Couples who have recently become parents are unaware of the number of times a baby should poop or what its appearance must be like. The color and thickness of the baby’s poop is of so many varieties that no parent is familiar with them all. Parents are also concerned about the frequency of baby pooping.
This article is going to shed light on all the kinds of stool that your baby might produce and how often they should poop. It is also going to reveal which type of poop is normal and which ones are a worrying sign. The color and thickness of a baby’s poop changes as he grows and even changes in the diet that he is having can have an effect on it.
How Often Should a Newborn Poop?
Newborns poop in all manner of patterns and more often than not, no two babies have the same pooping pattern. Some of them can poop every time they have a meal while others tend to have only a single bowel movement each week. It does not matter whether your baby is pooping too many times a day or once a week, the important thing is that the poop should be soft because dry and hard poop is an indication that the baby is suffering from constipation and need medical treatment.
Babies who are being fed by their mothers are more frequent poopers than others and are known to have a bowel movement each after every feed (roughly 6-10 times per day). However, the pooping pattern evens out when the baby becomes three weeks old.
The pooping pattern of the baby should not concern you if the baby is acting in a normal manner. However, if you find that the baby is acting strangely and feels unhappy or annoyed, then it is better to call your doctor.
What Does a Newborn’s Poo Look Like?
Now that we've explained how often should a newborn poop, what's normal newborn poop like? The following is a list of how a newborn’s poop must look like when he starts growing up:
|
Cases |
What it looks like |
|---|---|
|
The first day |
Known as meconium, the poop your baby is going to produce on his first day is going to be greenish black in color, quite thick and extremely sticky. |
|
The first few days |
The stools of babies change color after the first few days and become a lot greener than greenish black. |
|
The first week |
By the end of the week, the baby’s stools are going to change color again and would first become yellow and then turn to yellowish brown. |
|
Other cases |
The poop passed out by those babies who are breast-fed is generally yellower in complexion than the poop produced by formula-fed babies. Moreover, breast-fed babies are known to pass out runny stools as well which appear like paste. |
The following is a list of the types of poos that a baby can produce and what they all mean:
|
Types |
Photos |
Descriptions |
|---|---|---|
|
Breast-fed babies’ poos |
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The poos are going to be of the size of a coin, will be grainy or curdled in appearance, soft in texture and their color will be greenish brown that is going to turn to bright yellow. The poos will also have a sweet smell. |
|
Formula-fed babies’ poos |
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The poos will have a thicker consistency than the poos of a breast-fed baby because the formula milk can’t be wholly digested by the baby. They will have a strong smell and their color will be yellowish brown. |
|
Newborn poop: Meconium |
|
Meconium is greenish black in color and has the consistency of motor oil. It is sticky and tarry in appearance and does not smell. It is made up of skin cells, mucus and amniotic fluid. |
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Iron-fortified poop |
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Iron-fortified poop is going to have a dark greenish or blackish coloration. Having such stools is normal if the baby is having an iron supplement, but if he is not and still has black poop then it is a cause for concern and should be told to the doctor. |
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Solid-food poop |
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Solid-food poop is dark brown in color and has a consistency similar to that of peanut butter. It has a very strong smell and is mushy in appearance. |
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Poop with partially digested food |
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Partially digested food is going to come out in the form of chunks in the poop. You might see bits of every color in the poop which might be because of the food particles that weren’t digested or chewed properly by the baby. |
What Types of Poos Are Not Normal?
|
Types |
Photos |
Symptoms |
Causes |
Treatments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Diarrhea |
|
Runny, large amounts of poo that comes out in bursts |
Infection, a reaction to a drug, food allergy and having too much juice. |
Goes away on its own within 24 hours. Call a doctor if it persists. |
|
Constipation |
|
Dry poo that is small in size and is very hard for the baby to pass out |
Fever, dehydration, changes in diet or fluid, reaction to medicines |
Increasing intake of fluid and give apricot puree. |
|
Green poo |
|
Poo that is greenish in color |
Food allergy, reaction of a drug, stomach bug, too much lactose |
Call the doctor immediately if symptoms persist for more than 24 hours. |
|
Very pale poo |
|
The skin and the white part of the eye turning yellow. |
Jaundice |
Usually goes away after two weeks. However, you still need to call the doctor right away. |
|
Streaks of blood |
|
Flecks of blood in the poo |
Constipation |
Call your physician immediately. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Newborns’ Poos
1. Will Newborns’ Poos Change If I Switch from Breastfeeding to Bottle-feeding?
The poos are going to change but it is better to make the switch slowly. This will help in avoiding constipation.
2. What Will Babies’ Poos Be Like When They Start Solid Food?
The poos change considerably both in color and in thickness when you baby starts eating solid food. It is going to become more smelly and darker in color as he starts consuming other types of foods.
3. What Should I Watch Out For?
Watch out for stools that are hard and dry appearance as it is a sign of constipation. If the frequency of the poo escalates suddenly then it is a worrying sign because the baby might be suffering from diarrhea.
4. When Should I Call a Pediatrician?
You must call the pediatrician if your baby starts having bloody, black or white poo. You must also give him a call if you baby stars pooping a lot or is having difficulty in passing it at all.
