Mom’s are the most proactive and intuitive bunch out there, so it’s not uncommon for this common question to rise us, what is the normal poop color for newborns? Newborn poop color is different than a week old babies poop. Your baby goes through many transitions during the first few days and you may notice their stool is also changing. However, mom’s and dad’s don’t usually need to worry about the change in stool color because this normal change in color and texture is part of being a newborn!
When should I be concerned about my newborns poop?
More times than not, your newborn babies poop is fine even though it doesn’t look what we would normally think of as, “normal”. If you are looking for signs that may be concerning with your newborns poop then here are a few things to watch out for as you scan.
Does the poop contain blood in it? Poop in the blood is usually an indicator that something is off within the digestive track. This can sometimes occur due to the baby being allergic to something they are eating. Regardless of the reason why there is blood in your baby’s stool, you should always consult a physician.
So what can you do to see if your baby is allergic to something they are eating which is leading to the blood in the stool? The best place to start is by eliminating certain foods or food groups for two to three weeks to see if there is a change in the stool. According to this article form What to Expect, Some of the foods you can test are soy, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts or grains and wheats.
Some children cannot tolerate digesting certain food groups and it’s better to learn sooner than later. These are some of the food groups that your pediatrician may recommend. However, as we stated previously, always consult your primary pediatrician as they may use their expertise to better diagnose the problem.
What kind of poop is normal for a newborn?
So this leads to the purpose of this article, what kind of poop is normal for a newborn? According to Blank Unity Hospital, normal newborn poop will vary greatly after birth. Typically, they will start off with a tarry and/or blackish-green color stool that resembles motor oil. But this is usually not a cause for concern as it is referred to merconium. Merconium is what makes up the amniotic fluid, skin cells, mucus and other items ingested by the baby in the utero. After the first few days, your baby’s poop should start to get a more “normal” color and texture.
Why is newborn poop green?
You may notice that sometimes newborn poop is green. While a lot of times you may notice this in slightly older babies due to introducing new foods in their diet such as spinach or beans, there is usually a different reason for green poop for newborns.
If you baby is iron deficient, he or she may be required to take iron supplements. Iron causes newborns poop to turn green. This is true for a lot of babies but does not always mean it will happen to every baby.
Baby poop color chart with pictures
For the visual moms searching the endless flood of information on Google pertaining to their newborn babies poop color, here is a general guide by Noodle Soup for identifying baby poop colors.
Diaper Diary Tear Pad by Noodle Soup
This color and texture chart for identifying baby poop has been a great asset for moms and clinics across America. If you would like your own Diaper Diary Tear Pad, please click here and purchase the tear pad.
Breastfeeding Products and Guides
Noodle Soup is a major provider of educational and promotion materials for some of the top WIC Agencies in America. For a list of breastfeeding products and guide, visit this page for breastfeeding assets.
Noodle Soup is a nationally renowned health promotions company that specializes in low-cost, low-literacy, high-quality educational materials. We work with the public health and family service community helping pregnant women, new mothers, parents, and children.
Our customers include WIC agencies, health departments, Head Start programs, hospitals, Community Action Agencies, Community Health Centers, family service agencies, military bases, home visiting programs and educational institutions, including early care and education.
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