Is My Baby's Poo Normal?
Baby Poop Guide
Few new parents are prepared for how weird baby poops look… especially when it comes to newborn poo colour! But don’t worry. Here’s our down-and-dirty guide to baby poop.
First Baby Poo
Your brand-new bundle of joy will probably bless you with their first poo within 24 hours of their birth. That first poop is the strangest one… it’s made up of everything the baby was ingesting within the womb like amniotic fluid and water. This first bowel movement is called meconium and is sticky dark greenish-black in colour. Luckily, in the next few days, your sweet baby’s poop will get waterier and lighten in colour.
Breastfed Newborn Poo
If you’re breastfeeding your sweet honey, their poop will be yellowish and runny. Some babies have a bowel movement after every breastfeeding session…while others only have 3-4 daily. By the time your baby is around one to two months old, the poop will thicken to the consistency of oatmeal and occur once a day or less. Don’t worry about calling your doctor unless your baby doesn’t have a seriously dirty diaper for more than 3 days… but call sooner if your baby has a weak cry, weak suck or is acting sick.
Formula-Fed Baby Poo
If you’re formula-feeding, your little one’s poop will be thicker and firmer – like peanut butter. The colour can range from yellow to tan to brown to green. Around their 1- to 2-month birthday, your little one may start to go a few days between bowel movements. This is normal!
Solid Food Baby Poo
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should begin introducing your little one to solid foods around 6 months of age. Once you do that, you’ll notice their poop changes. It will become browner and thicker…and smellier! Did you ever think you’d miss those newborn poop days?
Baby Poop Colour Guide
- Green Baby Poop - Green baby poop does not mean anything bad. Typically babies have green poop if they are given iron supplements, or at 4 to 6 months when they are introduced to solid green foods such as pureed peas and spinach.
- Orange, Yellow and Brown Baby Poop - Orange, yellow and brown baby poop is common in breastfed and bottle fed babies.
- Black Blood in Baby Poop - If your baby’s poop has specks of black blood in it, then it means your baby has digested blood while breastfeeding. This is not a cause for alarm, however, you may want to check with your doctor to make sure the blood is not a symptom of something more serious.
Baby Poop Colour Warning Signs
Odds are, you won’t have to call your doctor about your baby’s poop but it’s good to know when to take that step. If you notice your baby has poops that look like the one’s below, then make sure to contact your doctor immediately.
- Runny Baby Poop - Runny poop or diarrhea that is green, yellow or brown, can be an indication of an infection or allergy.
- Hard, Pebble-like Baby Poop - If your baby has hard, pebble-like poop, then they may be suffering from constipation. This can be quite common when your baby is first introduced to solid foods, but can also be a symptom of sensitivity to milk, soy, or lack of tolerance to something in breast milk or formula.
- Red Blood in Baby Poop - Sometimes baby poop can turn red because of food or liquids such as tomatos, beets, or fruit punch. However, red baby poop can also be a sign of blood in the stool. This can be a sign of of a milk protein allergy or bacterial infections.
- Green Mucus in Baby Poop - Slimy, green mucus in your baby’s poop can be a sign of an infection. You’ll notice that mucus in poop looks like green-coloured streaks with glistening strings.
- White Baby Poop - Chalky baby poop that is gray or white in colour can be a sign that your baby is not digesting food properly, or that there is a lack of bile in the liver.
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