Parents often tell me they think their newborn is in pain during stooling. I would consider all of these colors typical. As the intestinal environment matures in your child, you may notice days of green or brown in addition to yellow. These colors warrant a call to your physician. Stools should never look completely white. There should never be red or black in the stool those are signs of blood. If you find you have done this more than once, tell your baby’s doctor. Having said that, if your baby is miserable and refusing to eat, it is acceptable to use one-half of a pediatric glycerin suppository to relieve the discomfort. This condition is usually not concerning, even if the stool comes out in a squishy explosion after 5 to 7 days. Babies can become quite gassy in these cases. Parents often become concerned about their baby’s comfort when they have not pooped for a few days. However, don’t hesitate to speak with your child’s physician if things seem abnormal. Also, your baby may start out as a 10-times-a-day pooper and switch to once a day and vice-versa. As long as frequent poopers do not have watery stools and infrequent poopers do not have hard, formed stools, you should be fine. Anywhere from 8 to 10 stools each day to once every 5 to 7 days is considered normal. The frequency of newborn stooling varies and can change for no apparent reason. This color and texture will continue for quite a while until you introduce solid foods between 4 and 6 months. As the baby starts to eat, the stool transitions from black to dark green, to light green, to a seedy yellow substance that looks like deli mustard (sorry, we pediatricians love to compare gross things to food). This substance is black and tar-like and only lasts a few days. The first type of stool that you see after your baby is born is called meconium. Newborns: Colors, Consistency, and Frequency Here is a guide to help you troubleshoot whether your child’s stool is typical or if there’s something you should address with the doctor. Parents often don’t know what’s normal and when to be concerned. From the newborn period through early childhood and later, children’s stools constantly change in content, texture, and frequency. One of the most common concerns I hear from parents regards their children’s bowel movements.
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