Newborn Digestion: The FAQ on Breast Milk Stool

Photo by Ana Curcan on Unsplash

The stool of babies changes significantly, making it one of the most popular topics of conversation among parents. Sound familiar? But this is not only understandable but also important! After all, your baby cannot tell you that it feels a bit uncomfortable, but the diaper contents can give you insights.

What does the breastfed stool of a newborn normally look like? Breastfed stool is mustard brown to light yellow. There is also no single answer when it comes to consistency: breastfed stool can be liquid, soft, or yogurt-like. 

A lot is considered normal in breastfed stool

However, anyone who has never changed a diaper doesn't even know how normal stool and diarrhea differ. The type of nourishment also has a big impact: That's why we want to show what the stool of a breastfed baby looks like. 

Observation is important, but don't forget: Especially in the first year, many things are normal and depend on the type of nourishment.

Bowel Movements in Breastfed Babies - The Breastfed Stool

What Consistency and Color Should Breastfed Stool Have?

Ochre, yellowish, or mustard brown - there is no single color for breastfed stool. The consistency also varies greatly: whether liquid, soft, or yogurt-like - these types of stool are all completely normal. 

The smell varies from aromatic to slightly acidic. Some also say that the smell is yeasty or even fruity. What scent note describes your baby's diaper content for you?

The breastfed stool often appears at the end of the first week of life. At this point, mature breast milk follows transitional milk, literally reforming the stool's composition. Before the transitional milk (right at the beginning), there was the black-green meconium (also called newborn stool).

You can find more on this topic in our blog post about newborn stool, as meconium is colloquially known.

How Often Does a Breastfed Baby Have Bowel Movements?

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

These growth spurts of your baby have an impact on digestion. However, that's not all: External changes also quickly show in the diaper. You probably know this from your own digestion, which can be influenced by factors like stress or even the menstrual cycle.

What the Absence of Bowel Movements Can Mean

Breastfed babies sometimes go days without a bowel movement. Midwives say that five to seven days are still within the normal range. It might even be that your baby has a bowel movement only every ten days. There's no reason to worry about this.

The Impact of Breastfeeding on the Frequency of Eliminations

Generally, fully breastfed babies have more bowel movements than those who are bottle-fed, as shown by this study. Roughly speaking, breastfed children have bowel movements ranging from several times a day to once every 10 days. Whether ten times a day or only every ten days - for breastfed children, many things are considered normal.

How is it with your baby? As you can see, there is no clear definition of normal in this matter. It's completely normal for babies to sometimes have no bowel movements one day and more the next. In most cases, these are normal fluctuations.

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

Photo by @nathalie.pulcini

How Long Does a Baby Have Breastfed Stool?

How long your baby has breastfed stool depends on the duration of breastfeeding. In general, it can take up to six weeks for the stool of a breastfed baby 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's important to note that your baby's stool may change when it starts on solids or if the mother changes her diet.

How Watery Can Breastfed Stool Be?

A watery stool is quickly interpreted as diarrhea. However, your baby's digestion is significantly different from ours. As an adult, this can sometimes be a bit confusing.

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

What Does Diarrhea Look Like in Breastfed Babies?

Breastfeeding protects against diarrhea. Therefore, a thin stool is often completely normal and is not considered diarrhea. 

If your child actually has diarrhea, you may notice an unusual color, smell, or consistency. The stool is exceptionally watery or appears much more frequently than usual, and the child seems unwell? Then it is highly likely that your child has an infection. Once your child starts on solids, the risk of diarrhea increases. Unhygienic solid foods or dirty objects that the child puts in their mouth often trigger diarrhea.

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 essential 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 special 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 promote the digestion of babies. In particular, breast milk contains lipase, an enzyme that helps break down fat molecules in the milk and facilitates the absorption of nutrients. This allows the baby's stool to be soft and easily passed. Absolutely fascinating how nature has arranged this, 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 therefore has a positive impact 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 Promote My Newborn's Bowel Movements?

Many parents know that their newborn's digestion is an important aspect to ensure they are healthy and happy. That's why they want to understand and promote the baby's bowel movements.

Don't forget that every baby is different and may have different needs. Keeping this in mind helps to change diapers worry-free. With these tips, you can optimally support your child with their eliminations.

1. Breastfeeding
   It is important to ensure that your baby gets enough breast milk. You are already promoting bowel movements through breastfeeding alone. As mentioned 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. Gently massage your baby's belly in a clockwise direction, making sure 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. Hydration
   It is important that the baby gets enough fluids to prevent constipation. So make sure your baby drinks enough milk or water to stay hydrated. However, additional water is not necessary before starting solids.

Removing Stains and More - How to Change 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. Since your baby does not yet have a regular rhythm after birth, the timing of diaper changing doesn't make a big difference. 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 baby after breastfeeding. The reason for this is that many babies have bowel movements during or after breastfeeding. This is due to the high amount of milk sugar (lactose) in breast milk, which helps to boost the baby's metabolism and promote digestion.

How Judes Supports You During Breastfed Stool

The advantage of Judes is how uncomplicated and easy they are to use in everyday life. This applies even from the first days of life: Whether it's meconium or breastfed stool - Judes keep everything secure.

Since 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 ever any stains on the inner diaper, you can simply hang it out 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 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 your baby gets everything it needs and optimally supports digestion. However, every child is also a bit 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 greatly. As long as your baby appears content, you don't need to worry. By the way, breastfed babies have more bowel movements than bottle-fed babies.

The timing you choose 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, as many babies have bowel movements during or after breastfeeding.

The cloth diapers support you during this time with sustainable and uncomplicated diaper changes. Since breastfed stool is water-soluble, you don't need Poo Paper at the beginning, but can simply wash the Judes.