What does it mean if your baby is peeing a lot? How often should a newborn have wet diapers? Discover the answers to these and other questions about your baby’s urine in this comprehensive guide.

Understanding Newborn Urination: Frequency and Quantity

Within 24 hours after birth, your newborn will probably pee once, resulting in one wet diaper. In the following days, as your baby consumes more milk, the number of wet diapers increases. After about a week, a typical peeing routine for a baby will result in about four to six wet diapers per day.

Counting the number of wet diapers each day can help you understand your baby’s normal peeing routine and indicate how your little one is doing. There’s quite a wide range of healthy urinary frequency for a baby, with some babies peeing every one to three hours and others just four to six times a day. But in general, you’ll want to look for at least four to six wet diapers each day.

Interpreting Frequent Urination in Babies

If it seems that your baby is peeing a lot, that’s usually a good thing and typically means they’re getting enough to eat. In your baby’s first month, if you are breastfeeding and your milk supply is well established, six or more wet diapers a day generally indicates that your baby is getting adequate nourishment.

However, if you notice your baby is peeing a lot more than what’s “normal” (such as more than once every hour), look for other signs and contact your child’s healthcare provider if you have concerns. For example, children with a urinary tract infection (UTI) may pee more frequently or show signs of pain or discomfort while urinating, such as crying or body tension.

When Newborns Don’t Pee Enough

If you notice your newborn is not peeing very often (fewer than four times a day), your baby could be ill, have a fever, or be managing the heat. With illnesses, fevers, or hot weather, your baby’s output of urine may drop by half, which is actually quite normal. Once your baby’s health improves and the weather cools, your little one will likely return to their typical pee routine.

If your newborn isn’t eating enough, however, that’s another reason they might not be peeing very much. When you’re breastfeeding your baby, it can be hard to judge how much your baby is consuming. Look for other signs that your baby isn’t getting enough to eat, which (along with not peeing or pooping) may include lethargy and prolonged sleep.

Decoding Different Shades of Newborn Pee

Baby pee looks similar to adult pee, in that the urine of healthy newborns has a light to dark yellow pee color. Darker shades indicate concentrated urine, which may mean that your baby is slightly dehydrated. But in general, a normal pee color for a newborn is a shade of yellow.

However, your little one’s urine may have a slightly different color from time to time. Many colors are totally normal and nothing to worry about, whereas others may indicate a problem. You’ll find a baby urine color chart below, and we’ll also provide information about various shades of newborn pee, which can include tints of light yellow, dark yellow, pink, red, orange, or brown.

Exploring the Spectrum of Newborn Pee Colors

As mentioned above, light yellow urine is healthy. It means your baby is getting enough nourishment and peeing regularly. The darker the yellow color, the more concentrated the urine. Although a healthy baby can have dark-yellow urine, this color could also indicate that your little one needs to consume more liquids to stay hydrated.

A pink, orange, red, or brown hue to your baby’s pee can mean a few different things. Some conditions are temporary, some are harmless, and some need medical attention. A pink color could be a sign of uric acid crystals, which is common in newborns and usually goes away on its own. Orange or red urine may indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI) or dehydration, while brown pee could be a sign of liver problems or a urinary tract blockage.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Newborn Pee Concerns

If your newborn isn’t eating enough, however, that’s another reason they might not be peeing very much. When you’re breastfeeding your baby, it can be hard to judge how much your baby is consuming. Look for other signs that your baby isn’t getting enough to eat, which (along with not peeing or pooping) may include lethargy and prolonged sleep.

Of course, if your newborn is still not peeing after a fever breaks or heat wave has passed, when no illness persists, or after feeding, contact your child’s healthcare provider ASAP, especially if your baby doesn’t pee at all within a span of six to eight hours.