Newborn baby poop is a subject that worries mothers a lot and is a common topic of consultation and debate. The color, texture, smell, and other details of it can be a cause of worries and concerns.

Here, we will try to answer the usual questions about this subject for babies who are exclusively breastfeeding and do not have any other food or formula: Does my baby have diarrhea?

The normal stools of a breastfed baby can be confused with diarrhea, which is an increase in the daily amount of liquid-textured stools.

Exclusively breastfed babies under one month old usually have many liquid stools daily, around 6 to 8 or more, and these are mustard-colored with white lumps.

After one month, if they continue with exclusive breastfeeding, the texture is similar or a little thicker, and they may stop passing poop every day.

Is this color normal?

The color of baby poop varies greatly. When they are exclusively breastfeeding, stools have a mustard or orange color. But there is a large variety of colors. Also, consider that baby stools oxidize quickly, so if you do not look at them immediately, they may take on a darker shade after some time.

My baby’s poop is green. Is it because of lactose? Could it be an allergy?

Just one green poop does not mean anything. If your baby always has green stools, you should get the latch and an entire feeding session checked by an IBCLC lactation consultant. One of the first causes of green and explosive poop is excess of lactose. For different reasons, your baby could be receiving an excess of lactose that may cause some intestinal discomfort that results in this type of stool.
Green stools, accompanied by other symptoms, such as dermatitis or spots on the skin, blood in the stools, uncontrollable crying, and so on, may mean that the baby is having, through the mother’s milk, some protein that causes an allergy. In this case, it is essential to consult with a pediatrician or healthcare professional and, if the mother wants to, follow a diet free of the foods that cause her baby’s discomfort.

My baby doesn’t poop, is it normal?

This question can only be answered according to your baby’s age and the type of feeding they are having.

A baby under one month who exclusively feeds breastmilk should poop several times a day. If this is not the case, it may be a sign that the baby is not getting the amount of milk they need, which translates into a lack of weight gain.

The frequency of exclusively breastfed babies’ bowel movements decreases from one month onwards.

Does my baby have constipation?

From about one month onwards, exclusively breastfed babies stop pooping every day. This usually worries parents a lot because they believe that their baby is now constipated and that something must be done to stimulate evacuation.

At birth, babies have a gastrocolic reflex that allows them to have a bowel movement right after eating, it is almost automatic. When they grow up, they have to learn to poop, and the automatic reflex disappears. They have to learn how to squeeze and have the need to evacuate.

Sometimes, parents are advised by outdated information to provoke this with different methods: by inserting something into their bottom, such as the tip of a thermometer, or giving them constipation suppositories, and so on. However, none of these methods are advisable because they prevent the baby from learning how to poop.

If your baby is calm and has a soft abdomen, there is nothing to do but wait. It may take many days before a baby has a bowel movement, sometimes weeks. Then, when they finally poop, it has an ointment-like texture, but it is not hard at all. Hard stools are a sign of constipation, and in the case of an exclusively breastfed baby, they should be checked immediately by a pediatrician.

Are there black threads or blood in the poop?

If black streaks of blood appear in the stool, this may be mainly due to blood ingestion from wounds on the mother’s breast in the case of sore nipples or from iron supplements. If the stools show red blood threads, the baby has to be seen by a pediatrician.

We hope you find all this information helpful. Likewise, whenever you have doubts about your baby’s poop, do not hesitate to consult with your pediatrician.