The Colorful World of Baby Poop: What’s Normal and What’s Not?
Tricia had a normal pregnancy and Emma was a mostly healthy baby, though she was having a little trouble gaining weight. Experienced parents Tricia and Brandon knew what normal baby poop looked like thanks in part to their older child, Brock, so they could see with every diaper change that Emma’s poop was not normal.
“It was bright yellow and looked like cottage cheese inside olive oil,” recalls Tricia. So it was off to urgent care to unravel the medical mystery.
Most parents who have fears about the color, texture or consistency of their child’s poop will ultimately find that the cause is benign, but that was far from the case with Emma. Tests concluded that she had biliary atresia and would need a liver transplant, a process that would require the family to temporarily relocate across the world from Japan to Cleveland, Ohio.
“Trust your instincts as a mom,” says Tricia “if something doesn’t look or feel right, call their doctor and ask questions.”
Tricia and other biliary atresia parents are advocating for families to be sent home with poop charts, similar to the one shown in this resource guide, to help take the guesswork out of understanding their child’s stools.
“If you don’t know what to look for then even a normal poop can seem strange. A simple chart and a little education about poop can save your baby’s life!”
Learn more about how to identify healthy baby poop in this article from Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Support for Biliary Atresia & Transplant Families
Tricia recommends the following resources for those seeking support related to a biliary atresia diagnosis or those undergoing a pediatric organ transplant.
Biliary Atresia Research & Education (BARE), and their parent connection network. BARE brings families, patients and researchers together to gain a better understanding of biliary atresia, advocate for research, and facilitate community support.
Brodie’s Good Vibe Tribe offers a community of support, financial resources and more to families undergoing an organ transplant.
This printable coloring book offers an open conversation between you and your child about what to expect on the day of surgery.
The American Liver Foundation offers a Pediatric Liver Information Center highlighting various resources for families with a biliary atresia patent. They offer a toolkit for kids called Bili the Brave that offers a plush lion and children’s book.
Additional Resources:
Finding Support and Information When Your Child Receives a Rare Disease Diagnosis
For additional resources related to infant and early child development follow the Child Development & Preventative Care Support Pathway on RedTreehouse.org.
For additional transplant resources view the Pediatric Transplant Pathway on RedTreehouse.org.
Resources contributed by Tricia Murphy, a mom of two including a child born with biliary atresia.