Baby poop: Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask

When it comes to baby poop, you may have a lot of questions. How often should your baby poop, and what should it look like? Is green baby poop a red flag? Baby poop has so many shades and consistencies that even experienced parents may not have seen them all.

"The answer to the vast majority of questions that parents have regarding their baby's poop is that it's normal," says Chandani DeZure, M.D., a pediatrician, neonatal and pediatric hospitalist, and member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. She adds: "But there are a few red flags when it comes to color and consistency that should prompt a visit to the pediatrician."

This very thorough guide describes the various types of baby poop and explains what's normal and what's not. You'll learn what to expect if your newborn drinks breast milk or formula, and what changes you'll see when your baby eventually starts eating solid foods. If you're a visual person with a strong stomach, check out our photo guide to baby poop too!

What does newborn poop look like?

For your baby's first few poops, expect to see a greenish-black, tarry substance called meconium. It looks like very thick motor oil! Meconium is sticky and can be hard to clean up, so you may want to smear your baby's bottom with some petroleum jelly so it's easier to wipe everything off.

Meconium is made of amniotic fluid, mucus, and skin cells your baby ingested in the womb. It doesn't contain the bacteria that will colonize your baby's intestines – and give their poop its distinctive odor. (Here's more about how your baby eats and poops in the womb.)

When your baby is 2 to 4 days old, their poop will become lighter in color – transitioning from dark green to yellow/green to tan or mustardy yellow – and less sticky. This transitional poop signals that your baby has started digesting breast milk or formula and that their intestinal tract is working as it should.

If your baby doesn't have a bowel movement in the first 24 hours, their doctor will check to see if there's a problem such as an intestinal blockage.

Does breastfed baby poop look different than formula-fed poop?

Yes! Your baby's poop will look different depending on whether they're breastfed or formula-fed.

There are many shades of normal when it comes to breastfed baby poop, including mustard yellow, green, or brown. It has a mushy or creamy consistency – maybe runny enough to resemble mild diarrhea, but typically like Dijon mustard and cottage cheese mixed together. It may also be dotted with little seed-like flecks. You may find that it has a slightly sweet, not-too-unpleasant odor.

Formula-fed babies have pasty, peanut butter-like poop on the brown color spectrum: yellow-brown, tan-brown, or green-brown. It smells a little more pungent than poop from breastfed babies and a little less pungent than poop from babies who are eating solid food. You'll know when it's time to change a diaper!

How often should my baby poop?

Normal pooping patterns vary quite a bit – from after every meal to only once or twice a week. "From your pediatrician's perspective, the actual number of poops is likely to be less important than the fact that everything is generally moving along," says the American Academy of PediatricsOpens a new window (AAP).

Here's what's pretty typical:

• Younger babies tend to poop more than older ones. Newborns usually have one or more poops daily – in fact, some newborns produce five or more poopy diapers a day (woah).
• Newborns and young infants tend to have several smaller poops in a row. Give them time to finish before you start changing them!
• Breastfed babies generally poop more than formula-fed ones. They might poop after every feeding (roughly six to 10 times a day), at least for the first three to six weeks. Then they typically slow down and poop less frequently – even just once a week.
• Once they're a month or two old, formula-fed babies can also range from several dirty diapers a day to several days between them. Their number twos are usually bigger – and smellier – than breastfed babies' poop.

If your baby's pooping pattern stays fairly consistent, their poop is reasonably soft, and they're acting like their usual self, all is probably well.

But if your baby's poop is hard and pebble-like, they may be constipated. Starting solid foods sometimes causes constipation. So does a sensitivity to something in breast milk or formula (such as milk or soy).

And if your baby's poop looks more and more watery, or they're pooping more often than they're feeding, talk with their doctor to make sure your baby doesn't have diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration.

Why is there mucus in baby poop?

You may notice stringy, slimy mucus in your baby's poop that's yellow, green, or brown. It's because the intestines produce mucus during digestion to help poop move through smoothly. Some of this may show up in your baby's diaper, and this is perfectly normal, especially for breastfed babies.

There might also be another cause for mucus in your baby's poop, such as:

• Teething. If your baby is teething, the mucus may be the result of swallowing a lot of saliva.
• Infection. If your baby has a viral or bacterial infection, inflammation in the intestines can lead to mucus in their poop. (It may be green!) They may also have some blood in their poop if they have a bacterial infection.
• Milk allergy. If your baby is allergic to something in breast milk or formula, their intestines may become inflamed, leading to increased mucus production.
• Cystic fibrosis. Your baby's intestines and other organs will produce more mucus if they have cystic fibrosis. The mucus may look greasy and have a bad odor.
• Intussusception. This is a blockage of poop in the intestine that stops anything other than mucus from passing through. (If any poop is passed, it may contain mucus and blood.) This is a medical emergency, and you would know something was wrong because your baby would have other symptoms, such as vomiting, lethargy, and abdominal pain.

