The ultimate guide to understanding your baby’s poop

It’s safe to say that analysing your baby’s poop is a skill you never thought you would need. Let alone become an expert at. But here we are. You’ll decipher it, you’ll discuss it with your partner (more than you talk about your relationship), you’ll find it in all number of places (and crevices) and some days you might even save it to show your partner when they get home (in the name of concerned parenting/medical research of course).

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Yep as parents we do some weird shit…

And just wait until your toddler can talk, if their first word isn’t poo then it’s sure to come quickly and then the discussions really heat up. As a parent, you literally can’t escape it.

But in all seriousness, knowing what to look out for during nappy changes is actually a really great way of keeping track of your baby’s health. You don’t need to inspect every single stool in great detail. Being aware of what is normal, what’s not and everything in between can help make those endless nappy changes a little less confusing. We can’t help with the smell though sorry.

We all poop. Every day (or thereabouts) and it’s often one of the first signs we’re under the weather; whether it’s constipation or diarrhoea or a different colour. As adults, we usually know it’s down to something we ate or our overall diet or in some cases, that something is wrong. And so it’s the same for our little ones.

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The baby poop chart

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The Bristol stool chart is a great resource for parents to be familiar with, so at a glance you can know how your baby is tracking.

Because we don’t want to share pictures of real 💩 (and as parents, we already see poo way more than we want to), we created our own version with chocolate. (Apologies if this puts you off your favourite chocolate bar.)

Basically, Type 1 and 2 indicate constipation; Type 3 and 4 are considered ‘normal’ poops; Type 5 is a little on the softer side, and Type 6 and 7 indicate inflammation and diarrhoea.

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There are 3 main things you are looking out for:

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1. Frequency

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Just like us adults, this can vary for everyone so you will start to discover what is “normal” for your child. Typically children will go anywhere from a couple of times a day to every few days. As long as they are passing mostly ‘normal’ stools (according to the chart) and seem happy with no discomfort then that is what you are looking for.

2. Colour

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Again baby poop colour can really vary, and you’ll quickly realise that once they start solids, you’ll find all the colours of the rainbow in their nappies.

It is not unusual to be alarmed by the sight of red poo in your child’s nappy. As long as the blood is bright red and minimal, this is typically considered normal. Often if a child is constipated it’s not unusual for a small amount of blood as they pass the stool.

However, you should be aware that if the blood is dark red, sticky or tar-like or if there is lots of it then it’s important to call your doctor immediately to rule out any more serious issues.

3. Consistency

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This again goes back to the chart, aiming to have their stools mostly around the type 3 and 4 position. Occasionally this will change, often due to diet and lifestyle. But if they are constantly sitting too high or too low on the chart you may want to talk with your doctor about how to manage it.

Your child’s poops will change a lot and there’s sure to be some surprises show up in those little nappies that will make you laugh/cry/gag. But making sure they’re eating a healthy diet with lots of whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables (as much as they’ll actually eat that is) and keeping them active will all help to keep them regular.

This is a paid partnership between Kiindred x Woolworths.