I work at a community hospital and see various patterns of defecation in  
newborns.  I rely on those poopy diapers and their change in color, and  number 
of times nursing throughout the day to help gauge if the baby is getting  
enough.  Every so often there is a baby who either poops lots of meconium  on the 
first day and then has no stooling for several days afterward or hasn't  
stooled at all since birth, but has the appropriate wet diapers and hasn't lost  10 
per cent of baby weight yet.   I talk to the parents  about watching carefully 
and make sure they have the log sheet we give. I tell  them to mark number of 
wet and soiled diapers and when the baby has  breastfed.  And tell them to 
bring it with them to the baby's first  appointment which is usually in a few 
days - before one week of age. The sheet  shows 1 wet diaper the first day, 2 
the 2nd, 3-4 the 3rd and 4th days and 4-6  the 5 - 7th days.  By the 3rd and 4th 
days it is listing 3-4 stools per  day. 
 
Often these baby do just fine, but some of them do need help.   Fortunately 
all the babies who are born at out Birthing Center do have  appointments made 
by the nursing staff with the baby's doctor before the family  leaves. 
 
And they often are sent back to see me  to check on latch, etc., after  that 
if there is not enough weight gain.
 
Mardrey Swenson

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