No parent is fully prepared for what comes out of their baby’s bottom. Baby poop has a unique color, texture and smell that you simply is perhaps used to. It also changes over time.
In the first few months, a baby’s weight loss program is restricted to formula or breast milk as their digestive system continues to be developing. You’ll likely watch them wiggle, scrunch and use their whole body in the pooping process, too. But once they begin to drink more milk and eventually eat solids, the color, texture and frequency of their dirty diapers will change. And all this could make it difficult so that you can know what’s normal and when you ought to be concerned about your baby’s poop.
Here’s our advice for brand new mothers, dads and caregivers about what might be healthy baby poop, how you can know if baby is pooping enough and when to get advice out of your baby’s doctor or a nurse.
Your baby’s first poops: What to anticipate for the first week
Your newborn baby’s poop generally is a major surprise if you happen to’re not prepared for it.
Meconium: Blackish, tarry stools that last for up to a few days
Your baby’s first poops are meconium and possibly don’t seem like anything you’ve seen before. Meconium is a sticky, greenish-black, tar-like substance that lines your baby’s intestines before birth. Meconium is a mix of amniotic fluid, skin cells, water, bile and secretions from the intestinal glands.
Most babies have their first bowel movement inside a couple of hours of being born, but some babies may poop just before birth. For the first three days of their life, your baby must have one dirty diaper for every day of their life. In case your baby is making fewer dirty diapers than that, or their poop continues to be black three days after birth, it might be an indication they’re not getting enough to eat.
If you could have questions on your baby’s poop or aren’t sure if you happen to should see a physician just yet, call your clinic’s nurse line. Or you possibly can go ahead and make an appointment along with your baby’s doctor.
Transitional stool: Your baby’s poop will undergo changes for a couple of days
It’ll take a couple of days in your baby to completely clear the meconium from their body, and for breast milk or formula to make its way through your baby’s digestive system. So, there will probably be a transition period before your baby’s poop becomes a more consistent color and texture. During this time, it’s possible you’ll see dark brown poop, followed by soft greenish poop after which thinner yellowish poop.
By the time your baby is about per week old, they ought to be making “normal baby poop” – which is frequently mustard yellow for breastfed or chest fed babies, and a yellow brown for formula-fed babies.
Your baby’s poop as they grow: Normal colours and textures
Healthy baby poop colours and textures might be very different than healthy poop for adults. Whilst you’d be surprised if lemon-yellow or greenish-tan stool got here out of you, these are a few of the healthiest kinds of baby poop.
Healthy poop colours and textures are different for infants primarily fed breast milk and people mostly fed formula. Once your baby starts to snack on solids (sometime between 4-6 months old) you possibly can anticipate finding more changes of their diapers.
Normal poop for breast milk-fed babies
Before starting any solid foods, babies who primarily drink breast milk normally have mustard yellow poop that’s loose and seedy. Chances are you’ll also see vibrant yellow or orange poop – these colours might be attributable to the medications and weight loss program of the breastfeeding or lactating parent.
Before they’re 6 weeks old, your baby may poop after every feeding. After that, one to 3 times a day is typical. But it may possibly even be common for some breast milk-fed babies to poop greater than 3 times a day or for them to go a couple of days, and even per week, between bowel movements.
Normal poop for formula-fed babies
Before formula-fed babies begin eating solids, their poop is usually yellow-brown or greenish-tan once their digestive system is up and running, and the poop is a bit firmer in consistency. It’s also possible for the iron in baby formula to cause dark green poop, which is not any reason for concern.
Newborns drinking formula will often poop after nearly every feeding. Once a formula-fed baby is 6 weeks old, you possibly can expect one or two poopy diapers every day.
Since babies’ digestive systems are so young and sensitive, some babies might be intolerant of certain kinds of formula. Gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea might be signs of a formula intolerance, so talk along with your baby’s doctor if you could have any concerns.
Normal poop for babies once they begin eating solid foods
Once your baby starts to eat solids, healthy bacteria will begin to populate their intestines, leading to poop that starts to look (and smell) somewhat more like yours. Their poop will turn into thicker and darker – and most of the time will probably be brown.
