Baby Business

Burping

• Baby will swallow some air during feedings.
• Gently burp once during, and again after each feeding. Some babies burp easily, others do not, while some babies may not burp at all during the feeding. Some may need to be burped before a feeding.
• Burp by rubbing or patting softly on baby's back with baby on your shoulder or lap.

Spitting Up

• Spitting up is normal, especially when baby burps.
• If baby vomits large amounts often, call your baby's doctor.

Bowel Movements

• At first your baby's bowel movements are thick, sticky and green-black in color.
• In a few days, bowel movements will change from green to yellow.
• Formula fed babies have bowel movements which are soft, light yellow and smell sour.
• Breastfed babies normally have bowel movements that are yellow, seedy looking and do not have a smell.
• Some babies have a bowel movement with every feeding for the first month of life. After the first month your baby may not have a bowel movement as often.
• Constipation in a baby means that the bowel movements have become hard and difficult to pass. Call baby's doctor if the baby seems uncomfortable.
• Diarrhea occurs when the bowel movements become more frequent and more watery than usual. Call baby's doctor if this happens.

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