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Stooling Issues
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Stooling Issues in Babies

Whether your baby’s poops are few, frequent, or an odd color, stooling issues are not uncommon. Let’s take a look at baby bowel movements and how to identify a potential health concern.

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Explore Stooling Articles

What should typical baby stools look like? Does your baby have diarrhea? Could your baby be constipated? When should you call a doctor? What can you do at home to help your little one feel better? Get the scoop on all things baby poop and explore our stooling resources.

What are common stooling issues?

Babies may experience these common stool issues:

Constipation:
Hard stools or difficulty passing stool
Diarrhea
Watery stools passed as much as 12 times a day
Colorful Stools:
Yellow, brown, and green - tinged poop is typical, but whitish, clay-like, black, or red stools could indicate a health concern

What causes stooling issues in babies?

Diet, medicines, illness, and underlying health conditions are a few reasons a baby may experience a bowel movement issue.

Constipation

Constipation usually occurs when the stool remains in the colon too long, causing the stool to become dry, hard, and difficult to pass. Constipation may be caused by the following:

Constipation

Constipation usually occurs when the stool remains in the colon too long, causing the stool to become dry, hard, and difficult to pass.
Constipation may be caused by the following:

  • Switching from breastmilk to formula or cow's milk, changing formulas, or introducing solid foods
  • Certain foods
  • Changes to baby's routine
  • Cow's milk protein allergy
  • Dehydration
  • Family history
  • Medications
  • Lack of fiber
  • Medical conditions, such as colon disease or neurological issue, but these are rarer causes of baby constipation

 

Learn more about baby constipation

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is when your baby's tummy contents move through their digestive system so fast that the intestines are unable to absorb all the fluids. Extra fluid in the digestive system can also produce loose stools. Diarrhea can happen due to:

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is when your baby's tummy contents move through their digestive system so fast that the intestines are unable to absorb all the fluids.
Extra fluid in the digestive system can also produce loose stools. Diarrhea can happen due to:

  • A virus
  • Sensitivity to something in mom's diet
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Cow's milk protein allergy
  • Antibiotic use by the baby or mom
  • Infection or intestinal disease

 

Learn more about baby diarrhea

How do I know if my baby has bowel problems?

Typical bowel movements vary from baby to baby depending on their age and whether they're breastfeeding, using formula, or eating solids. And what might signify a health concern in an adult, such as softer stools and straining, may be expected in a baby. How do you determine if your little one is experiencing a bowel issue? Keep an eye out for the following:

  • Very watery stools multiple times a day
  • Hard, small, pellet-like stool that is difficult to pass
  • Crying or unusually difficult time when having bowel movements
  • Significantly fewer bowel movements than before
  • Swollen tummy and showing discomfort when it's touched
  • A lot of mucus in stool
  • White or red stools
  • Frothy, green-colored stools
  • Black or tar-like stools in infants past the meconium stage
  • Straining for more than 10 minutes without success
  • Excessive fussiness

 

Call the pediatrician if you notice any of the above, as they could be related to an illness, cow's milk protein allergy, or other medical conditions. It's also important to monitor your baby for dehydration, which can quickly happen if they have diarrhea.

 

Why Enfamil Reguline?

Enfamil Reguline Infant Formula is designed with prebiotics proven* to promote soft, comfortable stools within the first week of use.
Learn more

 

What is Enfamil Reguline?

Enfamil Reguline formula is complete nutrition for your little one through 12 months of age, designed specifically for babies who struggle to poop. It has a blend of two prebiotics to support digestive health.
Learn more

 

Why Nutramigen® with Probiotic LGG Hypoallergenic Powder Infant Formula?

Switching to this formula may help manage diarrhea when the loose stools are associated with cow’s milk protein allergy.
Learn more

 

What is Nutramigen® with Probiotic LGG Hypoallergenic Powder Infant Formula?

Nutramigen with Probiotic LGG Infant Formula is a hypoallergenic formula with specific proteins that are easier for babies to digest. It is clinically shown to manage colic due to cow's milk protein allergy fast, in as quickly as 48 hours.†
Learn more

 

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Explore Other Conditions

Cow's Milk Allergy

Some babies may develop an allergy to cow's milk protein. Explore our Cow's Milk Allergy Center to learn about cow's milk allergy and how to manage it.

Crying

Babies cry to communicate that they are hungry, tired or uncomfortable. Find articles and videos on the differences between crying and colic, and tips for calming your crying baby.

Fussiness & Gas

Your baby's digestive system is still developing so it may not digest some of the nutrients they take in, which can cause fussiness and gas. Find articles and videos on how to find comfort for your baby.

Lactose Intolerance

Though lactose intolerance in babies is rare, milk-based formulas may cause tummy troubles for some babies. Find articles on what to look for and how a soy-based formula may help for lactose sensitivity.

Spit-Up

It's common for babies to spit up as their digestive systems develop, but there are ways to reduce frequent spit-up.

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*Proven in Enfamil Infant Formula
‡Studied before the addition on DHA, ARA or LGG