Normal parameters

• Meconium:

  • First bowel movement
  • Should be passed within 24 hours
  • Composed of materials ingested in utero - intestinal epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile and water
  • Viscous and sticky tar like
  • Usually a very dark olive green and mostly odourless
  • Failure to pass meconium - Hirschsprung's and CF
• Normal stool:

  • Breastfeeding - first first few months stool will be mustard colour and slightly loose, sometimes grainy
  • Formula - firmer and smellier. tends to be darker in colour - pale brown or yellowy-green
  • Weaning - major changes - firmer, darker and smellier
• Babies can poop as frequently as after every feed or as infrequently as once in 10 days - breast fed babies more frequently

  Is normal to not pass stool for 10 days - only a problem if in pain, straining etc
• Low birth weight:

  • Less than 5lbs 8oz
  • Less than 3lbs 5oz = very low birth weight
  • Most often caused by premature birth
• High birth weight:

  • Foetal macrosomia
  • Above 8lbs 13oz
  • Usually due to maternal obesity or diabetes
• Newborn babies sleep for around 18 hours a day - awake for feed and nappy change