Baby’s done a stinky!

As a new parent it is normal to wonder about your baby’s stool. Here is a guide that explains what’s okay and what to worry about inside your little one’s diaper.

The First Few Days:

In the first few days after delivery your baby will pass a sticky, greenish-black tar like substance, called meconium. Meconium is pretty difficult to wipe off, and can seem a little scary to new parents. But it’s really nothing to worry about. Passing meconium shows that your baby’s excretionary system is working normally. Once all the meconium is out of your baby’s system, their stools will change colour and texture.

Breast-Fed Stools:

Normally, breast-fed babies have stools that are soft and loose, light mustard in colour with very tiny seed-like pieces. This is as breast milk is very easy to digest and contains all the nutrients necessary for a babies growth. Due to the ease of digestability there is also very little solid waste. The odour of the stool should also be mild and not very unpleasant.

Formula-Fed Stools:

Babies who are fed formula generally have stools that are a little more firm than breast-fed babies. Stool colours can vary from yellow, to green to brown. All of which are considered normal. In the first two months of life, formula-fed babies often have less frequent stools than breast fed ones, typically it is about four to five bowel movements a day. Bottle fed babies also have thicker and bulkier stools than breast fed babies. It is believed that the type of fat blend in formula milk influences the stool consistency.

Diarrhoea:

Diarrhoea is when a baby has frequent unformed watery stools. If the diarrhoea continues for more than a few days or your baby is also vomitting , then contact your GP urgently for advice. There are many reasons why a child may get diarrhea, but do note that bottle hygiene is very important. Milk bottles need to be sterilised either by boiling or with the use of sterilising tablets.

Constipation:

For babies between 0 to three months, constipation is rare, even if your baby is formula-fed. Some babies grunt and strain with every movement, although it’s not necessarily constipation. Still, if your baby cries or looks uncomfortable, check with your GP. If your newborn passes solid stools less than once a day, it is generally considered constipation.

Ultimately, do not be too concerned about the colour or frequency of you baby’s bowel movements as long as your baby looks well and does not show any signs of illnesses.

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