Baby Poop Tips
After your baby’s birth, taking care of your baby isn’t an easy feat. One aspect a lot of parents struggle with are the nappies! Handling those dirty diapers isn’t exactly an easy job, but there is so much you can learn from your baby’s poop!
Why You Should Monitor Your Baby’s Bowel Habits
One main reason for monitoring your baby’s poop is to see if they’re receiving enough food. This is important because you can’t determine the amount of milk your baby is getting if they are directly feeding from the breast.
According to research, the number of bowel movements during the first 5 days of life can be an indicator of a baby’s health. Apart from the frequency, the color and consistency of stool can also tell you about your baby’s health.
How often is normal?
A lot of parents are often concerned about the number of times their baby poops. They might be worried that the baby is pooping too often or too little.
Don’t fret about it too much! Your baby’s bowel habits can vary with increasing age and diet. During the first 3 days, the baby mostly passes meconium. It should change from a darker green to a green-yellow color by day 4.
After day 4, the baby should normally poop 3 times a day, but it can go up to 4-10 times for some babies during the first 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, the frequency will gradually decrease to once a day. Formula-fed babies usually poop less than breast-fed babies.
After starting solids at 5-6 months, the baby can poop 1-2 times a day, but the quantity of stool might increase.
Different Types of Poop and What They Mean
The first thing you might notice is probably the color of the poop. Here’s what each color indicates:
- Black: this is normal during the first 3 days of life as the baby is passing meconium. However, if your baby’s poop is black later in life, it might be an indication of a digestive tract issue. Refer to your health care provider for better insight.
- Mustard yellow-orange: usually breast-fed babies have mustard yellow to orange colored poop.
- Red: if you haven’t recently introduced red foods into your baby’s diet, it’s best to call your health provider. If they’ve recently eaten red food, see if the stool turns back to its usual color after withdrawing the red diet.
- Green: formula-fed babies usually have green poop. Sometimes breastfed babies can poop green stool too. It’s usually normal.
- White or Gray: this might be an indication of a liver or related organ problem. It’s best to refer to your health provider if it happens repeatedly.
Also, you might notice the consistency of the poop. Stool that is too hard might be because your baby is constipated. Similarly, runny stools can be an indication of diarrhea.
Thinking about using cloth diapers for your little one? We love Mamasita’s Cloth Diaper Service! If you have any questions regarding your baby’s poop, talk to your pediatrician, and they will surely help.