Why does a 4 month old baby have slimy stools. How is the treatment going? Pink slime impurities

Developing in the mother's womb, the fetus is fed by blood flow, and its digestive system is in a sterile state. The birth gives impetus to the formation of all systems of the baby to adulthood. New nutrition in the form of breast milk also rebuilds the work of the gastrointestinal tract of the baby. During the transitional period, the stomach and intestines are filled with beneficial microflora. The baby's stool reflects these changes, and pediatricians consider the presence of mucus in it to be a normal physiological process.

However, not all mucus that appears in is a safe phenomenon. It is important and helpful for parents to know when a strange admixture in the stool needs close attention. Feces of the baby is a litmus of the body, signaling the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or malfunctions in its functioning.

In the first year of life, the baby's stool normally has a uniform (light golden) color, moderately liquid and smearing in consistency. The smell of the baby's feces is slightly sour, it should not contain any foreign inclusions. The characteristics of a healthy stool are the same for all babies, both breastfeeding and breastfeeding.

It can vary in color and consistency, contain food debris, mucus, foam, but only in special cases, parents should sound the alarm. Immediate contact with a pediatrician is required in the presence of the following manifestations:

1. Mucus in the feces of infants with blood impurities. Appears against the background of high fever, dehydration and general malaise. An intestinal infection is suspected, the child must be hospitalized.
2. The green shade of mucus, which persists for a long time, indicates an inflammatory process in the intestines of the baby or malnutrition of the child. If the green mucus in the feces of the baby is accompanied by an allergic reaction, the child loses weight, suffers from colic, looks lethargic, it should be shown to the doctor.
3. The white color of mucus with a lack of weight and growth is associated with an enzymatic deficiency. Consultation of a pediatrician and a gastroenterologist is required.
4. Foam with mucus in the feces of the crumbs appears with lactase deficiency. The disease can be hereditary, when the child's body does not absorb milk sugar, against the background of the disease, the development of dysbacteriosis is possible. To clarify the diagnosis, a fecal analysis for the content of carbohydrates is prescribed.

What are the causes of mucus?

What are the causes that form mucus in the feces of a baby, what is their danger, and how can they be caused? A certain amount of it is included in the normative indicators of the first days of a baby's life. If the volume of mucus increases and its color changes, parents should be alarmed. Investigating the causes of mucus, doctors attributed several negative factors to them:

• dysbacteriosis disease;
• intestinal invaginitis;
• malnutrition;
• lactase deficiency;
• allergy;
• medication.

Causes and their clinical characteristics

We will give a detailed description of the identified causes in order to facilitate the process of recognizing the disease for parents. Remember the following:

1. Dysbacteriosis. The disease develops during the period of active formation of microflora in the child's gastrointestinal tract, when pathogenic microorganisms multiply faster than their beneficial counterparts. The baby's body can not cope with cardinal changes and reacts violently to them. A mild form of dysbacteriosis causes stool with mucus in infants, constipation and flatulence.
2. Intestinal invaginitis. A dangerous disease that can lead to death. If the mucus in the feces of the baby is mixed with blood, and a day later it comes out in lumps with blood streaks, the child is immediately hospitalized. The peculiarity of intestinal invaginitis is that it provokes intestinal obstruction. The baby suffers from pain in the tummy, he starts vomiting. The child needs urgent hospitalization and emergency treatment.
3. Power errors. Non-compliance with the regimen and a balanced diet has a bad effect on the digestion of crumbs. The amount of mucous secretions increases if the baby does not receive enough fluid, complementary foods are introduced out of time, and there are long breaks between feedings. It is the responsibility of the mother to monitor the nutrition of the baby.
4. lactase deficiency. The white color of the discharge is a sure sign of a deficiency of a special enzyme that promotes the absorption of mother's milk by the baby's body. The intestines react to the lack of the enzyme by fermentation processes, the child develops flatulence, diarrhea, mucus mixes with white lumps of poorly processed milk.
5. Allergy. Some types of allergies affect the intestinal mucosa, which leads to the release of mucus in the feces in large quantities. Especially carefully monitor the reaction of the baby with the introduction of complementary foods. New foods may affect changes in feces.
6. Medicines. Taking certain medications by a mother or baby can cause mucus in. There is no danger in this state, but the mother should observe the baby and stop taking drugs that provoke an annoying reaction.

