Baby Poop Color Chart: Meaning & what it Says

No one wants to deal with baby poop, but once you become a parent, you deal with it every day, multiple times a day. In fact, there is a joke in the parenting community that no parents meet up or parties with new parents is complete without at least one of them bringing the topic of poop up and discussing it. 

But all jokes apart, the baby poop color, consistency and texture tell you a lot about their health. This article will discuss about baby poop color chart and what the color says about your baby's health. 

Baby Poop Color Chart 

To help you quickly understand what your baby's poop color means what, and to give you a reference before you reach about each of them in detail, here is your quick reference newborn poop chart:  

Baby Poop Color & It Says About Your Baby's Health

Let us understand each color of baby poop and what it says about your child's health in detail here:

• ▪ Dark Green – The meconium, or your baby's first poop, is formed due to swallowing all the amniotic fluid while in the womb. Sometimes babies pass the meconium while still inside. But if they still have not, the baby poop color would be dark green the first few times. This is nothing to be worried about. 
• ▪ Mustard Yellow – An exclusively breastfed baby would have baby poop color of mustard yellow. The poop contains a yellow and white grain-like substance and has a sweet smell. 
• ▪ Tan or Dark Brown – If your baby is on iron-fortified formula, the baby poop color would be tan or dark brown. The poop will have a bit of an unpleasant smell compared to breastfed babies and will be thicker in consistency. 
• ▪ Brown or Orange – Like adult poop, once your baby starts solid food, the poop would be brown and orangish in color and have an unpleasant smell. 
• ▪ Green – Green, watery poop with mucus can be a sign of infection. If your baby has already passed the meconium, green poop signals at a health concern, you should immediately speak to your baby's doctor. 
• ▪ Red – If the baby poop color is red, there can be two reasons. Either your baby has swallowed blood from your bleeding nipples, or it indicates either an infection in the intestines or stomach, or it can mean that baby has constipation and difficulty passing the poop. In this case, you should talk to your doctor and get the medical treatment started. 
• ▪ Black – If your baby is pooping less often than this usual frequency, this can indicate that they have constipation, and the poop can be black. 
• ▪ White – White baby poop color is a serious concern. The color in poop is formed due to bile in the level. White poop means your baby's liver is not producing bile. In this case, you should immediately see your paediatrician. 

Baby Poop Texture

Baby poop color can tell you a lot about their gut health, but the texture of the poop is also equally important. So, a combination of frequency, color, and texture needs to consider. Here is what baby poop texture should ideally be like: 

• - The very initial poop of your baby, meconium, has a tar-like texture. However, the baby will pass all the meconium within a few days, and the texture will change to normal baby poop. 
• - A breastfed baby has a loose thinner poop with mustard and a whitish seed-like substance. 
• - A formula-fed baby will have a more greenish and firmer poop. This is because of the iron content present in formula milk. 
• - When babies start solid food, initially, they will have undigested pieces of solid food in the food, and the color will depend on what they eat. But eventually, they have thick brown poop, just like adults. At this stage, their poop will start to smell like adult poop does. 

What Can It Mean If Your Baby Doesn't Poop

If your baby is not pooping at the regular frequency, this can mean that they are constipated. In most cases, the complaint of constipation is noticed in babies only after they start solid food. But at times, even newborns experience constipation. 

If you feel that your baby has a firm stool, has pain or difficulty passing the poop, and is pooping less than once a day, you should see a doctor. Also, let your doctor know if your baby is experiencing other symptoms such as vomiting, fever, lethargy, reduced feed, or blood in the stool. You can also try some safe home remedies mentioned in our article about Relieving Constipation In Babies

Pooping Frequency Of Your Baby

The pooping frequency of your baby will depend on whether they are exclusively breastfed or are on formula feed. 

Breastfed babies poop more frequently than formula-fed babies in the first few weeks. Till the age of 6 weeks old, your baby will poop 2 – 6 times a day. After six weeks, you will notice a reduction in the frequency of the poop, as breastmilk is quite easy to digest, and babies produce significantly less waste if they are exclusively on breast milk. 

A formula-fed baby would poop less often. Starting from 2 – 3 poops a day to even one poop in 6 – 7 days is normal for a formula-fed baby. If you notice any abnormality in your baby's poop frequency, it is better to consult their pediatrician. 

When To Consult A Doctor

Usual color such as mustard, brown, green, etc., are nothing to be worried about. But in case your baby poop color is red, black, white, or has blood or mucus in it, you need to see a doctor.

Also, if your baby has not pooped for more than seven days, you should consult their pediatrician. 

Baby poop color is just one way of determining your baby's health. But it is not an overall indication of your baby's good or bad health. As a parent, you would understand your baby's patterns, distress, activity level, crying, and other health indicators. If you feel that anything is off and needs medical attention, talk to your baby's pediatrician. Happy parenting!