Why is my formula fed babies poop green

All about baby poo | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

If there is one thing that will get new parents talking, it's baby poo. How often? What colour is it? What about the texture?

All babies are different. Some poo every time they feed; others can go days without a poo. This is all normal.

A lot will depend on how old your child is, whether they are breast or formula fed, or whether they have moved to eating solid foods. But certain kinds of poo can be a sign that your baby might be sick or that something is missing from their diet.

As your newborn settles into a routine, it won't take long for you to recognise patterns in their feeding, sleeping - and in how often you need to change nappies.

New parents are usually quite surprised by the variety of colours they find in their baby's nappy!

Baby's first poo

You might be a bit shocked by what comes out of your baby the first time they do a poo. It’s a sticky, greenish black poo that looks like tar but is perfectly normal. This is called 'meconium' and is the by-product of your baby being in the womb for 9 months. It should only take a day or two for this to go away and for the next colour poo to arrive. If your baby continues to have black or very dark poo after 4 to 5 days, speak to your doctor.

Baby poo guide

Your baby's poo can tell you a lot about their health.

The first 6 weeks

During their first 6 weeks of life, both breast-fed and formula-fed babies will have generally have poo that is either yellow or green. Breast-fed babies tend to have softer, runnier poo while formula-fed baby poo is a little bit firmer.

In the next few weeks, you can expect the colour and shape, as well as how often they poo, to change.

Breastfeeding mums might find a bit more variety in the nappy because your diet and any medication you are taking can affect your baby's poo.

Why is my baby's poo green?

Parents sometimes find varying shades of green in their baby’s nappy.

Breast-fed babies can produce bright, frothy green poo, usually because they are getting too much foremilk or because mum is swapping from breast to breast during feeds. Try feeding from just one breast at a time until the breast is drained to make sure your baby is also getting the rich hindmilk.

If your formula-fed baby’s poo is green, it could just mean they are getting a lot of iron in their feed. Check the formula to see if it contains an iron supplement and speak to your child health nurse or doctor about possibly adjusting which formula you use.

Moving to solids

At around 6 months, when you start to introduce solids to your baby’s diet, you’ll notice a change both in colour and texture. The colour tends to be more of a greenish brown to orange, although the type of food your baby eats will affect it. Many babies start off eating pureed carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato, so don’t be surprised if their poo is almost the same colour!

Most babies will go through about 6 to 8 nappies a day - that can be almost 3,000 in your baby's first year!

Listen to Dianne Zalitis, midwife, talk about baby poo on the podcast Feed Play Love.

Constipation versus diarrhoea

Because babies can’t tell you when they are sick, it’s important not only to check their nappies but to take note of other behaviours that could be a sign your baby is unwell.

Constipation

Many parents often think that their baby might be constipated, either because they haven't passed anything for a few days or because they might look like they are straining when they go.

As long as your baby's poo is soft, it's perfectly normal to go for a few days without doing one. You will also find that babies often strain, make noises, go red in the face and even cry when they are doing a normal poo.

Signs of constipation include:

hard and dry poo
poo that is firm and pebble-like
your baby being upset
a small streak of blood

Seeing a streak of blood might be alarming, but if they are constipated, they might have a little tear in their anus. You should see your doctor or child health nurse to have them checked out.

Fully breast-fed babies shouldn't get constipated. Even if they are not feeding as often, their poo should still be quite soft. Constipation is more common in babies who are formula-fed, so it's important to follow the directions on the container to make sure the mix of powder and water is correct.

Diarrhoea

When it comes to diarrhoea, baby poo is already quite soft and runny, particularly before the baby starts on solids. But if it becomes more runny and more frequent than usual, it could be diarrhoea.

Some signs to look out for include:

poo that is quite watery
doing more than usual
your baby is being unwell, especially if they are vomiting
your baby not wanting to feed

If you think your baby has diarrhoea, speak to your doctor or child health nurse since babies can easily become dehydrated if they don't get enough fluids.

