Question
A 75-day-old baby, after receiving 15 hours of careful care, shows normal eating, sleeping, and defecation. However, the baby seems to defecate after each feeding, feeding every four hours, and consuming 100-120 milliliters of breast milk each time. The baby defecates three times within half a day. Is this defecation frequency too frequent?
Answer
The frequency of a baby’s bowel movements mainly depends on their feeding volume and physical condition. In the case of breastfeeding, if meconium excretion is delayed, it may be unfavorable for nutrient absorption, gastrointestinal recovery, and jaundice resolution. Subsequently, the baby may defecate 6 to 8 times a day, with soft and pale yellow stools. As the baby’s food intake increases, the frequency of bowel movements may slightly decrease, and the consistency of the stool will gradually increase. Parents can judge whether the stool is normal by observing the amount, color, consistency of the stool, and whether there are milk residues.