What is normal stool for newborns?

For new parents, taking care of a newborn is not very clear in the details, and they don’t know how to observe whether their baby has any problems or is in a healthy state. In fact, they just need to observe the newborn’s normal feces. The shape and color of the feces every day can show the physical condition of the newborn. If there is no bowel movement for a long time, it is more serious and you need to promote your baby’s bowel movement in time.

1. Neonatal meconium (dark green)

(1) Even if a newborn baby has not eaten anything, he or she will pass dark green meconium 6 to 12 hours after birth.

(2) I don’t know whether the babies are considerate of their mothers or they don’t want to contaminate the amniotic fluid that they swallow every day, but the babies must come out of their mother’s belly before they are willing to have their first bowel movement. Meconium that has accumulated for 9 months must be cleared out through frequent bowel movements, which usually takes 2 to 3 days, 3 to 5 times a day, for the dark green color to disappear.

(3) Meconium is usually odorless, viscous, and dark green in color. It is mainly composed of amniotic fluid swallowed by the baby in the womb, epithelial cells shed by the fetus, vellus hair, sebum, bile, intestinal secretions, etc. These innate things are difficult to wash off, and experienced elders will tell the children's parents that they must use diapers instead of cloth diapers in the first few days.

(4) Experts remind us that this is not a bad thing: the time for premature babies to pass meconium is sometimes delayed. This is mainly related to the poor intestinal motility of premature babies or delayed feeding of the children.

2. Transitional stool (yellow-green)

(1) During the days when meconium is excreted, breastfeeding should also begin. When the meconium is completely excreted and the stool transitions to normal stool, it will be yellow-green in color. Most newborns' stools will show this stage after 2 to 3 days of breastfeeding, and then gradually enter the normal yellow stage (breastfed babies).

(2) Experts remind us that this is not a bad "stool": the time when newborns start feeding and the amount of milk they consume will directly affect the appearance and duration of transitional stools. If the start of breastfeeding is delayed or the amount of milk consumed is too little, the transition period will also be delayed.

3. Stool during lactation

(1) Breastfed babies (soft golden stools)

A. Breast milk is rich in oligosaccharides, which can fully stimulate gastrointestinal motility. Therefore, most babies will not have hard stools and no obvious odor. The stools are golden yellow, occasionally slightly green and relatively thin; or they are ointment-like, uniform, sour and without foam.

B. Experts remind that this is not a bad "poop": Breastfed newborns may even defecate 7 to 8 times a day. Parents do not need to worry. This is called physiological diarrhea, which is a normal phenomenon. When the baby grows to a certain age, this diarrhea will disappear automatically.

(2) Artificially fed babies (khaki-colored hard stools)

A. Babies fed with formula have less stool, which is usually drier, rougher, and a little harder like paste. But as long as it is not difficult to pass and does not resemble sheep feces, it is fine. If there is no problem with digestion, it will usually be earthy yellow or golden yellow with a slightly sour smell, about 1 to 2 times a day.

B. Experts remind that this is not a bad "stool": Babies who drink formula milk sometimes have yellow stools with green or cyan. This is because the iron content in formula milk is very high. When the baby does not fully absorb the iron in the milk powder, the excess iron will make the stool green. This is normal. It is not true what the older generation says that children’s stools are green. It is gastrointestinal discomfort caused by being frightened.