If you find yourself spending a lot of time inspecting your baby’s diaper, you’re not alone. Many parents worry about the colour, consistency and/or frequency of their baby’s poops (stools). Your baby’s stools will change as they develop—and they may even change from one day to the next. They can vary depending on how old they are, whether they breastfed or bottle fed, and whether they have started solids.
Baby’s first poop
What will my newborn’s stools be like?
During the first 2 or 3 days after birth, your baby will pass meconium. Meconium is dark greenish-black and very sticky, almost like tar. This is a sign that your baby’s bowels are working normally.
Breastfed baby poop
What will my baby’s stools be like if I’m breastfeeding?
A breastfed baby’s stools can range in colour from a greenish-brown to bright or mustard yellow. The stools may seem grainy or curdled and loose in texture.
Formula fed baby poop
What stools should I expect my baby to have if I am formula feeding?
Formula fed babies generally tend to have firmer stools than breastfed babies. However, babies fed a formula with a fibre blend of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and polydextrose may have softer stools than babies fed a formula without GOS and polydextrose. The stool colour of formula fed babies can range from pale yellow to yellowish-brown.
What do I do if my baby has diarrhea?
If your baby has more bowel movements than usual, and their stools are less formed and more watery, your baby might have diarrhea. They may have other symptoms, such as fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, cramps, and blood and/or mucus in his bowel movements. It can quickly lead to dehydration and might be a sign of an infection, so call your baby’s doctor if you think your baby may have diarrhea.
What do I do if my baby is constipated?
It is normal for some babies to poop more often than others. However, if your baby has bowel movements less often and their stools are hard and dry and difficult to pass, they could be constipated.
How to help a constipated baby
To help relieve their discomfort, gently rub your baby’s tummy and then press their legs into his tummy and gently rotate them as if he were riding a bicycle. If you think your baby is constipated, or if you have any concerns about baby’s stools, talk to your baby’s doctor.
Baby poop colour chart
Overview of poop per colour and what it means. Check out our baby stool guide.
Black
Your baby’s first poop, also known as meconium, will be black and be very sticky, almost like tar. This is normal and expected for the first few poops. If black stool is present later in life, contact baby’s doctor for advice.
Dark green to yellow
After the first 48 hours, babies pass dark greenish/yellow stools known as transitional stools. Babies stool changes colour and consistency from meconium as the baby begins digesting breastmilk or formula. Greenish stools are also normal for babies.
Pale yellow to yellowish-brown
Yellow stools are common with breastfed and formula-fed babies. Breastfed babies pass stools that are often a mustard colour and are a more watery consistency than formula fed babies. Formula fed babies pass stools that are often a more tan colour and are slightly firmer (a consistency no firmer than peanut butter) compared to breastfed babies.
Red
Bloody poop can be a sign of a problem, but it could also be blood swallowed by your baby during delivery or even red dyes found in food and drinks that your older baby may be having. You should always contact your baby’s doctor for advice on blood in your baby’s poop.
Gray or white
Rare but could indicate a liver problem. Contact baby’s doctor for advice.
