Think of it this way, nothing comes out the bottom unless something goes in at the top.
The poop of your newborn will tell you if your little one is getting enough food. It will tell you if your baby is healthy or she needs to see a doctor.
Baby poop changes often during her first year of life. The poop will depend on your baby’s age and what you feed her.
Before birth, the poop is already forming in her intestines. This consists the wastes such as intestinal secretions, amniotic fluid, and the cells that flake off her skin and hair.
Within 24 to 48 hours after birth, your baby releases her first poop and it is called Meconium. It is sticky. The faster your baby releases meconium, the better it is to decrease jaundice – the yellowing of the skin which is common in newborns.
The first milk that comes out from your breast is thick yellow concentrated milk, called colostrum. It acts as a natural laxative and helps your baby release meconium quickly. If your baby is formula-fed, it may take longer for her to release meconium.
Most babies wait until birth to release meconium. On some occasions, other babies release meconium before birth. This is called “meconium staining”. If this happens, the baby will be closely monitored by the medical professionals during the first few days.
Kinds of poop in newborn babies
Transitional poop is less sticky and is army green in colour.
This happens anytime from day 1 to 5 after your baby released meconium. Your baby’s intestinal tract is functioning and is starting to digest the milk she is taking in.
The more breastmilk your baby takes, the faster for her to clear the meconium and bilirubin.
Breastfed baby poop is odourless. It is runny bright yellow and may have little whitish curd. This is the normal poop of an exclusively breastfed baby.
Around day three to five, your baby’s intake of breastmilk increases. Her poop then will become runnier and more frequent. In her first 6 weeks, she should be having at least 3 loonie sized poops in a day.
As the stomach stretches with food, the colon is automatically signalled to empty to make room for more. This is a gastrocolic reflex. Your baby’s gastrocolic reflex is immature. So every time she feeds, she usually squirts out a little poop. It is normal to poop about eight to twelve times a day.
Formula-fed baby poop comes out usually smelly and the colour is light brown or greenish with a consistency of peanut butter. After meconium, this is the poop of a formula-fed baby from day two onward.
Formula milk is harder to digest. Your baby doesn’t thoroughly absorb many ingredients, so it ends up in her poop. Her poop is thicker and darker in colour. The greenish tint of your baby’s poop is the iron in formula milk.
In her early weeks, she poops three or four times a day. Sometimes, she poops only once or twice a day. When she’s one or two months old, she may poop only every one or two days. Her poop moves slowly through her intestines.
Constipation can occur at any age. The poop of a constipated baby is brown, dry, and hard. It can be as small as a pellet or large as a knobby. This is common in formula-fed babies or when he or she is starting to eat solids. Breastmilk is always in the right concentration and is easily absorbed, thus breastmilk fed babies are rarely constipated.
Sometimes, constipation brings a tiny streak of bright red blood. As the hard poop is released, a small rectal tear occurs. Don’t be alarmed. This is usually painless and heals on its own.
Make sure that you are following the right mixing instructions for formula milk. When your baby is still under 6 months old, avoid giving juice or water.
When your baby reaches 6 months, ensure she is getting enough fibre and fluids by introducing vegetables and whole-grain products.
Solid food poop has a thicker consistency. Once you start introducing solid foods to your baby, you will notice some food in her poop. These are foods not digested properly especially when your baby doesn’t chew the food completely.
This is normal but if your baby always has undigested food in her poop, consult your doctor.
Poop with mucous has a greenish streak with glistening, shiny strings. This can be caused by several things, including food allergies or excess saliva that is produced by teething.
Sometimes it can be a serious concern as it may have been caused by virus or mal-absorption – a rare tendency where the baby is not getting nutrients from milk either breastmilk or formula. Call a doctor if mucous lasts for two days or more.
Diarrhea can occur at any age and can be a sign of infection or allergy. It can lead to dehydration if it stays for a while without treatment. Her poop is very runny and appears to be made up of water more than solids. Immediately seek medical assistance when this happens.
When should you call a doctor?
If you see anything strange and completely out of ordinary in your baby’s diaper don’t hesitate to check with a health care provider. You may not rush directly to a clinic since you can find a walk in clinic Guelph.
Everyone poops. It’s the body’s natural process of eliminating the waste that is not needed by the body. When you see your baby’s face go red and she strains and grunts, she must be pooping and there is a variation of the poops.
