What does a normal baby poop look like?

Baby poo is a good indicator of how a baby is tolerating feeding.

Baby poo changes in colour, consistency and frequency over the first few months of life and is different again depending on your feeding regime.

A newborn baby's first 'poop', is called the meconium, which is greenish-black, thick and sticky. This first poo consists of epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and water which are intestinal substances baby ingests while in the womb. The meconium poo shows baby is ready for normal digestion to begin and should pass within 48hrs after birth. A good one for the dads to learn how to change! Be ready for it as it can be a surprise.

As a newborn begins to ingest colostrum (mother's first breast liquid), breast milk and or infant formula the poo will begin to change into a dark brown colour and be less sticky. When a baby is breastfeeding their poo will progress to a more mustard colour with tiny, white, grainy seed like pieces in it. It will be a very loose consistency and can occur at every nappy change or every few days.

Unlike formula fed babies, breast fed babies should not get constipated. (Breast milk is the best milk available to ready your babys body and digestive system). All is normal if a breast fed baby's poo is mainly mustard yellow and occasionally has green specks and streaks but then goes back to being like seeded mustard.

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