Your baby’s first bowel movement is called meconium. This first stool is a black, tarry looking stuff and doesn’t smell bad because it is sterile. The intestines need to be colonized with bacteria before poop becomes stinky.  Bacteria colonization however begins with first feeding.  Physiological stress such as an infection or difficult delivery cause some babies to pass meconium while still in the uterus. This causes  a condition known as  meconium aspiration syndrome which puts the baby at risk of lung disease.

Baby’s first bowel movement

 
Your newborn will have his first bowel movement in the first 24 hours of life.  When this first bowel movement does not occur within this time, the doctor will look for problems such as intestinal blockage, undeveloped anus or stool that is stuck such as  meconium plug.

Your baby will pass this black stool in the first day or so. As he continues to feed well, the stool will change from black to dark green and yellow in color. Breastfed babies usually pass stool that is watery with a little whitish seedy looking bits. The stool also looks like mustard in color. Formula fed babies  have less watery stool. The stool is pasty and yellow or tan in color. However parents get worried when the stool looks green rather than yellow. Note that colors ranging from yellow to green to brown are fine.

When should i call my doctor ?

 
There are two colors you should look out for, white and red. Clay colored stool could be a sign of serious liver disease. Blood in a baby’s stool could mean the baby may have just swallowed it during delivery or from mom’s nipple bleeding. However it is always to be safe and have it checked.
 
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