Poop is not pleasant to talk about, but as a parent of a newborn, it's likely that you'll have poop...
Poop is not pleasant to talk about, but as a parent of a newborn, it's likely that you'll have poop on the brain (yay). In any case, while not fun, baby poop doesn't have to be a huge mystery. Here's the scoop... The first baby poop: Technically called meconium, this is the dark greenish black sticky stuff that you'll first see in diapers. It's not true poop but basically an elimination of a substance found in your baby's intestines while he's womb-bound. Real newborn poop: This is a yellow, mustard, brownish poop that occurs early on. Usually this is less smelly than what's to come later. You may see small seed-like bits in this poop; no worries, that's normal. Food poop: Yuck right! Once your babe starts on solids his poop is going to get icky and smell way worse. Your baby's poop may be green, orange, or another food-like color, which is normal. Formula poop: Babies who are fed formula have different poop than breastfed babies (commonly that mustard looking stuff mentioned above). If your baby eats formula, his poop may be darker brown and can smell of iron vitamins. This is typical and nothing to worry about. Scary poop:
- Dark, hard, pebble-like poop is a sign of dehydration. Increase fluids and call the pediatrician if it continues.
- Black poop that looks like coffee grounds - this is a warning sign, usually of internal bleeding, so call the doctor asap.
- Loose, grosser, watery poop (in any color) - this is diarrhea so call the doctor.
- Red poop or red tinged poop - not always normal and can indicate hemorrhoids.