If there's mucus in your baby's poop and they seem fine – or are teething – there's probably no reason to worry. But if your baby has any other symptoms, such as tummy trouble, feeding difficulty, vomiting, bloody stool, or fever, tell their doctor right away.

If you notice that your breastfeeding baby's poop is frothy (it may also look green), it may mean that they're not getting enough full-fat breast milk. Because the fatty hindmilk is at the end of a feeding, this can happen if you switch breasts often, without having your baby empty one or both breasts. They may also be fussy and gassy. Try having your baby fully empty one breast before switching to the other.

Baby poop colors

Baby poop comes in a wide range of colors – and textures. While variation is usually perfectly normal, it can sometimes mean that something's amiss. Here are some common baby poop colors and what they could mean.

Yellow baby poop

As your baby goes from that first meconium poop to regular poop, it might be brown, yellow, or green. Breastfed babies typically continue to have yellowish poop that's mustardy or even bright yellow. Yellow poop is often loose and mild-smelling.

Brown baby poop

Formula-fed babies' poop tends to be brown or somewhere on that spectrum (yellowish-tan/brown or greenish-tan/brown). If your baby breastfeeds and formula feeds, their poop may be anywhere from dark yellow to brown.

When your baby starts eating solid foods, their poop will become firmer, browner, and smellier, thanks to the healthy bacteria breaking down the food in their intestines. Their poop may also contain colors of things they ate, as well as pieces of undigested food.

Black baby poop

Your baby's first poops will be black and tarry, and that's perfectly normal. But black poop after this may signal a medical problem.

Blood usually turns from red to black over time in the intestinal tract, so black poop may mean there's intestinal bleeding. If your baby's poop was yellow, green, or brown but then turns black, contact their doctor right away.

Note: If your baby is taking iron supplements, these could turn your baby's poop very dark green, which may look black at first glance.

White or light gray baby poop

If you see white or chalky gray poop in your baby's diaper, call their doctor right away. Called acholic poop, this is very rare and may look like whitish modeling clay.

In some cases, white or light gray poop can be caused by medicines a breastfeeding mom takes, but it may also mean that your baby has an intestinal infection or serious liver or gallbladder problem.

Red baby poop

If your baby is eating solids, the most common cause of red poop is something they ate or drank. Some medicines that contain red dye, like amoxicillin, can also turn poop red.

But occasionally red poop can mean that there's blood in your baby's stool. Blood might be from:

• Delivery. A newborn baby might have a little blood in their poop if they swallowed some during delivery.
• Cracked nipples. If your breastfeeding baby nurses while your nipple is bleeding, they may swallow some of that blood and pass it in their poop. It may appear as little flecks.
• A milk allergy. If your baby is allergic, their poop may be blood-tinged from milk protein in breast milk (if you eat dairy) or formula. It may also contain mucus. Your baby may have other symptoms, too, such as abdominal cramps, constipation or diarrhea, and hives.
• An intestinal infection. The hue of the blood can give your baby's doctor a clue about what's going on. For example, bright red blood may mean that there's a problem near the end of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Constipation. If your baby has anal fissures (little tears in the anus) from being constipated, it can cause little flecks of red in your baby's poop.

Orange baby poop

Orange poop is normal in babies. And once your baby is eating solids, orange foods – those with beta carotene, such as carrots, oranges, and sweet potatoes – can make baby poop even brighter orange.

Green baby poop

Green poop is usually normal – in fact, greenish/tan poop is common for formula-fed babies. Once your baby starts eating green foods such as spinach and peas, those can cause some green coloring, too. Sometimes, though, there's another cause, such as:

• Medication. If you're breastfeeding and taking certain medications or iron supplements, or if your baby is on medication or taking iron supplements, it may turn their poop dark green.
• Illness. A stomach virus or cold can turn your baby's poop bright green.
• A milk allergy or intolerance. Your baby may have an allergy or intolerance to the milk proteins in their formula, or to the dairy in your diet if you're breastfeeding.
  
  BabyCenter Community member RayLJC switched to hypoallergenic formula and says, "My baby's poop started to look normal the same day I did the switch." (Note: Be sure to talk to your baby's doctor before making any feeding changes.)
• Not enough full-fat breast milk when nursing. In this case, the poop may be bright green and frothy or foamy, similar to algae. To help your baby get hindmilk, have them empty one breast before switching to the other while nursing. (The milk they get early in the feeding is foremilk, which is high-sugar and low fat. The high-fat, high-calorie hindmilk is what they get when they empty your breast.)
• Diarrhea. Because poop travels more quickly through your baby's intestines when they have diarrhea (and bile hasn't had time to break it down), it may be green rather than brownish.

