Newborn And Baby Poop

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The color and consistency of your baby’s poop is an indicator of their health. So, it’s quite natural for parents to be worried about their little one’s poop.

Is it supposed to look like that? Why is it so loose? Does it indicate any deficiencies? Are his bowel movements frequent?

Your baby’s poop can change in color and consistency the first few days, weeks, and months of their life. Their health, diet, and age also result in a change in stool color (1). Continue reading our post as we bring you the scoop on poop to help you understand what different colors of poop mean and what’s considered unhealthy.

In This Article

Color-By-Color Guide Of Infant Poop

Newborn And Baby Poop
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Various factors can result in a change in infant poop color. The color of a newborn baby’s poop tends to be black, while older infants generally have brown or yellow color poop. Formula feeding or breastfeeding also influence the color of infant poop. Below we list down the different types of baby poop and what it means (2):

Black

The color of the stool will appear to be black in newborns less than a week old. This is because of the presence of amniotic fluid, mucus, and bile that they may have ingested while in the womb.

The stool they pass soon after birth (first 24 hours) is known as meconium, which will be thick and black. In the coming days, the infant will continue to pass meconium; however, the color will slowly begin to change to green and then yellow.

If your baby’s stool continues to appear black even after a week, make sure to consult a doctor as it could indicate a health problem.

Yellow

Breastfed babies generally tend to have yellow colored poop. The texture of their stool is referred to as seedy because of the small flecks in them. This is completely normal. The seedy consistency of the stool resembles curds in cottage cheese.

Orange Or Brown

Babies who are formula-fed may have orange or brown color stool. This is normal.

A baby who drinks formula milk will have stool that will be in shades of orange or light brown. Their stool may also be slightly firmer and darker than breastfed babies.

Green

Besides the above colors, infants also have green poop. Possible causes include:

  • Dietary changes in the breastfeeding mom, if the diet of the mother includes green-colored foods
  • Slow digestion, possibly because of increased food intake
  • A food allergy
  • A stomach bug or cold
  • Antibiotics consumed by the breastfeeding mother or baby
  • Medications for jaundice treatment

It’s also important to note that green stool isn’t always a cause for concern. If the baby has a slightly green poop, but is gaining weight the normal way and looks content, there’s no cause for worry.

Red

If the color of your baby’s poop is red in color, it’s usually not a good sign. The color red typically indicates the presence of blood, so it could be a health problem or because the baby has ingested a small amount of blood. That is usually when the mother has cracked or bleeding nipples.

White

White stool is uncommon in babies but usually indicates a liver problem.

Jaundice is common in newborns, with 80% of the newborn babies affected by the disease in the first few days of their life. However, it doesn’t last more than two weeks.

If you suspect that your infant has jaundice after the first two weeks after birth, seek medical help. White or pale color stool indicates liver disease. You could also look for other signs, such as yellow color pee.

How Often Should Babies Poop?

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Most newborns between the ages of 0 to 6 weeks have frequent bowel movements between 2 to 5 times a day. This number can vary slightly as some infants pass stool after every meal (3).

As the baby grows older, their frequency of bowel movement also decreases. Babies between 6 weeks to 3 months old will typically pass stool once per day and sometimes even once a week. This is usually not a health issue if the baby is able to maintain a healthy weight.

When To See A Doctor

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If you are worried about the consistency or color of your baby’s poop, seek medical help. To help make things easier for you, we have listed a few signs which indicate that you should contact your baby’s doctor (4):

  • Bloody or red color stool
  • White stool
  • Black stool a week after birth
  • Unusually watery or more frequent stools
  • Less frequent than normal with consistency that is hard and dry, making it difficult to pass.

We hope our post helped you understand what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to infant poop. If you’re still concerned about something, take a picture and show it to your baby’s doctor to rest all your worries.

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