The breastfed baby's nappies (with pics)

It can be more than a little surprising to see what changes your baby’s nappies go through. A breastfed baby will poo a variety of colours over a relatively short space of time. This article will help you to understand what is going on – and show you that what you see are the signs of a well fed baby.

Day 1-2: The Meconium Nappy
Your baby’s first poo will be black / dark green / brown / black and very sticky. Babies are born with meconium already in their bowel and it is very normal.A baby of this age should be having at least 1 poo a day and 2 or more wees per day.

Days 3-4: Wetter nappies and greener poos
Nappies at this stage are known as “changing stools”, the poo will be turning a more green colour and this is a sign that your baby is taking in more milk and digesting it. A baby of this age should also have at least 2 poos a day. Baby will also be having three or more wees a day and the wet nappies will feel heavier.

Days 5-6: Yellow poos
The baby has now cleared all the meconium (see Day 1-2) from his bowel. All babies of this age should be having at least 2 yellow, soft/runny poos, each of a size to cover a £2 coin, per day. This is a minimum – many babies will poo far more than this! This is nothing to worry about and is a good sign that the baby is getting plenty of breastmilk. Your baby should also be having 5 or more wet nappies per day.

Older breastfed baby “mustard poos”
As your baby gets older, the poos get yellower and it is sometimes described as resembling mustard. It is common for them to be soft or runny, and may look like there are seeds in it, this is fine and perfectly normal. Until the baby is at least 4 weeks old, you should continue to see at least 2 poos a day as decsribed above. After this, some exclusively breastfed babies may go several days between poos. This is normal as long as the baby is feeding enthusiastically, having plenty of wet nappies and gaining weight.

Top tip: It is sometimes difficult to tell how wet a disposable nappy is due to it feeling dry. A wet disposable nappy generally feels heavier than when it is new and if you are really unsure try pouring three tablespoons of water into a new nappy to see what difference it makes.