Bowel habits of breastfed babies
My baby is three months old and I am breastfeeding. He is happy and doesn't fuss or cry much, but he always has runny stools. Should I be concerned about this?
Question:Sue Gilbert
Sue Gilbert works as a consulting nutritionist. For many years she worked with Earth's Best Organic Baby Food, integrating nutrition and... Read more
There is no need to worry. Every baby comes with his own "normal" system for elimination. Breastfed babies generally have looser, more frequent stools that are characterized by their yellow color and curdish texture. Once you start your baby on solids, you will surely notice a change -- typically to a soft, more-formed stool, with a little more odor.
Most changes in bowel habits are normal and are not reason for concern. Many parents become overly concerned with what they think their child's bowel movement should be, and then manipulate the diet to try to achieve that end product. What usually happens in those cases is that the dietary changes just serve to create problems that didn't exist to begin with. You can continue to enjoy your happy baby and relax about his stools. Thanks for writing and best of health to you and your family.
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