Sure you knew your life would change once you had kids. After all, you probably heard stories from your friends who already had children about how they never slept or how much life changed.

But you might not have realized how much gross stuff comes along with taking care of a baby. The surprising part is, most of the time, the gross stuff does not even faze you anymore. Consider some of the gross things that moms (and dads) deal with on a regular basis.

Farts: Let’s be honest, we all fart. But it’s usually nothing to cheer about. But when your six-month-old lets it rip on your lap, somehow it’s not so gross, and it may even make you giggle. In fact, when you think your baby is gassy, you might even celebrate a fart.

Wiping someone else’s butt: In your pre-baby life, the only butt you wiped was probably your own, and that was no picnic. But times have changed. From routinely smelling your baby’s bottom to dealing with diaper blowouts, poop is a part of life for new parents. It may still be a bit gross at times (especially when you hit the toddler years). But for the most part, you can change a diaper without even flinching.

Cleaning snot out of your baby’s nose: The thought of sucking boogers out of someone’s nose may have made your stomach turn before you became a mom. But now when your baby has a stuffed up nose, you reach for the bulb suction and suck out snot with ease. You might even examine what you pulled out and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

Being sneezed on: Whether you’re on a crowded subway or in line at the movies, being on the receiving end of a sneeze is gross. There is saliva flying everywhere and germs coming your way. But when your baby does it, you simply wipe the droplets off your face and break into your baby talk voice and say “bless you.”

Cleaning spit up: Cleaning spit up or vomit used to be cringe worthy. But once you have a baby, it’s a part of life. With your new mom ninja like reflexes, you might even catch it with your bare hands to prevent it from hitting the floor. The good news is if your baby is not eating solids yet, spit up consisting of breastmilk or formula is not too gross. The bad news is once your baby moves onto solid foods, it’s a different story.

Although your little darling is the light of your life, he does not always mind his manners. But when you become a mom, you do it all, even the gross stuff. Because there is nothing you would not do to keep your baby happy and healthy.

Written by Mary Ann DePietro@writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

It may be an unfamiliar term, but meconium is the name given to your baby’s first poop. So why the fancy name for poop? After all, there is plenty more where that came from.

Meconium tends to be a little different from subsequent bowel movements. It is green, sticky and has a tar-like consistency. You may also notice, meconium does not smell bad. But don’t get too psyched about odorless poops. It’s only because meconium does not consist of digested food. Instead, it’s composed of mucus, bile and cells that have been shed from the intestinal tract.

When can you expect to see this tar-like poop? In the majority of cases, your baby will have his first bowel movement after birth within the first few days of his life. There is not any special care needed to deal with meconium, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Since it is very dark, it may be a bit harder to wash out if it gets on cloths. But a presoak before washing clothes should do the trick.  Also, meconium is stickier than subsequent poops, so it may take a few extra wipes to clean your little one.

Keep in mind, the first few bowel movements containing meconium may be a very dark green or even appear black. Usually, most babies continue to pass meconium for the first day or two after birth. After that, it should be business as usually with your little one’s poops gradually turning yellow.

But don’t get too worried about the color. After meconium has completely passed, stool color may be everything from yellow to brown. If you notice your baby’s poop is red or white, it’s best to contact your pediatrician immediately.

Meconium Passage Before Birth

Did you know that in some cases babies pass meconium prior to birth? When this occurs, the meconium is excreted into the amniotic fluid. You may know this occurred because when your water breaks, your amniotic fluid may be a greenish color.

A baby is more likely to pass meconium prior to birth when they are several days past their due date. The main concern when meconium is present is that the baby will inhale it around the time of delivery, which can lead to breathing problems. When a baby inhales meconium it does not necessarily mean there will be complications.

Written by Mary Ann DePietro @ writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.