Everything You Need To Know About Baby Poop, Pee And Spit Up

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

Being a new parent, you must be wondering about the sudden pee, poop and spit up changes of your baby. This article speaks of everything you need to know about baby poop, pee and spit up, it will give you an insight into all of the aspects

Being a parent is the loveliest thing that happens to you but sometimes you need to manage things that you might end up feeling gross about. You must have wondered if your child has even held onto any nutrition at all. Thankfully, you as parent aren’t left in the dark. A guide to baby poop, pee and spit up can give you an insight about what is going on inside. Before you go inspecting your baby’s body mass, let’s look at what it all means.

Everything you need to know about baby poop

Babies poop a lot, but some more than others. Many babies who are breastfed will often poop during or right after every feed (about 6 to 10 times per day) while formula-fed babies may only release every few days. Sometimes babies poop at different intervals too. As long as he is active, don’t worry. If you notice that he seems uncomfortable, go ahead and call your doctor to be safe. A guide to baby’s poop, pee and spit up here, explains different types of poop your baby excretes.

Meconium

This newborn poop is generally greenish-black and sticky, resembling tar. It is made of amniotic fluid, skin cells, mucus and other things. It usually only appears a couple times, within the first few days of your baby’s arrival.

Transitional newborn poop

At 2 to 4 days of age, your baby’s poop will begin to lighten and turn a greenish colour. It will be less sticky. This is a good sign that your baby is getting enough milk through his system.

Breastfed baby poop 

Breastfed poop is usually yellow or light green. It’s usually mushy or creamy but can resemble diarrhoea. Some people say it looks like dijon mustard mixed with cottage cheese.  If your baby’s poop looks bright green or frothy she may not be getting enough hind-milk. Do ask your nursing consultant for solutions.

Formula-fed baby poop

Formula-fed babies have peanut butter poop. They are usually darker brown and often stink more.    

Solid food poop

As you transition to solid foods, your baby’s poop will yet again change. The colour tends to darken and becomes thicker than peanut butter, but it should still be soft. It stinks.

Questionable poop

Occasionally, babies will eat something that changes the colour of their poop. Sometimes, you will find the bloody red poop that is worrisome but later on, you will find out that it is the beetroot that makes the poop red.You may also find chunks of undigested food in your baby’s stool. Unless he is consistently producing undigested food, you shouldn’t need to worry.

Diarrhoea and constipation

If your baby has runny stools that appear to be made up of more water than anything else, he probably has diarrhoea. Alternatively, if your baby’s poop is hard and is pebbly, he is possibly constipated. If this happens for one or two days, it generally doesn't call for concern; however, if it continues, you may want to talk to your doctor to ease your mind.

Everything you need to know about baby pee

Babies pee a lot more than they poop. It usually takes a few days for the springs to let loose, but it will happen. After about 2 to 5 days after birth, he should be wetting about 8 to 10 diapers per day. As usual, there are exceptions. If your child doesn’t wet 4-5 diapers in a day, call your doctor.

Know that sometimes the extra-absorbent diapers of today can conceal the fact that your child has peed. Look for diapers that have the absorbent line that changes colour when urine touches it. 

Everything you need to know about spit ups 

Some babies spit up as often as 12 times per day! Some babies spit a little while others produce an eruption. You may begin to wonder if your baby is getting enough nutrition and how that could possibly happen if it seems like everything is coming up. Rest assured that as long as your baby is having enough wet diapers and bowel movements, then he is getting enough food. Much of what comes up is actually stomach bile mixed with food.

If spit ups seem to be a never-ending problem, try keeping feedings smaller and offering food more often. You can also hold your baby upright after the feed to help with digestion. Be sure to burp him regularly in order to avoid extra spit up sessions.

Although spit up is a normal thing that many babies do, if your baby seems to be irritable or uncomfortable, he may have a reflux issue or milk allergy. Set up an appointment with your pediatrician if you suspect this or anything else that could possibly be wrong with your baby.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.