New parents are in for a surprise when it comes to the color, texture and smell of baby poop! Even experienced parents may not have seen them all! After all, baby poop comes in all sorts of colors, textures and smells. Our guide helps you determine what is normal and what isn’t.
Baby’s First Poop
Among the most unusual baby poop is baby’s first poop. This is because it is made up of something called meconium, which is made up of everything mom ingested while baby was in the womb. This poop will likely be greeny-black and very sticky, even difficult to wipe away. This is normal and will likely last for a few days at least. After that, baby poop can vary depending on your feeding method.
Baby Poop when Breastfeeding
After baby has passed all meconium through their system, their poop will start to change from greeny-black to a lighter greeny-black and then on to a yellow. It is often quite bright. The texture will change too, from sticky to grainy, even loose. The biggest surprise is the smell, which is sweeter than most would expect. This is totally normal as long as baby’s poop remains soft and passes easily.
Baby Poop when Bottle Feeding
There are some slight differences between bottle fed baby food compared to breast fed baby food. The most obvious difference will be that bottle fed baby poop will most likely be bulkier than breast fed baby poop as it is more difficult for baby to digest formula than breast milk (see our breastfeeding benefits pages for more info). Compared to breast fed baby poop, bottle fed baby poop is also a paler yellow or yellowish brown and stronger smelling.
Baby Poop while Transitioning to Solid Foods
When your baby starts to move on to solid food, you will notice that the different foods they try will have an impact on their poop – especially the color, which will often mirror the color of the food. Baby’s poop will also become larger and thicker, more like an adults. You may also notice certain hard to digest foods pass straight through. This will change in time, as baby gets used to different food types. As they do, baby’s poop will also become smellier.
Baby Poop – Warning Signs
As already mentioned, baby poop comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes (not to mention smells and colors). Because of this, it is sometimes hard to tell when something is wrong. Nevertheless, there are a few signs you should watch out for that could be symptomatic of a greater problem.
Diarrhoea – runny or even explosive diarrhoea could be a symptom of teething or an allergy, but you should check with your doctor in case of infection or other medical problem.
Constipation – Some babies don’t poop as often as others (especially if they are bottle fed), but if your baby is really struggling, crying and their poos are like rabbit droppings, you should contact your doctor. This is especially true if there is blood in baby’s poop. Read our how often should my baby poop guide for more info.
Blood – Blood is baby’s stool is usually a symptom of constipation and can normally be remedied quite easily. Nevertheless, you should always consult your doctor to be on the safe side.
Green Poop – green poop is normal in newborns but could be a sign of infection in older babies. A common cause is baby is breast feeding often but not getting the rich milk at the end of the feed.
Pale Poop – very pale poop is a sign of jaundice, which is common in newborns. If it lasts longer than a couple of weeks you should consult your doctor.
source:http://www.tommeetippee.us/
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