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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 25 Jan 2000 08:08:51 EST
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Dear Friends:
    There is no evidence anywhere that suppports any particular number or
size of poops in the newborn as a marker of breastfeeding adequacy. As it has
been stated before, stooling is more important than peeing. What is most
important is the baby's behaviors: is the baby smiling after feeds (which
starts in the first week of life, and has been documented), is the baby
waking to feed 8-14 times in 24 hours, is the baby waking to just look around
and see what is in this wonderful world, is the baby passing flatus (which is
a predictor that stooling will come)?  Has the baby cleared the meconium by
day 4-5 of life? And is the baby back at birth weight within the first 2
weeks?
    I believe that there is too much individual variation to quantify
anything beyond a range. Some babies don't stool for nearly two weeks after
clearing their meconium; other babies smear a little after every feed. All
thrive. The babies that get into trouble are not acting right. They sleep a
lot or fuss all the time. The whole picture is what is important: to teach
infant states of awareness and feeding cues. When mothers know how healthy
newborns act, everything else falls into place.
    Mothers need someone to talk to in the first few weeks; there is no
substitute for that support. That is how she can learn what to expect. It is
unrealistic to make a recipe for output in isolation. "4 poops by day 4 of
life" has never been shown to have any evidence behind it; it is the result
of someone's experience. It is catchy and easy to remember....and can still
lead mothers astray. There is no substitute for the whole picture with a
newborn.
    Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, ICCE, CSTP, CIMI
Elkins Park (a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  northeastern USA)

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