What treatment is used?

Suspicious color and volume of mucus in the feces of a baby is a serious reason to seek medical help. The doctor will conduct the necessary tests and make a diagnosis. Treatment is to eliminate the primary source of mucus formation. So, with dysbacteriosis, complex therapy is carried out, which includes drugs that suppress the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms and stimulate the formation of beneficial microflora.

Intestinal intussusception is treated surgically by introducing a barium enema to the child. Entering the intestine, barium straightens it, eliminating partial obstruction. If the cause of mucus is lactase deficiency, dairy products are excluded from the baby's diet. Breastfed babies should take a special enzyme preparation. To eliminate the mucus that appeared as a result of an allergic reaction of the baby's body, the doctor identifies the culprit of the allergy and stops its action.

What can parents do? No self-treatment, so as not to harm the baby. Newfangled probiotics, promising an immediate restoration of the microflora in the intestines of a child, are taken only after consulting a doctor. The baby's body is too vulnerable to experiment with it.

Having noticed mucus in the baby's feces, visually determine its color and volume, remember that a small amount of it is considered the norm for an infant. The task of parents is to properly regulate the diet, observe the feeding regime, and carefully introduce complementary foods. If the reason is more serious than malnutrition, it is better to show the baby to the pediatrician.

With the advent of a newborn in the house, young parents expect many joyful and anxious moments. In the early days, the most questions are the nutrition of the baby, as well as a direct consequence of this process - defecation. The look that a chair has sometimes greatly surprises moms and dads, especially if mucus is present in it. Let's figure out what reasons can lead to its appearance.

Stages of development

The stool of newborn babies is called meconium. It is a dark green (almost black) homogeneous odorless mass, consisting of amniotic fluid, intestinal epithelial cells and the secretion of the digestive glands.

After three or four days, defecation becomes more frequent, and the bowel movements become more liquid and light. There is a small amount of mucus in the feces due to transient dysbacteriosis, a physiological phenomenon that occurs during the formation of the intestinal microflora of a child.

On the fifth or sixth day, the stool of breastfed newborns acquires a creamy consistency, yellow color and a sour smell. White flakes may be noticeable in it - the result of incomplete digestion of milk. Over time, the gastrointestinal tract of the baby adapts, and the food will be completely absorbed.

The feces of "artificial" crumbs are characterized by a denser texture, a pale yellow color and a sour smell. After the introduction of complementary foods, the properties of feces change: it becomes thick and brown.

Normal frequency of bowel movements: in the first two months - after each meal, then - 3-4 times, after six months - 2 times a day. In a formula-fed infant, bowel movements are less common.

Norm and pathology

A small amount of mucus is present in the feces of every infant. It protects the intestinal lining from aggressive substances and is expelled during bowel movements. Until the age of one month, almost all babies have a lack of lactase, an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. This is also the reason for the presence of jelly-like inclusions in the stool. As the baby grows older, their volume gradually decreases.

But there are situations when mucus in the feces is an alarming sign, namely:

1. it is allocated a lot during each act of defecation
2. there is diarrhea with green and sharp-smelling stools, and sometimes with blood
3. the baby eats poorly, loses weight, cries, shows anxiety
4. body temperature rises

The following reasons can lead to this condition of the child:

1. nutritional errors
2. dysbacteriosis
3. gastrointestinal infections
4. lactase deficiency

Nutrition problems

The most common cause of stool problems in a breastfed infant is an imbalance between foremilk and hindmilk. At the moment of application to the breast, a liquid with a large amount of water and lactose begins to be released first, which performs the functions of drinking, and only then comes fatty milk. If the meal is interrupted too early, the baby will not receive enough nutrients. As a result, mucus and foam will appear in his stool. To solve this problem is simple - you need to feed the baby for at least 15-20 minutes.

Another factor affecting the baby's stool is the mother's diet. Jelly-like inclusions can occur due to the presence of highly allergenic (caviar, chocolate) or very fatty foods (walnuts, whole milk) on the woman's menu. A nursing mother needs a reasonable diet, especially in the first months, when the crumbs' enzymatic system is just maturing. It is best to adjust the diet together with the pediatrician.

