Baby poo: Your guide to colours, textures, and when to seek advice

Ah, baby poo. Once your baby arrives, you’ll soon forget there was a time when your baby’s bowel movements weren’t such a hot topic of conversation.  

Between our mums and baby experts, we’ve seen (and smelt) it all. Here in our handy poo guide for infants, you’ll find lots of information about everything from baby poo colour (green baby poo - it’s a thing) and what to expect in your baby’s nappy, whether they’re breast or formula fed. We'll also be answering some of your most commonly asked questions, like ‘how often should a newborn poo’ and how to tell if your little one is constipated.

Hold your noses, we’re going in.

Parenting can be a tricky business. From their feeding habits to their sleeping patterns, you want the peace of mind that your little one is as happy and as healthy as they can be. And baby poo is no exception. 

As you become an expert in baby poo colour, smell and texture, you’ll be able to spot your little one’s ‘pooing face’ from a mile away, understand your little one’s healthy pooing patterns, and quickly spot the signs when something’s off (the poo can’t fool you).

When it comes to what to expect from the contents of your baby’s nappy, take some advice from Sylvie’s mum: “All I can say is expect the unexpected. For example, have you ever heard other parents talk about the infamous ‘poonami’? I used to think this was something people were exaggerating. That’s until I found myself dealing with a seriously leaky nappy in the middle of lunch at a cafe. Twice. From that moment on, I never left home without at least three spare baby grows and a foldable changing mat!”

The poonami - that all-too-real moment when you realise poo has escaped your baby’s nappy and can now be found all the way up their back… lovely! Follow some advice from our expert midwife for how to manage it: “Make sure your baby’s nappy is the right size and fits well around their bum and legs. This can be a case of trial and error when buying nappies, but it will help to prevent those messy leaks!”

From meconium and the colour of newborn poo to green baby poo and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. 

From meconium and the colour of newborn poo to green baby poo and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. 

From that very first baby poo to what to expect from breastfed and formula-fed baby poo, let’s take a look at what your baby might have in store for you!

The colour of newborn poo is a little different. Their first poo is called ‘meconium’, a sticky, blackish-green baby poo that they’ll have in the first couple of days after birth¹.

Meconium has been present in your baby’s gut from around week 37 of your pregnancy². It looks different to other types of baby poo because it’s made up of things your baby has ‘eaten’ in the womb (sometimes including lanugo, the fine hair that covered them earlier in pregnancy)². 

Because of its sticky texture, meconium can be very stubborn to get off baby clothes – and your little one!

You’ll start to notice your baby’s poo changing colour as they grow and as their feeding patterns change, and it’s a whole new ballgame when they start weaning at around 6 months - you have been warned!.

Your baby’s poo will be different depending on how you feed them. 

If you’re breastfeeding, you can expect your baby’s poo to become pale yellow in colour and fairly runny within a few days of them being born. Breastfed baby poo also tends not to smell too strongly³.

Breastfed babies might also have what look like little seeds in their poo – this is also completely normal⁴.

Formula-fed babies tend to have darker, firmer, and sometimes even green baby poo. It also tends to smell stronger, too⁵. 

Some formula milk can result in green baby poo, this is the case when babies are on specific formulas, like with extra iron or hydrolysed formulas. This isn’t usually anything to worry about as long as your little one is gaining weight, feeding well, and is generally well in themselves⁶.

If you’ve been exclusively breastfeeding and decide to switch to combi-feeding or formula feeding, you might notice that your baby’s poo becomes darker as their tummy adjusts - this is completely normal⁵.

As always, though, if you’re concerned in any way, always speak with your healthcare professional.

Changing nappies can take some getting used to, so feel free to read some of our advice on how to change a nappy.

But what do you do when faced with the explosive poonami or baby poo stains on those adorable little outfits? Well, you can try a few of our top tips below:

Be quick! The sooner you treat baby poo stains, the more likely it is you’ll get rid of them. Before adding any detergents and hot water, rinse with cold water first. A top tip from Seb’s mum is to “run that tap at full capacity - the blast from the water can help to tackle the worst of the stain.”

