Question
My daughter is 50 days old and is exclusively breastfed. Her bowel movements have significantly decreased recently, occurring only once every week for the past week, and each time the amount is not much. Is this normal? How should I handle it?
Answer
A decrease in bowel movements in infants is normal. The frequency of bowel movements is not as important as the nature and color of the stool. If the stool is yellow and has a uniform texture, there is usually no need to worry. Since an infant’s anal sphincter muscles are not fully developed, bowel movements can be triggered by crying or passing gas.