Different Types of Baby Poop

As a new parent, it’s natural to worry about every little thing concerning your baby. One thing parents are often worried about is what happens in their baby’s diapers. Why do colors change, what do different colors signify, and when do you need to be worried?

But fear not! Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about your baby’s poop.

What kind of baby poop is not normal?

Usually, a color change in your baby’s poop is not a cause to worry. Here’s when you need to call the doctor:

Your baby is pooping too often. 2-3 times per day is standard. But if you find yourself changing diapers too often to count, you may want to be concerned about your baby getting dehydrated.
Your baby isn’t pooping at all or passing very little hard stool. Constipation in kids can be a nuisance and needs to be evaluated to rule out any serious cause.
Your baby’s poop contains mucus.
Your baby is crying too much while pooping.
Your baby’s poop contains blood.

What type of baby poop is concerning?

Experts say there are three poop colors you need to watch out for; red, black, and white.

Red means fresh blood and can mean anything from obstruction, injury, or infection. Whereas black means digested blood and suggests a site of bleeding in the digestive tract.

White poop suggests a problem within the biliary system and needs to be evaluated to rule out obstruction.

Why are there different colors of poop

The color of your baby’s poop can vary with many things. It can depend on:

Your baby’s diet
The kind of milk they’re on (breastmilk/formula milk)
Your baby’s health
And even the weather

Here’s what different colors of poop can mean:

Black: your baby’s poop can be black in the initial few days, but it grows to be normal. If your baby’s poop has turned black recently, you should inform your healthcare provider.
Yellow: yellow poop is typical for babies that are being breastfed.
Orange: again, babies on either kind of milk can have orange poop.
Red: if your baby is on solids and has red foods like beetroot, red poop is normal. But if your baby has red poop and hasn’t had anything to cause it, it might be alarming since it may be blood.
Green: babies that are being formula-fed can normally have green poop.
White/gray: poop that is chalky and whitish could signify a problem with your baby’s digestion.
Brown: this is the typical color for adult poop. It is how your baby’s poop will start to look as they grow older.