Why is my baby having loose motions for so many days?

Question

Hello doctor,

My baby is 12 days old. He is having loose motions from the third day of birth. I gave him cow's milk for the first and the second day and he was fine. When I started breastfeeding him on day 3, he started having loose motions. His stools are not the same all the times; sometimes, it is watery and sometimes, it is normal. I am worried that this is happening because of cow's milk.

Please help me out.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

1. Please do not give cow's milk to the baby. You can either breastfeed or give him formula feed, but not cow's milk as it does not contain nutrition in the required amounts.

2. It is normal for the children below the age of 6 months to pass stools up to 15 times a day or once in two days. This must be your first baby and that is why you sound disturbed.

3. Warning signs in neonates are lethargy, refusal to feed, abdominal distention with repeated episodes of vomiting without passing stools, convulsions, dehydration and yellowish discoloration of the skin. Even if one of these signs is present, then it warrants admission to the nearest hospital for evaluation.