How many times a day is it normal for a 2 month old baby to have a bowel movement?

This is an automatically translated article.

This article was professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyen Thai Ngoc Chau - Neonatologist - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

1. Characteristics of defecation in 2-month-old children

The 2-month-old baby has basically stabilized the digestive system, but the mechanism of action of this system is still incomplete, so the frequency of bowel movements of the 2-month-old baby is not really stable, sometimes it is many times. but sometimes 2 months old baby has very little bowel movements. Normal features in a child include:
1.1. The color of your baby's stool The color of your baby's stool is an important feature that reflects the state of the digestive system. The color of stool depends on the type of milk a 2-month-old baby sucks, specifically as follows:
Breastfed baby's poop: Breastfed baby's poop is light yellow or greenish in color, with a slightly viscous nature and thick like cream but sometimes liquid like diarrhea, there are tiny foamy deposits but this is still a normal feature, not a pathology.
If the color of your baby's stools is light green and foamy in the diaper, it is likely that the baby has had too much milk first (low-calorie milk and often comes before the baby is first fed) and not enough milk later (formula). milk has more fat) or the mother is simply not giving her baby the amount of milk she needs.
Formula-fed baby's poop: Formula-fed baby's poop has a paste-like consistency like peanut butter, has colors like dark brown, yellow-brown, green-brown, and especially has a more pungent smell than a baby's poop. mother milk.
1.2. General condition of the child In some cases, the digestive system of a 2-month-old baby is not good, so the stools are sometimes diluted, the stools are lilac and mustard green... However, if the baby's general condition is normal (no fever, fussiness, etc.) ...) is not a concern because the child's body is still developing normally.

2. Frequency of bowel movements of 2-month-old babies

The number of bowel movements of a 2-month-old baby depends on many factors such as the baby's general body condition, the nutritional quality of breast milk or formula milk, how the mother feeds the baby and equally important is the mother's health.

2.1. Frequency of bowel movements of a breastfed 2-month-old infant In a 2-month-old child who is exclusively breastfed, the number of mauve-colored bowel movements 2-3 times/day is normal, and the frequency of bowel movements is normal. This period lasts until the baby turns 3 - 4 months old.
Although the number of bowel movements of a 2-month-old baby may be more than 4-5 times a day, if the child's body does not show any abnormal signs such as high fever, crying, it is still considered normal.
2.2. Frequency of bowel movements of formula-fed 2-month-old babies In 2-month-old babies who are exclusively formula fed, the number of bowel movements is less, about 1-2 times per day, the stools are quite plastic and thick, with a pungent odor . Especially, when formula-fed babies are more prone to constipation than breast-fed babies and sometimes babies don't have bowel movements all day. However, mothers do not need to rush to take their children to the doctor because this is a normal feature.

3. Some children's bowel movements are considered abnormal

Children with diarrhea : At that time, the child's stools are characterized by watery liquid, no blood sputum, more frequent urination as well as an increased number of stools... Children with constipation: Constipation is when the child does not have a bowel movement. 5 days or characteristics of small stools such as rabbit droppings, lumpy, dry, hard and making the baby fussy, uncomfortable when having a bowel movement.

Green stools: In newborns, stools are normal green, but green stools in 2-month-old babies may be due to the wrong type of milk. Pale stools: White, pale stools are signs of hepatobiliary disease, it is necessary to find the cause soon for timely treatment.

4. How to take care of children to go outside normally

4.1. For exclusively breastfed babies A good mother's nutrition and breastfeeding methods will help stabilize and normalize the frequency of bowel movements of a 2-month-old baby:
The mother's diet should be rich in fiber and vitamins. and minerals. The goal is to both provide nutrition for children and increase bowel movements for easier bowel movements. Mother drinks enough water every day. Limit stimulants such as tea, coffee and carbonated drinks. If the baby's stool is light green, the mother should feed the baby with the required amount of milk, drink a lot of energy-rich milk and discard the milk before feeding. Make sure your baby has enough milk on both breasts, finish on one side, then switch to the other. 4.2 With formula-fed babies, it is advisable to divide the food intake into several meals, making it easier for the baby to digest as well as ensuring enough nutrition for the 2-month-old baby's body to develop. Limit feeding your baby too full at one time. Equipment should be thoroughly disinfected and hands washed with soap when preparing to breastfeed, as these are risk factors that increase the risk of gastrointestinal infections in formula-fed infants. Some babies react poorly to the type of formula being used and cause their bodies not to develop enough, then parents need to see a doctor to have appropriate changes, supplement energy for children to develop more. Mix formula properly, avoid mixing too much formula with little water because it can cause constipation in 2-month-old babies.

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