As new parents, I feel like poop suddenly becomes a huge part of our daily vocabulary. Has the baby pooped… what did it look like… how much.. how often? When we aren’t cleaning it, we are talking about it! The worst is when it disrupts sleep. So many parents contact me about nap and bedtime interruptions because their child has “saved it all up for crib time”. If you and your child are experiencing this, don’t worry! It’s super common and something that you can get past with some creative problem solving.
First, lets talk about what’s normal and what isn’t.
Newborns
It is commonn for a newborn to poop 2-10 times per day once they pass all the black tarry meconium. They can poop during or after feeds, during sleep, and while alert and active. Breast fed babies usally have a yellow seedy stool that can be runny and smells sweet. Formula fed newborns pass a darker yellow, tan or light brown stool that is about the consistency of peanut butter or thinner. They tend to poop less often, on overage, than breast fed babies and the poop has a stronger odor. It should not be white, black, dark green, pink, bloody or have mucus; if you see this let your pediatrician know.
Infants
Infants older than 3 months tend to have bowel movements less often than newborns. They can poop anywhere from a few times a day to once a week and still be considered normal. The color will be similar to newborns and the consistency will be a little firmer, but should still be soft and pastelike. Babies can sometimes make faces or noises when pooping. This isn’t a cause for concern – they are coordinating muscle groups and working towards making themselves comfortable when they feel bowel pressure. If your infant has firm or dark stools that smell particularly bad or have very runny or dark green stools with mucus check in with your health care provider.
Toddlers
All children are different, but your toddler should poop at least once per day. If they regulary go every other day or less often, it’s worth chatting with their doctor. Likewise, if they have very soft stools more than 3 times per day a chat is warranted. The color, consistency and smell can vary greatly with all the new foods they are trying and the colorings in some fun treats. Finding chunks of undigested food in the diaper is also common as they learn to chew and process solid foods. Poops that are hard and round like pebbles are a sign of constipation, and more fluid is a good idea. Its common for Toddlers to experience constipation, so watch for discomfort when pooping, fear of or crying during bowel movements, or delaying tactics. These are signs your child may need some diet adjustments to make elimination more comfortable.
Now that you know what’s normal and what needs your attention, lets redirect to poorly timed pooping – naptime and bedtime! Remember, for newborns and young infants, this is one of those times we must tell ourselves “This too shall pass…” because it’s age and stage appropriate. The tips I will share with you are for older infants and toddlers – think age 9 months forward.
Try a Poopy Time-Out!
When children become aware of passing stools, they can delay for want of privacy or when too stimulated by their environment. Playtime can get in the way, or they haven’t found a place they feel safe and comfortable to relax enough to let loose. A key sign this is happening is when poops happen right at the start of naps or bedtime, and the child can be seen squatting in corners or behind furniture to poop. Poopy time out is allowing time at the begining of their crib time to let them relax and keep stimulation lower so they can focus on their bowel sensations and eliminate if they need to. I like to bagin by announcing to the child “poopy time!” rather than “nap time!’ Place them in the crib, keeping lights on, curtains and door open. You can offer a calm toy, stuffed animal, or book then leave the room. Give them about 10 minutes then go back and follow their usual nap or bedtime routine. I’ve found if they haven’t pooped, they probably don’t need to.
Give a warm calming bath!
This can relax the body and abdominal muscles and relieve discomfort relating to constipation. Paired with an abdominal massage, you’ll have twice the chance of a pre-sleep poop.
Do a tummy massage!
Sometimes the intestines need a little help to get moving when kids are busy, worked up, or constipated. Take some time – about 30 minutes – before bed and spend the first part of that time rubbing the tummy. (My next blog will give you some great techniques for this.) Allow another 20 minutes or so to let the body do it’s work.
Check their diet!
Sometimes babies have a hard time pooping at “normal” times because they are constipated or their stools are too loose. Here are a list of foods that could be making it hard for your child to poop, or causing them to go too often.
For Hard Poops, avoid or reduce:
- Meats
- White Breads
- White Pasta, Potato, Breads
- Banana
- Sugar/Sweets
- Cheeses
- Processed Foods
- Fast Food
For Wet Poops, avoid or reduce:
- Dairy Products
- Fatty / Greasy Foods
- Dried Fruits
- Juices
- High Fiber Veggies
- Berries
- Stone Fruits
Change the timing of certain foods!
If your child isn’t showing signs of constipation or diahrea and still poops at naptime, try to keep high fiber foods away from sleep times such as stone fruits, berries, beans, sweet potato, oatmeal, whole grains and peas. Add binding foods to meals near sleep times like bananas, yogurt, beans and legumes, eggs, pasta, rice, cheese, white potato, and meats.
Determine if it’s a power play!
I’ve worked with a lot of kids who throw pacifiers and lovies out of the crib, vomit on demand, and poop to get attention during crib time. They use these tactics incredibly strategically given their age, and get the engagement of parents just as they are hoping for. It’s hard, as a parent, to ignore a poop, even if you know it’s attention seeking, but I have a few tips. Before crib time, apply a lot (really, a lot – like cake frosting) of barrier cream on that little bottom when changing the diaper. Try hard to see if they will sleep without the change. Even a day or two (sometimes 3) of non-engagement can change behavior. If this is uncomfortable for you, or they just won’t sleep with a lump in that diaper, do a silent change. Keep the space dark, avoid eye contact and remain completely silent during the necessary diaper change. Put baby back in the crib and leave the room without a word or more cuddles. With some time and consistency, they will learn this behavior isn’t getting the desired result.
If you need more help with this or any other sleep issue for your child, please reach out! I’d love to get your family sleeping.