With the love and excitement that comes with bringing a baby into the world comes a share of worry and questions. There are several questions that new parents have as they wonder if their baby is getting enough to eat and if they are thriving. If this is your first child, you may not have a basis for comparison or prior knowledge. One way to monitor your newborn’s intake is to track the number of wet diapers they have in a day.
What is a normal number of wet diapers during my newborn’s first week?
The number of wet diapers you should expect your newborn to have increased daily over their first week. You should also begin to see three to four bowel movements per day around day four. During the first week, you should see:
- Day one: The day after birth, it is customary to see only one or two wet diapers. This is especially true of breastfed babies, as the mother’s milk supply does not increase until day two or three.
- Day two: By the second day, wet diapers should increase to two or three. Breastfeeding mothers should expect their newborns to have fewer wet diapers on this day than a bottle-fed baby.
- Days three to five: You should be seeing a significant increase in wet diapers on these days, ranging from three to five a day.
- Days six and up: At this point, your newborn should have six to eight wet diapers a day, with some having as many as ten in a day. Some infants will need a diaper change after every feeding.
What color should my newborn’s urine be?
In general, your newborn’s urine should be clear to light yellow. If you’re breastfeeding, certain foods can alter the color of your breast milk slightly, which will also change the color of your baby’s urine. Once your milk comes in, it is customary to see some fluctuation to a darker, more concentrated urine from time to time. During the first week after your baby’s birth, you may see pink or red stains in your baby’s diaper, known as brick dust. These stains are normal and result from urate crystals in the urine. If the staining persists, it’s best to contact your doctor.
What are the signs of dehydration in newborn babies?
If your baby goes more than eight hours without urinating or has less than six wet diapers a day, you may want to look for signs of dehydration. Contact your doctor if you notice:
- Cracked or dry lips and mouth
- Extreme fussiness
- Sunken soft spot on their head
- Sunken eyes
- Wrinkled skin
- Little or no tears when crying
When you have questions about your baby’s health or your little one needs medical care, you’ll want to turn to the best pediatric care in Zachary. Dr. Shola Tijani is here to see that your baby receives the best quality care available. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tijani for your child.
