Poop becomes an everyday conversation when you have a baby. You talk about how much they poop, how often they poop, and what the poop looks like. Like adults, baby poop changes frequently. Sometimes these changes can be alarming to parents. It can be strange when your baby’s poop changes, but nothing he/she eats has changed. There are a few common poop changes that can be alarming to parents. Sometimes these changes are nothing to worry about. Other times, they are a sign to bring your baby to the doctor. Common baby poop changes include green poop, black poop, and bloody poop.
Green Poop
Green poop is one of the most common “strange” poops. Many babies experience green poop for various reasons. Sometimes iron fortified formula can cause green poop. If this is the case, check for constipation. If your baby isn’t constipated, the extra iron in the formula is no problem. Jaundice is another reason for green baby poop. However, this color will disappear after the baby is off the bilirubin lights. Breast fed babies can have trouble with green poop if there is an imbalance in their foremilk/hindmilk intake. Foremilk is the thin, less fatty milk that comes out first, then when the breast empties the breast hindmilk that is thicker and fattier is excreted. Sometimes babies with green poop have too much foremilk. This can be caused by switching breasts before you have emptied the first. A particularly serious type of green poop is poop that is mucousy. Sometimes this means a breastfeeding baby is sensitive to anything the mother eats. This can mean your baby has an allergy to milk products you consume.
Black Poop
Black poop can mean anything from the not so serious to the serious. Just like adults, iron can turn baby poop black. An iron supplement or iron fortified formula may just be the culprit. This is nothing to worry about if your baby is not constipated. However, black poop can also mean intestinal bleeding. If you suspect this and he/she has black tarry looking poop, call your pediatrician.
Bloody Poop
Blood in your baby’s diaper can be very scary. We don’t want to see blood anywhere on our child, much less in his/her poop. If you see blood, first calm down. There are several causes for blood in baby poop and not all of them are of concern. There are varying degrees of bloody poop. You could see small streaks of blood. You could see dark jelly-like blood. You could just see blood in the diaper. The small streaks of blood are rarely anything to worry about. Sometimes babies get anal fissures and tears from straining. If your baby is constipated, this could be the problem. Dark, jelly-like blood in your baby’s poop could signal a major problem. You should call your doctor immediately. If you merely see blood in the diaper, this may not be from the poop. Check for a severe diaper rash. Sometimes these break open and leave blood in the diaper.
Like anything else, use your best judgment with your baby. If you feel something is wrong, you should call your pediatrician. No one knows what is best for your child like you do. Just keep in mind that some changes in your baby’s poop is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Green, Black, and Bloody poop can all be common changes in your baby’s poop.
