If you have a baby you probably spend a lot of time looking at poop—and worrying. If there's too much poop, you worry. If there's not enough poop, you worry. If the poop looks funny, you worry. If the poop smells funny, you worry. If it doesn't smell, well, you worry. Now there's a way to find out whether or not your worrying is warranted—and what you should do if it is.
There is a chart of sorts at Parenting.com that has the scoop on poop, complete with photos. You can check it out to find out what it means when your baby's poop looks and smells certain ways. According to the chart:
1. Dark brown, firmer, smellier poop. This happens when you introduce solids. The color and consistency may change from day to day depending on what your baby eats. Introducing a new fruit might cause loose stools temporarily. Cut back to give your baby time to adjust.
2. Poop that looks a lot like peanut butter and smells like iron. This is what you get from formula feeding. Don't worry about the number of times your baby poops as long as the stools are soft. It's perfectly normal if the texture and color of a breastfed baby's poop changes when you add formula to her diet.
3. Brown, dry, and hard stools—small and pellet-like or large and knobby. Your baby is likely constipated.This is common though it usually doesn't happen to exclusively breastfed babies. If you formula feed, a new formula might help. If your baby is eating solids, she might need some fiber (check with your doctor to see what you can give her).
For more on what your baby's poop means, check out "Your Baby's Poop."
My baby's poop kind of looks exactly like whatever she eats. What does your baby's poop look like these days?
