Newborn or Babies Poop – Say's it ALL
Did your little one pass their first bowel movement, and you’re worried the color isn’t normal? Did you know that baby poop comes in nearly all hues and textures?
One thing your parenting manuals may not have taught you is that you’ll spend the next few years being overly concerned about your baby’s poop. It can give you greater insight as to your baby’s health.
Most new parents find baby poop quite surprising! It has so many shades and consistencies that even experienced parents may not have seen them all.
This guide to baby poop will give you a good idea of what's normal and what's not as your newborn grows, drinks breast milk or formula, and starts eating solids. You'll find out when not to worry and when it's wise to be concerned.
You can tell a lot about you baby’s health by what’s in his or her diaper. It’s normal to see a number of changes in your baby’s stools as he or she grows, drinks breast milk or formula and starts eating solids, but there are cases in which color and consistency may indicate infection.
Use this baby poop guide to distinguish natural changes from warning signs that require a visit to the doctor’s office.
pic courtesy : walaa khaleel-unsplash
Lets Understand – that
It's no secret: Babies poop—a lot! Babies should expel their first poop, called meconium, within 24 hours.
From then on, they won't stop pooping—going through an average of 10 diaper changes per day (and at least 2,000 diaper changes in the first year)!
But when it comes to your baby's poop, you're probably spending a significant amount of time looking at those dirty diapers (something you never imagined you'd do pre-parenthood, right?) and wondering if what you're seeing is normal...or not.
First, Types of Poops -
There are five types of baby poop — newborn, breastfed, formula, solid, and partially digested.
Be aware that your baby’s bowel movements will depend a lot on their diet.
Let’s have a closer look at the types:
1. Newborn Poop (Meconium)
During your baby’s first days outside the uterus, they pass a tar-like, greenish-black poop (1). It’s sticky, and some describe it as having a motor oil appearance. It can scare parents who aren’t prepared for such a color.
Newborn poop, or meconium, consists of everything your baby ingested while in utero. This includes amniotic fluid, skin cells, mucus, and other substances. It doesn’t have any traces of breastmilk or formula just yet, as it’s a starter for the intestinal tract. Most infants pass a meconium stool within the first 24 hours of life.
After the first two to four days, the meconium changes color and texture, meaning it’s now a transitional stool. Expect a lighter color (think army green), with a less sticky form. Once you see this poop, it means your little one’s intestinal tract is working, and he or she has begun to digest breast milk or formula.
Sometimes it happens that babies pass meconium before delivery. This is generally due to infections, gestational age over 40 weeks, or a tough delivery causing physiologic stress to the baby. It’s easy to notice through the amniotic fluid, which turns green or brownish as opposed to being transparent (2).
Passing meconium before birth can have dire effects on the baby, and extra care must be taken following delivery. You may notice a neonatal team in the delivery room, ready and waiting to assess your baby after birth. The baby is likely to ingest some of the stool, triggering something called meconium aspiration syndrome, which causes a lung condition that can turn deadly (3).
On the other hand, some babies have a blockage issue, hindering them from passing meconium even after birth. If your baby doesn’t have its first bowel movement within 24 hours, your doctor will look for issues. These can include an underdeveloped anus, intestinal blockages, or meconium plug (stuck stool).
2. Breastfed Poop
Healthy breastfed baby poop is yellow, but can sometimes appear slightly green. It should have a creamy, mushy consistency, and may be textured with seed-like flecks. Many describe it as having a loose Dijon mustard mixed with cottage cheese look to it (sorry to Dijon or cottage cheese lovers!).
The consistency can vary. Sometimes, it’s runny enough for parents to confuse it with diarrhea (4). Breastfed poop depends highly on what you ate and how much your baby is ingesting. Expect your baby to pass small “squirts” of these stools during feedings as well as more voluminous ones between feedings.
