baby poop: what to expect

As a new mom, there were many unknowns to having a baby. One I kept an eye on was baby's first poop. What is normal. how often should my baby poop? What color should it be?

Yes, honey...ask all the questions when it comes to your baby pooping.

Your Baby's First Poop

During the first day of life, your little newborn is going to make a blackish, tar-like mess called meconium. Breast milk is a natural laxative, especially colostrum. Colostrum acts as a laxative to help your baby pass meconium (the dark first poop).

So, let's talk about your baby's first bowel movement called meconium. Meconium contains ingesting mucus, amniotic fluid, and other materials in the womb. The good news is you won't get to smell or see baby's first poop at the very beginning. Within several days baby of baby sucking colostrum from your body in small amounts your baby will begin to eliminate the meconium. This small amount of poop is in direct correlation to the amount of milk baby eats. Your baby will probably take teaspoons of colostrum for the first few days while your milk transitions and volume increases.

Why does stool matter?

It is very important to watch baby's poop including checking for color, texture, and frequency of their bowel movements. These are good indicators that they’re getting enough breast milk. This is one way you can monitor their health in between visits to the pediatrician.

How can I tell if my baby is having a bowel movement?

It was the cutest to me..to watch my baby make a poop. The noises and grunts were definitely a dead ringer for baby beginning a poop. Don't be too alarmed if your grunts, groans, makes funny faces and strains while trying to pass poop. Their digestive system and intestines aren't strong enough for easy elimination.

How much poop should my baby make?

After the first few days, the amount of stool is pretty different for every baby but it is usually directly correlated to the amount of breast milk baby is taking. Expect any where from 3 to 4+ stools daily that are at least around the size of a quarter. Baby poops in correlation to how much milk baby is taking in. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is yellow and loose (soft to runny) and may be seedy or curdy. After 4 – 6 weeks, some babies stool less frequently, with stools as infrequent as one every 7-10 days. As long as baby is gaining well, this is normal.

If you have concerns that your baby's output does not correlate with the amount of milk baby takes in remember growth is the key factor here. Is baby gaining weight? Is baby happy and content? Is baby's stomach protruding? Is baby satisfied after eating? Is baby reaching milestones? The more than likely baby is doing well. If any of these questions raise red flags reach out to an IBCLC quickly to assure baby is eating enough.

Why is my baby's poop so many different colors?

As your baby grows and starts solid foods, you may notice changes to the color of their stool. It may be more greenish-yellow or tan-brown in color.

Will my baby's poop have a smell?

For the first few days your baby's poop won't really have a smell at all. Babies that are breastfed have poop that sometimes has a sweet smell. As long as your baby has frequent bowels of normal color and ot is soft you shouldn't be worried about the smell. Thankfully, honey your baby's poop may not begin to smell until you introduce formula or solids.

Always let your pediatrician know if your baby has stool that is:

red, bloody, black, pale-grey or white.

This may or may not be a sign of illness. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your baby and give you peace of mind.

This blog post is not to replace the advice of a healthcare provider. Always consult your physician or pediatrician before changing lifestyles of you or your baby.

Jada Metcalf | is a mom of two, ROSE Community Transformer, WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor and lactation consultant in training and maternal wellness boobtik business owner.

Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including the CDC (Center for Disease Control), AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and WHO ( World Health Organization)Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including the CDC (Center for Disease Control), AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and WHO ( World Health Organization),