Short answer
Newborns pass black-green meconium in the first days, then green-brown, then mustard yellow (breastfed) or tan to yellow-brown (formula-fed). Green is very common and usually normal. White, pale or gray stool, red blood, and black stool after the first few days are not normal. Call your pediatrician for those.
Baby poop color chart
Baby poop usually moves from black-green meconium in the first days, to green-brown, to mustard yellow in breastfed babies or tan to yellow-brown in formula-fed babies. White, pale or gray stool is not normal at any age and needs a same-day call to a pediatrician.
| Color | When | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Black or dark green, sticky | First 2 to 4 days | Meconium, the first stool. Normal. |
| Green-brown | Days 3 to 5 | Transitional stool as feeding starts. Normal. |
| Mustard yellow, seedy, soft | Breastfed babies, from about day 5 | Normal for breastfed babies. |
| Tan, yellow-brown, firmer | Formula-fed babies | Normal for formula-fed babies. |
| Green | Any age | Common. Usually normal. See below. |
| Orange or varied colors | After starting solid foods | Follows food. Normal. |
| White, pale or gray | Any age | Not normal. Call the pediatrician the same day. |
| Red or blood-streaked | Any age | Needs a call. Can be a small tear or a milk protein reaction, but check. |
| Black | After the first few days | Needs a call unless caused by iron drops or medicine. |
Newborn poop colors
In the first days, your baby will pass meconium. It is black or very dark green, thick and sticky, and is made of material swallowed in the womb. Over several days, stool turns green-brown as feeding is established, then yellow or tan. A newborn who has not passed meconium within 24 to 48 hours should be seen by a clinician.
Is green baby poop normal?
Yes, green baby poop is very common, and in a baby who is feeding well, gaining weight and content, it is often not a concern. Only your pediatrician can assess your baby. Possible reasons include:
- Normal variation in breastfed and formula-fed babies
- Something in a breastfeeding parent's diet, or a new food or medicine
- Iron in formula, or iron supplements
- Green vegetables after starting solids
- A stomach bug, if stool is also watery and frequent
Mention green stool to your pediatrician if it is frothy or watery, with fever, vomiting, poor feeding or fewer wet diapers.
Is watery or loose baby poop normal?
Breastfed babies often have soft, loose stool that can look watery. Sudden, much more frequent watery stool can be a sign of infection, and babies can dehydrate quickly. Watch for fewer wet diapers, a dry mouth, no tears when crying, a sunken soft spot on the head, or unusual sleepiness, and call your pediatrician.
When should you call the pediatrician about baby poop?
Call your pediatrician the same day about blood in the stool, black stool after the first few days, or watery stool that is much more frequent than usual. White, pale or gray stool, fever in a baby under 3 months, or signs of dehydration need care right away.
Call the same day
- Blood or streaks of blood in the stool
- Mucus in stool together with blood, or with fever
- Black stool after the first few days
- Watery stool that is much more frequent than usual
- Hard stool with straining or crying, or no stool for several days in a young baby
Get care now
- White, pale, gray or clay-colored stool
- A baby under 3 months with fever of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher
- Signs of dehydration, or a baby who is very sleepy or hard to wake
- A swollen, hard belly, or repeated green vomit
- No first stool within 48 hours of birth
White or pale stool in a baby is an emergency to report. It can be the first sign of biliary atresia, a blocked bile duct. Early assessment matters. Call your pediatrician the same day.
Warning signs to know
These are signs that published medical guidance says need prompt or urgent care. The list is not complete, and ticking boxes cannot tell you whether you are ill. If you are worried, contact a clinician whatever you tick.
Questions people ask
What color should newborn poop be?
At first, black or dark green (meconium). Then green-brown, then mustard yellow if breastfed or tan to yellow-brown if formula-fed. Newborn stool changes quickly in the first week.
Why is my newborn's poop green?
Green is common in newborns. It can be part of the normal shift from meconium, or be linked to feeding, iron, or a mild stomach bug. If your baby feeds well, gains weight and has normal wet diapers, green stool is usually fine.
What does a breastfed baby's poop look like?
Usually mustard yellow, soft, loose or seedy, and sometimes greenish. It often smells mild. Frequency varies widely, from several times a day to once every few days in older babies.
Is dark green baby poop normal?
Dark green stool is common and usually normal in the first days as meconium clears. Later it can be caused by iron supplements or iron-fortified formula, or by green foods after starting solids.
Why does my baby's poop have mucus?
A small amount of mucus can be normal, for example with drooling and teething. Mucus with blood, fever or watery stool can suggest an infection or a milk protein reaction and should be checked.
Sources
Important. This page is general information only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional. StoolColor is not written or reviewed by a doctor, and using this site does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always ask a doctor or other qualified clinician about any symptom or medical question, and never ignore or delay professional advice because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Information may be incomplete or out of date. Brand names are trademarks of their owners. StoolColor is not affiliated with those owners, or with the organizations whose publications it cites. See our medical disclaimer and terms of use.