Baby poop chart.
After the first few days, yellow, brown, and green are all generally normal. Three colors are not: white or pale, red, and black after the first week — each needs a call to your pediatrician.
Call your pediatrician today if you see these
- White, chalky, or pale gray — Pale stools can mean bile is not reaching the gut, which can indicate a blockage in the liver. This is the most urgent color on the chart.
- Red, or streaked with blood — May be blood. Sometimes it is a harmless anal fissure or, in breastfed babies, swallowed blood from a cracked nipple — but it is not something to judge at home.
- Black, after the first week — Black is expected as meconium in the first few days. Returning later can indicate digested blood.
None of these are things to judge at home. They are quick for a clinician to rule out, and worth ruling out the same day.
The normal range
Far wider than most parents expect. All of the following are ordinary.
Mustard yellow
The classic breastfed stool. Often loose, seedy, and frequent — sometimes after every feed.
Tan or brown
Typical of formula-fed babies, and of any baby once solids begin. Usually thicker and less frequent than breastfed stools.
Green
Normal, and rarely a problem on its own. Can come from bile moving quickly, iron-fortified formula, or something in a parent's or baby's diet.
Dark green-black
Meconium — the first stools, in the first few days. Thick and sticky. Expect it to shift to green and then yellow by around day 3 to 5.
What to expect, by
stage.
| Stage | Color | Texture and frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Black to dark green | Meconium: thick, sticky, tar-like. A few times a day. |
| Days 3–5 | Green, lightening | Transitional. Looser and less sticky as feeding establishes. |
| Breastfed, week 1+ | Mustard yellow | Loose and seedy, often after most feeds early on, then far less often. |
| Formula-fed, week 1+ | Tan to brown | Thicker, paste-like. Usually less frequent than breastfed stools. |
| After solids begin | Brown, varies with food | Thicker and stronger smelling. Visible bits of food are normal. |
Frequency matters less than you'd think
There is no single normal. Some breastfed babies pass a stool after nearly every feed; others, past the newborn weeks, go several days between them and are perfectly well.
The more useful signals are whether your baby is feeding well, gaining weight, producing plenty of wet diapers, and whether the stool stays soft. A hard, pellet-like stool or an obviously distressed baby is worth a call regardless of timing. See also diaper sizes by weight.
Patterns are easier to describe when you've logged them.
“Green for about three days, roughly twice a day” is a far more useful thing to tell a pediatrician than a guess. Cradle Log records color and consistency in a tap, and exports the history as a PDF for appointments.
Free on iPhone. No account, works offline.
Common questions
What baby poop colors are normal?
After meconium clears, yellow, brown, and green are all generally considered normal by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Mustard yellow and seedy is typical for breastfed babies, tan to brown is typical for formula-fed babies, and green appears in both without usually indicating a problem.
Which baby poop colors mean I should call the doctor?
White, chalky, or pale gray stools, red or bloody stools, and black stools after the first week should all be discussed with your pediatrician right away. White or pale stools are the most urgent, because they can indicate that bile is not reaching the gut.
Is green baby poop normal?
Yes, green stool is usually normal and is one of the colors the AAP lists as generally acceptable. It can be caused by bile moving through quickly, iron-fortified formula, or foods in the diet. Green on its own, in a baby who is feeding well and gaining weight, is rarely a concern.
What is meconium?
Meconium is the thick, sticky, black or very dark green stool a baby passes in the first few days. It clears out material swallowed in the womb. Stools usually transition to green and then yellow within about three to five days as regular feeding is established.
How often should a newborn poop?
It varies enormously. Some breastfed newborns pass a stool after nearly every feed; others, once past the newborn weeks, go several days between stools and remain perfectly well. What matters more than frequency is that your baby is feeding well, gaining weight, producing wet diapers, and that the stool stays soft.
What does baby poop look like after starting solids?
It becomes thicker, darker, and more strongly smelling, and often contains recognisable pieces of food. Undigested food in the stool is common and is not usually a problem in an otherwise well baby.
When should I worry about diarrhoea in a baby?
Contact your pediatrician if stools become suddenly much more frequent and watery, if there is blood or mucus, or if there are signs of dehydration such as fewer wet diapers, a dry mouth, or unusual sleepiness. Any fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months needs same-day medical advice regardless of stool.
Sources
- HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) — unusual stool color
AAP guidance that yellow, brown and green are generally acceptable, and that black, white and red should be discussed with a doctor.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine — stool color guide
Cross-reference for color meanings and warning signs.
- Children's Hospital Colorado — baby poop guide
Stage-by-stage expectations from meconium onward.