STOOL FREQUENCY OF NORMAL INFANTS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE

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Abstract
The stool frequency of 800 normal infants during the first week of life was studied statistically. The series was composed of 400 infants fed on a flexible regimen, of which 200 were breast-fed and 200 were bottle-fed; and 400 infants fed on the conventional four hour schedule, of which 200 were breast-fed and 200 were bottle-fed. Analyses were made from the points of view of number of stools and variability. The normal pattern was that of rise in both number of stools and variability up to the fifth day and a gradual fall. The peak for both number and variability occurred on days 3 through 6. The range of variation about the mean on each day was quite great and this fact seeemed to militate against a statistical diagnosis of diarrhea in this age group. The comparison among the various groups revealed fewer and smaller differences than the day-to-day comparisons. With regard to number of stools the bottle-fed babies had statistically greater numbers of stools than did the breast-fed babies regardless of feeding regimen, but only during those early days of life when it might be assumed that lactation had not begun. There were no differences between breast-fed babies on the two regimens studied. Bottle-fed babies on self-demand feeding had significantly greater numbers of stools than did those on scheduled feeding on two days. With regard to variability: bottle-fed babies on self-demand were most variable in number of stools per day. Breast-fed babies on self-demand were next most variable and bottle-fed babies on strict scheduling were least variable.
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