In a message dated 4/11/1 12:16:09 PM, G. Hertz writes:

<< I'm currently at a loss for a descriptive phrase for how much poop to look
for in a newborn's diaper. I've had a run of babies that aren't gaining
well, but are having tiny poops [little smears] after each feed. When I talk
to the parents we can communicate well on "just a little smear" and an "up
the back out the legs of the diaper" poop, but the amounts in between still
pose a problem.

What do other people use for descriptive terms?

Gail Hertz, MD, IBCLC >>

Little smears consistently will = poor wt gain for sure.

Kay hoover and I have had some interesting chats about this subject and how
the research could be done. What fun that would be!

I have used variations of the below guidelines, here is what I currently use
on a BF eval sheet that includes eight eval areas, including a section on
"output", ...for BM:

Bowel Movement :
Color : bright to deep yellow (after initial black to brown on days 1-3)
Consistency : very soft, mushy, or seedy appearance
Frequency : days 1-3: 1or more/day, thereafter: 4+ / day
Amount : each should be at least 1 rounded tablespoon (~15ml or 1/2oz)
               total each day should be at least 1/4 cup (~60ml or 2oz)

My speil is: "To estimate, if you took all the diapers from a 24 hour period,
and scrapped all the poop together, *which you don't have to do* (class
participants usually laugh here), but if you did, it would be about a rounded
palmful each day".

I may have heard that "palm full per day" analagy from Joanne Scott.

Debbie Tobin
RN BSN IBCLC LCCE
Springfield, Virginia USA
In the suburbs outside the Washington DC beltway
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