Mucus in Infant Stool

Infant stool can be a good indicator of your baby's health, according to pediatrician Jay Gordon. The color and consistency of your child's bowel movements are sometimes the best insight you have into how your baby is feeling. Stringy, watery mucus in your infant's stool can have a variety of causes. If you are concerned about the appearance of your infant's bowel movements, talk to a pediatrician.

Appearance

Stools that contain mucus are often runny and watery, although this consistency does not necessarily mean that your infant has diarrhea. Infant stool that contains mucus can be any color, although mucus is usually accompanied by green stool, according to Gordon. Mucus in an infant's stool can also sometimes be accompanied by small tinges of blood.

Causes

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Mucus in an infant's stool is often caused by an excess of swallowed mucus, according to Baby Zone. If your baby has a cold or is teething, she is swallowing extra mucus from the draining or extra drooling, which can cause mucus in her bowel movements.

Mucus accompanied by blood, or large amounts of mucus in your baby's diaper when she is not teething or sick may be a sign of an irritated intestinal tract.

Considerations

Large quantities of mucus in your child's stool can irritate his skin and cause him to develop a diaper rash, according to Gordon. If your teething baby experiences a rash in his diaper area, you can try using over-the-counter creams to soothe the irritation and talk to your doctor about other treatments.

Concerns

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Mucus in an infant's stool can also be a sign of malabsorption. If your baby is not properly absorbing nutrients from breast milk or formula, you may notice mucus in her bowel movements. If you are concerned about your baby's nutrition because of the frequency of mucus in her stools, talk to her pediatrician.

Expert Insight

Gordon states that newborn stools often vary in color and consistency. They can be green, orange, brown, watery or chunky and still be within the range of normal. If you are concerned about the appearance of your infant's bowel movements, talk to a pediatrician. Gordon claims that you need not bring a stool sample into the doctor's office. A description of your child's bowel movements should be enough to aid in a diagnosis.

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