When you change baby’s diapers and later wipe a toddler’s bottom during potty training, you can’t help but pay attention to the color of baby’s stool. The color of baby’s stool can help indicate a healthy belly or a sick belly. Stool also changes colors from baby’s first bowel movement through the breastfeeding years, and when baby is eating food. Here is a color guide to your baby’s stools.
When to Call the Doctor
Bright red clots or clumps in baby’s stool or pink urine is reason to call the doctor.
Breastfed Babies and Baby’s Stool Colors
The color of a breastfed baby’s first stools can be varied. The color may be yellowish brown, similar to spicy mustard, or the color could be closer to a green. As baby becomes more accustomed to breast milk, her stool may change colors as well. It’s perfectly normal for a breastfed baby’s stools to be a bright color, including green or yellow.
Stool Color to Watch: Green
When a breastfed baby has stool that looks more green than her normal stool, it could be a sign that baby has a virus. Look for mucous that accompanies baby’s normal stool consistency. Mucous plus green plus and odor that you do not recognize as normal could indicate a virus.
Green and Foamy: A green and foamy baby stool is not necessarily a sign of a virus. It could be due to a baby receiving too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. Breastfeeding moms can pump or expel some milk before breastfeeding to lessen the force of letdown, and to help baby not fill up on foremilk, ensuring she gets some hindmilk, too.
Formula-Fed Babies and Stool Colors
Brown Stools
According to Dr. Greene, it’s normal for a baby who consumes solely formula to have stools which are pale brown.
Black Stools
Babies who drink solely baby formula may have black stools, due to the iron contained in baby formula.
Undigested Foods and Colors
Older babies who are self-feeding and eating non-mushed fruits and vegetables can have funny-colored poop sometimes. You might find greenish or bluish poop due to some foods which are not fully-digested. Babies who eat raw or cooked spinach will have green poop. This poop will smell like normal poop, and should not be confused with the sickly-smelling green poop that can be caused by a virus. Cooked peas can also give baby’s stools an earthy green hue.
Blueberries, particularly blueberry skin can cause stool to have a funny color as well. The blueberry skin may not be fully digested and look funny in baby’s stool.
Orange bits can appear in baby’s stool due to cooked carrot pieces.
Sources
Personal Experience
Dr. Greene, http://www.drgreene.com/21_581.html
