Baby Poo - What's Normal?

Baby poo is a good indicator of how a baby is tolerating feeding.

What does a normal baby poop look like?

Baby poo changes in colour, consistency and frequency over the first few months of life and is different again depending on your feeding regime.

A newborn baby's first 'poop', is called the meconium, which is greenish-black, thick and sticky. This first poo consists of epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and water which are intestinal substances baby ingests while in the womb. The meconium poo shows baby is ready for normal digestion to begin and should pass within 48hrs after birth. A good one for the dads to learn how to change! Be ready for it as it can be a surprise.

As a newborn begins to ingest colostrum (mother's first breast liquid), breast milk and or infant formula the poo will begin to change into a dark brown colour and be less sticky. When a baby is breastfeeding their poo will progress to a more mustard colour with tiny, white, grainy seed like pieces in it. It will be a very loose consistency and can occur at every nappy change or every few days.

Unlike formula fed babies, breast fed babies should not get constipated. (Breast milk is the best milk available to ready your babys body and digestive system). All is normal if a breast fed baby's poo is mainly mustard yellow and occasionally has green specks and streaks but then goes back to being like seeded mustard.

When baby is having infant formula, their poo will be a pasty consistency and often green in colour. Each brand of infant formula creates a slightly different variation of the colour green.

To avoid constipation in formula fed babies they will need to pass a poo every day or every second day.

A baby that is breastfeeding but has top ups of infant formula will have a variation in between these two types of poos depending on the ratio of breast milk to formula.

BABY POOP THAT IS NOT NORMAL AND INDICATES THE NEED FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT BY A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL INCLUDE:
1. Green frothy poo and possibly associated with irritability, bloating, wind and nappy rash
2. Very liquid consistency with no white seedy bits
3. A formula fed baby who cries when they poo and the stool is a pebble like consistency
4. A formula fed baby who has not passed a poo for 3 or more days
5. A poo that has streaks of blood in it
6. A poo that is green with a stringy egg white consistency
7. Projectile vomiting after 3 consecutive feeds associated with no bowel movement.

Emergency tips while waiting to see a health care professional:

Constipation - give frequent sips of water, and 1-2 stewed prunes or dried apricots (if baby already on solids) or 2 tsp prune juice with 20 mls water (for babies only having milk feeds), monitor temperature.

Diahorrea - give sips of water hourly, continue to breast feed but may need a lactose free infant formula temporarily, if on solids offer mashed banana, monitor temperature and watch out for at least six wet nappies in 24 hours.

As your infant grows older his/her digestive cycle should normalise to a regular daily routine, with or without a poo where you will get to know what is normal for your child and then be easily able to detect a change or a problem. If you are ever in doubt contact a health professional.