How does baby poop change once we start solids?

Once you start giving your baby solid foods at around 4 to 6 months, you'll almost instantly notice a change in their poop, especially if they were exclusively breastfed.

Poop from babies who eat solid food tends to be brown or dark brown and thicker than peanut butter, but still mushy. It's also smellier.

Occasionally your baby's poop may have a surprising hue – such as red, orange, or even dark blue if you give your baby blueberries. Red could be from eating beets, while orange may be the result of eating carrots.

"My kids' poop is crazy colors if they have a cupcake or something else with dye in it," says BabyCenter Community member Babyfeldbusch.

Once your baby starts eating certain solids, you may even notice identifiable chunks of food in their poop. Not to worry! You're probably seeing this because certain foods are only partially digestible or travel so quickly through the intestines that they don't have time to completely break down. It also happens when your baby eats a lot of one type of food.

What changes in baby poop could signal a problem?

What you find in your baby's diaper can give you important clues about what's going on with their health. Some common changes to watch for:

Watery, runny poop may mean that your baby has diarrhea. Baby poop tends to be soft and even a little runny before a baby starts eating solids, so it can be hard to tell if your baby has mild diarrhea. Look for more frequent bowel movements and watery poop. The poop may be very runny and seep or "explode" out of the diaper. It may be yellow, green, or brown.

Your baby may have diarrhea due to an infection, a food intolerance or allergy, or a medication they're taking. Untreated diarrhea can lead to dehydration, and the frequent, runny pooping it causes can irritate your baby's tender skin and lead to diaper rash.

Hard, pebbly poop means your baby is probably constipated. The poop may be dark brown or even black. Your baby may be visibly uncomfortable when they're pooping, and the poop may be tinged with blood from irritating their anus on the way out.

Constipation often happens when babies are first starting solid foods, as your baby's system gets used to digesting solids. It can also be a sign of a food allergy or intolerance. Your doctor may recommend giving your baby water or fruit juice to help move things along. If constipation persists, they may recommend changing your baby's diet or switching formulas.

Very dry, hard stools may mean that your baby is dehydrated. Whether you breastfeed or use formula, dry, hard poop can signal that your baby isn't getting enough fluid or is losing too much fluid due to illness, fever, or heat.

Mucusy, stringy poop. Poop streaked with shiny, glistening strings means there's mucus in it. This sometimes happens when a baby is especially drooly, because mucus in saliva often goes undigested. But mucus in poop can also be a telltale sign of an infection, allergy, or another issue.

Bloody poop. Blood in poop can be bright red to black, and it can show up for several reasons – from swallowing blood from cracked and bleeding nipples to a milk allergy, constipation, or an intestinal infection.

When should I call the doctor about my baby's poop?

Call the doctor any time your baby poops more or less often than is typical, or whenever you see anything unusual in your baby's diaper.

The answer to the vast majority of questions that parents have regarding their baby's poop is that it's normal. But there are a few red flags when it comes to color and consistency that should prompt a visit to the pediatrician.

- Chandani DeZure, M.D., a pediatrician and neonatal and pediatric hospitalist

For example, call their doctor if:

• Your baby seems uncomfortable or unhappy when pooping.
• Your baby is 3 months old or younger and has diarrhea – specifically, more than two diarrhea-filled diapers or diarrhea that lasts for longer than a day or two. "Any time a newborn's poop becomes progressively more watery or outpaces feeding frequency, it's time to seek medical advice," says the AAP.
• You see blood in your baby's diarrhea.
• You see mucus in your baby's diaper for longer than a day or so, or your baby has any other symptoms along with mucus in their poop.
• Your baby's poop looks black and they're not taking an iron supplement.
• You see flecks of digested blood that look like poppy or sesame seeds in your baby's poop, especially if you're having breastfeeding difficulties.
• Your baby has hard, pebbly stools in their diaper three or more times.
• Your baby eats solids and consistently has undigested food in their poop. (Their doctor may want to check to make sure your baby's intestines are absorbing food and nutrients properly.)

Some rare types of baby poop could suggest a more serious problem. These happen infrequently, but get medical attention right away if your baby has:

• Thick, black poop (made up mostly of digested blood) that's dark and tarry like meconium but a bit firmer and less sticky. This can be a sign of intestinal bleeding.
• Poop consisting almost entirely of red blood, known as "currant jelly" poop, which indicates a severe intestinal problem.
• White or pale, chalky, clay-colored poop, which may signal liver or gallbladder problems.