Pre-treat with a stain remover: There are lots of stain removers available, but some mums tell us that some store cupboard staples can work just as well; “I always found that a few drops of washing up liquid along with a spoonful of baking poweder worked wonders”, says Sylvie’s mum, “Make a paste with the liquid and powder and give the stains a good scrub. Pop in the washer, and you should be good to go.”

Wash at 60 degrees: Washing soiled clothes at 60 degrees ensures that any bacteria are killed. Oh, and it’s best to keep them separate from the rest of the washing.

Soak in the sun: Another top tip from Sylvie’s mum is to “pop your baby’s stained clothes in the sun to dry - even if that’s just laying them out on the table where the sun can shine in. It doesn’t harm to squeeze a little lemon juice on the stain, too.”

There’s no hard and fast rule about this – every baby is different, and their pooing habits will change as they grow. Let’s take a look.

In general, your newborn will probably poo a lot in the early weeks and then less as they grow.

“I couldn’t quite believe how many nappies my baby went through in those early days. Put nappies, lots of nappies, on your list of things to pack in your hospital bag. If you don’t use them on the maternity ward, you’ll certainly need them when you get home!” (Isla’s mum).

If your baby is breastfed, they might have a poo after every feed at first1. For the first 6 weeks after birth, your baby will probably have 2 poos each day⁷.

If you’re formula feeding, you may find that your baby poos up to 5 times each day as a newborn¹.

After around 6 weeks, you may find that your baby poos less if they’re breastfed, and may even go several days without a poo¹.

At 6 weeks old, formula-fed babies will usually poo once a day1. If they don’t poo for 2 to 3 days, speak to your healthcare professional to make sure everything’s as it should be⁸.

Believe it or not, it’s common for some babies to strain or cry when they’re having a poo or go a few days without pooing at all (especially if you’re breastfeeding). But as long as the poo they do produce is nice and soft, it’s unlikely that they’re constipated¹.

Your baby could be constipated if⁸:

• They have small, dry or hard poos
• They’re pooing less than 3 times a week
• Their wind and poo is smellier than normal
• They’re not as hungry
• Their tummy feels firmer than normal

Breastfed babies don’t get constipated very often. This is because breast milk is a natural laxative, and so breastfeeding babies may well poo a few times a day in the first six weeks of life⁷.

Constipation is a little more common in babies who are formula-fed or weaning, as their digestive systems are adjusting to new foods⁷.

If you think your baby is constipated, you can try to get things moving again at home by⁸:

• Lying them down and gently moving their legs like they’re riding a bike
• Giving them a little tummy massage

If your little one still seems constipated after a few days, your GP or health visitor can give you some more advice.

Because baby poo tends to be pretty soft and paste-like before they start to eat solid foods, you might be worried that they have diarrhoea. But most of the time, that’s just what poos on an all-milk diet look like!

You’ll get to know what’s normal for your little one, and it’ll be fairly obvious if their baby poo changes.

Your baby might have diarrhoea if⁹:

• Their poos are a lot more watery than usual
• Their poos smell worse than is normal for them
• They’re pooing more often

As long as your baby doesn’t seem dehydrated, you can normally manage your baby’s diarrhoea at home – but check in with your GP or other healthcare professional if you’re not sure⁹.

When you’re changing your baby’s nappy more times than you care to count, you get to know their pooing habits. If their poo changes without you changing their diet (e.g. switching from breastfeeding to bottle feeding or weaning), it’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare professional to make sure everything’s okay.

Some things to watch out for include¹⁰:

• Watery poos (could be a sign of diarrhoea)
• Hard, small poos (could be a sign of constipation)
• Pale poos
• Poos that are smellier than normal
• Poos that have blood in them

Baby poo is just one of those things you get used to dealing with when you’re busy being a parent. But whether it’s understanding your baby’s first poo, or guiding them through the potty training process, remember that you know your baby better than anyone. Just take things one day at a time and follow your baby’s lead.

If you’ve got any questions or want to talk about what to expect when it comes to all things baby poo, our team of baby experts is available to offer reassurance and advice. We’re here whenever you need us, so just give us a call.