Toddler Poop: What’s Normal and When To Worry

Your toddler’s poop can tell you more about their health than you might think. Changes in color, consistency, frequency, and even bathroom habits can offer clues about digestion, hydration, diet, and overall well-being.

As toddlers grow, their poop often changes because they are eating more foods, drinking less breast milk or formula, and learning to use the potty. Constipation, diarrhea, color changes, and stool consistency can all become more noticeable during this stage.

Here’s what your toddler’s poop may be telling you, what changes are common during potty training, and when it may be time to check in with your child’s pediatrician.

Toddler poop can change because of diet, hydration, potty training, stress, and illness.
Constipation is common in toddlers, especially during picky eating phases or potty training.
Diarrhea may be related to diet, illness, stress, allergies, or food sensitivities.
Poop color and consistency can offer clues about digestion, hydration, and possible concerns.
Black, red, gray, or persistent diarrhea or constipation should be discussed with your child’s pediatrician.

How Poop Changes From Babyhood to Toddlerhood

You have likely become quite accustomed to your child’s poop as a baby. But once they reach toddlerhood, it can start to look (and smell) a lot different.

If you’re curious about poop during infancy, check out our guide to the different types of baby poop and what they mean.

There are a few reasons why poop can change from babyhood to toddlerhood. Firstly, toddlers likely have a wider variety of foods in their diet than when they were first getting accustomed to solids. They are also not as likely to be drinking formula or breast milk by toddler age, which can change how their poop looks. Switching from formula or breast milk to cow’s milk also changes how the digestive system processes food, which can affect stool patterns and consistency.

Aside from how it looks, your toddler’s poop habits may also change.

Perhaps the most significant change you may notice is that constipation may be more frequent in your toddler than when they were a baby. The primary reason why constipation can occur more frequently in toddlers is that their interest in food can change. Toddlers can go through periods when they are not very interested in eating, and when they do eat, they may gravitate toward only specific foods. Their hydration habits may also be inconsistent, making their poop harder to pass.

Does Potty Training Affect Toddler Poop?

Perhaps nothing can rock your toddler’s bowel habits more than potty training. And, it makes complete sense if you consider that your child has only ever known to poop in a diaper up until you determine it is time for a change.

One of the most common poop changes with potty training toddlers is becoming more constipated, especially if they are fearful or hesitant about using the potty.

Indeed, it is not uncommon for children to withhold poop if they are not ready or opposed to potty training. Yet, nothing can wreck good potty progress like a bad bout of constipation because it is uncomfortable and painful. So, avoiding constipation during potty training is a top priority.

Tips for Avoiding Constipation

Fiber – Fiber will help increase your toddler’s stool size and help it pass more easily. Increase their fiber intake gradually so their body can adjust. Eating too much fiber all at once can lead to gas and bloating.
Magnesium – One of the most abundant minerals in our body, magnesium plays a vital role in regulating our bowels. If your child is prone to constipation, consider adding a magnesium mix or supplement to their diet with your pediatrician’s approval.
Exercise – Regular physical activity is essential for keeping their bowels moving food along. Make sure they get plenty of time to run around each day.
Water – Poop is 75% water. We need water to lubricate our stool and digestive tracts. Make sure your toddler is drinking plenty of water each day to avoid dehydration and keep things moving.

Tips for Avoiding Diarrhea

Of course, the opposite of constipation can also be problematic during potty training. Diarrhea is often the result of diet or viral and bacterial infections. For some children, it may also be an emotional response to something that has upset them. Diarrhea will surely happen at some point during potty training. The best way to support your child is to help them stay hydrated, well-nourished, and comfortable (whether that means offering them a diaper until a stomach bug passes or keeping them close to the potty if they are comfortable with using it).

Decrease fat – Our bodies can have a hard time digesting fat, especially saturated fats. If diarrhea is common after fatty meals, your child may need to reduce their fat intake.
Decrease sugar intake – Sugar decreases the number of good bacteria in our guts. Losing that good bacteria can cause diarrhea.
Curb stress – Chronic and even short-term stress can alter the balance of gut bacteria.
Encourage downtime after eating – Physical activity quickens digestion, so eating right before active play can cause an upset stomach.
Avoid allergens and food sensitivities – There is a big difference between an allergy and a food sensitivity. An allergen can cause a life-threatening reaction in some individuals and should be avoided entirely. A food sensitivity triggers an unpleasant response in your GI tract, like cramping or diarrhea. If your toddler frequently has diarrhea, keep a food diary to see if there is a pattern connected to their diet.