Stool with mucus in an "artificial" baby may be the result of an incorrect choice of mixture. It is desirable that it includes pre- and probiotics, which help digest food.

Changes in the composition of feces after six months are a consequence of the introduction of complementary foods. The products that the baby tries for the first time are not fully digested, and their particles come out along with the mucus. If the baby feels well and there are very few inclusions in the stool, then there is no need to cancel complementary foods. This measure should be taken only in case of a very violent negative reaction of the body.

Dysbacteriosis

Dysbacteriosis (dysbiosis) of the intestine is a violation of the microflora, characterized by an increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms. Its symptoms in infants are mucus in liquid green stools, flatulence and colic.

The main causes of dysbacteriosis in a child are taking antibiotics, eating disorders of a nursing mother, and so on. To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a fecal analysis. As a treatment, complexes of beneficial bacteria or special adapted mixtures are usually prescribed. Dysbiosis is not considered a reason to stop breastfeeding, but it may be necessary to change the mother's menu in a healthier direction.

lactase deficiency

When the activity of an enzyme called lactase, which is responsible for the breakdown of milk sugar (lactose), decreases, it begins to accumulate in the intestines and creates an acceptable environment for the reproduction of bacteria. As a result, the baby has greenish foamy stools with mucus and increased gas formation.

In this case, it is worth conducting a coprological study - an analysis of feces for carbohydrates. If it shows a deviation from the norm, then the menu of the nursing mother is first adjusted: fresh milk is excluded, and sometimes fermented milk products. "Artists" are assigned a lactose-free mixture. In severe situations, lactase enzyme intake is recommended.

infections

An intestinal infection in a child is manifested not only in the form of mucus in the feces. As a rule, there is a pungent odor and an uncharacteristic color of stools, blotches of blood, fever, pain in the tummy and a violation of general well-being. These symptoms may indicate the development of a serious illness, such as dysentery or salmonellosis, so if they occur, you should definitely consult a doctor.

In addition, problems with bowel movements in infants can be caused by microbes that enter their intestines along with mother's milk due to mastitis or another infection. In this case, you will need to analyze the milk for sterility and subsequent treatment.

Finding mucus in a child's stool is not a cause for panic. The task of parents is to carefully monitor the condition of the baby. If he feels great and is gaining weight normally, then most likely there is nothing to worry about. But if there are a lot of jelly-like impurities in the feces, and something worries the baby, then it should be shown to the doctor and examined.

We offer you a video about the features of digestion in the first year of life

To see mucus in the form of jelly-like secretions, mainly with leukocytes and epithelial cells in the feces of a newborn who is breastfed, means to become an eyewitness of either a natural physiological phenomenon or a purely abnormal one.

A small amount of mucus in the feces of a baby is not normal, according to pediatricians, and there is no reason for concern.

According to doctors, normal bowel movements in a baby resemble the texture of high-viscosity yellow cream that smells sour. If they contain a little bit of colorless blotches, then the child's body produces the very useful mucus, which not only signals a load on the intestines, but also improves the digestion of food in the digestive tract.

Veins and lumps of white, yellow, green or brown color suddenly found in the excrement also indicate the appearance of mucus in the feces of the baby.

Causes of mucus in the stool

Mucus appears in the body of a newborn when the process of digestion takes place: this substance is involved in the mechanical and chemical processing of food in the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted from the body naturally along with feces.

This will surprise someone, but in the following cases, mucus in the feces of a child who is breastfed usually speaks of the norm:

• the baby has a runny nose and snot flows during lactation, which the baby swallows;
• in a breastfed baby, overeating with mother's milk;
• the child's body has an undeveloped enzymatic system.

Although parents should be alerted by the lumps and strips of mucus diagnosed in the feces of the child, often plentiful, opaque and smelly. After all, they can testify:

• about irrational nutrition of a nursing woman;
• imbalance of intestinal microflora in infants;
• about acute intestinal infection;
• invaginations;
• about the lack of the enzyme lactase;
• about allergic reactions;
• the response of the child's body to the mother's medication.

