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bowel habits in children

what you are looking for is a change in your child's usual bowel habits.

  • diarrhea means that the child is having more stools and looser ones than usual.
  • constipation means that the child is having fewer stools than usual and stools are harder to pass.

every baby and child has different bowel habits. what is "normal" for one child may not be normal for another. for example:

  • many newborns have at least 1 or 2 bowel movements a day. by the end of their first week, they may have as many as 5 to 10 bowel movements a day. they may pass a stool after each feeding.
  • by 6 weeks of age, your baby may not have a bowel movement every day. this usually isn't a problem as long as the baby seems comfortable and is growing as expected, and as long as the stools aren't hard.
  • by about 4 years of age, it's normal for a child to have as many as 3 bowel movements a day or as few as 3 a week.

anywhere in these ranges can be considered normal if the habit is normal or usual for your child.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use. learn how we develop our content.

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