Are you wondering what it means when you find something strange in your baby’s diaper? Here is the scoop on all of that poop.
Pay attention to your newborns first few poops. They will look black and tarry. These first bowl movements consist of a substance called meconium. As you baby takes in nutrition, the meconium will clear out of your baby’s system and be replaced by normal stools.
This of course raises another question. What do those normal stools look like? If you are breast feeding, your baby’s stools will be a watery yellow, and they will have what may look like strands or strings. This is perfectly normal. Breast milk is so well digested by a baby that there is very little solid waste. There is a slight sweet smell to the poop. Some people compare it to creamed corn. Once your baby starts on solids, though, the poop will become more solid and emit a bad smell. If you are formula feeding, your baby’s stools may be close to the color and consistency of soft peanut butter, and the poop will smell well, like poop (stinky).
If you spot any blood in your baby’s poop or diaper, by all means tell your pediatrician, but don’t worry too much. There are several things that could cause blood in a newborn’s diaper. The first is that the baby may be ingesting a little blood from the mom if she is nursing and has a cracked nipple. This is harmless to the baby. Another reason for blood is a minor anal fissure or tear in the baby’s delicate rear, or a bad diaper rash. Finally, newborn girls can sometimes pass a bloody discharge as a result of mom’s hormones while the baby was in the womb. Blood in a diaper is usually only serious when it is copious (a large amount) and steady.
Happy diaper changing!
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. Starting June 1st, don’t miss her articles in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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