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Poo changes
When your baby starts eating solid food, their poo often changes in colour, texture, and how often they poo.
If your baby is drinking breastmilk
- Poo is usually soft, loose or runny, similar to mustard and can be yellow, brown, mustard coloured or green.If your baby is healthy and feeding well, with lots of wet nappies, these colours are all normal.
- It can have a sweet smell, and this can change depending on what the breastfeeding mother eats.
- Up until 6 weeks of age, most breastfed babies poo more than 3 times in 24 hours, and sometimes after every feed.
- If your baby poos less than this in 24 hours and have less wet nappies, this may be a sign they are not getting enough milk.
- After 6 weeks, exclusively breastfed babies may poo less often. Some may poo once a week or even every 10 days. As long as the poo is soft and there is a good amount when they poo and you have no other concerns, this can be normal. The poo usually stays soft until solids are started.
- If your baby is fussy and has green, explosive or frothy poo, alot of gas, very wet nappies and gains alot of weight, these can be signs of having too much breastmilk (oversupply). If you notice these signs, please talk to the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268, your Child and Family Health Nurse, a Lactation Consultant or your family doctor for more information.
If your baby is drinking formula milk
- Poo is usually a bit firmer or harder than breastfed poo.
- The colour can vary between grey-yellow, grey-blue, or shades of brown are all normal.
- Poo can look and feel different if you change the type of formula you offer your baby. Poo can be looser if a baby is having a hypoallergenic formula.
- Formula fed babies can poo once or twice a day or once every 2-3 days. As long as the poo is soft and a good amount when they poo, this is normal.
- If your baby has formula, make sure you are preparing it exactly as the instructions say.
If your baby is mixed feeding (Breast and Formula milk)
Poo is usually somewhere in between what is described above for breastfed and formula-fed babies.
What is not normal
If your baby’s poo has blood or mucous in it or is black in colour, please see your family doctor or call Health Direct for advice on 1800 022 222.
If your baby is eating solid foods
Solid foods usually cause changes in your baby's poo
When your baby starts solid foods there can be changes in the colour, consistency and frequency of your baby’s poo because:
- Breast milk and formula milk are easily digested by your baby
- Your baby’s digestive system needs to work harder to break down the different types of food when they start eating solid foods.
- Feeding your baby solid foods too early can cause firm or hard poos and constipation. It is best to start solids when your baby is around 6 months old.
- Firmer poo when starting solids usually improves quickly becuase the digestive system gets used to it.
What is constipation
Constipation is when a baby’s poo is very firm or hard to pass. The poo may come out in small pieces like pellets, or as a large, very firm poo that you cannot easily squash with your finger in the nappy.
Many babies under 6 months look like they are straining. They may go red in the face, cry, grunt, or look like they are having trouble passing poo. However, if the poo is soft when it comes out, this is not constipation.
This straining happens because a baby’s tummy and bowel muscles are still developing. Babies are learning how to coordinate their muscles to pass a poo. Adults usually sit upright on the toilet, but babies lie flat. This makes it harder for them to coordinate their muscles and push the poo out.
The Brussels Infant and Toddler Stool Scale
Doctors and nurses use the Brussels Stool Chart to describe poo types.
Hard poo: Small, hard, pebble-like poo that can be difficult for a baby to pass. This usually means your baby is constipated.
Normal poo: Soft, smooth, sausage-like poo. This usually means healthy and normal poo.
Loose poo: Soft or mushy poo that spreads easily in the nappy. This is normal in many babies, especially if they are eating more fruit or fibre.
Watery poo: Very watery poo with no solid pieces. This may be diarrhoea.
Tips for preventing constipation (not caused by a medical condition):
- Get down on the floor with your baby for some tummy time and active play. Your baby will love this and the movement is good for your baby’s digestive system.
- A warm bath or gentle tummy massage in a clockwise direction can help your baby do a poo or encourage a bowel movement.
For Babies Over 6 Months Only
You can offer extra cooled boiled water.
If your baby has started solids, offer pureed fruits such as apple, pear, or prune, and vegetables as recommended below.
Fruit juice is not usually recommended. However, if nothing else has helped, you can try 5 mls of prune juice mixed with 20 -30 mls of cooled boiled water once each day for 1–2 days.
For babies under 6 months, do NOT give water or fruit juice.
If you are concerned, see your Child and Family Health Nurse, contact the Tresillian Paremt’s Helpline for advice on 1300 272 736, or see your GP.
When Starting Solids around 6 months
- Start by giving your baby solid food slowly. Give your baby a variety of pureed foods in small amounts like ½ teaspoon to a couple of teaspoons to start with. Offer solid food about 30 minutes after milk feeds and follow your baby’s hunger and fullness cues. Slowly increase to 3 meals a day over a couple of weeks.
- Make sure your baby continues to drink their normal amounts of breast milk or formula. Milk is an important part of your baby’s diet up to 12 months
- Give your baby a variety of healthy foods, including foods high in fiber like:
- Vegetables: sweet potato, broccoli and carrot
- Fruits: pureed apple, prunes, pears, kiwi fruit, peaches, avocado.
- Lentils and legumes such as kidney beans
- Whole grains and iron fortified rice cereal or oats.
- Try not to give your baby alot of the same type of food such as bananas, or starchy foods like rice, pasta and potato because too much of these foods can cause firmer or harder poos.
- Give your baby cooled boiled water (30-50 mL) in a cup after meals and throughout the day.
Do not give your baby fruit juice. It is high in sugar and and calories and can make babies feel full to eat other healthy foods. It is always better to offer pureed fruit rather than the juice.
If you or your baby are experiencing feeding difficulties or constipation for more than 1-2 days, please see your family doctor, child and family health nurse, or the Tresillian Parent’s Helpline for advice. Only use medication for constipation under medical advice.
