Question
Is it normal for a baby to have 4 to 5 bowel movements a day?
Answer
Whether it’s normal for a baby to have 4 to 5 bowel movements a day depends on the consistency of the stool and possible causes. Typically, by the age of 14 months, a baby’s stool should be formed, not runny. If the stool consistency is normal, it might be due to eating easy-to-pass foods like bananas. If the stool is more loose, it could be a sign of fever, as sometimes the early symptoms of a cold in babies are diarrhea rather than a runny nose or hiccups. Additionally, if the baby uses a bottle, it needs to be regularly sterilized with boiling water, as bacteria can easily grow in hot weather, especially when taken out of the refrigerator since the fridge is not an entirely sterile environment. If you’re not sure, you can bring the stool to the hospital for testing; this is a simple examination process.