A Guide to What Your Baby's Poop Is Telling You

Most new parents will agree — the amount of thought and conversation surrounding a new baby's bowel movements is . . . plentiful. And probably surprising. With limited options for communication with a newborn, new moms and dads will look anywhere and everywhere for signs that their baby is thriving, and that includes dirty diapers.

The thing is, baby poop really runs the gamut — in texture, color, frequency, and quantity. There's plenty to decode and, with newborns averaging 10 dirty diapers per day, plenty of opportunity for analysis. Your baby's bowel movements are reflective of their nutrition, hydration, and general health. Not for the faint of heart, we've broken down just what those (surprisingly varied) BMs mean.

A baby's first bowel movements, known as meconium, are black, sticky, and tar-like. It's a substance that filled baby's intestines in utero and emerges within the first day or two. While the visual may be alarming at first, rest assured it's an indicator that their system is functioning just as it should. Around day three or four, the meconium should shift to transitional stools (lighter in color and loose and grainy in texture), which show that baby is properly digesting breast milk or formula.

Nursing moms, this is what you should expect — yellow, light brown, or even green in color, breastfed babies' poop is usually loose in consistency and sometimes watery. The odor is unexpectedly sweet (though, all this will change once solids are introduced).

Formula-fed babies' poop is usually soft, but more firm than that of a breastfed baby. The odor is closer to "normal" poop, and the color is generally a yellow/tan, sometimes with hints of green.

Once solids are introduced to your baby's diet, their bowel movements will also become more solid and darker brown in color. The smell (unfortunately!) will increase, too. All of this is normal and to be expected.

The regular appearance of loose, watery stool with a greenish tint is an indication of diarrhea. This can occur when there's a change in the baby's diet (or, if you're breastfeeding, in your own diet). It can also be an indication of an allergy or dietary intolerance. Regular watery poops can lead to diaper rash, so make sure to change their diapers frequently and treat accordingly. Diarrhea is often synonymous with dehydration, too. Make sure they're getting plenty of fluids. If these symptoms persist, and/or are accompanied by fever or vomiting, check in with your pediatrician.

Light yellow or green poop streaked with mucus can be an indication of a drooly, teething baby (mucus in saliva doesn't get digested). It could also be a sign of a virus like a cold or stomach bug. Check in with the pediatrician if this persists for more than a day or two.

Very solid, hard poops are a sign of constipation. These are sometimes accompanied by pain or bleeding (the result of their little body having to push so hard). Check in with your pediatrician to remedy the issue.

Reddish streaks in your baby's poop could be the sign of a variety of things: a milk allergy, rectal tear (often caused by constipation), or a bacterial infection. This is worth getting checked out by the doctor if it happens more than once.

While this is a normal consistency for baby's first poops, if it's happening after three months, it can be an indicator of potentially dangerous bleeding in the digestive tract. Dark brown/black poop can also result from iron supplements or iron-fortified formula. If your baby is taking either of these things, it shouldn't be a cause for concern.

White stool can be caused by a lack of bile, which can indicate a liver problem, dairy allergy, or stomach bug. There are other reasons your baby's stool could be white that are less of a cause for concern, particularly if they're on antibiotics/antacids. That said, white poop is not the norm and is worth a call to the pediatrician.

Note: This is not meant to be medical advice. Please contact your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your baby's health.