What does baby poop color mean? What's normal, What's Not?

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#Babypoop #babystool #babycare #newbornbaby

So you think if you’ve seen one dirty diaper, you’ve seen them all? Far from it. The color and texture of baby poop can change from day to day — and bowel movement to bowel movement — causing even experienced parents to worry about what’s in their baby’s diaper.

The color and consistency of newborn poop also vary depending on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula-feeding. Breastfed baby poop tends to be mushy, seedy, and sometimes even watery. Formula-fed newborn poop is thicker and more fully formed.

The first few times you change your baby’s diaper, you may notice newborn baby poop that’s greenish-black and sticky or tar-like. That’s meconium, a substance that gradually filled your baby’s intestines in utero. It will pass within the first day or two of life and is a completely normal sign that your baby’s bowels are functioning.

Thick, black baby poop
Thick, black stools when your baby is more than 3 days old may indicate bleeding in the digestive tract, which can be dangerous. (This is different from your baby’s first few meconium bowel movements.) Contact your pediatrician.

One thing to note: Iron supplements or iron-fortified formula can sometimes cause stool to turn dark brown or black, in which case there’s no need to be concerned. Check with your doctor to be sure.

Loose, watery stools that are greener than usual and make an appearance several times a day likely mean that your baby has diarrhea. This occurs most often when there’s a change in your baby’s diet (or your diet, if you’re breastfeeding); or when your little one has an allergy or food intolerance (to milk, for instance). Severe diarrhea can indicate a more serious issue, like a viral or bacterial infection.

Besides being messy, frequent and watery baby poops can quickly make your little one dehydrated and cause discomfort and diaper rash. Make sure your baby is getting plenty of fluids — breastfeeding or taking a bottle at least as often as usual, if not more.

Also, consider giving your baby a teaspoon of liquids with electrolytes (like Pedialyte) about every hour; call your doctor if you have questions about dosing.

If you’re breastfeeding, newborn baby poop color that’s bright green and frothy may indicate your baby is switching breasts too often and getting less of the fatty hindmilk that comes at the end of a feed.

Your baby may also be super gassy and cry a lot. Try feeding more frequently and ensuring one breast is fully drained before offering the other.

Sometime around the third or fourth day of your newborn’s life, after all the meconium passes, you’ll start to see what’s known as transitional stools. This is a sign that the baby's starting to digest breast milk or formula and transitioning to normal baby poop. These stools are lighter in color — greenish-yellow or brown — and loose and grainy in texture.

In breastfed babies, poop will often look mustard-like. The color is usually yellow, green, or light brown in color. The consistency will be loose, even watery, and sometimes seedy, mushy, curdy, creamy, pasty, or lumpy. It smells sweet(ish!) — not your usual bowel-movement odor.

A baby’s poop speaks a lot about his/her health. Watch this video to analyze what’s normal and what’s not about your baby's poop.

Being worried about the smallest things of your child as a newborn's mother is understandable.🙌

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Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional health services. See a medical professional for a personalized consultation.