Poop, poop the magical fruit the more you eat the more you toot, wait… that’s not how that goes.
Your baby’s poop can show a lot about what is going on inside their little bodies. They can’t tell you how they are feeling so one of the main ways to check on their health is, you got it, their poo-poo!
Below is each color that your baby’s poop could be and what each color may mean. Remember to not panic, and of course, always consult your pediatrician.
Brown
If your baby’s poop is brown and very hard it can be a sign of constipation, but constipation can come in every color. Brown is a normal poop color and can happen when your baby starts to eat solids, but this color doesn’t usually start until toddlerhood, after breastmilk and formula is cut from the diet.
Poop gets its brown color from the release of bile salts in digestion. Yum.
Is it normal? Yes.
Black
It’s called meconium, and it’s the baby’s first poop after birth. Because babies don’t pass stool in the womb (normally), this black tar like substance contains amniotic fluid, skin cells, urine, and mucus. Haven’t you heard of the new mucus, skin cell diet?
If seen after this period call your pediatrician, could mean an ulcer either in the stomach or intestines. Blood that moves through the digestive system can turn the stool black.
Is it normal? For the first few days after birth.
Orange
Orange poop is seen in breastfed and formula fed babies. The orange color can come from pigments that are picked up when passing through baby’s digestive system.
Is it normal? Yes.
Mustard Yellow
This is common in breastfed babies mainly, and is the usual color after you are done seeing the black from the meconium. You may see some black streaks as the last bit of meconium leaves the first few days after birth.
Is it normal? Yes.
Bright Yellow
It is another variation of the mustard yellow poop as seen above. It is seen in breastfed babies, but also formula fed babies. If it is runny and loose and longer than a few days it could be a sign of diarrhea and could cause dehydration.
Is it normal? Yes, unless it is also runny and loose, then you should call your pediatrician.
Red
Can happen if baby eats some kind of red pigmented food, or drank some kind of red juice.
If you haven’t fed your baby any red foods recently, then you need to call your pediatrician. If you have fed a red food recently, wait for the next stool to see if the color has returned to normal, if it hasn’t call your pediatrician.
Red could also mean blood in the stool, from any kind of injury to the anus, for example an anal fissure. Red blood in stool is not usually from bleeding in the body.
Is it normal? Yes, if baby ate or drank something red. If not call your pediatrician ASAP.
Green
A greenish tan color poop is usually normal of formula fed babies, and is also of firmer nature than breastfed babies.
Darker green can be from baby eating green colored foods, along with starting solids, and also be from baby taking an iron supplement.
Is it normal? Yes.
White
This is not normal and can be caused from a problem with digestion usually stemming from an issue in the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.
Is it normal? No, call your pediatrician ASAP.
Gray
Can mean there is also an issue with the way your baby is digesting. What makes poop a brown color is when the body releases bile salts through digestion. If the poop is gray it could mean there is an issue with the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas.
Is it normal? No, call your pediatrician ASAP.
Conclusion:
So there you have it everyone, the baby poop rainbow. Not the most glorious colored rainbow but a rainbow to say the least. You can find a lot out about your baby’s health by their poopies.
I remember having so many discussions with my fiance on the different colors of poops. I could hear him in the other room going, “Awww, good girl, a nice mustard yellow poopie, from the poopie girl.”
Good times. Good times.