What's

not normal

Although you can expect to see many different colours of poo in your baby’s nappy, there are some colours that indicate there might be a problem.

White, chalky poo is never normal and could be a sign your baby has jaundice or a problem with their liver. You should see your doctor immediately if you notice that your baby’s poo is white.

While a single streak of blood in your baby’s poo could be a sign of constipation, if you discover more than one streak, you should see your doctor immediately.

It’s also a good idea to take your baby’s nappy, or a poo sample, to show the doctor.

The bottom line

Most babies will go through about 6 to 8 nappies a day - that can be almost 3,000 in your baby's first year! And whether you use cloth or disposable nappies you'll be spending a lot of time looking at what comes out of your baby. Just remember that all babies are different and you will soon settle into a routine of feed, poo, sleep, repeat.

If you are unsure whether your baby is unwell, visit your doctor or call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak to a maternal child health nurse.

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Green Baby Poop Formula Fed ✅ Causes & Remedies ✅ GHT Kids

Green poop is not a cause for an emergency. It is usually caused by too much bile in the stool, commonly associated with diarrhea. When food is moving too quickly through the GI tract, bile doesn’t have time to break everything down completely. The poop may have solids in it as food may not have been digested fully. Green stool can also be caused by an excess of iron.

Green poop is more common in formula-fed babies than breastfed infants.

However, if the unusual color lasts for more than 5 days, there may be some other problem with your child’s GI tract.

Red, black or white stool are causes for concern. Contact your healthcare provider if you see red, black, or white stool in your child’s diaper or the toilet. Dark green stool can appear black but isn’t likely serious.

Green Poop & Diarrhea

Infants or children with diarrhea typically produce stool the color of whatever they have eaten. For example, if your kid ate blue Jell-O and then had diarrhea, the toilet or diaper contents will likely be blue.

Babies with poop issues, like diarrhea, are more likely to be dehydrated. Dehydration is a threat to little ones, so be sure they are getting plenty of fluids.

It’s important not to impose dietary restrictions on your baby without first consulting your pediatric provider. Babies require appropriate nutrition for healthy growth. Limiting them because you think they’re gaining too much weight, or because you think they need to “diet” is a mistake. Every child needs access to a plentiful, healthy, balanced diet.

Constipation

Breastfed babies typically have looser stools than formula-fed babies. Constipation is rare in breastfed babies. Constipated babies have small, pellet-like poop that is difficult to pass.

Meconium

In the first few days of life, your brand new infant will have black poop. This is completely normal. If the black poop occurs for over a week, consult your pediatric healthcare provider.

Probiotics

For persisting green-poop-problems that aren’t serious, try probiotics. Breastfeeding moms and babies should take probiotics to help boost a community of beneficial bacterial flora. We recommend finding a probiotic with Bifida factor and acidophilus. A good community of bacteria makes all the difference in your baby’s digestion!

The Poop Rainbow

Black Poop

Black poop is considered a serious problem as this could indicate that part of the higher up digestive system is bleeding. Breastfeeding can sometimes cause cracked and bleeding nipples. Black flecks in breastfed babies may simply be blood from you. Dark green stool can sometimes be confused for black, so get your flashlight out.

White Poop

Chalky white poop is also serious. This means that your baby is not producing enough bile and has some issue in the liver or gallbladder. Bile is what turns poop brown, so white poop could mean that your baby isn’t producing bile or there is a bile obstruction.

Bright Red Poop

Bright red or raspberry-colored poop that looks like mucus (similar to congealed fat) could be evidence of a serious intestinal problem. Contact your pediatric healthcare provider and collect a sample for the lab.

Dark Red Poop

If the poop appears normal with specks of dark red, this is typically caused by a milk allergy.

Dark red poop in hard pellets may indicate that your baby is constipated. The red is blood (streaked or spotted throughout) and is likely due to small tears in the anus. Add a little bit of prune juice (1 teaspoon for newborns, 1 tablespoon for babies) to the next bottle to soften things up.

