# 4-day-old won't poop--Help!



## honeybee (Mar 12, 2004)

My ds was born naturally at home early Wed. morning. He was perfectly healthy, and latched on like a champion right away and began nursing. He also pooped right after birth. His latch is great, and he has a vigorous suck. The first day, we spent together in bed, nursing and sleeping (well, he slept at least, I was too keyed up!). He had 4 bowel movements that first day. Since then, he hasn't had a single one.

We had the family doc check him out Friday, and his weight loss was in the expected range for a 2-day old. Both the doc and our mw were not concerned about the cessation in bowel movements; they said he should start pooping again in the next day or so after my milk came in.

My milk came in Friday afternoon (day 2.5), and ds had been nursing regularly, every 2-3 hours or so. His latch looks great, and he has a vigorous suck. I can hear him swallowing (often gulping!), and can feel my breasts emptying after a feeding. After a shorter feeding, I will often put him back on the same breast again to make sure he gets hindmilk. He has had plenty of wet diapers.

Although he had several quiet-alert states that first day, now he is either awake and nursing, sleeping, or awake and screaming due to gas. He gets very gasy and uncomfortable. However, most of the time he seems very satisfied and content after a feeding, and drifts off to sleep peacefully.

He also seems to be getting sleepier. Last night he slept a 5-hour stretch! after which I woke up, realized what had happened, and immediately woke him up to nurse. He emptied one breast and immediately and contently fell back to sleep. He woke up a couple hours later, emptied the other one, and again fell asleep.

So, at what point do I start to worry about the no pooping? Is this normal newborn sleepiness, or a sign he's not getting enough hindmilk or something? (I've never had a problem with supply before... I even maintained some supply for my toddler during this entire pg.) I'm also still nursing my 2-year-old... which seems like it should only help encourage my milk to come in more.

Help!


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## TheJoyfulMom (Nov 19, 2001)

I'm not sure at what point you should start to worry, but my son didn't poop at all until day 3,. The nurses were worried (he was born at the hospital) but our doc said he was fine.


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## EmmalinesMom (Feb 9, 2003)

Congratulations on your new baby!!








it

Our ped said that unless there were jaundice issues, she didn't worry about lack of poop until we were approaching day 10.


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## dace101 (Feb 5, 2006)

My dc pooped at birth and the day after, then didn't poop again until more than a week went by. During infancy, dc would go four or five days on average without pooping, just being gassy (ate VERY well - nursed for 40 minutes to an hour every 2 or 3 hours). This is completely normal for many breastfed babies because they use up all the good nutrients in the milk and there is nothing left to pass in a bowel movement except maybe some extra gas.
Dc still only poops once every three or four days.
As long as your babe is wetting a good number of diapers and the next bowel movement looks normal, I wouldn't worry at all about the frequency.


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## crysmomofthree (Mar 18, 2004)

my dd, pooped a couple times in the first three days, but after that she became an every 5-10 day pooper







it makes for stain free dipes









now that she is eating solids it is a little more regular every 1-2 days


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## honeybee (Mar 12, 2004)

We had a poop explosion at our house this morning, so all is well!







Thanks, everyone for your help!


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## dace101 (Feb 5, 2006)

Yay for explosive poops! LOL!


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## beaches1098 (Jun 17, 2004)

YEY! Now on to the the next thing!


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