Essential guide to baby poo

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41 per cent of babies aged 6-18 months in the UK suffer from constipation and its side-effects according to a survey by Heinz Nurture (July 2008).

Breast-fed babies may go from having several bowel movements a day in the first few weeks of life, to only having one or two in an entire week. Even when it's soft or liquid, all babies sometimes have to strain to pass a stool. In fact, before long, you'll recognise your baby's particular grimaces and grunts as he/she works on her bowel movements.

Because some of the nutrients in formula are more difficult to digest and absorb than breast milk, bottle-fed babies tend to have one firm bowel movement a day, though some may only have a bowel movement once every three or four days. This isn't considered abnormal unless the stool is hard and pellet-like.

For babies 0-3 months old, constipation is rare, even if your baby is formula-fed. Some babies grunt and strain with every movement, although it's not necessarily constipation.

Still, if your baby cries or looks uncomfortable, check with your health visitor or your GP. If your newborn passes solid stools less than once a day, it is generally considered constipation.

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