Baby's First Poop: What's Normal?

how is newborns poop suppose to look

Newborns' poop, known as meconium, is usually a greenish-black, tarry, sticky substance that resembles motor oil. It is made up of mucus, skin cells, hair, and other particles the baby swallowed, along with amniotic fluid, while in the womb. After a few days, the baby's poop will become lighter in colour, turning into a yellowish-green shade, and will be less sticky. This is a sign that the baby has started digesting early breast milk or formula. Breastfed babies' poop is typically yellow, green, or brown, with a seedy, pasty texture, and may resemble diarrhoea. Formula-fed babies' poop, on the other hand, is thicker and ranges from tan to brown in colour.

Characteristics Values
First few days Greenish-black, tarry, sticky, like motor oil
First few days alternative name Meconium
First few days composition Amniotic fluid, mucus, skin cells and other things ingested in utero
After a few days Green and less tacky
After a few days alternative name Transitional stools
Breastfed baby poop colour Mustard yellow, green or brown
Breastfed baby poop texture Seedy, pasty, runny
Breastfed baby poop smell Sweet
Formula-fed baby poop colour Yellow or brown
Formula-fed baby poop texture Pasty, like peanut butter
Formula-fed baby poop frequency Less frequent than breastfed babies
Formula-fed baby poop smell More pungent than breastfed babies

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Newborn poop (meconium)

Meconium is the name given to a newborn baby's first poop. It is typically dark green, thick, sticky, and tar-like in consistency. It is made up of mucus, skin cells, hair, and other particles the baby has swallowed, along with amniotic fluid, while in the womb.

Passing meconium

Babies usually pass meconium in the first few hours and days after birth. However, in some cases, meconium may be passed while the baby is still in the womb during late pregnancy. Passing meconium after birth is a sign that the baby's digestive system and intestines are intact and functioning correctly.

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) occurs when a newborn experiences breathing difficulties due to meconium entering the lungs. This can happen when meconium is inhaled into the lungs before, during, or after birth. MAS can cause respiratory distress, infection, and, in rare cases, death. Risk factors for MAS include prolonged or difficult delivery, post-term pregnancy, maternal health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and maternal smoking or drug use during pregnancy.

Treatment for MAS

If meconium is detected in the amniotic fluid, healthcare providers will closely monitor the baby for signs of respiratory distress. Treatment for MAS may include suctioning the nose, mouth, and throat, or inserting a tube into the throat to remove meconium from the windpipe. Oxygen therapy, including the use of a breathing machine (ventilator), may also be required. In severe cases, additional treatments such as surfactant administration, inhaled nitric oxide, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be necessary.

Transition to regular newborn poop

After the initial meconium poop, a baby's stool will gradually transition to a more typical newborn poop. This transitional stool is usually lighter in colour, ranging from yellowish-green to brown, and less sticky. This change in stool colour and consistency is a sign that the baby has started digesting early breast milk or formula, and their intestinal tract is functioning properly.

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Formula-fed baby poop

Formula-fed babies may poop anywhere from several times a day to once every few days. In their first month, they may poop several times a day or after each feeding, and this may slow down by around 6 weeks. From one month onwards, they may have several bowel movements a day, or they may go several days between bowel movements. Most commonly, they'll have at least one bowel movement a day, often two to three, with the occasional day or two between poops.

If your baby is constipated, their poop will be hard and may look like little clay balls or pebbles. They may also strain for more than 10 minutes without pooping, be very fussy, and spit up more than usual. If you notice these signs, especially if they are unusual for your baby, contact your paediatrician.

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Iron-fortified baby poop

Iron-fortified baby formula usually results in green baby poop. The iron in the formula doesn't absorb as well as the iron in breast milk, which is why it turns poop green. If you give your baby an iron supplement, their poop may turn dark green or almost black. This is rare but normal.

If your baby's poop is black and they are not taking an iron supplement, it's a good idea to call their doctor. Blood in infant stool can turn poop black, which is called melena. Your child's doctor can check for stomach bleeding.

Baby Poop 101

The color and consistency of your baby's poop change over time, depending on what they are eating.

Meconium

Healthy newborns' first few diapers will contain meconium—a gooey, dark-green, tar-like substance with hardly any smell. Meconium is made up of mucus, skin cells, lanugo hairs, and other particles swallowed by the baby, along with amniotic fluid, while still in the womb.

Breastfed Babies

Breastfed babies' poop is typically yellow or slightly green, with a mushy or creamy consistency. It may be runny and resemble dijon mustard, with seed-like flecks. Breastfed baby poop also has a slightly sweet smell.

Formula-Fed Babies

Formula-fed babies' poop is thicker and brownish in color, ranging from tan-brown to yellow-brown or even greenish-brown. It has a pasty, peanut butter-like consistency and is more pungent than breastfed babies' poop.

Solid Foods

Once babies start eating solid foods, their poop becomes brown or dark brown and thicker. It also has a stronger odor. The consistency may vary depending on what they've eaten, and it may contain partially digested food.

When to Call the Doctor

  • If your baby hasn't pooped in four days, as this could be a sign of constipation.
  • If there is blood in your baby's poop, as this could signal allergies or bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • If your baby's poop is white or light grey, as this could indicate a liver condition.
  • If your baby's poop contains mucus and is accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhea, high fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, or weakness.
  • If your baby is constipated and has hard, pellet-like poop, you can try giving them "`P`" fruits such as pears or prunes or increasing their water intake (after 4-6 months of age).

