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A newborn baby’s poop is mysterious, there’s a lot about it that is out-of-the-ordinary and can be scary for a new mom. A baby’s poop color can tell you a lot about the health and general well-being of the baby.
When the baby is born, many moms don’t expect the poop to be so different from the usual. Questions about the baby’s poop, what’s normal and what’s not is one of the most frequently asked questions in moms’ forums.
A baby’s poop changes in color, consistency, and texture many times as the baby grows, and as they change their eating habits, body status. Each of those aspects tells you something about what’s going on in the baby’s body.
If you’re one of the mothers who don’t know what to make of the strange poop on her baby’s diaper, you’re in good company. Many pediatricians must have seen their fair share of diapers with a miserable mom asking, “Is this normal?”
Read on to get a comprehensive guide to newborn baby’s poop.
Types of Baby Poop
Baby poop speaks volumes, knowing what to check out for will help you catch any infection or problem with the baby. Some serious health conditions can be deduced from the baby’s poop color.
Meconium – Baby’s 1st Poop
Meconium is the poop the baby gets for the first 2 or three days after birth. It’s composed of the cells and fluid that your baby ingested while in the uterus.
Meconium may be the worst looking poop yet – it’s sticky and dark, but it’s not smelly.
Transitional Poop
This is the poop after the meconium. It’s less sticky and a little lighter in color than meconium.
This poop is greener, and it’s the poop you’ll notice after the baby has started their very first feeding – be it breastfeeding or formula.
Breastfeeding Baby Poop
Once the baby’s stomach starts digesting breast milk or formula, his poop changes in color and consistency. The poop may be explosive and frequent; most babies poop with a lot of force and grunts.
Breastfeeding poop’s appearance is seedy with a yellow color and a mild smell.
It’s not uncommon for a breastfed baby to go for long periods without a bowel movement. Breast milk is easy to digest and is sometimes absorbed fully in the body.
Once the baby gets used to eating, he may baby pooping 10 times a day. It’ll not be surprising to see 7-month-old baby pooping after every feeding.
Formula-fed Baby Poop
Formula-fed poop frequency is less than breastfed babies. Formula-fed babies poop color ranges between yellow, green, and brown.
The more common color is peanut butter brown.
Weaned Baby’s Poop
Solid foods poop is dark, mushy, and quite stinky.
A weaned baby’s poop color will depend on what the baby is feeding on. Foods such as green vegetables, carrots, and beets tend to give their color to the poop.
It’s therefore not uncommon to have orange baby poop for a weaned baby. Too much butternut or carrots will do that.
Constipated Baby Poop
If your 6 months old poop is hard, it’s as a result of weaning. Weaned babies experience constipation more frequently as their tummies get used to the new food texture. Constipated baby poop is thicker, may have small pellets, and harder to pass.
The poop may also have blood or mucus streaks. This is usually as a result of anal fissures that are caused by forceful pushing.
Grainy, sandy poop in a toddler is also a typical result of constipation.
These usually clear out once the constipation is resolved. If there are spots or clots of blood in the stool long after the constipation is over, seek medical advice.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is runny and mostly explosive. It can be either be yellow, brown, or green. If diarrhea goes on for more than one day, you should take the baby to a doctor. Diarrhea can cause dehydration pretty fast.
Baby Poop Color: What Does It Mean?
A baby’s poop color changes depending on various factors. Some baby color may be indicative of a deeper problem. Here are baby poop colors and what they suggest for the health of your baby.
What Does Normal Baby Poop Look Like?
Normal baby poop is mustard yellow. This is the most common poop color for breastfeeding babies. If your baby’s poop is a golden yellow with a mild smell, you have yourself a healthy champ.
White curds in baby poop are a normal occurrence. If you notice that your baby’s poop looks like cottage cheese and has a fruity smell, don’t be worried. The white curds are parts of milk fat that may have bypassed digestion.
Bright Yellow Poop
If the baby’s poop is bright yellow and runny, he could be having diarrhea. Take him to a doctor to avoid dehydration.
Green Poop
For formula-fed babies, green poop is normal. This is caused by the iron in the infant formula. Nevertheless, if you notice the baby poop is green after changing formula and the baby seems fussy and uncomfortable, he may be reacting to the cow’s milk in the formula.
