Definition

Noun: 1. The first feces of a newborn infant: A thick, sticky, and dark greenish-black substance that accumulates in the intestines of a fetus and is typically passed within the first few days after birth.

Usage

• Primary Usage: The term is used almost exclusively in medical, biological, and parenting contexts to describe the initial bowel movements of a newborn.
• Key Characteristics: It is composed of materials ingested by the fetus in the womb, such as amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, and epithelial cells. Its passage is a sign of a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

Examples

• The pediatrician checked the baby's diaper to ensure the meconium had been passed.
• The presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid during labor can be a concern for the baby's health.
• New parents are often surprised by the dark, tar-like appearance of their newborn's first meconium.

Advanced Usage

• Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS): A serious medical condition where a newborn breathes a mixture of meconium and amniotic fluid into the lungs around the time of delivery.
  • The delivery team was prepared for potential complications due to signs of meconium in the amniotic sac.

Variants and Related Words

• Meconial (adjective): Pertaining to or resembling meconium.
  • The meconial stool is distinct from later transitional stools.

Synonyms

• First stool
• Neonatal feces
• Newborn's first feces

Note: There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this specific, technical term.

Noun

1. thick dark green mucoid material that is the first feces of a newborn child