Baby poo guide

Baby poo. Once your baby arrives, you’ll soon forget that there was a time when your baby’s bowel movements didn’t take up so much headspace. As you become an expert in baby poo colour, smell and texture, you’ll be able to spot your little one’s ‘pooing face’ from a mile away and quickly spot the signs that something’s off (the poo can’t fool you).

So, without further ado, let’s talk about poo. Ever heard parents talk about the infamous ‘poonami’?

“I used to think this was something people were exaggerating. That’s until I found myself dealing with a seriously leaky nappy in the middle of lunch at a cafe. Twice. From that moment on, I never left home without at least three spare baby grows and a foldable changing mat!” (Sylvie’s mum)

They’re referring to that all-too-real moment when you realise poo has escaped your baby’s nappy and can now be found all the way up their back… lovely! Our expert midwife's top tip for managing Poonamis is:

“Make sure your baby’s nappy is the right size and fits well around their bum and legs. This can be a case of trial and error when buying nappies, but it will help to prevent those messy leaks!” 

Your baby’s first poo is called ‘meconium’. It’s a sticky, blackish-green poo that they’ll have in the first couple of days after birth¹. Meconium looks different to other baby poo because it’s made up of things your baby’s ‘eaten’ in the womb (sometimes including lanugo, the fine hair that covered them earlier in pregnancy)³.

You should notice your little one’s poo change colour when they start to grow and feed. If you’re breastfeeding, you can expect your baby’s poos to become a pale yellow colour after a few days. Formula-fed babies tend to have darker and sometimes even green poos².  If you switch from exclusively breastfeeding to combi-feeding or to formula feeding, you might notice that your baby’s poo becomes darker and firmer⁴.

You can see examples of different baby poo colours for yourself in our baby poo colour chart.

The colour (and smell) of your baby’s poo will change again when they start to eat solid foods (seriously, buckle up), but that won’t be until they’re about 6 months old⁵.

Meconium, your baby’s first poo, tends to have a sticky, tar-like texture¹. Be warned, meconium can be very stubborn to get off baby clothes – and your little one!

After a couple of days, the texture of your baby’s poo will change and be quite soft for breastfed babies, and a little firmer if you’re using formula or if you’ve switched to combi-feeding⁴. You might also notice what looks like little seeds in your baby’s poo – this is also completely normal².

There’s no hard and fast rule about this – every baby’s different. In general, your newborn will probably poo a lot in the early weeks and then less as they grow. Your little one might have a poo after every feed at first and then just once a day after the first few weeks¹; “I couldn’t quite believe how many nappies my baby went through, even in those early days. Put nappies, lots of nappies, on your list of things to pack in your hospital bag. If you don’t use them on the maternity ward, you’ll certainly need them when you get home!” (Isla’s mum).

Your baby might sometimes go a few days without pooing, especially if they’re breastfeeding. But as long as their poos are still soft, this doesn’t mean they’re constipated¹.

You can’t avoid the facts… baby poo smells. But it doesn’t all smell the same.

Formula-fed baby’s poo tends to smell more strongly than breastfed baby’s poo. So, if you switch from breastfeeding to formula feeding, or your baby is ready to wean, prepare yourself for some potentially pungent nappy changes!²

Believe it or not, it’s common for some babies to strain or cry when they’re having a poo or go a few days without pooing at all (especially if you’re breastfeeding). But as long as the poo they do produce is nice and soft, it’s unlikely that they’re constipated¹.

Your baby could be constipated if⁶:

• They have small, dry or hard poos
• Their wind and poo is smellier than normal
• They’re not as hungry
• Their tummy feels firmer than normal

Breastfed babies don’t get constipated very often. This is because breast milk is a natural laxative, and so breastfeeding babies may well poo a few times a day in the first six weeks of life⁷.

Constipation is a little more common for babies who are formula-fed or who are weaning, as their digestive system is getting used ti digesting and coping with new things^{2, 7}.

If you think your baby’s constipated, you can try to get things moving again at home by⁶:

• Lying them down and gently moving their legs like they’re riding a bike
• Giving them a little tummy massage

If your little one still seems constipated after a few days, your GP or health visitor can give you some more advice.

Because baby poo tends to be pretty soft and paste-like before they start to eat solid foods, you might be worried that they have diarrhoea. But most of the time, that’s just what poos on an all-milk diet look like!

You’ll get to know what’s normal for your little one, and it’ll be fairly obvious if their baby poo changes.

Your baby might have diarrhoea if⁸:

• Their poos are a lot more watery than usual
• Their poos smell worse than is normal for them
• They’re pooing more often

As long as your baby doesn’t seem dehydrated, you can normally manage your baby’s diarrhoea at home – but check in with your GP or health visitor if you’re not sure⁸.

When you’re changing your baby’s nappy more times than you care to count, you get to know their pooing habits. If their poo changes without you changing their diet (e.g. switching from breastfeeding to bottle feeding or weaning), it’s always a good idea to talk to your GP or health visitor to make sure everything’s okay.

Some things to watch out for include²:
 

• Watery poos (could be a sign of diarrhoea)
• Hard, small poos (could be a sign of constipation)
• Pale poos
• Poos that are smellier than normal
• Poos that have blood in them

Baby poo is just one of those things you get used to dealing with when you’re busy being a parent. But whether it’s understanding your baby’s first poo, or guiding them through the potty training process, remember that you know your baby better than anyone. Just take things one day at a time and follow your baby’s lead.

If you’ve got any questions or want to talk about what to expect when it comes to all things baby poo, our team of baby experts is available to offer reassurance and advice. We’re here whenever you need us, so just give us a call.

Last reviewed: February 2025
Reviewed by Nutricia’s Medical and Scientific Affairs Team