why does a baby not have a bowel movement until birth?

Question

if a baby has meconium when birthing, why do they not ever "poop" whille in the whomb?

Answer 1

Because their waste goes through the umbilical cord and the mother disposes of it. It is not actually poop at that time.

Answer 2

Meconium is the first stool of an infant, composed of materials ingested during the time the infant spends in the uterus: intestinal epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, aminotic fluid, bile, and water. Meconium is sterile, unlike later feces, and has no odor.

I don't think they are normally stimulated to have a bowel movement until they have started eating and digesting food. Then the meconium is pushed out of their system.

However, fetal distress during labor can cause intestinal contractions, as well as a relaxation of the anal sphincter, which then allows meconium to contaminate the amniotic fluid. This occurs in about five to twenty percent of all births. Meconium aspiration syndrome develops in only 5-10 percent of these cases.

Answer 3

I doesn't make sense for the baby to waste energy digesting amniotic fluid when he/she is nourished through the umbilical cord. A lot of the baby's system develop almost all the way and wait for birth to finish so the energy can go to growing. Right before birth the baby puts on fat and then the digestive system finishes its development just before and during and even right after birth.
Because babies are born with their digestive system still learning is one of the theories as to the cause of colic.
Meconium is just digested amniotic fluid and babies who are under distress produce stress hormones which help their organs develop faster, too soon sometimes that is why it is a sign of distress.
I hope that answers your question.

Answer 4

Baby does sometimes out of all three of my children, none so far :) The baby doesnt get any thing bad from you to have to go poop, the umbilical cord cleans it all out before the baby gets the nutrition from you. :)

Answer 5

They do have bowel movments in the womb they also urinate. Its fine unless your over due and if the baby has a bowel movement inside the womb they they can injest it during birth causing problems in there lungs and possible infections.

Answer 6

Some babies DO poop in the womb, normally it's a sign the baby is in distress.

Answer 7

The amniotic fluid circulates through their lungs as they are "practice breathing". If they had bowel movements in the uterus, that contamination would also circulate through their lungs.

Answer 8

There is no solid food that it is ingesting so there for no solids. Plus your stomache would be filled with poop.