Sometimes you can solve this problem on your own by refusing to use medicines, adjusting the diet, including hypoallergenic foods that are rich in vitamins and microelements in the diet.

What should be done in other situations or if we cannot cope on our own? Make an appointment with a pediatrician without delay so that the first months of a baby’s life do not become one big nightmare! You can find out from a specialist why the child fell ill, how to help him.

It is advisable to go to the clinic or call an ambulance home with a certain set of knowledge: it will be easier for the doctor to express himself to the client.

Dysbacteriosis

Symptoms of dysbacteriosis in a child are simple: loose stools with an ordinary color and smell and clear mucus. There are no other symptoms.

To make sure the guesses are correct, you need to ask the doctor about the appointment of tests (yes, he will prescribe them himself). The main thing is not to panic, dysbacteriosis is not a disease, but a violation of the microflora of the well-known abdominal organ.

With changes in the stool due to a bacterial infection, the therapist prescribes prebiotics. Mothers are advised to take care of the health of the crumbs and their own, adjusting the diet for the better.

School of Dr. Komarovsky about dysbacteriosis:

Intestinal infections or viruses

Foul-smelling colored mucus usually indicates an intestinal infection. If the baby has a greenish tint, then most likely the baby is sick with dysentery (a general infectious disorder of the body, in particular damage to the distal colon).

Green mucus in the feces of a breastfed baby can also be a sign of enteritis (inflammation and dystrophy of the small intestine).

If the child suffers from bacterial colitis that harms the intestinal mucosa, then green mucus will certainly be fixed in the feces.

In fact, the reasons are very different, but all breastfed children, without exception, require immediate mother's and medical attention so that the disease does not progress. Yellow mucus with an increased number of leukocytes or impurities in the feces of a breastfed baby is a warning that inflammation is increasing!

With such diseases of the intestine, complex therapy is indicated:

1. Reception by the baby of a sufficient amount of water (50-100 milliliters of liquid at a time).
2. Prescribing antibiotics.
3. Normalization of the microflora of the digestive system with auxiliary preparations.
4. Feeding good quality breast milk.

School of Dr. Komarovsky about intestinal infection:

Intestinal invagenitis

A very dangerous disease, which is a partial obstruction of the intestine. Let's talk about the symptoms and treatment.

During and after feeding, the child is diagnosed with severe abdominal pain and vomiting “like from a fountain”. The child poops more often, and the feces look like slurry. If the mucus in the feces of a breastfed baby is brown, this indicates an admixture of blood. After 24 hours from the moment of the development of the disease, instead of the stool as such, a lump of mucus with thin bloody streaks already comes out.

Only a surgeon can carry out therapy for intestinal invaginitis. To melt the intestines, he gives the baby an enema with barium. If help is not provided in a timely manner, then death will occur as a result of lack of water, blood poisoning or traumatic shock.

lactase deficiency

Often, the treatment of the cause of "bad" mucus in children's feces is aimed at compensating for the lack of the lactase enzyme. If it is not enough in the body, milk sugars are fermented unimportantly. What causes lactase deficiency?

Firstly, it may be absent in principle or be destroyed by pathogenic microbes in the small intestine. The absence of this catalyst in the body of chemical reactions is fraught with fermentation in the intestines and, as a result, flatulence, pain, diarrhea, excrement with mucous secretions in the structure, lumps of fermented milk.

To identify such a condition, it is required to test the feces for the presence of carbon hydrates in it.

Treatment consists in the use of drugs with lactase as prescribed by the doctor. Although in case of hypersensitivity to any component of the dietary supplement, it is worth delaying breastfeeding and switching to artificial.

Dr. Komarovsky about lactase deficiency:

Allergic reaction

It happens that breastfeeding is a provocation of allergies. As a result of the negligent attitude of a nursing mother, whose nutrition was selected without taking into account the characteristics of the child's body, he is covered from head to toe (or locally) with red flaky spots. Mucous patches can often be found in the stools.

As part of the mother’s therapy, it is worth giving up breastfeeding for a while and overhauling the set of food products: honey, nuts, condensed milk, citrus fruits, chocolate must be dosed correctly!

During lactation, in order to avoid allergic reactions in breastfeeding infants and the appearance of mucus in the feces, it is advisable to remove peanuts, spices, cheese, caviar, and some berries from the diet.

