Among new parents the baby poo is a hot topic. Though you may speed through diaper changes with eyes and nose averted, even working at top speed, it’s hard not to notice how much baby poo varies with each diaper you change.
Babies’ developing digestive systems are very sensitive. This means that any changes to your baby’s diet affect baby poo. If baby’s breastfeeding and you start using breast milk substitutes, expect to see changes. When baby starts eating first foods, you’ll notice major changes in baby’s poo too.
What’s Normal?
All babies have the same very first poo, a black, tar-like substance called the meconium. After this passes out of your new baby’s system, here’s what to expect:
Breastfed Babies:
Mustard colored or yellow-green poo containing small, white granules is normal for breastfed babies. As breast milk changes, babies may have dark green or even greenish black poo temporarily. Changes to Mom’s diet can affect baby’s poo, too.
Breastfed babies’ poo is normally runny, and baby will likely poop after every feeding. What seems like symptoms of diarrhea are actually very normal while your baby is breastfeeding.
Formula Fed Babies:
Formula fed baby’s poo is usually yellow-green or tan in color. The Iron in fortified formulas can turn poo green or greenish black.
Formula fed babies may have firmer poo than breastfed babies, but it should still be very soft (about the consistency of peanut butter). Although breastfed babies go more often than formula fed babies, all babies poo a lot, especially in the first month.
Starting on Solid Food:
Once your baby starts taking solid foods, you’ll notice baby’s poo changes dramatically: it will be firmer, darker and a lot stinkier, too.
What goes in, comes out looking very similar. If you feed strained carrots, baby’s poo turns orange. Textured foods or foods that are high in fiber (such as peas or raisins) may pass right through into baby’s diaper in tact. This is normal as your baby’s digestive tract develops and adjusts to new foods.
What’s NOT Normal?
Although baby poo varies a lot, sometimes what’s in baby’s diaper can be cause for concern and a call to your baby’s healthcare practitioner:
- Chalky white poo can indicate a lack of bile to aid in digestion.
- Bright red in baby’s poo may indicate bleeding near or around the anus, or a dairy allergy.
- Frothy green poo that lasts more than 24 hours could indicate a stomach bug, insufficient lactose intake, or another digestive problem.
- Hard, dry, pellet-like stools your baby has trouble passing signal constipation.
- Baby poo that’s looser than normal isn’t cause for concern, but a sudden change to very watery stools indicates diarrhea.
- Colic might not be evident in your baby’s diaper, but you’ll notice signs of discomfort that may interfere with your baby’s ability to feed as well as poop normally. Read more about colic here.
Changing diapers might not be the most cherished highlight of parenthood, but when you understand the mysteries of baby poo, at least you’ll be prepared for any surprises on the changing table. Need a visual guide? Check out this link.
My baby is 6 weeks old. I was breast feeding him but switched him to bottle when he was 5 weeks old. When I switched him he went 25 hours without pooping. Now when he poops it is runny, almost looks black. Is that normal? What does it mean?
Hi Phelicia – The color could be from the iron in the formula. Formula is not an optimal food for babies, but if you don’t have the option of breastfeeding, be sure to use an organic milk based formula and supplement it with a high-quality probiotic. Even better, make your own formula so you can make sure the ingredients are the best for your baby.
Mustard colored or yellow-green poo containing small, white granules is this normal for formula feed babier? My daughter is 3 months old and i just notices the change in her poo the past couple of days.
My son is 3 months old. When he was 2 weeks old I stopped producing and had to switch to formula. His stool varies from mustard yellow to dark green. A majority of the time it’s runny.. I didn’t know if I should be concerned or not. He’s a happy baby & doesn’t seem like there’s a problem but his stomach has been bloated as long as I can remember. Should I take him to his pediatrician?
Hi Cari – Sorry I missed this question, but I would put him on a high potency probiotic as well as fermented cod liver oil. If you are open to it, I would also consider making your own formula:
http://www.holisticsquid.com/the-best-formula-for-your-baby/
my son just turned 8 months old and for almost a week now his poop went from normal brownish semi-solid poop to kinda runny mustard yellow poop which he is releasing several times a day which is unlike him. In the begining he seemed to not be feeling good but its been going on for a while now and he seems fine now, so im wondering if there is even anything wrong at all. i stopped feeding him any baby food and juices all together just in case and have just been giving him similac and pedialyte but…. nothings changed. sooo.. is this normal?
My little girl’s poos are consistently green and mucusy. I’m trying my hardest to go off dairy and I have mostly but they are still the same. If it were a dairy allergy wouldn’t there be blood in the stool also? Could green mucusy poos just be her normal or do I need to get to the bottom of this (no pun intended
)?
My daughter is 11 months and we just resolved her consistently green/runny poo problem that had been going on for many, many months. I had tried various eliminations including a full month of strict dairy and soy free. She sees a chiropractor regularly and started on a high quality infant probiotic but none of it helped with the green/runny poop.
Turned out to be lactose overload/foremilk-hindmilk imbalance. I have to make a point to fully drain each breast before switching to the other side. This usually means only one breast per feeding and sometimes the same breast for 2 feedings in a row.
She had always been a somewhat fussy nurser and also had a lot of gas and intestinal discomfort. We delayed solids until after 8 months because of her poo issues and sensitive tummy. Once we figured out the foemilk-hindmilk issue, her poops have been textbook breastfed normal. Yellowish to brownish with cottage cheese like curds and the consistency of runny peanut butter. She is now eating lots of solids so they cause some variations but no more green/runny poops!
Hi Lexi – Sorry for the delayed reply…Is she having discomfort or any other symptoms? How old she now?
My LO is EBF, 5 months old and has had consistently green mucousy poops Since around 6 or 7 weeks. i tried block feeding because i thought it was a hind/foremilk thing, but it made no difference. Two months ago i eliminated dairy, soy, and gluten from my diet. He was still pooping the same though and he wasnt gaining weight. A 4 months he was only 11lbs and just stayed that way. I tried Dairy/soy/gluten free probiotics but nothing happened. So 2 wks ago i started him on rice cereal 3x a day aS opposed to 1x a day. I give him the Happy Bellies Dairy soy gluten free brand with probiotics. Still his poo was Green and kinda mucousy. Now, i have him on baby food because he is soo hungry all the time. I still breastfeed 6-8x a day But even with the baby food, his poop.is still green and will have mucous in it now and then. I am at my wits end. I am so careful about food labels and hidden allergens, i wonder if some babys poop is just green??? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
At about 2 months old (now 4-1/2 mo) my EBF baby’s poop changed from normal yellow, seedy, several times a day to brownish/yellow, once every 8-10 days, and its foamy. He is incredibly gassy and it smells of rotten eggs. He doesn’t seem to be bothered at all by it, but I of course worry. Thoughts?
Hi Jessica, I’d need to know more about your diet, but a BM every 8-10 days in a newborn is not normal. I’d get him on a probiotic and take him to see a holistic pediatric practitioner.
About my diet. I like to think I eat well. I don’t eat red meat at all. we eat fish, chicken, turkey…to the best of my ability I buy all organic. I stay away from caffeine and artificial sweeteners. Although, I do consume more of that then I should. Does that help? Is there a probiotic you would recommend?