Your baby's poo: what's normal and what's not

All babies are different, and what's normal for your little one will depend on:

• how old they are
• whether they're breastfed or formula-fed
• whether they've started solids (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022)
  
  

What does newborn poo look like?

In the first day after the birth, your baby should pass meconium (ERIC 2022, NHS 2021, NICE 2021). Meconium is greenish-black in colour, and has a sticky, tar-like texture (ERIC 2022, NCT nd, Unicef 2016). It's made up of mucus, amniotic fluid, and everything your baby has ingested while they were in the womb (Cherney and Armstrong 2023).

Meconium may be difficult to wipe off your baby's bottom because it's so thick and sticky (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, Dunbar and Taylor 2017). Its appearance, though, is a good sign that their bowels are working normally (ERIC 2022, NICE 2021). If your baby hasn't passed meconium in the first 24 hours, speak to your midwife or doctor (NICE 2021).

What do breastfed baby poos look like?

Colostrum, or first milk, acts as a laxative, helping to push meconium out of your baby's system (Dunbar and Taylor 2017). Once breastmilk comes in, after about three days, your baby's poos will gradually change (Dunbar and Taylor 2017, ERIC 2022). They will be:

• At least the size of a £2 coin by day seven (Chertoff and Gill 2018, Unicef 2016).
• Lighter in colour, changing from a greenish brown to bright or mustard yellow (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, NHS 2021, Unicef 2016). This yellow poo may not smell strong or like poo at all (ERIC 2022, NHS 2021). It can even smell slightly sweet (Chertoff and Gill 2018).
• Loose in texture. The poos may be soft to runny and less sticky (Chertoff and Gill 2018, Dunbar and Taylor 2017, NHS 2021), almost watery like diarrhoea (Chertoff and Gill 2018, Unicef 2016). Sometimes, the poos may look grainy, like they contain white seeds (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, Chertoff and Gill 2018, Unicef 2016).

On average, babies tend to do about four poos a day in the first week (NHS 2021), but this can vary from baby to baby. As long as your newborn is doing at least two poos a day, there is no need to worry (NCT nd, Unicef 2016).

After the first week, your little one may poo after every feed (NHS 2021). This will slowly settle down as their bowels get into a routine that's normal for them (NHS 2021).

After about six weeks, some breastfed babies will only poo once every few days (NHS 2021, Chertoff and Gill 2018) or once a week (Cherney and Armstrong 2023). This is not a problem as long as the poos are soft and your baby passes them easily (NHS 2021, Rucoba and Gill 2016).

What do formula-fed baby poos look like?

If you're formula-feeding your baby, their poos will be different from a breastfed baby's poos (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022, NHS 2021). You may notice they are:

• Firmer in texture (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022, NHS 2021), often a bit like peanut butter (Rucoba and Gill 2016) or paste (NHS 2021).
• Darker in colour, often tan or light brown (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, NHS 2021). Some types of formula can also cause green poo (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, NHS 2021). If your baby seems otherwise well, this is nothing to worry about (NHS 2021, Rucoba and Gill 2016).
• Strong-smelling, more like an adult's poo (ERIC 2022, NHS 2021).

Your formula-fed baby may poo up to five times a day in the early weeks (NHS 2021). After a month or two, they may poo once a day (NHS 2021).

Will my baby's poos change if I switch from breastmilk to formula milk?

Yes, they will. You may notice that your baby's poos become darker and more paste-like (NHS 2021). They will also be smellier (NHS 2021)!

While you're making the change from breastmilk to formula, try to do it slowly, ideally over a period of at least several weeks (LLLGB 2016, NHS 2023). This will give your baby time to adapt to a new routine and way of feeding (LLLGB 2016, NHS 2023). It will also reduce the risk of painful, swollen breasts and mastitis for you (LLLGB 2016, NHS 2023).

Once your baby has adapted to the bottle, they may settle down into a completely different pooing routine.

What will my baby's poos be like when they start solids?

Once your baby's eating solid foods, it's likely they will poo about once a day (Cherney and Armstrong 2023). You'll probably find that the colour of their poos are affected by what they eat. If you feed them pureed carrot, the contents of their next nappy may be bright orange. And be prepared for a fright after their first taste of beetroot (Cherney and Armstrong 2023)!