Mother's milk has become "clean" and safe - it's time to start establishing guards, and the problems associated with rashes are probably already in the past.

Medications

Medicines taken by a nursing woman can adversely affect the well-being of the child. In addition to individual contraindications, there is a whole set of drugs that are prohibited during lactation.

The symptoms are:

• the baby's immunity is reduced; there are problems with the kidneys, liver, allergies;
• decreased muscle tone;
• the child remains hungry due to the development of breast milk deficiency;
• constantly wants to sleep;
• adults fix a clear secret in his excrement.

In feces, mucus is also usually diagnosed from preparations based on the substance "simethicone" against gas formation in the children's intestines. One has only to stop therapy, as the mucous veins disappear from the "night gold" of the baby.

Improper nutrition of the baby

The baby's stool may change due to the wrong children's menu. Nutrition affects not only the mental development of the baby, but also the volume of mucous secretions in the feces.

The more mucus, the more liquid the baby needs. Or it requires a wiser introduction of complementary foods, because the development of the ability to digest new food greatly affects the type of food. The digestive system is developing by months, therefore, the child is fed in accordance with its physiological age: food products that are more solid in comparison with breast milk are given no earlier than at 6 months.

It is better to start with freshly prepared homogenized vegetable purees (for overweight, a tendency to constipation) or warm gluten-free liquid cereals (for underweight). Pureed lean meat, hypoallergenic fruits and fish are introduced last.

Abundant mucus in the feces is a reaction to food that is lumpy or rough for the body, for example, cow's milk protein, which is not digested and absorbed in the intestines in everyone.

In another situation, it is necessary to simply reduce the hours between meals.

Conclusion

Mucus in the feces of a breastfed baby does not always indicate pathology: there are reasons for this.

The intestinal glands produce some mucus so that the feces move more easily and are evacuated from the colon to the outside. Foul-smelling opaque mucous discharge may appear due to the course of a certain disease / inadequate response to the components of food and tablets. Treating the cause of mucus formation, in fact not at all life-threatening, will eventually eliminate it itself! That is why it is advisable to pay more attention to the consistency of the baby's stool.

After the birth of a child, all young mothers face various problems related to the health of the baby.

One of them is the appearance of mucus in the feces of a child: what does this problem mean? Often this leads to concern for parents, although the appearance of mucous inclusions does not always indicate serious pathologies.

Mucous discharge in the stool - the diagnosis depends on the color and consistency

The presence of mucus in the feces of a child, especially under the age of one year and a year, is a frequent phenomenon. Statistically, 80% of young mothers go to the pediatrician about the presence of pathogenic inclusions in the feces of the baby.

The very appearance of the mucous mass, its color and consistency indicate the nature of the disturbances in the intestine, suggesting a diagnosis.

Mucus is present in the feces of everyone - in children and adults, its function is to facilitate the movement of feces through the colon and rectum, plus a protective function for the large and small intestines. But normally there should be no mucous masses visible to the eye.

The mucus produced by the walls of the gastrointestinal tract is transparent and viscous, like jelly. It is a mixture of leukocytes and epithelial cells. Transparent visible inclusions in the children's stool often appear with malnutrition, increased stress on the gastrointestinal tract.

If the baby is breastfed, which means that mom ate forbidden food (fatty, salty, sweet, fast food).

If the child is older- it means that a difficult-to-digest product was introduced into his diet. With the normalization of the diet, the problem disappears.

Also, the threads of transparent mucous secretions in the feces are with. Mucus in this case protects the vulnerable inner lining of the rectum from damage.

In addition to clear mucus, there are other colors of discharge in the feces of a child.

Greens

The more mucous masses in the stool, the more irritated the intestines. A visit to a pediatrician, a gastroenterologist, followed by tests, can clarify the situation.

Scanty mucous impurities can signal constipation, malnutrition. If such impurities rarely appear, do not have blood inclusions, an unpleasant odor, the baby does not complain about anything, you need to adjust the diet by limiting dairy, flour, and sweets.

Thick or liquid

The consistency of the mucus in the feces of a child can be thick - in the form of a dense jelly or long threads, strands; liquid - similar to a watery, slightly stretchy mass, like snot.

