what's normal and what's not about your baby's poo

However, what's normal for your baby will depend on:

• how old she is
• whether she's breastfed or bottle-fed
• whether she's started solids(DH 2009)
  

Your baby's poop will change as she develops from a newborn through her first year. They may also change from one day to the next! Don't worry, you'll soon be able to tell what's usual for her.

What will my newborn's poops be like?

For the first couple of days after the birth, your baby will pass meconium. This is made up of mucus, amniotic fluid, and everything your baby has ingested while she was in your uterus (womb).

Meconium is greeny-black in colour, and has a sticky, tar-like texture. It may be difficult to wipe off that tiny bottom, but its appearance is a good sign that your baby's bowels are working normally.

What will my baby's poops be like if I'm breastfeeding?

Your colostrum, or first milk, acts as a laxative, helping to push meconium out of your baby's system. Once your milk comes in, after about three days, your baby's poos will gradually change. They will be:

Lighter in colour, changing from a greenish-brown to bright or mustard yellow. This yellow poo may smell slightly sweet (DH 2009).

Loose in texture. The poos may seem grainy at times, curdled at others.
In the early weeks, your baby may poo during or after every feed. On average, she will have four poops a day in the first week (CKS 2010). This will settle down and her bowels will work out their own routine. You may find she poops at a similar time each day.

Some breastfed babies poo once every few days or even once a week. This is not a problem as long as your baby's poops are soft and pass easily(CKS 2010, DH 2009).

Your baby's routine may change:

• when you introduce solids
• if she is feeling unwell
• when she starts to take fewer feeds

How often should my baby have a poop?

There are no hard and fast rules. In the early months it will depend on whether you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby.

Breastfed babies who are not on solids may poop four times a day or more, or only once every three days (DH 2009).

Bottle-fed babies normally need to poop every day to feel comfortable and avoid constipation (UNICEF 2010).

Lots of babies strain and cry a bit when they poop, but it doesn't mean there's a problem. As long as your baby's poos are soft and easy to pass (DH 2009), there's no cause for concern.