Normal stools

All kids' bodies' work differently. What is normal for one child may not be for another. Keeping that in mind, here are some guidelines for assessing normal stools.

• Normal stools are not huge and do not block the toilet.
• Normal stools do not hurt to pass. No matter how often your child has a bowel movement it shouldn't hurt.
• Normal stools are not accompanied by blood.

The frequency of stools varies by age, diet and other factors. Here are some averages according to age. Remember these are only averages.

• Babies can have bowel movements at every feeding or as far apart as once a week. Breast fed infants tend to have more bowel movements.
• About 95% of kids age 2 and older have bowel movements from once every other day to twice a day.