Baby Poop Color Guide: What Every Parent Should Know
Quick Answer: Baby poop comes in many colors - yellow, green, brown - and most variations are NORMAL! Breastfed babies typically have mustard-yellow, seedy poop. Formula-fed babies have tan to brown poop. Green poop is usually fine too. The ONLY colors to worry about are: WHITE/PALE (liver problem), RED (blood), and BLACK (after the first week). Everything else is usually just a reflection of what baby is eating!
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Baby Poop Color Chart
Watch: Benefits of Breast Milk for Baby & Mother | Why Breastfeeding is Important? #breastfeeding #newmom
Quick Reference: Normal vs Warning Signs
Color
Normal?
What It Means
Action
**Black (sticky)**
First 2-3 days only
Meconium - normal first poop
None
**Greenish-black**
Days 2-4
Transitional stool
None
**Mustard yellow**
After day 4
Healthy breastfed baby poop
None
**Tan/Brown**
After day 4
Healthy formula-fed baby poop
None
**Green**
Often
Fast digestion, foremilk, normal
Usually none
**Orange**
Sometimes
Diet-related, normal
None
**WHITE/PALE**
NEVER
Liver/bile duct problem
**CALL DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY**
**RED/Bloody**
NEVER
Blood in stool
**CALL DOCTOR SAME DAY**
**BLACK**
After first week - NO
Upper GI bleeding
**CALL DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY**
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Stage-by-Stage: How Baby Poop Changes
Day 1-2: Meconium (First Poop)
Characteristic
Details
**Color**
Black or dark green
**Texture**
Sticky, tar-like
**What it is**
Amniotic fluid, mucus, skin cells baby swallowed in womb
**Normal?**
YES - very normal!
Good sign: Passing meconium means baby's digestive system is working!
Days 2-4: Transitional Stools
Color changes from black/green to yellowish-green
Less sticky, more soft
Shows digestion is starting
After Day 4-5: Regular Baby Poop
This is where feeding type matters:
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Breastfed Baby Poop (Maa Ka Doodh)
Characteristic
What to Expect
**Color**
Mustard yellow, sometimes greenish
**Texture**
Seedy, cottage cheese-like
**Smell**
Mild, slightly sweet
**Frequency**
3-10 times daily (first month), then may decrease
Interesting fact: After 4-6 weeks, some breastfed babies poop only once every few days - this is normal if baby is comfortable and gaining weight!
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Formula-Fed Baby Poop
Characteristic
What to Expect
**Color**
Tan, yellow-brown, or greenish
**Texture**
Thicker than breastfed baby poop (like peanut butter)
**Smell**
Stronger than breastfed baby poop
**Frequency**
1-4 times daily, more regular pattern
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What Different Colors Mean
Yellow Poop
Normal for: All babies, especially breastfed
What it means: Healthy digestion of breast milk
Action: None needed
Green Poop
Don't panic! Green is usually normal.
Possible Cause
Details
**Fast digestion**
Bile didn't fully break down
**Foremilk imbalance**
More watery foremilk than hindmilk
**Iron supplements**
Iron turns poop greenish
**Starting solids**
Green vegetables (palak, peas)
**Formula type**
Some formulas cause green poop
When green poop is concerning:
Accompanied by mucus (slimy)
Baby seems unwell
Frequent loose stools with poor weight gain
Orange Poop
Usually normal!
Can happen from beta-carotene in breast milk (if mom ate carrots, sweet potato)
Some formula ingredients
Not a concern
Brown Poop
Normal for:
Formula-fed babies
Babies eating solids
Combination-fed babies
Action: None needed - perfectly healthy!
