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How many wet and dirty diapers should you expect? Wet diapers usually increase from one on day 1 to six or more a day by around day 6. In breastfed babies, stools change from black to green to yellow during the first week. After about 4 to 6 weeks, some breastfed babies start pooping much less often.
Enter your baby's birth date, how they're fed, and the last 24 hours' diapers to see how they compare with published guidance for their age. The checker covers the first year, from birth to 12 months.
This checker compares diaper counts with guidance published by the AAP, NHS, HSE, and La Leche League. It does not assess your baby's health or replace medical advice. If something seems off, talk to your pediatrician.
Count the last 24 hours, not since midnight. If your baby was born less than 24 hours ago, count from birth. A diaper that's both wet and dirty counts toward both.
How wet diapers and stools typically change through the first year. These figures describe common patterns from published sources. Individual babies may differ.
| Age | Wet diapers in 24 hours | Dirty diapers in 24 hours, breastfed | What breastfed stools look like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 1 or more | 1 or more | Black and sticky (meconium) Wet: HSE. Stools: AAP |
| Day 2 | 2 or more | 1 or more | Black and sticky Wet: HSE. Stools: AAP |
| Day 3 | 3 or more | 2 or more | Turning greenish Wet: HSE. Stools: AAP |
| Day 4 | 4 or more | 2 or more | Green, turning yellow Wet: HSE. Stools: AAP, NHS |
| Day 5 | 5 or more | Often 3 or more | Yellow and loose Wet: HSE. Stools: AAP, LLL |
| Day 6 to 4 weeks | 6 or more | Often 3 or more | Yellow, loose, and seedy AAP, LLL |
| 4 to 6 weeks | 6 or more | Frequency may begin to decrease; guidance differs | Usually yellow, soft or loose NHS, AAP, LLL |
| 6 weeks to 6 months | 6 or more | Varies widely; some breastfed babies go up to a week | Yellow and soft AAP, NHS |
| 6 to 12 months | Often around 6 or more; individual patterns vary | Varies, and changes with solid food | Changes with solid food AAP |
Why guidance differs at 4 to 6 weeks: The NHS expects at least two stools daily until six weeks, while the AAP describes some breastfed babies beginning to poop less often between three and six weeks.
Sources don't always agree. Each row identifies the guidance used for its figures. Recommendations can differ between organizations. The full source list is below. Formula-fed babies usually poop most days, but may go 1 to 2 days between bowel movements.
About one more each day at first: one on day 1, two on day 2, and so on up to five on day 5. From about day 6, six or more a day, with pale yellow or nearly clear pee.
One or two on days 1 and 2, at least two on days 3 and 4, then often three or more a day in the first month. Guides differ a little: the NHS says at least two from day 4.
After about 6 weeks, breastfed babies may poop less often. The NHS notes that some go several days between stools, while the AAP says some may go up to a week.
Usually at least once most days, but they may go 1 to 2 days between.
Modern diapers soak up so well that a wet one can feel dry. Check the wetness line if the diaper has one. To learn how a wet diaper feels, pour 2 to 4 tablespoons of water into a clean one and compare its weight.
Black and sticky for the first day or two, then greenish, then yellow and loose by day 5 for a breastfed baby. Formula-fed stools are usually tan or yellow and firmer, and some formulas make them dark green, which can be normal. Solid food changes color and texture again.
Yes. Tap to log each change as wet, dirty, dry or mixed, and Cutiko keeps the count for you, so there's nothing to add up. See the last 24 hours at a glance, and bring the doctor's report to your pediatrician. It's free.
Keep diaper changes, feeds, and sleep together in Cutiko. See the last 24 hours at a glance and bring a clear report to your pediatrician.
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