How many times should my newborn baby poop in a day?

Babies need to poop at least once a day. If she hasn’t moved her bowel in a day, don’t worry as long as she is not sick (with fever) or wetting her diaper five to six times. However, if she seems uncomfortable around her tummy area or has a swollen abdomen, call your pediatrician right away.

Some babies are given enemas like glycerol and camomile to help them poop. Suzette Arriola-Bautista, M.D., a pediatrician at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, assures parents that this is not uncommon, and should not be a cause for much worry. Once they start eating solids, especially vegetables, they will start pooping on their own.

SOURCES:

• Suzette Arriola-Bautista, M.D., pediatrician, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, San Juan
• Mommy Calls: Top 10 Newborn Questions Parents Ask Their Pediatrician by Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D.
• Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care by Benjamin Spock, M.D., and Steven J. Parker, M.D.
• Websites: familygo.com

Photography by David Hanson Ong

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