Poop is one of our favorite things to talk about. So when Dr. Varisa and Nurse Paige came together to talk about childhood poop and what it’s telling you, we just had to share it on the blog too.
Once you have a baby, it’s quite shocking how quickly poop becomes the center of your universe.
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When did they last poop?
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Why was it that color?
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Why are they having trouble pooping?
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WHAT is that?!
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So many poop questions.
Understanding what’s coming out of your baby is one of the most useful things you can know as a new parent.
Let’s find out more about poop – from newborn diapers to gut health for the whole family!
The first poop: meconium
That dark, tar-like substance in the very first diaper? That’s meconium - debris that has been building up in your baby’s gut for the entire pregnancy. It looks alarming, it’s notoriously sticky, and it’s completely normal.
One thing worth knowing: the olive oil in our Diapering Lotion is particularly good at lifting meconium from delicate newborn skin without scrubbing. Worth packing in your hospital bag and applying a light layer BEFORE the first poop (this will help it wipe off easier).
Important to note: black poop after those first few days is a red flag. If you see it beyond the newborn stage, contact your pediatrician immediately.
What comes next: the color guide
After meconium clears, you’ll see a progression through green, then brown, then - if you’re breastfeeding - a yellow, seedy consistency that Varisa describes as looking like Dijon mustard. Formula-fed babies may stay in the green range, which is also normal.
What you don’t want to see:
Blood streaks - can indicate a dairy sensitivity in breast milk or formula, or a small fissure from straining
Large amounts of mucus - may suggest an absorption issue worth flagging with your doctor
Hard pellets —-a sign of constipation. The goal consistency? Creamy peanut butter. (Sorry in advance.)
Poop and jaundice - why it matters in week one
In the first week of life, your medical team will ask about poop constantly, and for good reason. Pooping is one of the key ways newborns excrete bilirubin, the compound responsible for jaundice.
Bilirubin peaks around day five, and if it’s not being cleared properly through pee and poop, it can rise to dangerous levels. It’s one of the reasons feeding early and often matters so much in those first days.
Gut health beyond babyhood
The same principles that apply to your baby’s gut apply to yours. Varisa’s approach is simple: invest daily in what she calls the “poop bank.” Fiber, legumes, fruit, hydration, and movement - not as an occasional reset, but as a consistent daily habit.
Paige’s tip for getting kids to eat the good stuff? Prepare a platter of the foods you want them to eat before school pickup so that’s it’s ready when they walk in the door. Hungry kids will eat what’s in front of them, so make sure what’s in front of them is worth eating.
The takeaway from both: gut health isn’t something you rescue in a crisis. It’s something you build every day, for the whole family, through little habits.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Beyond the Diaper, the La Petite Crème podcast — available wherever you get your podcasts.