When you have a newborn, there are a few things you care about:

Is my baby eating enough?

Is my baby sleeping enough?

And, what we are focusing on today, is my baby poop enough and what does the color of baby’s poop mean?

Well, yes, let’s talk about poop. The first thing that you will notice is the frequency of poop! It seems like babies, especially newborns, are pooping a ton. That is completely normal. Breastfed babies normal have 6-8 per day while formula fed babies generally have 2-5. There is a wider range of the frequency for dirty diapers for breastfed baby.

Another big aspect of baby’s poop is the color. Babies poop really has a huge a variation in color, and sometimes the range of normal is surprising. Below are the different stages babies go through, and the colors of poop that correspond:

Meconium

A babies first poop consist of materials consumed while in utero and is a dark green/ black and is very sticky. It can occur anywhere from 24-48 hours after birth.

Transitional Milk Poop

As your baby is eating colostrum and your milk begins to come in, the color of your baby’s poop will change to a thinner, looser greenish/yellowish/brownish.

Full Milk Poop

Once your milk is in, your baby’s poop looks like grainy mustard, but the color can range from yellow, orange to green. Generally, there is little to no odor.

Formula Fed Poop

Tends to have a stronger odor, and appears with variations of tan to brown.

Combination Feeding

If you are giving both breastmilk and formula, expect poop to also be a combination of above.

Variations in Color

Color variations are normally and can be impacted on what the breastfeeding parent ate. If you are concerned about the color, let your postpartum doula or pediatrician know.

Mucus in Baby Poop: Usually not significant, but take note of any other recent changes.
Blood In Stool: If you see bright red blood in your baby’s poop, that can be a sign there is a small wound in your baby’s anus.
Black Poop (after meconium): May be a sign of bleeding inside the digestive track. Also, it could be a sign that you (or baby if onto solids) ate something darker in color.

Warning Signs For Baby’s Diaper Changes