Tips to Decode Baby Poop - What Infant Stools Can Tell You?

As a first time mom, I was told by the midwives to keep an eye on my baby’s poop so as to understand more about her health. It sounded a little silly but nevertheless, I began scanning my daughter’s diaper every time she pooped, every day for weeks and months together. My husband, on the other hand, thought I was being paranoid and getting obsessed with poop! By the time I had my son, almost 3 years later, I knew a lot more about baby poop and how to understand it to assess my child’s health.

Decoding Baby's Poop

Here is a little article to help new parents decode their baby’s poop and know more about how their baby is feeling on a particular day. Check these carefully

• Newborn Poop or Meconium: A new baby’s stools also called meconium are usually dark and appear greenish-black. This is perfectly normal. The dark colour is due to the presence of Bilirubin, a yellowish green breakdown of red blood cells. The consistency is quite loose, which is absolutely normal.
  What to do?
  Meconium is temporary and usually lasts for the first three days after your baby’s birth after which the poop changes to a yellowish color.
   
• Bright Yellow and Seedy: Breastfed babies have loose, yellow seedy poop with a mild smell. It may look like diarrhea, but it is completely normal for babies who are exclusively breastfed to have poop of this consistency.
  What to do?
  Nothing! Continue breastfeeding your baby without worrying.
   
• Dark and Thick: Babies who are formula fed usually have a darker poop as compared to those babies who are breastfed. The consistency is thick and the color is brown.
  What to do?
  There is nothing to worry about. You may continue with the normal feeding routine of your baby. If you switch to a new formula, there may be a change in the consistency of your baby’s poop but that should regularize in a couple of days.


• Greenish Brown Color: When you introduce solids, your baby’s poop may change to a greenish brown color. This can also happen if your baby is on an iron supplement. This is completely normal.
  What to do?
  This stool is considered normal. You may consult the doctor if you notice any other symptom in your baby, such as a cold, fever or excessive irritability.

Baby Poop Warning Signs: When to Call the Doctor?

You can tell a lot about your baby’s health by what is in his/her diaper. Your baby’s poop can be of a variety of texture, color, and odor. However, the following signs need a call to the doctor for advice.

• Brown, watery or loose: Your baby may occasionally have brownish loose stools and it’s no cause for concern.  Keep an eye on your baby’s diaper. If the loose stools continue for two days or more and are coupled with any more signs—discomfort to the child, resistance to feeding, fever, listlessness etc.--it could be diarrhea. Diarrhea could be a sign for infection and could lead to dehydration. Call your baby’s doctor if runny poop persists for more than two days.
   
• Dry, Hard Pebble-like: This consistency signifies that your baby could be constipated. Occasional constipation is normal, just as occasional loose stools are normal. Your baby may be constipated due to a change in formula or when being introduced to solids.  To ease your baby’s constipation, give him/her small amounts of extra breast milk or formula to drink. For older babies, little water can be given from time to time. When introducing solids, offer foods with high fiber such as vegetables and fruits to avoid your baby is constipated.
   
• Green, Slimy Streaked: Green streaks with strings indicate a presence of mucus in poop. This could be a sign of an infection and needs to be checked by the doctor.
   
• White, chalky: Chalky white or greyish poop is a sign that your baby is not properly digesting food. Bile is a digestive fluid made in the liver. If your baby’s liver does not produce bile or if the bile is obstructed, the color of the stool changes to white. This needs immediate attention by the doctor.


• Unusually Smell: Though poop is meant to have a bit of smell, if the smell is very strong, foul, and is different from his normal poop, you may want to get your baby checked by the doctor.

Poop-trouble Symptoms for Your baby

Also, here are some more pointers which may indicate poop-trouble for your baby.

1.) Call the doctor right away if you notice any of the following:

• Blood in stools
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Dark colored urine
• Lethargy or decreased activity

2.) It is normal for babies to pass stools 4-5 times a day to once in two days, but if there is a huge variation in this average, it may indicate trouble.
3.) In case the baby does have loose motions etc., be extra gentle in wiping his bottom clean. Due to frequent pooping and cleaning of the area, the delicate skin is highly prone to a diaper rash. Always ask your doctor a diaper rash cream as well along with the medicines prescribed by the doctor. 
4.) Most babies do make strange faces when passing poop as they have to apply pressure. It is normal unless you feel your baby is almost in pain.

Understanding your baby’s health, making informed choices without being worried saves you time to bond better with your baby. Happy diaper scanning!