Question

The LPN cares for a 1-day-old newborn who is breastfed every 2-3 hours. Which does the LPN expect to observe when changing the newborn's diaper?

a) Dark green, hard stool
b) Yellow, seedy stool
c) Absence of stool
d) Watery, light brown stool

Answer 1

The LPN should expect to see yellow, seedy stools when changing the diaper of a 1-day-old newborn who is breastfed, as this is reflective of the transition from meconium to stools that are formed due to the digestion of breast milk.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a 1-day-old newborn who is breastfed every 2-3 hours, the LPN should expect to observe a change from meconium to transitional stools. Initially, the newborn's first stools are comprised of meconium, which is a tarry, greenish-black substance accumulated in the fetal intestines during the second half of gestation. After the intake of breast milk begins, meconium is cleared and replaced with stools that are yellow and seedy, reflecting the digestion of breast milk. Therefore, the correct observation when changing the newborn's diaper would be option b) Yellow, seedy stool. It is normal for the stools to transition from meconium to a seedy yellow as the newborn starts digesting breast milk.