What Baby Pee Can Tell You

Two things you probably didn't give much thought to before becoming a parent are baby pee and poop. How much? How often? What color? These are all important questions about baby pee that loving and caring parents wonder about.

How much? How often?




As your baby grows and takes in more milk,there should be more baby pee and your baby's wet diapers should be even wetter.



Why is my baby’s urine orange/red?

During the first few days of life, pink, orange or red urine does not mean the baby is dehydrated. Rusty urine or baby pee with brick dust residue is considered normal in the first few days of life but suggests dehydration in older babies. The reddish or orange color is caused by urate crystals. The presence of brick dust residue in your baby’s diaper can be a frightening for new parents, because it looks like blood or as if the baby is bleeding. In the first days of life, urate crystals in baby’s urine usually means that your baby is passing highly concentrated urine.

Urate crystals don’t hurt babies, and you may even find powder in the diaper which are actual crystals.

In older babies, rusty urine could be a sign of dehydration. Babies should have at least six wet diapers a day. A direct result of limited fluid intake is urine which causes urine to be darker. Dehydration in a newborn or young child can be very serious if left untreated. Sleeping through the night and missing a feeding is another reason that older babies may develop urate crystals.

If you notice crystals for more than a couple of diapers, and you’re worried that your baby isn’t passing enough urine, the first step is to increase breastfeeding frequent. If the crystals persist contact your baby’s doctor.