Where did the poop go? (Need Help)

h2ojock13 · June 2011

Hello May Mommas...

I have a rookie-mom question for those who have had their babies for longer than I have (3 days).

My milk came in last night (YAY) and before then the baby was pooping with every feed. Now that he's taking breast milk for almost 24 hours he hasn't pooped once. Before he was pooping all the time and not peeing much. Now he's peeing more but so far today (Its 6PM here) he hasn't pooped. We went to the doctor today in the morning but I wasn't concerned that he hadn't pooped because it was still morning.

What is "normal" poop schedule now that he's getting breast milk? Is it common for a baby's poop output to decrease while their bodies adjust from colostrum to breast milk?

AnneShirleyBlythe · June 2011

Breastfed babies can go up to a week without pooping and there be no problem at all. I wouldn't worry, it will come :-)

fluffybuns · June 2011

AnneShirleyBlythe:
Breastfed babies can go up to a week without pooping and there be no problem at all. I wouldn't worry, it will come :-)

Sadly-this is true.

My first was a virtual non-pooper. Colostrum is like a laxative which explains why your baby was going more frequently before your milk came in.

My oldest would go up to 12 days with out bowel movements. We worked pretty closely with our pediatrician and tried some other things to get her to go more often, but it just never happened until she started solid foods around 6 months. It's okay as long as when they have a bowel movement that it is like a breastfed baby's bowel movement (loose and seedy), if it's hard and they are constipated then it can be a problem.

Good luck, hope your lo goes more often than mine did! Even if it's normal, it's just hard to go days with out changing a poopy diaper!

elisbu · June 2011

AnneShirleyBlythe:
Breastfed babies can go up to a week without pooping and there be no problem at all. I wouldn't worry, it will come :-)

This, even DD who is on formula goes days and days without pooping.

clussyK · June 2011

When my milk came in, it took about 3 days before LO had a BM diaper and it was worrying me to no end (unnecessarily, from what Dr. said). We finally gave her a pinch of a children's suppository at the Dr's suggestion and that got things going for a bit but really, it was about 6 days or so until her BM's started up more regularly.

AnneShirleyBlythe · June 2011

Oh and let me tell you the reasoning behind it: babies are really efficient at digesting breastmilk so there is little waste. I wish mine was more efficient, she is a sh*t machine.

Lisa102304 · June 2011

AnneShirleyBlythe:
Oh and let me tell you the reasoning behind it: babies are really efficient at digesting breastmilk so there is little waste. I wish mine was more efficient, she is a sh*t machine.

So is mine! If there is NOT poop in a diaper I am shocked!! OP, going days is normal, as is going a lot - I wouldn't worry (easier said than done, I know!)