In a child, loose stools with mucus appear with lactase intolerance, pancreatic insufficiency. If instead of feces, completely liquefied mucus with an atypical odor is released, this is a sign of acute.

What should be the chair, is the mucus in the feces normal in a child? Look at the video:

Causes of appearance in newborns, infants and older

Age features and the nature of mucus in children's feces are interrelated.

It is believed that in young children, the presence of impurities in the feces is not a pathology, but the norm. Older children should not have mucus.

In newborns, the presence of mucous masses in the stool is a common phenomenon.. Causes:

Mucus in the feces of a one-year-old and one and a half year old child occurs against the background of the development of food intolerance, ill-conceived complementary foods, the rapid introduction of adult food into the diet.

Intestinal infections, diseases (celiac disease, cystic fibrosis) provoke the appearance of pathological impurities.

For children over 2 years old the appearance of mucous impurities in the stool is not uncommon. Causes - chronic constipation, proctitis, malnutrition, polyvalent food allergies, unformed enzymatic system.

In a child who has reached 2 years of age, the regular presence of mucous impurities should alert parents. Seeing a doctor will help determine the cause.

Constipation or diarrhea

If the child has diarrhea- frequent watery stools more than 5-6 times a day with the inclusion of mucus, this is a sign of an intestinal infection caused by pathogenic microbes (E. coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella).

When eating a large amount of laxative foods - plums, grapes - mucous may occur, but once. It is better not to self-medicate, especially if diarrhea lasts longer than 2-3 days.

Normal, formed feces with a small admixture of mucus can occur when eating new foods, vegetables, fruits, berries. This is due to slight intestinal irritation. Taking certain medications can provoke the appearance of mucous masses in the stool.

hard stool, especially of the "sheep" type, in the form of hard rounded parts, accompanied by the release of mucus. The glands of the colon actively produce it so that the walls are not injured. In this situation, it is important to treat constipation, namely, the cause that causes it.

How to spot a problem

With a large volume, it is not difficult to recognize the presence of pathological inclusions in the child's stool.

If the chair is unformed, mucus can be determined by consistency - stool is not absorbed into the diaper, has a heterogeneous consistency with jelly-like lumps or threads of different colors, often with many air bubbles, has a viscous texture.

Decorated feces it is either evenly covered with a shiny sticky mass, or has mucous pieces on the surface, sometimes in the form of strips.

There are situations when the mucus is not visually visible, but according to the analysis - the coprogram - it is, and with a large number of leukocytes, which indicates inflammatory processes in the intestines.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The famous doctor Komarovsky claims that children's feces with mucus are caused by:

Evgeny Olegovich believes that if the baby eats well, is active, sleeps calmly, but at the same time the child has mucus with feces, there is no reason for concern - otherwise the child would make it clear that he has more pronounced problems or pains.

But if the child behaves restlessly, cries, refuses to eat, urinates little, while the stomach is tense and swollen, medical help is needed, and urgent.

Reason for visiting the doctor

If the episode of detection of pathological impurities is single, the baby is active and alert, there is no need to worry. Regular detection of impurities without other complaints is a reason to reconsider the children's diet.

If, along with the appearance of mucous masses in the stool, a number of symptoms are present:
• spasms and cramps, colic in the abdomen, rumbling;
• restless sleep with crying;
• the consistency of the stool changes - from solid to liquid, and vice versa;
• loss of appetite;

you should contact your local pediatrician. He will write out referrals for tests - a coprogram, a scraping for an eggworm, an analysis for acute intestinal infections.

If necessary, you will need to consult a surgeon (to exclude polyps, cracks) and a gastroenterologist. If, along with the appearance of mucus, the general condition has deteriorated sharply, an ambulance should be called.

To avoid problems with the child's stool, including the formation of mucus, you need to follow simple recommendations:

Such rules are simple, but their implementation will ensure healthy digestion and adequate functioning of the digestive tract, help to avoid problems in this part. After all, predisposition to many pathologies can be laid down at an early age.

If mucous inclusions are found in the baby's stool, there is no need to panic.. The most common cause is a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, which, with reasonably prescribed therapy, can be quickly eliminated. The main thing is timely access to specialists, examination, competently prescribed treatment. And in most cases, this unpleasant phenomenon disappears with age.

