What it means
The material that builds up in a baby's bowel before birth, made of swallowed amniotic fluid, cells, mucus and bile. A healthy newborn usually passes it within the first 24 to 48 hours; the stools then change to a lighter, looser "transitional" stool. If the baby passes meconium before birth, the amniotic fluid looks green or brown (meconium-stained), and the baby can breathe it into the lungs.
For the nurse
Record the first stool. Report a newborn who has not passed meconium by 48 hours, which can mean a bowel blockage. Note and report green or brown amniotic fluid when the membranes rupture.
In a chart
"Newborn passed a large meconium stool at 14 hours of age."
At a glance
| Spanish | meconio |
|---|---|
| Also written | meconium-stained |
Related terms
aspiration
Breathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.
postpartum
The time after giving birth, usually the first six weeks, while the body returns to its non-pregnant state.