Baby's first poo (and what's normal)

Few things occupy new parents like their baby’s nappies. What’s in there changes a lot over the first weeks, and knowing the normal range — from the startling first poo to the wildly variable ones that follow — saves a great deal of second-guessing. Nappies are also one of your best signs that feeding is going well.

Meconium: the first poo. Your baby’s very first poos are meconium — a sticky, tar-like, greenish-black substance made of what they swallowed in the womb. It’s odourless and clings like glue (a smear of barrier cream on their bottom can make it easier to clean off). Passing meconium in the first day or two shows the bowel is working. If your baby hasn’t passed any in the first couple of days, let your midwife know.

The change to normal poo. Over the first few days, as your milk or formula gets going, the poo transitions through a greenish-brown “changing” stage to regular baby poo. This shift is a reassuring sign your baby is feeding and digesting well.

Breastfed baby poo. Typically soft to runny, mustard-yellow, sometimes seedy or grainy, and fairly mild-smelling. Breastfed babies can be very frequent poopers (a poo with almost every feed early on) or, after the first weeks, go several days between poos — both can be perfectly normal, as breastmilk is efficiently used.

Formula-fed baby poo. Usually firmer and more paste-like, tan to brown, and stronger smelling. Formula-fed babies tend to poo a bit less often than breastfed newborns. Different again from breastfed poo, and still completely normal.

Colours that are fine. Yellow, brown, green and mustard shades are all within normal. Green poo alone isn’t usually a concern. Colour shifts with feeding and is rarely something to worry about on its own.

Colours to get checked. Three colours warrant a call to your child health nurse or GP: pale, white or chalky poo (which can signal a liver problem), red streaks (blood), or black poo after the meconium stage (which can be old blood). These are the ones not to brush off — a quick check is worth it.

Wee matters too. Alongside poos, wet nappies tell you your baby is getting enough. Expect these to increase over the first week to around six or more heavy wet nappies a day once feeding is established. Very few wet nappies, dark strong urine, or a dry baby who’s sleepy and feeding poorly all mean seek advice promptly.

Constipation and straining. Newborns often go red, grunt and strain when pooing without being constipated — their muscles are still learning. Genuine constipation (hard, pellet-like poos and a distressed baby) is uncommon in exclusively breastfed babies; if you’re concerned, especially with formula, check with your nurse or GP before changing anything.

How often is normal? There’s a huge range, and it changes with age. In the first days, frequent poos are a good sign feeding is established. After that, breastfed babies might poo several times a day or — once past the newborn weeks — go anywhere up to a week between poos, because breastmilk leaves little waste; as long as the poo is soft when it comes and your baby is comfortable and feeding well, that’s fine. Formula-fed babies tend to be more regular. What matters more than frequency is that your baby is content, feeding, and their poo is soft rather than hard and pellet-like.

Nappies are a surprisingly useful window into your baby’s health, and most of what you’ll see is perfectly normal, however alarming it looks. Keep the three “get it checked” colours in mind — pale, red, black — trust your instincts, and lean on your child health nurse for the rest. When in doubt, a photo of the nappy for your appointment never hurts, and no question about your baby’s nappies is ever too small or too silly to ask.