When your baby is born, their care and health will always be your priority. Babies can’t show symptoms like adults when they have health problems. Every movement they make, the way they cry, their sounds, and even changes in their poop provide clues about their health. If it’s your first baby, any difference you observe in your baby’s nappy may cause extra anxiety. You may try to find out the reason for these changes and wonder if there is a worrying situation. At this stage, the colours and textures of their poop can be a guide.

The colour of your baby’s poop can indicate many things. Sometimes it can signal serious issues, but it can also be a normal occurrence. Therefore, it’s important not to panic unnecessarily. So, what do baby poop colours mean? What do the colours green, black, yellow signify, and when should you consult a GP?

What Does Your Baby’s Poop Colour Mean?

Babies defecate differently when fed with breast milk or formula until they switch to complementary foods. Sometimes abnormal changes can be seen in the colour, density, and consistency of the poop. These changes, which occur due to the digestive system and bowel movements, may be caused by the baby’s diet or may indicate a health problem.

Newborn Baby Poop

One topic that parents are most curious about is newborn baby poop. Especially for first-time parents, there may be confusion about what kind of defecation is normal for a newborn.

While your baby is in the womb, tar-like and sticky, dark green-to-black stools called “meconium” accumulate in their intestines. They will expel these faeces from their intestines within the first 24 hours after birth.

• In the first 24 hours, sticky and black poop called meconium comes.
• After the meconium is entirely excreted, temporary stool begins to appear.
• Temporary stool has a particulate colour that lasts for 3-4 days and changes from dark green to light yellow.
• During this process, you may notice slimy or bloody structures in the baby’s nappy, which could be residues swallowed during delivery.
• After 3-4 days, the poop colour will return to normal: golden yellow and slightly watery if breastfed, or darker and denser if formula-fed.

Poop Colours and Types in Babies

Learning the colours and meanings of baby poop can guide you:

• Black: Indicates your baby’s first stool called meconium, normal within 24 hours.
• Dark Green: Caused by iron supplements or iron-rich foods.
• Green: Normal in newborns; can result from green vegetables, iron supplements, or excess saliva.
• Dark Yellow: Seen in infants fed follow-on milk and formula, ranging from dark yellow to yellowish-brown.
• Golden Yellow: Common in breastfed babies, partially watery and granular.
• White: Could indicate liver or gallbladder problems; consult your GP.
• Slimy-Mucus: May result from too much breast milk, intestinal infection, or teething; consult your GP if it persists.
• Bloody: Can signal a bacterial infection, constipation-related cracks, or milk protein allergy; consult your GP.

When to Consult Your GP

• Black stools without iron supplements or formula.
• Black poop after the meconium period.
• Watery stool for more than 24 hours with vomiting, fever, or mucus.
• White stools.
• Blood in nappy or stool.
• Persistent constipation.
• Mucus lasting longer than two days.

Some symptoms can indicate serious health problems, so it’s crucial to observe bowel movements carefully and interpret them correctly. Don’t overlook normal situations, but also avoid unnecessary worry.

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Have a nice and healthy day!