Number of Dirty Diapers

Updated on January 28, 2008
R.A. asks from Glen Ellyn, IL
11 answers

My son is almost 3 months old and has as many dirty diapers as feedings if not more. His weight gain is normal and he looks healthy. I have heard other moms say their baby on has one bowel movement a day. Is this anything to be concerned about? Thanks in advance.

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D.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Multiple bowel movements a day are VERY normal for babies/toddlers. When my boys started only having one a day was about 18 months.

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S.W.

answers from Chicago on

I learned to wait on changing the diaper until after a feeding. some babies go with every feeding- it gets things moving. others go once every six days. as long as they are gaining wait and having lots of wet diapers you are doing well. I work in a peds office and I have moms that call when there baby hasnt had a BM in 10 hours- I have to stop myself from saying they dont know how lucky they are!

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K.C.

answers from Elkhart on

My son is 14 months old and still poops sometimes four-five times a day :) It's different with every person. You might draw the short straw like me and just get a poopy kid.

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S.

answers from Chicago on

my little guy had at least 4 a day for the first 6 months of his life. Not only little poopies but poopies that went all the way up his back sometimes to his neck. I took him to the doctor and she said some children are like this. Yuk!!

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A.W.

answers from Chicago on

I wouldn't worry about it. I call my daughter the poop machine. She's two and half and I feel like I've spent most her life changing her dirty diapers. Even now (although we are potty training now so...). She was formula fed when she was a baby- I'm not sure how much that had to do with it. Her weight was always good and she has developed right on schedule.

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K.C.

answers from Chicago on

Nope, as long as he's gainig weight properly, doesn't seem distressed and is eating well he's fine. Bathroom habits vary widely from kid to kid.

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A.P.

answers from Chicago on

I would say he is just fine. They don't start having only one b.m per day until they are older, if they even do. My 2 1/2 year old will occassionally have a poopy diaper 2-3 times a day. And especially if you are breastfeeding, he will have more. I remember changing my son's poopy diaper, immediately breastfeeding him, then having to change him again right after the feeding because he would have another b.m while eating!

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L.R.

answers from Chicago on

Yes, my third baby, who was initially breastfed and then switched to formula, had lots of bms in a day. Even on formula, all through his first year he pooped more than most babies. But he sure was gaining weight just fine, and he was rarely fussy, so no worries. Just spent a lot of money on diapers and wished I didn't have to clean up so much!

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J.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

My daughter can have anywhere from 1 to 4 bm's a day. It normally just depends.

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A.Z.

answers from Chicago on

The amount of BMs can vary between kids especially if they are breastfed only, breastfed and supplemented with formula, or formula only babies.

Babies who are exclusively breastfed very rarely get constipated. After having very frequent bowel movements during the first month or two, they then begin to go much less often. In fact, some breastfed babies only have bowel movements every week or two. In these children, as long as the bowel movement is watery or soft when they finally have it, then they are likely normal and not constipated.

Formula-fed babies' stools are a little bit firmer than breastfed babies and about the consistency of peanut butter. If it's much harder than that, it may be a sign of constipation.

Another thing to keep in mind is that around 1 to 2 months of age, many babies (formula or breastfed) go from having several bowel movements a day to going several days between bowel movements. This, too, is perfectly normal. It's not how often a baby moves his bowels, but how hard the stool is once it's passed that's cause for concern.

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A.

answers from Chicago on

Sounds healthy to me since my kids were formula-fed and averaged 4 - 6 a day! They too gained appropriately and were healthy and strong. As long as the weight gain is fine, baby doesn't seem bothered by it, not too watery or too thick, etc., then sounds good.

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