The number of stools per day can reflect the state of the gastrointestinal tract of infants. The normal number of stools per day varies among individuals and is related to the way they are fed, e.g., artificially fed babies usually have about 1~2 bowel movements per day.
The content of stools (including the number and character of stools) is an important element in assessing the physiological and pathological state of the infant’s gastrointestinal tract. Whether the number of stools increases significantly and whether there is a significant change in the character of the stools and other abnormalities can determine whether the baby has diarrheal diseases, lactose intolerance and so on.
Regarding the normal number of stools per day, it is believed that there are individual differences, and there is a clear relationship with the baby’s feeding method, such as exclusively breastfed babies who have not yet added complementary foods, defecation 2~4 times per day, some babies have more frequent defecation up to about 5~6 times, the general condition is good, weight gain is satisfactory, it is also considered to be normal.
Artificially fed babies usually have about 1~2 bowel movements, and the number of bowel movements can be slightly increased for babies who are fed a mixture of complementary foods.
It is recommended to consult a specialist for a comprehensive assessment and judgment if necessary.