Do you worry that your baby’s first bowel movement isn’t normal because the smell and color isn’t normal? Are you aware that baby poop comes in a wide range of colors and textures?
You may not have learned this from your parenting manuals, but you will spend the next few years worrying about your baby’s poop. You will have a better understanding of how your baby is doing.
Our guide to baby poop will explain the different types, what’s normal, and what you should look for.
Among the few good things about baby poop is that it doesn’t smell for most breast-fed babies – formula-fed babies may have a slight odor. When babies start eating solid foods, things change.
It’s possible, however, that your baby has an allergy if his or her poop smells especially bad. You should contact your child’s pediatrician if a strong odor persists for a few days to see if an allergy test is necessary.
Though it may be uncomfortable to discuss, your child’s poop is a window into their health.
Your Baby’s First Poop
The first time you peel off those newborn diapers, you will find what looks like sticky, greenish-black tar. Meconium, a mixture of amniotic fluid, bile, and secretions from your baby’s intestinal glands, is her first bowel movement. Many babies do not pass meconium until they are born. Usually it will stick around for a short time, and then a few days later, the actual thing will arrive.
Frequency of bowel movements
Most parents don’t realize how little importance bowel movements have on infant health. If your child is under 2, they should poop anywhere between twice a week and daily. Going beyond either end of that range could cause problems. Infrequent bowl movements are a sign that your child is constipated while too frequent movements are a sign that your child isn’t absorbing enough nutrients during the digestive process.
Why color matters when it comes to your baby’s poop
Although green, dark brown, and yellow poops are strange, there are only three colors to worry about: black, white, and red.
- A black stool could indicate that there is blood in the stool.
- White poops could indicate a liver problem in your baby.
- Red poops can often indicate bleeding. Anal fissures or milk allergies could result in stringy or mucous-like discharge.
When to Call the Doctor
There are a few reasons parents should contact a doctor about baby poop.
- Poop is either white (the result of insufficient bile production), black (blood digested from the stomach or small intestine), or contains streaks of red (the result of blood digested from the colon or rectum).
- While pooping, your child screams in pain or bleeds
- When you see mucus in baby poop, this could indicate an infection or intolerance
- When you introduce a new food to your child, his stool will change dramatically; this could be an indication of a food allergy
- By age 1, your child’s poop is still a very runny consistency (if your child has diarrhea – watery stools more than five times a day — tell your doctor about this too).
Father of four home schooling kids.