Urination: Babies pass urine (void) frequently during the day, at least every 4 hours or so. Under usual circumstances, the diaper should remain dry between voidings at least 20-30 minutes at a time. If you should notice a constant dribbling or a weak urinary system (in boys), please tell us. Boy babies should have a urine stream that would shoot two feet or more in the air. Bowel Movements: The first few bowel movements (BMs or stools) usually contain meconium, a black, gooey substance that accumulated in your baby's intestine before birth. Appearance of the stools from the second or third day on depends upon how the baby is fed. Breast-fed babies have stools that are greener, runnier, and occur more often than the babies who are fed formula. Your baby may have a BM after each feeding for the first several weeks; this is normal. Stools that contain blood or excessive mucus may indicate a problem. If you see such stools, please check with us. Constipation: Constipation is the passage of infrequent, large, hard stools or small, round pellet-like stools. If stools are soft and mushy, even if infrequent, your baby is not constipated, consult us for instructions. |