Watery poop that is streaked with dark red is also a sign of a bacterial infection.

Dark Green Poop

Dark green poop results from extra iron floating through your baby’s system. This usually creates thick, constipated stools. Don’t stop giving your baby iron if your practitioner has recommended iron supplementation. Iron is necessary for brain growth and development and green stool is worth the benefits of iron.

However, some dark green stool can also be a sign of a protein allergy, likely due to milk.

Light Green Poop

Light green or lime green poop may be accompanied by a frothy, bubbly texture. This color is indicative of a foremilk and hindmilk balance from breast milk. Foremilk is the first milk from the breast and is sweet and thin. Hindmilk is richer and contains more fat as well as most of the nutrients your baby needs. Lime green means that the baby is snacking too much on the sweet foremilk. Keep your baby on the breast longer so they pull out the hindmilk. Another way to measure this is by weight gain. Babies who are getting hindmilk will gain weight faster.

If you are breastfeeding for at least 20 minutes per breast and the problem persists, lime green can be a sign of a virus. Save some of the stool for testing and contact your pediatric provider.

Pink Poop

Rosey pink is usually harmless and due to something your baby has eaten (i. e. beets, cranberries, tomatoes, fruit loops, cherry popsicles).

Light Brown Poop

Light brown poop that looks like hummus is normal for formula-fed babies. Thick poop that seems more like peanut butter could mean that your baby is constipated. If the “hummus” poop has a greenish tinge like guacamole, this is normal, especially if you’ve started solid foods.

Dark Brown Poop

90% of all diaper changes will be dirt-brown. This is a good sign that your baby’s microbes are functioning properly, especially after you’ve introduced solid food.

Yellow Poop

Mustard yellow is the most common breastfed baby poop color and is totally normal. In addition, partially digested milk solids are normal and appear as little yellow-white seeds in the poop.

When to Contact your Pediatric Provider

Blood or mucus in the poop
Fever
Vomiting
Refusal to eat
Signs of dehydration (Decreased or dark-colored urine, not producing tears, sunken fontanelle)
Decreased activity

Finally, respond to this blog or contact us with questions or comments!

What to do if a formula-fed baby has green stools

Tips for moms

Photo: pololia — stock.adobe.com

What causes green stools in a bottle-fed baby By

the type of bowel movements can be judged on the normal functioning of the intestines of the newborn. But if during breastfeeding the stool depends on the nutrition of the mother, then with artificial it is affected by various reasons.

The green mass on the diaper looks especially frightening. This happens in the following cases:

Adaptation after birth. For several days, in a newly born baby, the intestines are cleared of amniotic fluid and get used to a new diet.
When switching to artificial feeding. This does not last long and is quite normal, as the stomach has to change from breast milk to formula.
As a response to nutrition. This happens when using some mixtures containing iron.
When removing bilirubin. In newborns, the content of this pigment, which is formed during the breakdown of hemoglobin, is high, and is normal when it is excreted along with feces.
Due to dysbacteriosis. The reproduction of pathogenic bacteria causes a change in the color of the stool.
Infectious, viral and other diseases, congenital pathologies. This is the most dangerous of the causes of green stools. In this case, you need to consult a doctor.

Photo: NDABCREATIVITY — stock.adobe.com

If, in addition to a change in the color of the feces, an unpleasant smell and foam do not appear, the baby behaves calmly, his temperature does not rise, there is no need to worry ( see also: Baby soup: how to cook and what to add).

What to do if the child has green stools

You need to constantly monitor the appearance of feces, and if you find that it has become green, you should examine the child, pay attention to his behavior. If no changes are found, try changing the mixture, watch the baby.

Change your feeding schedule. Let the child eat in small portions, but more often. If during this period you gave the baby any medications or started complementary foods, stop doing it immediately.

Talk to your pediatrician about any changes in your baby's stool. Harmless symptoms can hide a serious illness.