Don’t get spooked if the poop suddenly appears more green than yellow. If so, try to retrace what you had for dinner the day before. As long as your baby isn’t experiencing other symptoms such as fever or vomiting, you shouldn’t worry.
3. Formula-Fed Poop
Formula-fed poop is different from breastfeeding poop. It’s denser in texture and browner in color — it can be yellow-brown, tan-brown, or greenish-brown. Many compare it to peanut butter.
Formula-fed babies also pass fewer bowel movements, sometimes only every 2 to 3 days, but they’re significantly larger.
4. Solid-Fed Poop
As you begin to introduce some solid foods such as infant cereal, pureed fruits, or vegetables, the poop will change. Typically, this is at around four to six months — keep in mind that the solids are used as a complement to breastmilk or formula.
The consistency becomes thicker, and it develops into a browner or darker color. It’s especially noticeable if you’ve otherwise been exclusively breastfeeding.
5. Partially Digested Poop
Once your baby eats more solid food, such as boiled carrots or blueberries, you’ll likely notice some chunks in the diaper (5). Your baby’s diet greatly influences the color. Their poop could be red from beets, blue from blueberries, or even green from spinach and peas.
Chunks are normal since your baby’s stomach is still getting the hang of metabolism. Some of the food may pass so fast that there’s only time for partial digestion. It’s not unusual to see fruit skins such as those from blueberries or grapes.
Pieces are probably also due to your baby’s lack of teeth if you’re starting solids early. Your little one may swallow before chewing everything through properly, which is also completely normal.
Now we will go by Color Of Poops – What does that means
As we mentioned, baby poop comes in all hues — it’s easy to get surprised by a sudden change.
It’s crucial to know what different colors mean as some could indicate a problem. Here’s a breakdown of colors and what they imply:
1. Green Baby Poop
Babies that are given an iron-supplement will often have green baby poop. Green baby poop can also occur at 4 to 6 months when you introduce solid, green foods, such as pureed peas, spinach and beans, into your baby’s diet.
2. Orange, Yellow and Brown Baby Poop
Baby poop that is orange, yellow or brown in color is completely normal in breastfed and bottle-fed babies.
3. Black Blood in Baby Poop
Oftentimes, if your baby’s poop has little specks of black blood in it, it means a baby has digested blood while breastfeeding on his or her mother’s cracked and bleeding nipples. Though this does not pose a threat to your baby, it’s a good idea to check with a doctor to make sure the blood is not a symptom of something more serious.
Third way to understand Baby Poop is Warning Signs
Call your baby’s doctor right away if you notice any of these warning signs in his or her stools:
1. Runny Baby Poop
A baby’s diarrhea will be green, yellow or brown and runny. It can be an indication of an infection or allergy. If it goes too long without treatment, it may lead to dehydration.
2. Hard, Pebble-like Baby Poop
Your baby may be constipated if his or her poop is hard and looks like pebbles. Babies can become constipated when they are being introduced to solid foods. This could also be a sign of sensitivity to milk or soy, or a lack of tolerance to something in breast milk or formula.
3. Red Blood in Baby Poop
While your baby’s poop can turn red because of something he or she ate or drank, such as tomatoes or fruit punch, red baby poop can be a sign of blood in the stool. Red blood found in normal poop could be a sign of a milk protein allergy, while red blood in diarrhea could mean your baby has a bacterial infection.
4. Mucus in Baby Poop
Seeing slimy, green-colored streaks with glistening strings in your baby’s poop means mucus is present. Although it can happen when your baby is drooling, mucus in baby poop can also be a sign of infection.
5. White Baby Poop
Chalky white baby poop could be a warning sign that your baby is not properly digesting food. A white color may indicate a lack of bile from the liver to digest food.
In the first few years, you will experience a full range of “normal” baby poop types that simply indicate your baby is healthfully growing and changing.
For an easy understanding, refer this chart
When alarming changes occur, however, it’s important to contact your baby’s doctor as soon as symptoms arise.