In contact with

In the first year of life, a child can often puzzle parents with his behavior, sometimes amusing, sometimes causing panic. Often panic in inexperienced mothers causes mucus in the feces of the baby. However, doctors believe that it is not always a pathology. The appearance of mucus at this stage of the development of the child is caused by the immaturity of the intestine. If it is not accompanied by poor health of the baby, this should not be alarming.

Differences in mucus in the stool in a newborn

Mucus lines the inside of the intestines, protecting it from injury. It mixes with the feces and is not excreted in them. In infants, the work of the intestines is only adjusted, various disturbances in the process of digestion, mechanical damage to the mucous membrane or inflammation are possible. Until a normal healthy microflora is established in the intestines, the appearance of liquid, mucus and foam in the feces of a baby, a change in its color - considered normal.

However, if mucus appears often and in large quantities, there is a poor appetite, sleep and well-being of the baby - you need to consult a doctor. The abundance of mucus in the feces indicates a strong inflammatory process.

Having determined the presence and amount of mucus in the feces of a child, it is necessary to evaluate its color and accompanying symptoms in order to understand what caused its appearance.

Related article: To dismiss the problem of diarrhea in a child, you must know.

Why does a baby poop with mucus

While the child is developing in utero, his gastrointestinal tract is sterile. The first bacteria are settled only after birth, when the baby begins to feed on milk. Until a favorable microflora is established in the intestines, feces with mucus, a heterogeneous consistency, and a green color will be frequent. By the end of the first month of life, the stool, as a rule, improves, its color and consistency return to normal.

The appearance of these symptoms after the passage of the transition period can be caused by various reasons, both requiring special attention and seeking medical attention, and relatively harmless.

Reaction to food

Mucus in the feces of a baby may be the body's reaction to the introduction of complementary foods. Especially often this is caused by vegetable purees. The stool changes consistency (it can become both more liquid and thicker), acquires a greenish tint. With such a reaction, it is necessary to reduce the portion of complementary foods, change to another, or temporarily abandon it altogether.

Improper nutrition

GW- If the baby is breastfed, mucus may indicate the mother's malnutrition. Her diet should not contain a lot of fatty, fried and spicy foods - it makes milk difficult for the baby to digest and his gastrointestinal tract can not cope with the task. Mucus also appears as a result of mom's abuse of seasonal fruits and vegetables, which can cause an allergic reaction in a child.

IV- If the baby is bottle-fed, mucus can be caused by the wrong choice of mixture, an allergy to it. A pediatrician will help you choose a more suitable mixture - how to choose the right mixture.

Disrupted feeding regimen

Too large portions and long breaks between feedings can cause undigested milk to ferment in the baby's intestines. Also the formation of mucus that comes out with feces.

Read: Which feeding to choose, by the hour or on demand -

Runny nose

Mucus caused by a viral illness or a cold can pass from the nose into the mouth and be expelled from the body through bowel movements. As a rule, there is very little of it, the color is transparent.

Medication

Medicines taken by both the mother and the baby itself can cause intestinal disturbances. Mucus stools in infants cause cough, runny nose, or colic.

Underfeeding

A breastfed baby receives two types of milk in one feeding: the so-called fore and hind. The second is more nutritious and fatty. It contains the enzyme necessary for the digestion of milk - lactase. If we take the baby from the breast too early, he will not receive hind milk and lactase, as a result, fermentation may begin, mucus will appear, and the stool will acquire a greenish tint.

Microorganisms in breast milk

If the baby poops badly, the stool is liquid, there is mucus in it - it is necessary to check the breast milk for sterility. However, even if unsuitable microbes are found in it, feeding is not stopped, and mother and baby undergo a course of special treatment.

All these reasons are easily eliminated and the baby's stool returns to normal. But there are more serious reasons that cause mucus in the stool. In such cases, it will not be possible to do without medical help.

Dysbacteriosis

If the number of pathogenic bacteria exceeds the number of beneficial ones, dysbacteriosis occurs. In a mild form, the baby may be disturbed by bloating, colic, constipation and mucus in the stool. In a severe form of dysbacteriosis, mucus appears with blood, lumps of curdled milk are visible in the feces, the baby has diarrhea, anxiety and poor appetite. A clot or streaks of blood in the stool indicates damage to the intestinal mucosa.