Frequency

The frequency of your baby's poop will vary depending on their age, feeding method, and diet. Breastfed babies tend to poop more frequently than formula-fed babies. Generally, it is normal for babies to go a few days without pooping, as long as their stools are soft.

Final Thoughts

While it may not be a glamorous part of parenting, checking your baby's poop is an important way to monitor their health and development. If you ever have any concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider for advice.

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Solid food baby stool

Once your baby starts eating solid foods, you'll notice some changes in their poop. This is normal, but certain colours and consistencies can indicate a health issue.

Colour

Solid food poop tends to be brown or dark brown. However, the colour can vary depending on what your baby has eaten. For example, red could be from beets, orange could be from carrots, and dark blue could be from blueberries.

Consistency

Solid food poop is usually thicker than peanut butter, but still mushy. The consistency will vary depending on what your baby has eaten. For example, some bowel movements may be hard and pebble-like, while others may be runny and mustard-like.

Frequency

Solid food poop may be smellier than breastfed or formula-fed poop, and your baby may poop less frequently. However, this can vary depending on the individual baby.

When to be concerned

If your baby seems to be straining or goes more than a few days without a bowel movement, this could indicate constipation. If your baby's poop has identifiable chunks of food in it for several days, this could indicate that their intestines are not absorbing food and nutrients properly.

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Baby stool with partially digested food

It's not unusual to see chunks of food in your baby's poop or a surprising hue of the rainbow, such as red, orange, or dark blue. This is usually nothing to worry about. Red could indicate beets, orange suggests carrots, and dark blue implies blueberries (you may even spot tiny pieces of blueberry skin).

This happens because certain foods are only partially digestible or move so swiftly through the intestines that they don't have time to fully break down. It can also occur when your baby eats a lot of one type of food or doesn't chew a mouthful completely before swallowing.

However, if your baby's poop consistently contains undigested food, it's time to call the doctor. They will check to ensure that your baby's intestines are properly absorbing food and nutrients.

Baby poop guide

Baby poop comes in a variety of colours and textures, and it can be challenging for new parents to determine what is normal and what isn't. A baby poop chart can be a helpful guide for new parents to understand their newborn's bowel movements and when to be concerned.

Newborn poop (meconium)

The first few diapers of a newborn baby will likely contain a gooey, dark-green, tar-like substance called meconium. Meconium is made up of mucus, skin cells, lanugo hairs, and other particles swallowed by the baby, along with amniotic fluid, while still in the womb.

After a few days, the baby's poop will become lighter in colour, turning yellowish-green and less sticky. This transitional stool indicates that the baby has started digesting early breast milk or formula, and their intestinal tract is functioning correctly.

Breastfed baby poop

Breastfed baby poop is typically yellow or slightly green, with a mushy or creamy consistency. It may be runny and resemble diarrhoea, but true baby diarrhoea is usually very liquid. Breastfed poop often looks like Dijon mustard and may have seed-like flecks. It also has a slightly sweet smell.

The colour of breastfed baby poop can vary depending on the mother's diet. For example, eating green vegetables like spinach may result in a green tint in the baby's poop.

Formula-fed baby poop

Formula-fed babies typically have thick, pasty, peanut butter-like poop in shades of brown, ranging from tan-brown to yellow-brown or greenish-brown. The thicker consistency of formula makes it slightly harder to digest than breast milk, so some ingredients may pass through the baby's digestive system unchanged. Formula-fed baby poop also has a stronger odour than breastfed baby poop.

Solid food baby stool

Introducing solid foods to a baby's diet will result in noticeable changes in their stool. Solid-food poop tends to be brown or dark brown and thicker than peanut butter, but still mushy. It also has a stronger smell than exclusively breastfed poop.

The consistency of solid-food baby poop can vary depending on what the baby has eaten. Some bowel movements may be hard and pebble-like, while others may have a runny, mustard-like consistency similar to breastfed baby poop.

When to call the doctor

While most colours and textures of baby poop are normal, there are a few instances when it's necessary to contact the doctor:

  • If the baby's poop consistently has undigested food in it.
  • If the baby shows signs of dehydration, such as crying without tears, dry lips, decreased urination, or excessive sleepiness.
  • If the baby has diarrhoea that doesn't go away after a few days.
  • If there is visible blood or mucus in the baby's diarrhoea.
  • If the baby has a fever along with diarrhoea.
  • If the baby's poop is hard and pebble-like, indicating constipation, and it doesn't improve or is accompanied by irritability or blood in the stool.
  • If the baby's poop is white, grey, or pale yellow, as this could indicate a liver condition or blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder.

Frequently asked questions

Your newborn's first poop, called meconium, is a greenish-black, tarry, sticky substance that resembles motor oil. It is made up of mucus, skin cells, and other things ingested in the womb along with amniotic fluid.

After the initial meconium stage, your baby's poop will transition to a more yellow or greenish colour and have a seedy, pasty, or runny texture. This is normal for both breastfed and formula-fed babies.

While newborn poop can vary in colour, certain shades may indicate a potential health issue. Consult your paediatrician if you notice bright red blood, pale white or clay-coloured stools, or black stools that persist beyond the first few days.

Newborn poop should typically be soft and somewhat runny or pasty. If your baby's poop is very loose and watery, or hard and pebble-like, it could be a sign of constipation or diarrhoea, respectively.

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