FECAL EXCRETION IN INFANTS

Data on normal defaecation patterns in relation to diet during the fir st months of infancy are very limited. We therefore investigated in a prospective study faecal weight and gastro-intestinal passage time of breast fed (n = 12) and formula fed (n = 14) male infants. These were studied in 72 h collecting periods at the age of 17, 35, 57, 87 and 11 3 (+/- 4) days. Breast fed infants had a significantly lower daily dry faecal weight than formula fed infants in all periods investigated (m edian at the age of 113 days: 0.28 (0.17-0.75) g/kg and 0.81 (0.22-1.2 ) g/kg, respectively). Breast fed infants showed a large variation of gastro-intestinal passage time (6.79 h [range: 1.79-13.38 h] at the ag e of 17 days, 21.84 h [range: 5.41-75 h] at the age of 113 days). Comp arable values of formula red infants were 13.75 h (range: 7.13-35.25 h ) and 17.42 h (range: 5.38-36.5 h). Despite the efforts of approximati on of infant formula to breast milk, differences of defaecation patter ns in relation to diet are still relevant at this age and have to be c onsidered in clinical practice.