Which statement correctly describes meconium passage timing?

Which statement correctly describes meconium passage timing?

• A. Meconium is green and sticky.
• B. Around day 3, the bowel movements will turn from greenish brown to yellowish brown.
• C. By day 7, stools become blue.
• D. Stool color remains greenish brown for the first month.

Answer: (B)

Meconium passage follows a predictable progression in the newborn’s first days. The first stool, meconium, is greenish-black and tarry and is usually passed within the first 24 to 48 hours after birth. By around day 3, the stools typically shift from greenish-brown to yellowish-brown as transitional stools appear, and this change continues toward the yellow, seedy stools common by the end of the first week, especially in breastfed babies. So describing a transition around day 3 from greenish-brown to yellowish-brown aligns with the normal timeline of stool color changes. The idea that stools stay greenish-brown for a full month or that they become blue by day 7 doesn’t fit typical timing, and focusing on the day-3 change captures the correct sequence. If meconium passage is delayed beyond 48 hours, it warrants evaluation.

Meconium passage follows a predictable progression in the newborn’s first days. The first stool, meconium, is greenish-black and tarry and is usually passed within the first 24 to 48 hours after birth. By around day 3, the stools typically shift from greenish-brown to yellowish-brown as transitional stools appear, and this change continues toward the yellow, seedy stools common by the end of the first week, especially in breastfed babies. So describing a transition around day 3 from greenish-brown to yellowish-brown aligns with the normal timeline of stool color changes. The idea that stools stay greenish-brown for a full month or that they become blue by day 7 doesn’t fit typical timing, and focusing on the day-3 change captures the correct sequence. If meconium passage is delayed beyond 48 hours, it warrants evaluation.