Q: Hello Doctor! Help a lady she’s in need, Mmm my 3-month baby worries me. I breastfeed and use formula at the same time. His faeces are green. What might be the problem?? Thanks

A: Thanks for writing in.

In babies, green poo can be due to:

• Baby not nursing sufficiently from one breast before being moved to the other breast. This means that the baby gets more (watery) fore milk than the fattier, nutrient-dense hind milk.
• If baby is bottle-fed, it could be due to the particular formula being used. Try switching to another formula and see if it helps
• Diarrhea
• Inadequate intestinal flora in breastfed babies

Though this question is about babies, I’ll mention some cause of green poo in children and adults:

• Eating a lot of veggies
• Diet rich in iron
• Diarrhea
• Presence of green food dyes etc

I hope this helps.

All the best! J