If the baby is having a green poo and nappy rash, he may be having eczema. Let a pediatrician take a look at him to determine if, indeed, it is to eczema and to recommend the best course of action.
Green poop baby accompanied by stomach upset may be indicative of a stomach infection. This is common in babies who are teething, and they tend to chew on things that may sometimes not be very clean. To avoid this, give the baby a sterilized teething chew toy.
Newborns sometimes experience green poop after phototherapy. If your baby was treated for jaundice after birth, you might experience this.
Some drugs may also influence the baby’s poop color. Babies who suffer from reflux may experience some green poop after taking Gaviscon.
In some cases, a baby will have dark green poop after vaccines. The rotavirus vaccine has been reported to have this effect. If the baby has diarrhea that goes on for more than a day after a vaccine shot, consult your healthcare provider immediately.
Frothy Bright Green Poop
Sometimes, the baby’s poop is green and frothy. If you notice such poop, it means that the baby is not breastfeeding long enough on the boob to get all the nutrients they need.
If the baby is only feeding for a short while, he may only be feeding on the foremilk. The hindmilk is thicker and more nutritious.
To ensure that the baby is getting hindmilk, keep him on one breast for long. When you start breastfeeding, feed him first from the breast he last fed on before giving him the other one.
Red Poop
Red poop in weaned babies may happen when the baby feeds on red foods such as beets or watermelons.
However, bright red diarrhea is a sign of a bacterial infection in the stomach. If the poop seems normal but is tinged with blood, it could be a sign of milk allergy. Streaks of red on hard poop are as a result of anal injury due to constipation.
Black Poop
If your breastfeeding baby is excreting thick black stool, this may be suggestive of intestinal bleeding. This is a serious case, and the baby should be rushed to the hospital immediately.
Black poop on a one-year-old may also be indicative of a deeper underlying problem in his intestines. If the baby is displaying other symptoms, let a doctor observe him as soon as you can.
Another cause of black poop, particularly in babies older than 6 months, is the consumption of colored food such as blackberries or blueberries.
Iron supplements and other types of drugs can also the baby to have black poop. #
White Poop
White baby’s poop color is a serious thing as it signals liver or gall-bladder problems. Bile is the digestive fluid responsible for turning poop brown. It’s produced in the liver and stored in the gall-bladder.
If the bile is either not being produced or if it’s obstructed from getting to the gall-bladder, the baby poop comes out white.
Black Specks in Baby Poop
Black specks in the baby’s poop mean the baby is swallowing some blood. This blood could be from your breasts if your nipples are bruised.
Treat your bruised nipples by applying some lanolin cream when you’re not breastfeeding. Warm water and salt wash is also an excellent remedy for cracked and bleeding nipples.
Do not stop breastfeeding, instead, encourage the baby to breastfeed more to get the nipples adjusted to the new normal. Apply some milk on the nipples, breast milk has anti-inflammatory properties and is useful for treating painful, bruised nipples.
Sometimes, you’ll notice dark threads on the baby’s poop after eating bananas. These are part of the banana’s center.
Stringy Baby Poop
Stringy baby poop is an indication of mucus in the baby’s poop. Stringy poop happens when the baby has a cold or cough and has swallowed some mucus from his respiratory tract.
It could also be a sign of teething. If the poop continues to appear stringy, consult your pediatrician.
Baby Not Pooping: How to Help Baby Poop
If your newborn is having a difficult time pooping, you can help him poop by dong bicycle exercise. Round tummy massage also helps get things moving. Massing the baby’s back as he strains to poop can help ease the discomfort.
If the baby is on formula, switch up the formulas as the baby may be reacting to a specific brand.
You can also use oil for baby constipation by adding a few drops of olive oil into the baby’s bottle.
Final Words
Understanding baby poop color and what it means is a great help in your motherhood journey. It’s always better to suspect and be wrong than to be clueless, yet your child needs immediate medical attention.
Although poop color indicates a lot about what is going on with your baby, do not obsess about it. If you keep looking for something wrong with your baby, chances are very high you’ll find something.
Motherhood is a tough balance between paranoid and observant. Be vigilant and informed about your baby’s symptoms and avoid making light of any queer signs.
At the same time, be relaxed enough to know that there are many odd things that babies do and go through that is completely normal.
