Infant stool comes in an astonishing array of colors and textures, and it often serves as a helpful guidepost in assessing your baby's gastrointestinal health. Although mucus and blood may appear in a healthy infant's stool, they could also be a sign of more serious gastrointestinal problems that warrant a doctor's attention.
The Facts
For the first 24 to 48 hours following birth, all newborns pass a pasty, dark greenish-black stool called meconium. This tar-like stool changes to transitional feces, which is typically looser and generally possesses a greenish-yellow appearance. It is normal for transitional stool to contain a few small flecks of mucus or blood, which may have been inadvertently swallowed during delivery. After several days of transitional feces, healthy breastfeeding babies usually pass loose, yellow or green seed-flecked stool, while formula-fed babies generally fill their diapers with slightly firmer, brown, green or yellow feces.
Digestive Problems
Sometimes mucus or blood may appear in the stool of an infant that suffers from digestive problems, such as an allergic sensitivity to dairy products or cow's milk. Inflammation and swelling result when the offending substance comes in contact with your baby's colon, which may result in small bits of blood or mucus mingled in the feces. In most cases, the only other symptom parents typically notice is irritability or moodiness after eating. Talk to your doctor if you suspect your baby might have an allergic sensitivity. He'll discuss symptoms and may have you change formulas or limit your intake of dairy products to minimize the intestinal irritation.
Anal Fissures
Anal fissures lead to the appearance of blood in bowel movements for as many as eight out of every 10 babies under the age of 1 year, according to Dr. Cara Familian Natterson, practicing pediatrician and author of "Your Newborn." These fissures or crevices consist of splits in the skin surrounding your baby's rectum and they develop as a result of irritation in the anal area. This irritation usually comes from an underlying condition, such as constipation, but it could also result from excessive or rough wiping during diaper changing. When you open your baby's diaper, fissure-caused blood won't be blended with the stool; rather, it typically forms a blood spot alongside the stool contained within the diaper.
Considerations
Occasional mucus- and blood-flecked bowel movements aren't usually a serious issue but be prepared to arrange a prompt appointment with your doctor if your baby has evidence of mucus and blood in his stool along with any other symptoms that trouble you. Possible signs of more serious problems, such as bacterial gastroenteritis, may include diarrhea, extreme irritability or fussiness, decreased urine output, prolonged crying, decreased appetite and a high fever. Bright red and dark black stool in a breastfed or formula-fed baby are also cause for alarm, since they could indicate intestinal bleeding.
References
- "What to Expect the First Year"; Heidi Murkoff, et al.; 2008
- "Your Newborn"; Dr. Cara Familian Natterson; 2004
- "Pediatrics and Child Health"; Mary Rudolf, et al.; 2006
- MedlinePlus: Bloody or Tarry Stools
