Are your baby’s bowel movements frequent?

Yellow, brown or multi-hued?

Find answers to all your pressing baby poop questions here.

changing a baby’s poopy diaper

Though it may look unsettling, it’s completely normal.

(Just to be sure, save any diaper containing blood to show to a nurse or doctor.)

Is my baby’s poop normal?

changing a baby’s poopy diaper

What’s normal for baby poop depends on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula-feeding.

If your baby is breastfed, her bowel movements will often be mustard-like in color and consistency.

It can sometimes look loose, even watery, and sometimes seedy, mushy or curdy.

changing a baby’s poopy diaper

How often should a newborn poop?

Early on, breastfed babies usually have on average at least one poopy diaper for every day of life.

Fortunately, this pattern doesn’t usually continue past five days old or so.

changing a baby’s poopy diaper

Some babies will continue to poop several times a day or more throughout the first year.

Others will go several days between dirty diapers.

The number may vary from day to day, and that’s perfectly normal too.

changing a baby’s poopy diaper

But call your pediatrician if your little one doesn’t poop for more than five days.

How can I tell if my baby is pooping?

Don’t be alarmed if your baby grunts, groans, grimaces and strains when she poops.

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What do different baby poop colors mean?

Thecolor of newborn poopcan change quite often, as can the texture and even the smell.

What does it mean if there is blood in my baby’s stool?

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Talk to your doctor about switching formulas.

Occasionally, no correlation between foods and symptoms is found.

In that case, your baby might have small cracks or fissures in her anus that caused the bleeding.

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Monitoring by your baby’s pediatrician should solve the mystery.

What is melena in babies?

Melena is thick, black or tarry stools.

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This is different from the meconium stools that occur during the first two to five days of life.

Melena often indicates bleeding in the digestive tract, which can be dangerous for your baby.

Contact your pediatrician immediately.

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My newborn isn’t pooping what should I do?

Call your pediatrician if your baby hasn’t pooped for more than three days in a row.

Formula-fed babies typically go a little longer between bowel movements.

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Constipation in babies

Even little ones who eat a healthy diet can have a case of constipation.

The good news is that it’s easily treatable.

Check out thisguide to baby constipationand how to help her feel better.

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Always consult with your pediatrician to confirm your suspicions.

That’s perfectly normal.

As long as her stools are soft, she isn’t constipated.

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