Definition of Diarrhea in Breastfed Infants

• The BMs of a breastfed infant are normal unless they contain mucus or blood or develop a new bad odor.
• The looseness (normally runny and seedy), color (normally yellow) and frequency of BMs (normally more than 6/day) are not much help.  Breastfed babies may normally even pass some green BMs surrounded by a water ring (normal bile can come out green if GI transit time is rapid enough). 
• During the first 1 to 2 months of life, the breastfed baby may normally pass a BM after each feeding.  (However, if an infant's BMs abruptly increase in number and looseness and persist for 3 or more stools, the baby probably has diarrhea.) 
• Other clues to diarrhea are poor eating, acting sick, or a fever.