Baby Poo: A Guide For New Parents

How often should my baby poop?  What should it look like? These are some of the questions that some new parents are plagued with. Newborn poop can be quite surprising, it has so many shades and consistencies that even experienced parents may not have seen them all.

Some babies poo after every meal and some only once or twice a week. The most important thing is that your baby’s poop is soft. Hard poop is a sign of constipation, and can make her uncomfortable. Breastfed newborns often poo after every feeding (roughly six to 10 times a day), but by their 3rd week, their systems begin to regularize and they poo less frequently.

Week 1 – 2

A newborn’s first stools are known as meconium. It is thick, sticky and tar-like.It is made of amniotic fluid, mucus, skin cells, and other stuff baby has ingested in the uterus. Formula-fed babies tend to have a slightly formed, yellow or tan coloured stool, while breast-fed babies often have a more liquid or creamy mustard-coloured bowel movement. Expect 6 to 8 stools a day. If the stool is very frequent, watery and green looking, it means baby has diarrhea. Diarrhea should clear up without treatment within 24 hours, but call your doctor regardless.

Weeks 3-4

Your baby might still have 6 to 8 bowel movements a day, but don’t be alarmed if the frequency diminishes or even disappears for a day here and there. More than frequency, the color and consistency will tell you if something is wrong. If you notice green poo arriving with a lot of gas, it may mean that your baby is overloaded with lactose. This is very common with babies who consume large amounts of breast milk. Reducing or sticking to a feeding pattern may help your baby’s system regularize.

After 12 weeks

Baby’s poo will continue to vary in colour, consistency and frequency as they get older. Do not panic, over time, you will get to know what’s normal for your child and what’s not. The next big change in your baby’s poo will occur once you introduce her to solids at about 4-6 months. You may then notice brownish, smellier larger chunks of poo. Some of them might have slight traces of digested foods.

Remember, try to make your baby as comfortable as possible. If the poo is chunky and comes out in pebble-like forms, it means your baby might be constipated.

If you see any trace of blood whatsoever, please call your doctor immediately.