I like to chat with other moms on BabyCenter and lately I’ve seen a lot of questions from parents having to do with baby poop (or the lack of it!). It’s also a popular topic among the calls we get on the Neocate help line. No wonder - when babies have milk allergies and other GI issues, there’s can be a lot going on in that diaper. Every child is different, but here are some general guidelines that we thought might help. Remember, if you have any concerns, it is always best to check in with your doctors.
What to expect if you are:
- Breastfeeding: If you are breastfeeding your baby, a mustard yellow color is common and it may be seedy and runny. You can also expect to be changing a lot of diapers, because babies usually poop a lot before they reach the one month mark!
- Formula feeding: Formula fed babies usually have firmer poops, with a peanut butter-like consistency. Normal colors range from brown to green to yellow.
It might be an allergic/GI condition if you see:
- Mucous – This looks like what comes out of your nose and is sticky when you open the diaper. A little bit can be normal, but if you see a lot and for an extended period of time, it can be a sign of a food allergy.
- Diarrhea – If your baby is having runnier than normal poops 2-4 times per day for more than 5 days, this is a sign that something is wrong.
- Blood – Red or black poops can both be a sign of blood in the digestive tract and are often signs of an allergy or uncontrolled reflux.
Note: Remember that some babies’ milk protein allergy exhibits itself in other ways, like eczema, extreme fussiness or reflux. A baby with a milk protein allergy might have just one of these symptoms or any combination of them. If you see any of the symptoms, talk with your child’s pediatrician.
What to expect from an elemental formula (like Neocate):
- When babies first start on an elemental diet such as Neocate, it may take up to 2-3 weeks for their systems to adjust and have consistent stools. If they seem to be constipated, massaging your baby's belly or moving their legs around can help get things moving.
- Also, Neocate babies often have poops that can change in consistency and color when they first start on the formula. This is because Neocate is a low residue formula. Low residue formulas lower the number of bacteria in the gut leading to reduced breakdown of bile. More bile is present in the poop making it darker in color.
Any other questions? Give us a shout!
-Sarah
Read Comments (3)
Hello,
My daughter is almost 6 months old and has been mostly breastfed, but we are starting to make the switch to pure Neo-cate. She now has 1 breastfeed a day. We introduced a little baby rice for a week and a half and noticed that her poos became thicker and greenish again although there was no mucus. We have now moved away from rice and onto carrots. It has become pasty and yellowish-green with bits of carrot in it. Is this all normal? I really appreciate any help you can give.
Sincerely,
Megan Williams
we started the neocate 2 weeks ago and sometimes it is the dark green poop and sometimes it is yellow and light green. we also noticed even before we started the neocate mucus in the stool and we are continueing to see that. what is your advice or suggestion on that?
Hi Megan & Nicole,
Megan, I’m sorry we didn’t see your comment earlier. What you’re describing is normal. Stool consistency can vary pretty widely, and depends a lot on what you’re little one is consuming. It’s not at all unusual to see bits of food or to see color and consistency changes as you add new foods.
Nicole - what you describe is also normal. The dark green we hear from almost every parent, and the yellow or tan color can also be common. Lighter colors tend to show up after little ones have been using Neocate for a few weeks. It’s a normal side effect as the body adjusts to Neocate and the digestive tract secretes less bile. For some infants, though, the green color may last for as long as they are on Neocate. Small amounts of occasional mucus are not that unusual, either with or without Neocate. If you have concerns though, or if it seems to be larger amounts of mucus more often, please check with your little one’s health care team.