A newborn’s basic organs start developing by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. Some people may wonder if babies poop and pee in the womb, it may sound weird question and the answer is yes they do. Yes, babies do poop and pee in the womb of their mother during pregnancy. Once the first trimester is towards the completion, the embryo that was initially present has now grown up to be a foetus. Although with the development of organs in the preliminary stages, urine development also takes place. It has no colour and smell since babies are not digesting any external food yet.

Do Babies Pee Inside the Womb?

As the baby pee in the womb, along with this the baby also poop in the womb. If the baby poop, then does he even swallow the poop ? The answer is babies usually do poop in the womb. The bowel movements are nearly absent and the first poop that babies have usually the meconium that they excrete, which is green in colour. In the womb, all the nutrition that the newborn needs is provided directly by the umbilical cord. Therefore, there is no chance of developing any waste material, which shuns the occurrence of pooping.

Being in the womb, babies are unable to hold their poop. If the baby poops in the womb, the meconium circulates within the area and mixes up with the amniotic fluid. This can be serious if the baby inhale it and lead to the development of a condition called Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. It can further lead to developmental disorders or limited breathing capacity after the baby is born. Doctors can drain the meconium or provide supplemental oxygen to keep the baby safe. It becomes unsafe when the baby poop in the womb before labour and it is normal for babies to pee in the womb and swallow it.

The first faeces of a newborn infant which is dark green in colour, this substance is called meconium. A newborn’s first stool is made of all the skin, hair, bile, proteins, white blood cells and other stuff that floats in the amniotic fluid because a newborn drinks it all for 20 to 25 weeks. Meconium starts forming as soon as a baby opens its mouth and begins swallowing amniotic fluid which is around 11 week. But as the fetus matures meconium production really picks up by week 19 or 20.

Meconium comes out after birth as a greenish-black coloured, tarry and odorless mess like substance. If the colour is changed white, it indicates a serious medical condition. Around 13% of newborns do poop in the womb. Sometimes too much of meconium in the amniotic fluid can block a baby’s airways before birth which can lead to an oxygen-deprived state called as fetal distress.

Babies Pee in the Womb

After knowing that the baby pee in the womb, there will be a question if the baby drinks their own pee in the womb. The answer is yes. The uterus is safe and comfortable by the amniotic sac. This contains the amniotic fluid that carries out numerous functions, like maintaining an optimal temperature and cushioning the baby’s movements and so on. The fluid contains numerous salts and minerals along with water, all of which has been provided by the body of the mother.

Urination is a natural process of the human body and the baby being able to urinate successfully is considered as a sign of development. Babies tend to swallow a lot of amniotic fluid through the development and they urinate it out. If this urine is not processed appropriately, the collection of those elements can create a condition known as Polyhydramnions. Therefore, babies tend to swallow their urine in order of taking in the amniotic fluid.

It is totally normal for a baby in the womb to swallow pee which might not seem like a healthy and safe. There is no presence of external microbes or germs that might lead to an infection. The act of swallowing helps the child to develop the strength he will need to breastfeed successfully. As the body keeps getting the fluid and urine, it develops itself to process them successfully, which is necessary for a proper functioning of the digestive system as well as the urinary system.

Around eight week, babies start to pee inside the amniotic sac. The production of urine really picks up between weeks 13 and 16 after the development of kidney. Babies start to drink this mixture of pee and amniotic fluid around week 10 or 11, or when a layer of cells block their mouths known as buccopharyngeal membrane ruptures, which allows the baby to swallow. By the 20 week most of the amniotic fluid is urine.

Conclusion

Yes, babies do poop and pee inside the womb.