I read on another message board that breastfed babies poop less, because there is less waste in breastmilk. Is this true? I was looking for some information because Lauren has not pooped in a few days and then just had a little poop in her diaper last night (it was not hard poop, so I know it's not constipation) She does have plenty wet diapers though, btw.

This has worried me, so what is your experience? There for the first couple weeks she pooped everyday and now she isn't. TIA

By Kaye on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 10:46 pm:

Yes this is true. My little guy would often go 4-5 days without pooping. The longest was about 8 days. When he went, boy did he go though..lol. I talked with my doc about it and his answer was, is the baby happy, does the poop look normal when it happens, if so all is well.

This is especially true with babies, when something is wrong they cry and cry a lot! Instead of stressing look at your baby and how is she doing, let her happiness reassure you

By Vicki on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 10:47 pm:

I have never heard of them going less often, but have heard that the consistancy and color are different in bottle fed vs breast fed babies. hmmm... I guess I really don't know.

By Pamt on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 10:58 pm:

Yep, less poop and less smell. There is very little "waste" in breastmilk because it is the perfect food for your baby and your baby uses most of it very well. Be forewarned though...as Kaye mentioned, when she goes she will BLOW. My boys would have out the leg and up the back blowouts every few days. You would know she was constipated because she would have hard pellets. As long as the poop is soft, she is just fine.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 07:40 am:

I never thought at the time, that mine pooped that much less, but it practically had no odor, and the consistency was different.

By Andi on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 08:42 am:

Yes, very true. I rememeber once last summer Taylor went 4 1/2 days with NO POOP!!! Just when I was going to take her to the doctor she pooped for us. I think they can go up to 5 days without a problem, but call her doctor just to make sure.

By Unschoolmom on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:11 am:

Harry went over a week once and my doctor said she'd seen a breastfed babie comfortably go without pooping for almost 2 weeks.

Constipation however, is almost unheard of. It's funny, but there a lot of things society takes for granted as normal baby stuff, awful smelling diapers, constipation, prone to illness, etc. that really aren't normal. It'sjust because we.re so used to what formula does to babies. Ugh,sorry for the bad typing...toddler nursing while I type.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 02:54 pm:

Candis, my kids didn't poop less when nursing, if anything they pooped more (always seemed to poop during nursing sessions), but it was different, as most people will tell you. The ped did say it wasn't cause for alarm if they didn't go for a few days, as long as they didn't seem strained or uncomfortable.
"...what formula does to babies." Granted breast is best, but I didn't have the problems "caused" by formula with my kids. It's not poison, you know.

By Juli4 on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:43 pm:

My babies had different poop and would go a few days, but when they went they went everywhere. I had quite a few stained clothes because the poop stains everything it touches and it would run out the sides. We would rush her over to the sink and take her clothes off and spray her with the sprayer. Oh to have those days back.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 10:48 pm:

Thank you for saying that Crystal...it's NOT poison.

By Heaventree on Thursday, June 23, 2005 - 03:24 pm:

Yup, it's very common, however a friend of mine has a 4 month old and he poops everytime she puts him on the breast and his poops stink.

Candis, the thing to remember is each child is different and unique, what works for one doesn't work for all. Aren't you glad you have a place like this to come to and visit from time to time?

In a few short months I'll be here asking you what's normal and what's not.

By Karefl on Thursday, June 23, 2005 - 10:56 pm:

LOL If my youngest was pooping LESS b/c he was bf I CAN'T imgine how many diaper we would have been through on formula! LOL He would poop EVERY time he nursed & then some! I used to put layers between me & him when I fed him to save my clothes! He did ruin a couple of pairs of pant too! MINE not his! LOL I just think that all kids are different. My other 2 were also bf. The oldest was bf & formula combination 2nd & 3rd exculsive bf. The older 2 weren't as let's say "messy" as the youngest by any stretch of the imagination!

By Monicamomof3 on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 12:39 am:

True!

By Jenn34 on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 10:01 pm:

My ds had trouble with his BM's from the time we came home from the hospital and I had heard all the same things about there being less, not so smelly, etc. He continued to have trouble and would go as long as 10 days w/o a bm. The doc said he was fine but turned out he wasn't.
At 17 months had had er surgery for a bb gunshot to the chest. The bb had traveled down the chest wall through the liver and lodged in the bowel. This is when they discovered that he had a mal-rotated section of intestines that would have killed him in about six months. By then the bowel would have completely died off and started to leak fecal matter into his blood stream.
I could kick myself still for listening to the doctor when I felt in my heart that there was something wrong.
Since the experts can agree on what is a normal duration for lack of poop use your best judgment and if you are concerned make the doctor listen or find one that will.
My ds son is fine now but he went through alot of pain he didn't need to. Good luck and may there be a lot of poop in your future.