Midwife Tips Baby poo health

By Edwina Sharrock

What does your baby’s poo say about their health?

There are so many different types of baby poo and it can be scary seeing different coloured poo and not knowing what’s happening with your baby. So here is my guide to understanding what is happening with your baby poo.

Normal poo:

•Sticky, black poo - Normal for a baby's first poo and is called meconium.

•Dark green poo - Normal in the first couple of days. Also normal in babies starting solids and can be caused by green foods or ironfortified foods.

•Mustard yellow poo - Normal and most common in breastfed babies.

•Dark yellow/ greenish yellow poo - Normal for formula-fed babies.

•Brown/ Orange/ Greenish Brown - Normal when starting solids.

When to call your baby’s health care professional:

•Red poo - Could be caused by dark red foods or some medications. However, it could also be blood in the poo.

•White, light grey, or pale poo - Not normal and could be a sign of a liver or digestive problem.

•Black poo - Not normal after the first few days (once meconium has passed).

No matter what your baby's poo looks like it's always super important to have all the right products nearby. This includes a barrier cream to protect the skin and prevent it from drying out, a fresh nappy as well as fragrance-free and alcohol-free baby wipes like WaterWipes. Purer than cotton wool and water, WaterWipes are an excellent product to help clean up your babies poo!

Plus a toy to keep your baby distracted!

Edwina Sharrock is a registered midwife, mother of two and founder of BirthBeat. With over 14 years of experience, she has delivered hundreds of babies and worked with thousands of parents to prepare them for their best birth and early parenting journey.