Mucus in Baby Poop: Causes and What to Do

Golden yellow or mustard colored poop is expected in newborns and small babies. There is no dense sputum in the appearance of poop. From time to time, very light sputum may be seen depending on the sputum swallowed by babies. However, when we look at the poop, phlegm is not dominant in any way.

Baby poop is never solid. The slime is in the form of mud. If we see a lot of phlegm in this type of poop, even if it sometimes precludes the appearance of poop, we call it phlegm poop, and phlegm poop almost always indicates a problem.

Mucus in Baby Poop: Causes

Cow’s milk protein allergy is at the top of the problems represented by mucus in baby poop. This allergy occurs due to cow’s milk that the nursing mother consumes or the baby receives from formula.

A second reason is infections, which also cause fever, vomiting and general condition deterioration in the baby. Intestinal infection comes first among these infections.

A third reason is upper respiratory tract or lung infections that the baby has had. However, phlegmatic poop that occurs during this period is a temporary situation. It happens in the first few days of infection and ends after the child recovers.

In intestinal-origin sputum poop, this situation does not disappear and its severity gradually increases. For this reason, sputum of intestinal origin should be emphasized, the cause should be investigated and the problem should be resolved.

It is not very important to see mucus in baby poop once or twice in babies, but if the baby is constantly pooping, there is definitely a reason for this if the snot is very dominant in the poop. Cow’s milk protein allergy is the most common cause of slimy poop in newborn babies. In the suckling infant, it is passed to the infant through the milk of the mother who is fed cow’s milk or cow’s milk products. Cow’s milk may also be due to formula if the baby is formula-fed or supplemented. If the slimy poop is thought to be due to cow’s milk protein allergy, the mother is given a diet or the formula is replaced with a special formula.

The second most common cause of slimy poop in infants is infections in infants. Especially intestinal infections cause slimy poop, but there are also accompanying conditions such as fever, general condition disorder, and vomiting.

Depending on the drugs taken as a result of upper respiratory tract infections in babies or regardless of the drugs, slimy poop may be seen during the first few days. However, in these cases, the event is usually temporary and the presence of additional infection is detected by the family. These are not slimy poops of intestinal origin.

Slimy poop that starts with the administration of gluten, that is, wheat derivatives, in babies after the sixth month may be a sign of celiac disease (gluten enteropathy), which is common in the community.

Cystic fibrosis also causes oily, foul-smelling and slimy poop in the baby. Screening tests are now performed for this disease. For this reason, we feel a little comfortable, but cystic fibrosis disease should be one of the problems that should be considered in persistent slimy poops.

Mucus in baby poop almost always indicates a problem. However, if only one or two poops have dense mucus, then it is not necessary to worry about it, and/or if the child has an upper respiratory tract or lung infection at that time, especially as a result of the use of expectorant drugs, the baby’s poop may be slimy because the baby does not throw the sputum and swallows it directly. This situation will disappear after the end of the disease. However, in other cases, if the slimy poop is persistent and persistent, this situation should be taken seriously. Because there can be some important reasons for slimy poop. These;

• Food allergies
• Lactose interolence (cow’s milk protein allergy)
• Celiac disease (gluten enteropathy)
• Intestinal infections
• Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases
• Cystic fibrosis

If the baby is persistently making slimy poop, the doctor should be informed of this situation and the root should be investigated.

Conditions that require a visit to the doctor for mucus in baby poop

If the baby only poops a few times and then goes away, it’s a temporary situation, or if there is slight mucus in the poop from time to time, it’s not something to worry about.

If the baby’s poop is slimy, albeit slightly, but the baby is constantly crying and has stomach tension, this may be due to an important problem. The main issue that we need to focus on is that every poop is slimy, even from time to time, the snot gets in front of the poop, and the poop appears in the structure of snot. These are always indicators of trouble.

If the baby’s slimy poop is chronic, the first thing that comes to mind is cow’s milk protein allergy in the baby. This situation, which is also known as cow’s milk allergy and is often confused with lactose intolerance, is caused by cow’s milk derivatives consumed by the mother, namely cow’s milk and dairy products; It is also caused by the origin of cow’s milk in the formula in infants receiving formula. For this, a diet is given to the mother for cow’s milk allergy in babies who take only breast milk; Babies who take formula are started on special formula.

Another common cause of mucus poop in a baby is intestinal infections. Intestinal infections cause babies’ poop to be slimy. However, in this case, to the slimy poop; Since fever, pain in the intestines, general condition disorder and vomiting may accompany the child, the family already realizes the situation.

Another reason for slimy poop in babies is lactose intolerance, which is common in our society. Especially, slimy poop that occurs after the introduction of complementary foods and wheat may be a sign of celiac or gluten allergy (gluten enteropathy).

Mucus in baby poop from the first months of life may be a sign of cystic fibrosis for pediatricians. However, in cystic fibrosis, there is not only slimy but oily, dense, foul-smelling poop. From time to time, snots can also be seen in the poop.

If the mucus in baby poop is persistent and heavy snot is seen, the doctor must be informed.

What to do for mucus in baby poop

If the baby’s poop is heavy with mucus, there is a reason for it and it needs to be investigated. Cow’s milk protein allergies are the most common cause of slimy poop in newborns or in the first few months of life. It is caused by the cow’s milk products consumed by the mother in breastfed infants, and the cow’s milk products in the formula in infants receiving formula.

If the mucus in baby poop is caused by breast milk, cow’s milk should be excluded from the mother’s diet. The mother does not consume cow’s milk and its derivatives. Although goat’s milk and its products are sometimes an alternative to cow’s milk, sometimes goat’s milk may have to be excluded from these alternatives. Because goat’s milk can sometimes cause cross-reaction. In some mothers, even beef may need to be cut. However, this is a temporary situation. Although it varies according to the baby, it disappears within 3 months or 6 months. It is a condition that completely disappears only with the mother’s diet.

• If the slimy poop is due to formula, baby-specific formula is started.
• If the mucus in baby poop is caused by intestinal infections, in which case symptoms such as fever and vomiting are also seen; Diagnosis is also made with poop tests. In this case, this situation can be eliminated by drug treatment and regulation of the baby’s nutrition.
• It may be due to lactose intolerance with slimy poop in later months. In this case, lactose should be removed from the baby’s diet. Lactose-free dairy products are started to be used in infant nutrition.
• If slimy poop appears with additional foods in a little later months, gluten enteropathy, ie celiac disease, may be suspected in the baby. In this case, the baby and, if breastfeeding continues, the mother should also be given gluten-free foods.
• If mucus in baby poop is a sign of cystic fibrosis (snotty poop isn’t always a sign of cystic fibrosis), it’s a completely different situation. In this case, necessary tests should be done, diagnosis should be made and treatment should be done.