But since baby’s digestive system continues to be developing, a baby’s poop is more prone to tackle the color of the foods they ate, causing poop that may look somewhat green, orange, yellow or red. Chances are you’ll also see chunks of food of their poop.
Babies who eat solids normally poop one or two times a day. However it’s common for babies to get bouts of constipation as they’re transitioning to a solid weight loss program.
Even if you happen to see something unusual in your baby’s diaper, chances are high that it’s nothing to fret about. But when changes in the color, texture or frequency of your baby’s poops are accompanied by other symptoms reminiscent of fever, fussiness or not eating well, it could possibly be an indication of illness or an underlying condition.
Very runny or watery baby poop
Poop that’s somewhat runny is pretty normal for babies before they begin eating solids – and in the case of breast milk-fed babies, healthy poop is a bit watery to start with. But a sudden increase in the variety of poops or looseness of the poop generally is a sign of diarrhea.
In case your baby doesn’t have a fever and is otherwise acting normal, but you believe you studied diarrhea, a superb first step might be to call your clinic’s nurse line. But if you happen to’re noticing other symptoms like fever, give your baby’s doctor a call or make an appointment.
Dry, pebbly poop
In case you’re finding small, dark brown pellets in your baby’s diaper, they could be constipated. Chances are you’ll also notice an extended time frame between their last poop, see them straining as they push or notice that poop pebbles have some red on or in it.
Constipation might be extremely common in babies, especially as they start to eat different solid foods or start transitioning to cow’s milk from formula or breast milk. In some cases, it may possibly be one sign of dehydration, but constipation normally isn’t serious and doesn’t require a physician’s visit. Nonetheless, in case your baby hasn’t had a bowel movement in greater than three days, it’s a superb idea to call your baby’s doctor or make an appointment.
Black baby poop
While baby’s very first poops are black and tarry, black poop just isn’t common in older babies. Nonetheless, iron in formula or iron supplements given to certain babies, in addition to foods like blueberries and grape juice, could make poop look blackish.
But accompanied with other symptoms like fever or fussiness, black poop may also be an indication of bleeding in baby’s digestive tract and it’s a superb time to get in contact along with your doctor.
Red baby poop
Like black stools, red baby poop may also be attributable to certain foods, in addition to from constipation or diaper rash. Nonetheless, red or bloody baby stools alongside other symptoms may signal an infection, allergies or one other condition. So, it’s a superb idea to offer your baby’s doctor a call. In case you notice a major amount of blood in your baby’s diaper, head to your nearest emergency room.
Gray or white baby poop
Chalky white or gray baby poop is usually an indication of an underlying condition. So it’s really helpful that you simply seek immediate medical attention simply to be protected.
When to check with a physician about your baby’s poop
Since a rainbow of colours and a variety of textures might be okay, how do you recognize when your baby’s poop is cause for concern? Generally, if changes in your baby’s poops are also accompanied by other symptoms or changes in behavior, it’s a superb idea to see a physician.
Make an appointment in case your baby has any symptom like fever, increased fussiness, difficulty eating or fatigue, in addition to:
- Your newborn’s poop is black several days after birth.
- Your baby’s poop looks vibrant red or bloody.
- Your baby’s stool is a chalky white or pale gray.
- Your baby is pooping more ceaselessly, and their stool is unusually watery.
- Your baby is struggling to poop or making stools which can be dry, hard or pebbly.
- Your baby is pooping less ceaselessly than normal or hasn’t had a bowel movement in greater than three days.
Get the scoop in your baby’s poop
Questions on your baby’s poop are all the time great to bring up at any of the well-baby visits you’ll have in the first several months of their life. And you possibly can all the time call your clinic’s nurse line with questions. But if you happen to’re noticing concerning symptoms, make an appointment along with your baby’s doctor.
We all know it may possibly be difficult to explain poop changes, so be happy to bag up the dirty diaper to bring it along to your appointment.