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WARNING: Colors That Need Immediate Attention
WHITE or PALE/CLAY Colored Poop
STOP and CALL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY
What It Means
Why It's Serious
Bile is not reaching intestines
Could indicate liver or bile duct problem
Liver/gallbladder issue
Biliary atresia needs urgent treatment
Signs to watch:
Pale, chalky, or white stool
Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice)
Dark urine
RED or BLOODY Poop
Call your pediatrician same day
Possible Cause
Details
**Anal fissure**
Small tear from straining (most common)
**Milk protein allergy**
Cow's milk protein sensitivity
**Infection**
Bacterial infection
**Swallowed blood**
From cracked nipples during breastfeeding (not harmful to baby)
Note: A few red streaks from fissure are common. Large amounts of blood or blood mixed throughout stool needs urgent attention.
BLACK Poop (After First Week)
Call your doctor immediately if black poop appears after the meconium stage
Possible Cause
Concern Level
Digested blood from upper GI tract
Urgent
Internal bleeding
Urgent - needs investigation
Exception: Iron supplements can cause dark/blackish poop - this is harmless.
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When Solids Start: Poop Gets Interesting!
After 6 months, expect:
Food
Poop Change
**Carrots/Sweet potato**
Orange-colored
**Palak/Green veggies**
Greenish
**Beets**
Reddish (don't panic!)
**Bananas**
Dark stringy bits
**Undigested food pieces**
Normal - baby's gut is learning
Reassurance: Seeing undigested food in baby's poop is completely normal! Their digestive system is still developing.
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Poop Frequency: What's Normal?
Age
Breastfed
Formula-Fed
**Week 1**
Several times daily
Several times daily
**1-4 weeks**
3-10 times daily
1-4 times daily
**1-6 months**
Once daily to once every 5-7 days
1-3 times daily
**6+ months**
More regular with solids
1-2 times daily
Key point: Breastfed babies can go 5-7 days without pooping and still be normal - if baby is comfortable, feeding well, and gaining weight!
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Signs of Constipation
Symptom
Details
Hard, pellet-like stools
Difficult to pass
Straining with crying
Beyond normal pushing
Blood on stool surface
From anal fissure
Refusing to eat
Uncomfortable tummy
Note: Not pooping for days is NOT constipation if baby is breastfed and stools are soft when they come.
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When to See a Doctor
Call Immediately If:
White or pale stool (any time)
Large amount of blood in stool
Black tarry stool after first week
Baby has fever with bloody stool
Signs of dehydration (no wet diapers, dry mouth)
Call Same Day If:
Streaks of blood in stool
Mucus-filled green stools with poor weight gain
Sudden change in pattern with baby seeming unwell
Watery, explosive diarrhea (more than 10 times daily)
Can Wait for Regular Visit:
Green poop with happy, growing baby
Change in frequency alone
Starting solids changing poop color
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My breastfed baby hasn't pooped in 4 days. Is this constipation?
A: Probably not! After 4-6 weeks, breastfed babies can go up to a week without pooping. As long as baby is comfortable, feeding well, and poop is soft when it comes - this is normal. Breast milk is so efficiently absorbed!
Q: Baby's poop is greenish and frothy - should I worry?
A: This often indicates foremilk-hindmilk imbalance. Try finishing one breast fully before switching. If baby is gaining weight well, it's not concerning.
Q: I see white curds in the poop - is this milk coming out undigested?
A: Those white seed-like bits in breastfed baby poop are partially digested milk fat - completely normal!
Q: My baby strains and turns red while pooping but poop is soft. Normal?
A: Yes! Babies are learning to coordinate their muscles. Grunting and straining with soft poop (called dyschezia) is normal in young babies.
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Key Takeaways
Yellow/mustard poop - Normal for breastfed babies
Tan/brown poop - Normal for formula-fed babies
Green poop - Usually normal, many causes
WHITE poop - NEVER normal, call doctor immediately
RED/bloody poop - Call doctor same day
BLACK poop after week 1 - Call doctor immediately
Frequency varies - Breastfed babies can go days; formula-fed babies more regular
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This article was reviewed by pediatricians at Babynama. Last updated: January 2026
Worried about your baby's poop? Send a photo to our pediatricians on Babynama for quick expert guidance!
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