Dysbacteriosis requires a comprehensive and thoughtful treatment. First of all, it is necessary to cure damage to the mucosa. After that, with the help of special preparations, the intestinal microflora is normalized. It is important to remember that even the highest quality treatment is not a guarantee that dysbacteriosis will not return again. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the nutrition and diet of the baby.

Some doctors are of the opinion that dysbacteriosis in infants does not need to be treated, since interference with the natural process of forming balance and immunity can “spoil” the body. In any case, it should not be at this time - breast milk contains a large number of components necessary for the baby, which will help him cope with the disease. At the same time, while the baby is sick, the mother must follow her diet very carefully so as not to overload the child's digestive system.

Healthy: How to cope with dysbacteriosis in an infant and how it can be dangerous -.

Intussusception (intestinal obstruction)

A very dangerous disease, often requiring surgical intervention, is intussusception of the intestine. It is caused by crushing one or more of its sections. Intestinal obstruction is accompanied by severe pain that manifests itself during and after eating, profuse fountain-like vomiting. At first, the child's stool becomes watery, fluid, mucus and streaks of blood appear in it. By the end of the day, the feces consist only of mucus and bloody streaks.

The surgeon can open the compressed bowel using a barium enema.

It is important to consult a doctor in time, because the newborn may die from blood poisoning, dehydration or pain shock.

Bacterial and viral infections

White mucus is a symptom of the development of a bacterial infection in the intestines of the crumbs and is accompanied by diarrhea, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and dehydration. The latter is especially dangerous for the baby, since changes in his body occur quickly and from a sharp loss of fluid. the child can die quickly. It is possible to distinguish an infection from a dysbacteriosis by passing tests for seeding. In severe cases, hospitalization is required.

lactase deficiency

Mucus in the feces of a baby may indicate lactase deficiency. Lactase is needed for the digestion of milk sugar - lactose. If the baby suffers from a congenital deficiency of this enzyme, milk is not fully absorbed and fermentation begins in the body. Also, lactase can be destroyed by microbes that inhabit the small intestine. Because of this, the stool becomes watery, liquid, mucus and an admixture of milk appear in it. The child is worried about gases, abdominal pain.

To clarify the diagnosis, a stool analysis for carbohydrates is performed. If the baby is breastfed, the mother should follow a dairy-free diet and the baby should take lactase supplements. With artificial feeding, you need to choose a lactose-free mixture.

gluten deficiency

Mucus in a newborn's stool can be caused by gluten deficiency (celiac disease). In this disease, the body does not produce the enzyme needed to digest gluten. As a result, it cannot be completely broken down and forms toxic substances that damage the intestinal mucosa. Celiac disease usually manifests itself with the introduction of complementary foods. The baby begins to lag behind in weight, he is worried about bloating. The chair is frequent, contains fat and mucus, mushy, with an unpleasant odor.

If the symptoms are recognized and diagnosed in time, the severe consequences of the disease can be avoided and its manifestations minimized with the help of a properly selected gluten-free diet.

The main gluten-containing foods include:

• Cereals and products from them (wheat, oats, bread, pastries, pasta);
• Soya and products from it;
• Some sweets (sweets, ice cream, churchkhela);
• Sauces and dressings (mayonnaise, ketchup, spices, bouillon cubes);
• Soups and second courses of fast food;
• Chips, crab sticks, french fries;
• Some alcoholic drinks (beer, vodka);
• Canned tomato.

Atopic dermatitis, allergic reactions

If the baby suffers from atopic dermatitis or allergies, this is primarily displayed on the skin: a rash appears, peeling. But not infrequently, allergic reactions also affect the mucous membranes of the baby's gastrointestinal tract, then mucus appears in the stool.

Modern medicine is able to identify any of these problems at the earliest stages, and this is one of the main keys to successful treatment. Therefore, do not ignore the alarming signs in the stool and the behavior of the baby.

Read more:

1. How to stop diarrhea in newborns and why it is strange -
2. If the baby is constipated, then try giving him an enema -