The defecation pattern of healthy term infants up to the age of 3 months

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Jolanda den Hertog1, Ellen van Leengoed, Feyona Kolk

  • 1Jeugdgezondheidszorg, Stichting Thuiszorg Midden Gelderland, Arnhem, The Netherlands. famcdhertog@hetnet.nl

Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
|April 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Breastfed infants have more frequent, softer, yellow stools than formula-fed infants in the first three months. Green stools are normal for formula-fed infants, with frequency decreasing over time.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infant Nutrition
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Defecation issues are common in infants, necessitating a clear understanding of normal patterns.
  • Establishing baseline defecation data is crucial for identifying abnormal infant bowel movements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the typical defecation patterns in healthy Dutch infants.
  • To provide normative data on infant bowel movements for clinical reference.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 600 healthy Dutch infants was selected from a larger group of 1175.
  • Parents meticulously recorded feeding and defecation details at 1, 2, and 3 months using standardized tools.

Main Results:

  • Breastfed infants exhibited a significant decrease in daily stool frequency from 3.65 to 1.88 within 3 months.
  • Breastfed infants had higher stool frequency and softer, yellow stools compared to formula-fed infants.
  • Formula-fed infants frequently had green stools by 3 months, which is considered normal.

Conclusions:

  • This study presents defecation patterns for the largest cohort of healthy infants to date.
  • Breastfed infants show distinct stool characteristics (frequency, consistency, color) compared to formula-fed infants in early life.
  • Green stools in formula-fed infants are a normal finding and should not be a cause for concern.
Abstract

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