Patient's question:
My child is almost 5 months old. She has had a bowel movement interval of 5-6 days since she was 3 months old, and her stools are not dry either. I have been exclusively breastfeeding her. Is this situation normal? Additional question: She also frequently passes gas. Is that normal?Doctor's answer:
Newborns cannot defecate on a schedule because their defecation mechanism is not yet mature. As a result, their stools often accumulate for several days. When the nerves in the rectal wall sense the pressure from the expansion, they trigger reflexive defecation. This is why some infants only defecate once every few days. Stimulating them with a thermometer can also induce defecation because it can trigger a reflex.Children who are breastfed have relatively complete absorption of breast milk, leading to smaller amounts of stool. In some cases, they may not defecate for several days, and it doesn't necessarily mean they will defecate immediately after eating. Therefore, if a newborn does not defecate for several days, it does not necessarily indicate constipation. The method to determine whether a newborn is constipated is to observe the stool's consistency. If the stool is normal, it is also acceptable for the newborn to not defecate for several days.