Diaper Decoder - Baby Poop Color Guide

What does it mean?

This stool is normal. Breastfed babies' poop has a mild smell (and might come with loud sound effects).

What should I do?

Don’t worry. Your baby's poop is typical for a breastfed baby. Breast milk has the ideal nutrients to help your baby stay healthy and grow strong.

What does it mean?

Your baby's stools are normal. You should only be concerned if your baby's poop is watery or becomes hard (especially small, hard balls of stool).

What should I do?

There is no need to worry. Your baby's stool is normal and healthy.

What does it mean?

Greenish-brown poop is typical and normal when your baby starts eating solids, but you might see this color in your baby's diaper before then. If your baby has other symptoms that concern you, contact your baby’s healthcare professional.

What should I do?

Do not worry. This stool is normal and healthy for a baby who’s beginning to eat solids.

What does it mean?

The occasional loose baby stool is no cause for alarm. But if it occurs regularly for 2 days or more, it could be diarrhea. Diarrhea in babies can cause dehydration and might be a sign of infection. Usually these infections are not dangerous, but the potential for dehydration is a concern.

What should I do?

Call your baby’s healthcare provider if your baby's poop becomes more watery than usual or they poop more often than they are eating. The younger the baby, and the more frequent the diarrhea, the greater the concern for dehydration. Do not give your baby anti-diarrhea medication unless advised by your baby’s healthcare professional. Your baby’s healthcare provider might advise giving your baby an oral electrolyte solution, such as Pedialyte^®, to help prevent dehydration. Check with your baby’s healthcare provider prior to use.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

^* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

Occasional constipation is normal, especially when babies transition to solid foods. It could be a sign that your baby is not getting enough fluid or losing too much fluid from hot weather, an illness, or a fever. Occasional blood streaking on the surface of the stool can result when hard stools make tiny tears in the soft tissues around the anus.

What should I do?

Consult your baby’s healthcare professional, who might recommend giving your baby more fluid and can make a recommendation for the type and amount of fluid to give. If your baby is eating solids, offer them foods that are higher in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables. Consider adding puréed prunes to your baby's cereal. Check with your baby’s doctor about altering your baby's diet or using juices.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

Once your baby has started on solids, you will see bowel movements that can vary in color and texture after every meal. In addition to foods, some medications also can turn a baby’s poop unusual colors.

What should I do?

Watch what your baby eats to ensure there is a link between the color of the stool and what they are eating. Examples of foods known for turning baby poop shocking colors include carrots (orange) and spinach (green). If your baby’s stool is red for no apparent reason (for example, no beets or red gelatin consumed), call your baby’s healthcare provider.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

In some babies, the iron sulfate in a supplement or iron-fortified infant formula can make dark-green​ stools, or sometimes even greenish-black. There is no need to be concerned with the color change, as it has no significance to your baby’s digestive system.

What should I do?

This stool is normal. Studies show that iron supplementation does not cause digestive problems or discomfort.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

When your breastfed baby nurses for short periods of time on each breast, they might get more foremilk, which is sweeter and thinner, and less hindmilk, which is richer and fattier. Your baby might need to nurse longer on each side in order to ensure enough hindmilk is consumed during each feeding.

Sometimes a virus will turn your baby's stools bright green. If your baby is fussy and seems uncomfortable, contact your baby’s healthcare provider.

What should I do?

Try to let your baby empty the first breast before you switch to the other side.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

Often the stools of constipated babies are streaked with red from rectal fissures, small cracks in the anus caused by pushing. You also might see streaks of mucus on the baby poop.

What should I do?

If your baby’s doctor confirms the bleeding is from a fissure, there is little cause for concern. Usually, once the constipation has resolved, the bleeding stops. If there is a large amount of blood (more than a few drops) or if the bleeding does not resolve with the softening of the stools, check with your baby’s doctor.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

A black baby stool might contain blood that entered the intestines in the upper portion of the digestive system. If your baby is breastfeeding, you may have seen small, black flecks in their stools. This could be because your nipples bled while breastfeeding and your baby swallowed some blood.

What should I do?

If you notice black in your baby’s stool and your baby is more than a few days old (meaning their black stool is not likely meconium), call your baby’s healthcare professional immediately.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx

What does it mean?

A white stool might be a sign of a liver or gallbladder problem. Bile is a digestive fluid made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Your baby's stool gets its normal color from the bile as it is excreted during digestion. If your baby's liver doesn't produce bile, or if bile flow is blocked, their stool may appear white or grey.

What should I do?

A white stool is rare, but if your baby's poop is white, call your baby’s healthcare professional right away.

Contact your baby’s healthcare professional right away if you see:

• Blood or mucus in stool
• Pale, colorless, or white stool
• Diarrhea and baby is 3 months or younger
• Fever^* with rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher
• Vomiting
• Irritability or lack of energy
• Refusal to eat
• Signs of dehydration, such as with a dry mouth or has not peed for 3 hours or longer

* A fever is usually caused by infections from viruses (such as a cold or the flu) or bacteria (such as strep throat or some ear infections). The fever itself is not the disease, only a sign that the body’s defenses are trying to fight an infection.¹

Reference: 1. Fever. American Academy of Pediatrics website. Accessed June 13, 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/default.aspx