EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR BABY’S POO
Wouldn’t it be great if you could tell what’s going on in your baby’s tummy just by looking at them? Babies pull all sorts of funny faces, go red in the face and can look distressed all in the name of ‘doing a poo’! So, while it can be common for babies to have pains in their tummy, sometimes an underlying issue can be causing your baby problems. It can be difficult to know if something is wrong but often there are clues if you know where to look – their poo.
WHAT IS NORMAL POO?
When your baby enters the world, you can expect their poo to be a dark green, almost black, sticky tarry mess in their first few days of life – this is normal. It’s called meconium and is the by-product of your baby being in the womb for nine months. This quickly changes colour. The hardest part is cleaning it off their skin and yours if you’re not careful.
As your baby grows and their feeding becomes established, you can expect to see many changes in colour and consistency. This can range from yellow to frothy to green before progressing to brown as they move to solids. It can be loose with little bits in it and even appear to vanish for days in breastfed babies – often reappearing after a symphony of farts!
WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT BABY POO?
Owned by the Australian Government, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is a helpline and website that supports expecting parents, families and carers with health and wellbeing of children up to five years of age.
Dianne Zalitis, Midwife and Clinical Lead for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, says “We get asked many and varied questions about poo from parents so we created an infographic and webpage to guide them through the range of what is normal and when things are not.
“It’s not unusual for parents to think their baby is constipated when they haven’t done one for a few days. For most babies this is perfectly normal, particularly if they’re being breast-fed or the next poo is soft,” says Dianne.
How your baby is fed can change the colour of their poo. Babies that are fed on breast milk tend to have mustard yellow poo which can be a little runny, while formula-fed babies can have poo that’s green in colour. This is also normal as the colour variation is due to the iron found in baby formula.
WHAT’S NOT NORMAL?
Dianne says constipation and runny poo could be a sign your child is unwell. “It’s important to know what is normal for your baby and then seek help if things change. There are some other colours that shouldn’t be in your baby’s poo and if your baby has any of these it’s a good idea to see your doctor. And while it sounds yucky, take the nappy with you so your doctor can see for themselves.
The Baby poo infographic is available on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website. It can be used as a simple guide, so parents know they need to take action if they notice red, white or black discolouration in their child’s poo. These are indicators that parents really need to consult their doctor.
ABOUT PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND BABY
The Pregnancy, Birth and Baby service is funded by the Australian Government. The helpline is staffed by maternal child health nurses who provide reassurance and guidance on their child’s behavioural and developmental concerns, while also providing referrals to local health services when necessary. Call the helpline on 1800 882 436 or visit pregnancybirthbaby.org.au. Video consultations are available via the website from 7am to midnight.