You may find that some hard-to-digest foods, such as raisins, sweetcorn or beans, pass straight through your baby and end up in their nappy (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022). This will probably change when they get older and their digestive system matures.

As they move on to a wide variety of foods, your baby's poos will become thicker, darker, smellier and harder to wipe (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022).

Can teething affect my baby's poo?

Some parents report mucus in their baby's poo or even frothy-looking poos, during teething (Cherney and Armstrong 2023). However, teething shouldn't give your baby diarrhoea (NHS 2022a) – even if you're convinced that's what's causing their runny poos, it's still best to care for them as you would for any bout of diarrhoea (NHS 2022a, Rucoba and Gill 2016).

What sort of poo is not normal?

Diarrhoea

It can be hard to tell if your little one has diarrhoea, particularly if they're breastfed (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, ERIC 2022). It's normal for a newborn to do runny poos (Cherney and Armstrong 2023), or to go after every feed (NHS 2021). The occasional "explosive" poo is also normal, and nothing to worry about (Dunbar and Taylor 2017).

However, your baby may have diarrhoea if:

• their poo is very watery
• they are pooing more often, or passing larger amounts than normal
• they have a high temperature and the poos are also very smelly (ERIC 2022)

Learn more about diarrhoea in babies, including when to see your GP.

Constipation

Constipation is rare in exclusively breastfed babies, but fairly common among babies who are formula-fed or on solids (ERIC 2022, Holland and Gill 2018, NHS nd). If your baby strains, goes red or cries when they do a poo, this doesn't necessarily mean they're constipated (NHS 2021, Rucoba and Gill 2016). As long as their poos are soft, there's no cause for concern (NHS 2021).

Your baby may have constipation if:

• They are pooing less often and then finding it more difficult than usual to do a poo (Holland and Gill 2018, NHS nd).
• Their poos are hard and dry. The poos may be large and difficult to pass, or smaller, a bit like rabbit droppings (ERIC 2022, Rucoba and Gill 2016).
• There are streaks of blood in their nappy. This can be a sign that hard poo is irritating the inside of their bottom, causing tiny tears in the skin (Holland and Gill 2018).
• Their tummy feels hard to the touch (Holland and Gill 2018, NHS nd).
• They have less appetite than usual (Holland and Gill 2018, NHS nd).
• They are less energetic or grumpier than usual (NHS nd).

Learn more about constipation in babies, including when to see your GP.

Red or black poo

Unless your baby's been eating something red, such as beetroot (Cherney and Armstrong 2023), red-coloured poos can be a sign that there's blood in your baby's poo (Rucoba and Gill 2016). Black poo is common in the first few days, but after that, it can also be a sign of blood (older blood looks darker) (Rucoba and Gill 2016).

If you see blood in your baby's poo, try not to panic. It could just be a sign that they've swallowed a little bit of blood, for example if you're breastfeeding with cracked nipples (Rucoba and Gill 2016). Or they may have a tiny tear in the skin around their bottom (Rucoba and Gill 2016), often from constipation. However, it can sometimes be a sign of illness, so always take your baby to your GP, just to be on the safe side (NHS 2021, Rucoba and Gill 2016).

Very pale poo

White or grey poo can be a sign that your baby isn't digesting food properly because of problems with their liver (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, NHS 2021, Rucoba and Gill 2016). Babies with liver problems often develop jaundice, so you may also notice a yellow tinge to your baby's skin (NHS 2022b, Rucoba and Gill 2016). This can be harder to see on brown or black skin, so check for yellowing on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet (NHS 2022b). If your baby's poo is white or grey, see your GP as soon as possible (Cherney and Armstrong 2023, NHS 2022b, Rucoba and Gill 2016).

In general, what's "normal" varies a lot from baby to baby (ERIC 2022, Rucoba and Gill 2016). You know your little one best, and with time, you'll get to know what's normal for them. If you notice a change in your baby's poo and you're not sure what's caused it, you can always speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP for advice (ERIC 2022, Rucoba and Gill 2016).

More information:

• Take a look at our baby poo photo gallery to see what's normal and what's not.
• What does it mean if your breastfed baby does green poos? Our expert has the answer.
• Concerned about your little one's health? Learn when to take your baby to the GP.
• See five tips for safer nappy changes.