11day old newborn Poo frequency... Help!

[Mattu]

My 11 day old was constipated for 3 days and then after 3 days she had one bowel movement, which was a big relief. Then for one day no poo and now today we've had 4 poos already. Talked to the midwife at the hospital and they did not seem alarmed. She is just feeding and pooing... Is this normal and ok?

Is she breast or bottle fed?

In a breastfed baby poo with practically every nappy is normal, and lots of poo many times a day in the early weeks is what's expected usually if all is going well. There is the occasional exception. After the first few weeks babies sometimes go much longer (even 10 days +), or may still go many times a day.

Also, what colour is the poo? How much of it? What does it smell like? What consistency?

Sorry to be graphic!

Yes, she is on 100% breast milk. And her poos are substantially normal in quantity (as they were earlier before the constipation) and green/yellow/seedy. Smell is like milky and poo I suppose.

Your midwife wasn't alarmed and from what you describe it all sounds normal. What is it that's worrying you particularly?

Maybe she 'unplugged' herself and is now flowing freely as it were ? Did you figure out what was causing the constipation? It's unusual in a breastfed baby, and if the poo comes out soft after a period of no poo it's not normally considered constipated. Usually the concern is more whether milk intake has been good, but weight gain would give you an indication of that. Has she been weighed? Does she seem well?

Sorry lots of Qs!

Sounds normal to me. My dd was ebf and would sometimes go a week between poos. Worried myself over it, until I spoke to the mid-wife. Then I learned to enjoy the poo-less days because sooner or later, you get a poo-all-day day.

I am a first time mum, so anything and everything which might seem unusual worries me and my husband. It's all new to us and we don't know what to expect and what might be ok.

Not sure if I'd call it constipation, as mentioned above my 'Kangarobber' her poos have been soft-flowy so not hard at all.

She has been gaining weight (was weighed today) and also had a midwife visit earlier today before the poo episode started and her midwife was happy with her and everything was fine.

I am just worried if this is normal from no poos to so many. My husband and I are going off the literature and it was mentioned that 1-2 poos a day is normal, so just being worried. I suppose you are right, she might have unplugged or something after so many days.

Thank you for all your help and answers.

Ah, we all had those worries first time , that's quite normal too. Glad she's doing well. You'll find lots of support in the breast and bottlefeeding section if you need it.

Breastfed babies can poo as little as once every 2 weeks, I think. And it can come on very suddenly. Don't worry if she seems fine otherwise.