Toddler Poop Color and Consistency

Now that we have covered the changes that poop can undergo from babyhood to toddlerhood, it is essential to understand how to read their poop. Health providers rely primarily on color and consistency to determine what a person’s poop reveals about their overall health. Let’s take a look at each category. You may be surprised to know that these charts apply to you, too!

Poop Color

Toddler Poop: What’s Normal and When To Worry

The color of poop is primarily determined by the amount of bile we secrete and the accumulation of old red blood cells (RBCs). Bile is a greenish fluid secreted by the liver to help our digestive tracts digest fat.

As you may imagine, the more fat in your diet, the more bile you will secrete. The standard brown color of poop also comes from a chemical called stercobilin, a by-product of both bile and old red blood cells.

Color can also be influenced by what we eat. For example, any parent who has ever let their toddler decorate cookies with blue frosting will undoubtedly see the evidence a few hours or days later. Likewise, red beets or red food coloring can give the impression of bleeding somewhere in the digestive tract. You may also see remnants of your child’s meal, such as tomato skins, corn kernels, or carrot chunks.

Now, silliness aside, there are poop colors that are concerning. Black poop and red poop (unrelated to eating foods with red hues or licorice and other supplements/medications) are the most concerning because that means there is bleeding somewhere in the digestive system.

Poop can also be green, yellow, or gray. Each of these colors (again, unrelated to diet) is usually the result of too much bile, too little bile, or too much fat in your diet.

Related: Tips for Encouraging Kids To Eat Vegetables

Poop Consistency

Health providers use the Bristol Stool Chart to identify different textures or consistencies of poop. This chart helps health providers and their patients talk about poop using images.

Per the stool chart, there are 7 main texture types we use when talking about poop. Poop texture is influenced by numerous factors, including what we eat, how hydrated we are, how quickly our intestines move food, medications (like antibiotics), and stress.

Related: Is Your Child Ready for Potty Training? Ask Yourself This

How To Talk to Toddlers About Poop

By now, you have hopefully realized how vital poop is for our health. But the way we talk about poop and how we feel about it makes it seem like a grossly abnormal bodily function. We have to normalize poop, especially for our kids. It is not uncommon for both children and adults to have poop anxiety. It is also par for the course for children and adults to struggle with poop issues, like constipation and pain.

As parents, we have to make it okay for our children to talk to us about poop. We also have to be open to talking about it with our child’s pediatrician because your child will be watching you and learning that this is okay to share these health details with your health provider. Making this vital bodily function a taboo subject is detrimental to your child’s health and yours.

Tips To Help Your Toddler Learn About Poop

Give it a name and stick with it – Your child is learning so much in toddlerhood. Being consistent with what you call poop helps reduce confusion. Remember, this word will likely be tossed around among friends and in public spaces, so make sure you are comfortable with your child yelling whatever word you choose to call poop.
Educate them about their poop from the very beginning – Have your child look at their poop before you flush it away. Teach them what their poop means and give them words to describe their poop. For example, let them know if they have diarrhea, why it happens, talk about how it feels, and how you will help them feel better.
Talk to them about how their diet influences their poop – Help your child make this important connection between the food they eat and their diet as early as possible. For example, if they have been struggling with constipation, talk to them about how eating yummy apricots or slurping a little prune juice can help them go potty more easily.

When To Call the Pediatrician About Toddler Poop

Most poop changes are harmless, but some symptoms deserve a call to your child’s pediatrician.

Call your child’s pediatrician if your toddler has poop that is black, red, white, or gray and it is not clearly related to food, supplements, or medication. You should also call if your child has signs of dehydration, severe belly pain, blood in the stool, ongoing diarrhea, frequent constipation, or pain that makes them afraid to poop.

If something feels off or your child’s poop changes suddenly and does not improve, it is always okay to ask for guidance.

Understanding your toddler’s poop can give you helpful clues about their digestion, hydration, diet, and potty training progress. While many changes are normal, trust your gut if something seems unusual. When in doubt, reach out to your child’s pediatrician for guidance.