Understanding the Consistency of Infant Stools

First Bowel Movement

Baby's first bowel movement will most often take within baby's first 24 hours outside the womb. For a premature baby, the first poop may come later than it does for a full-term baby. Baby's first bowel movement will be stinky and tarry. It will be dark, near black and could be greenish. It could also be large. This first bowel movement will contain menconim, a mix of bile and amniotic fluid.

Consistency of Infant Stools, Breastfed Babies

Breastfed babies first stools, following the menconium may occur as few as three times per day or as many as 20 times per day. While baby's digestive system is growing accustomed to breast milk, it's normal for stools to look granular. It may even look like there are mustard seeds in the stool.

Baby's stools can change after all of the menconium has been processed out of the digestive system and baby is processing only breast milk. A breastfed infant's stools could continue to look seedy. The stools are normal when they are creamy or when they are lumpy. It's also normal for a breastfed baby's stools to be somewhat runny.

Changes in a Breastfed Baby's Stools

A breastfed baby's stools may change when the breastfeeding mom adds new or different foods to her diet. As long as the infant continues to have bowel movements regularly and does not seem distressed by the change in diet, there is no need to worry about the change in stool consistency or color.

Watery Stools for Breastfed Babies

When a breastfed baby's stools become watery, as opposed to their normal runny or mushy consistency, the infant could have diarrhea.

Other Stool Consistencies

Formula Fed Babies - Hard Pellets, Similar to Rabbit Droppings

A baby who is fed formula may have bouts of constipation. Constipation is indicated by small, pellets of hard stool. The pellets may be accompanied by some mucous.

Formula Fed Babies - Normal Stools

Normal stools for a formula-fed baby, after the few couple weeks of adjustmetnt, will be solid, brown stool.

Food and Stools: Babies

When a breastfed baby starts to eat cereal and baby food, around the fourth to sixth month, expect stools to become more solid.

Sources

Diaper Signs, http://www.drpaul.com/newborn/diapsign.html
Personal Experience