Patient's question:
My daughter was born on July 26th, and until now, she has been having frequent bowel movements every day. Basically, she has a bowel movement every time she feeds, with intervals of 1 to 2 hours. The stool is yellow in color but quite loose. Is this normal? If not, what could be the issue and how can it be resolved?Doctor's answer:
After birth, the baby begins to excrete meconium within ten hours. It is black, green, or dark green in color, viscous, odorless, and somewhat resembles road asphalt. Meconium is composed of bile, intestinal secretions, shed epithelial cells, and amniotic fluid, as well as vernix caseosa and lanugo swallowed by the baby in the womb. It is usually expelled within two to three days, with an average of 3 to 5 bowel movements per day. If no meconium is seen within twenty-four hours after birth, it should be suspected that a congenital gastrointestinal malformation may be causing fecal obstruction. Timely diagnosis and treatment are required.