast milk 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 also say it smells yeasty or even fruity. What fragrance note does your baby's diaper content have for you?

Breast milk stool often comes at the end of the first week of life. At this point, mature breast milk follows the transitional milk, which literally reshapes the stool's texture. Before the transitional milk (at the very beginning), there was the black-green meconium (also called Kindspech).

Learn more about this topic in our blog post about meconium, as meconium is colloquially known.

How Often Do Breastfed Babies Have Bowel Movements?

The frequency of bowel movements is different for each baby. However, when the diaper remains empty, many become alarmed. There's no need to worry; these fluctuations are part of your child's development. Your baby is growing, and the digestive system is maturing.

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

What the Lack of Bowel Movements Can Mean

Breastfed babies sometimes don't have a bowel movement for days. Midwives say that five to seven days are absolutely within the normal range. It can even be that your baby only has a bowel movement every ten days. There is absolutely no reason for concern because of this.

How Breastfeeding Affects the Number of Bowel Movements

In general, fully breastfed babies have more frequent bowel movements than those who are bottle-fed, as this study shows. Very broadly speaking, breastfed children have bowel movements from several times a day to every 10 days. Whether ten times per day or only every ten days - for breastfed children, much is considered normal.

How is it with your baby? As you can see, there is no clear definition of normal in this subject. It is perfectly normal for babies not to have a bowel movement one day and then more the next day. In most cases, these are normal fluctuations.

As a parent, you have an instinct for how your baby is doing. Trust in it!

Photo by @nathalie.pulcini

How Long Does a Baby Have Breast Milk Stool?

How long your baby has milk stool depends on the duration of breastfeeding. In general, 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 no cause for concern as long as your baby is healthy and shows no other signs of problems.

It is important to note that your baby's stool may change when they start on complementary foods or if the mother changes her diet.

How Thin Can Breast Milk Stool Be?

Watery bowel movements are quickly interpreted as diarrhea. However, your baby's digestion differs significantly from ours. This can sometimes be confusing as an adult.

Due to the wide range of possible consistencies, liquid and frequent stools are also completely normal.

What Does Diarrhea Look Like in Breastfed Babies?

Breastfeeding protects against diarrhea. Often the thin stool is completely normal and not considered diarrhea.

If your child does indeed have diarrhea, you may notice an unusual color, smell, or consistency. Is the stool exceptionally watery or occurs much more frequently than usual, and does the child seem unwell? Then there's a high likelihood that your child has an infection. As soon as your child starts with complementary foods, the risk of diarrhea increases. Diarrhea is often triggered by unhygienic complementary foods or dirty objects that the child puts in their mouth.

The Influence of Breast Milk on Healthy Digestion

Breast milk significantly affects 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 adapts 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 specific sugars that help promote the growth of good bacteria in your baby's gut, thus supporting digestion.

The Enzymes in Breast Milk Support Digestion

Enzymes in breast milk aid in a baby's digestion. In particular, breast milk contains lipase, an enzyme that helps break down fat molecules in the milk and facilitates nutrient absorption. This allows the baby's bowel movements to be soft and easily excreted. Absolutely fascinating how nature has arranged this, isn't it?

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

So, breast milk has a positive influence on your baby's bowel movements! It provides all the essential nutrients, enzymes, and protective substances that the baby needs to be healthy.

How Can I Support My Newborn's Bowel Movements?

Many parents know that their newborn's digestion is an important aspect to ensure their baby's health and happiness. Therefore, they want to understand and support their baby's bowel movements.

Remember, every baby is different and may have different needs. Keeping this in mind helps you change diapers without worry. With these tips, you can optimally support your child in their bowel movements.

1. Breastfeeding
   It is important to ensure that your baby gets enough breast milk. You promote bowel movements by breastfeeding alone. As described above, the milk contains natural laxatives and promotes digestion.
2. Abdominal Massage
   A gentle abdominal massage can help stimulate the newborn's digestion and relieve constipation. Massage your baby's tummy gently in a clockwise direction and be 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, which often leads to bowel emptying.
4. Fluid Intake
   It is important that the baby gets enough fluids to avoid constipation. So make sure your baby drinks enough milk or water to stay hydrated. However, before starting complementary foods, no additional water is necessary.

Removing Stains and Co. - How to Change Your Breastfed Baby

Should I change the diaper before or after breastfeeding? All parents face this question, but over time, you and your child will find a common way. Since your baby still has no set rhythm after birth, the timing of diaper changes doesn't matter much. You'll notice yourself 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 diaper after breastfeeding. The reason is that many babies have bowel movements during or after breastfeeding. This is due to the high milk sugar (lactose) content in breast milk, which helps stimulate the baby's metabolism and promotes digestion.

How Judes Support You During Breast Milk Stool

The advantage of Judes is how simple and easy they are to use in everyday life. This is true from the very first days of life: whether it's meconium or breast milk stool, Judes keep everything contained.

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

The Conclusion on Newborn Bowel Movements

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

Breast milk has a strong influence on bowel movements. It is designed to ensure your baby gets everything they need and optimally supports digestion. However, each child is somewhat different. Normally, breast milk stool is mustard brown to light yellow and ranges from liquid to yogurt-like in consistency.

How often your baby has bowel movements can vary greatly. As long as your baby seems content, you don't need to worry. Breastfed babies, by the way, have more bowel movements than bottle-fed babies.

The timing of diaper changes initially doesn't matter—your baby has no rhythm yet. After the first four weeks, it makes sense to change after breastfeeding, as many babies have bowel movements during or after feeding.

Cloth diapers help you during this time with sustainable and straightforward diapering. Since breast milk stool is water-soluble, you don't need Poo Paper at the beginning; you can simply wash the Judes.