What Does Breastfed Baby Poop Look Like?

Thanks to never-ending diaper changes, parents get an up-close look at their chestfed or breastfed baby's poop. This actually has some benefits: the color, consistency, and frequency of your baby's stool can cue you into their health and well-being. Plus, if you're nursing, the appearance of your baby's poop lets you know if they're consuming enough milk.

So what does normal breastfed baby poop look like, and how often should you expect to see it? Here's everything you need to know.

What Does Breastfed Baby Poop Look Like?

The appearance of your breastfed baby's poop changes over time. Here's what to expect from the newborn stage to starting solids.

Your breasfed baby's first poop (meconium)

A baby's first stool is called meconium, and it can look pretty scary if you don't know what to expect. "During the first few days, the baby has dark green stools, which is the meconium coming out," says Linda Folden Palmer, DC, author of Baby Poop: What Your Pediatrician May Not Tell You. Meconium contains everything your infant ingested in the womb, including amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, and skin cells. This breastfed newborn poop often looks like greenish-black tar or motor oil.

Breastfed baby poop in the first few months

As your baby digests breast milk, their poop will become looser and lighter, turning from green-black to army green. Within three to five days, it will take on the normal breastfed baby poop appearance. "It's going to be mustardy color and seedy in texture—usually on the liquidy side," says Dr. Palmer. It may resemble yellow diarrhea, and it will also take on a sweet scent.

But don't panic if your breastfed baby's poop looks slightly different; it can take on a variety of colors and textures. "Some exclusively breastfed babies have a more peanut buttery color to their stool, but it's still considered healthy," says Dr. Palmer.

Breastfed baby poop after starting solids

As your baby starts eating solid foods, their poop will become brown and smelly, resembling adult stool. Depending on what your baby eats, their stool might also appear tinged with colors like orange or green.

When Breastfed Baby Poop Doesn't Look Normal

Your breastfed baby's poop might sometimes look different than normal. A slight change in appearance is usually nothing to worry about, but it's still important to be aware. Here are the possible reasons behind different colors and textures of breastfed baby poop, plus when to see the doctor.

Red or black poop in a breastfed baby

Look out for breastfed baby poop that's red or black in color. Sometimes stool can take on a red tinge if the baby ingests blood from a parent's cracked nipple. Red foods like beets could also be the culprit. However, it's important to visit a doctor, since black-red poop may also be caused by a gastrointestinal injury or illness.

Green poop in a breastfed baby

Green stools are usually normal, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, so don't be concerned if you spot them sometimes. Breastfed babies can sometimes have green poop from iron supplements, food that their nursing parent ate, stomach illness, or an intolerance to something in the parent's diet—usually dairy, says Dr. Palmer.

Insufficient milk intake may also trigger green poop; other symptoms include fussiness, infrequent stools, and excess hunger. Consult a lactation consultant or your OB-GYN if you think your baby isn't getting enough breast milk.

Another cause of green poop is a foremilk-hindmilk imbalance (lactose overload). "Sometimes a baby nurses a little at a time, and [they] end up getting mostly foremilk, which is high in sugar lactose and won't get digested quickly enough. This can cause gassiness and green stool that can be frothy," says Dr. Palmer. Ensuring your baby drinks hindmilk (the fatty milk that comes at the end of a nursing session) can solve the issue.

How Often Should a Breastfed Baby Poop?

As a general guideline, expect your breastfed newborn to poop after almost every feeding, usually five to 12 times per day. After a few weeks, however, baby poop frequency will dwindle to three or four times per day. Babies older than 6 weeks may poop even less often—maybe even once a week.

There's usually no need to worry as long as the color and consistency is normal, ensuring your newborn has enough to eat. You'll also know that your baby is getting enough milk if they're gaining enough weight (your pediatrician can help determine this).

When to Contact a Health Care Provider

Let your doctor know about the following symptoms in a breastfed baby:

• Your baby is struggling to gain weight
• They're not feeding well
• They have infrequent or hard stool (this could signal constipation or another issue)
• Your baby's stool looks extra watery or diarrhea-like, especially for an extended time
• Their stool is black or dark red, which could signal illness or gastrointestinal injury
• Their stool is pale or white, which could indicate a liver problem