It is impossible to independently determine what caused the green stool in a formula-fed baby. We can only speculate, try to somehow influence the situation, and the doctor will make an accurate diagnosis after receiving the test results. Therefore, if the stool has a green color for several days, or if you feel unwell, it is necessary to pass feces for caprology and bacterial culture.

The child is growing, complementary foods are introduced, formulas are changed according to age. Any change in diet can cause green stools, and one must be prepared to analyze the situation and, if necessary, take action in time ( read also : How to understand that the mixture is not suitable for a newborn). children0003

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No matter how ridiculed the topic of young mothers' interest in the contents of the diaper, in reality, the baby's waste products are a good indicator of the state of his health. That is why their color, smell and texture are so carefully analyzed by adults.

Newborn chair: many options

In matters of health, we are accustomed to focus on a certain norm. If we talk about the chair of a newborn baby, it is impossible to call any single option the norm. The baby "has the right" to any chair, and if the child himself does not show any signs of illness at the same time, the mother may not panic.

So, for example, the baby's original feces - meconium - are dark green, thick and viscous. Then, before the introduction of complementary foods, infants have liquid and unformed feces. Artificial stools are usually thicker and more uniform. Most of all, mothers are worried about the appearance of greenery, although in the vast majority of cases there is no reason to worry.

In children of any type of diet, green stools may be the result of some change in the intestinal flora or simply a reaction to substances that have entered the body.

In more detail this issue is better considered separately for artificial babies and infants.

Green breastfeeding stools

Most often, the stool of an infant who feeds exclusively on breast milk has a light brown color, a liquid consistency with small white grains, and a sour smell. However, it is quite acceptable if the mother finds particles of mucus or streaks of blood in the diaper (due to a vessel that has burst in the intestines). Sometimes a newborn's stools may be frothy or have a green tint. Greens in this case can be for various reasons:
If the baby pooped some time ago, the green color of the stool may be the result of an oxidation reaction in the air.
The green color of infant stool comes from certain foods that the mother may have eaten. Most often, vegetables are seen in this: cucumbers, zucchini (see the article Vegetables with GV).
Sometimes a green tinge is due to certain medications. Iron itself gives the feces a green color, antibiotics can disrupt the intestinal microflora, and as a result, how it becomes green.
Dysbacteriosis. This condition is not a disease, its essence lies in the name itself. Dysbacteriosis is an unbalanced composition of the intestinal flora. Bacteria, which ideally should be small, exceed the required amount. In children who are fully breastfed, dysbacteriosis can even occur from supplementation, since boiled water, which is usually given to babies, already upsets the natural balance in the intestines. In general, the imperfect composition of the intestinal flora is characteristic of infants, because their intestines are still in the process of formation. (See detailed article about dysbacteriosis >>>)
Green frothy stools are often mistaken for lactose intolerance. However, this diagnosis is rare. Most often, the matter is in the imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk. We already know that because foremilk is thinner and more watery, while hindmilk is fatter, thicker and richer in nutrients. If a mother changes breasts too often or takes her breasts from her baby before she has finished suckling, the baby may not get enough hind milk, but she gets plenty of fore milk. In addition to green foamy stools, in this case, there is also poor weight gain.
Due to release of bilirubin.

Green stools in formula-fed children

Being bottle-fed, the child can also "please" parents with green stools. Artists receive as food an adapted mixture, which, unlike breast milk, is always constant in its composition. In this case, the matter is in the composition of the mixture: green stools are the result of an increased iron content.

Should I be worried?

Green stools are not a problem in and of themselves, they are normal.

Of course, it can be a symptom of the disease, but there must be other signs. No conclusions can be drawn from the fact of green stool alone. It is best to focus on the child. It is clear that the baby will not be able to tell how he feels and whether he is in pain somewhere, but babies have their own “alert systems”. If the child has a good appetite, sleeps, does not show anxiety, then everything is normal with him. If parents notice manifestations in the behavior of the baby that indicate malaise, which are present simultaneously with green stools, it makes sense to see a pediatrician.