Mucus in Baby's Stool

Presence of mucus in baby's stool can be a cause of worry for parents. This article will provide you with some information about the various aspects of the condition.

It is said that changes in the color and consistency of stool may be an indication of some underlying health problem. In order to understand the abnormality of bowel movements, you must know about what normal stool looks like. As newborns, humans have black tarry stool, which is followed by yellow seedy and watery stool. As the kids grow, the stool color and consistency change and in an adult human being, the normal stool color is found as shades of brown (especially, the color of cardboard), with a consistency of peanut butter. Any change in such color and consistency has to be diagnosed, if persistent. Sometimes, you may notice mucus in baby's stool.

Causes

Now you understand that a baby's stool color and consistency can change with growth. There are many other factors that affect the nature of baby's stool. This includes the type of food ingested by the baby as well as the mother. Mucus in baby's stool is usually not considered a cause of concern. 

 

According to health experts, some amount of mucus in the stool of babies is normal. A small amount of mucus lining the intestines may get expelled with the stool. It is also said that this is mostly seen in breast-fed babies, as they use up breast milk so efficiently that most of their stool consists of mucus. But, if the condition is persistent or is accompanied with other symptoms, you must consult the pediatrician at the earliest. Let us take a look at the possible causes of this condition.

Babies with cystic fibrosis may develop mucus in stool. In those babies, mucus buildup is observed in the lungs and the intestines and this results in expulsion of some mucus through stools, which can be foul-smelling and greasy too.

If the baby's stool is green and contains mucus, it could be due to some viral infection. Teething is another cause for this condition. This is due to the increased drooling that causes ingestion of excess saliva, which irritates the intestine and results in expulsion of mucus along with stools.

Food allergy is another cause for mucus and blood in baby's stool. Even breast-fed babies may have food allergies, which could be caused by the food consumed by the mother.

One of the serious causes for this condition is intussusception, which is characterized by intestinal blockage, caused by another part of the intestine itself. In such cases, jelly like stools will be passed by the baby, who will experience intermittent pain and vomiting too. The stool will contain mucus as well as blood and this condition requires immediate treatment.

Infections of the bowel (both viral as well as bacterial) can be among the potential causes for mucus and blood in baby's stool. In some cases, mucus in stool may be due to intake of fruits like, bananas.

In short, mucus in baby's stool without other symptoms like, fever, pain and change in stool color, is not a cause of worry, if the condition is not persistent. However, it is always better to consult your pediatrician, who will be the best person to analyze the condition. If the mucus is red, contact the doctor immediately. It could be due to various reasons, some of which can be serious.

Treatment for the condition depends on the underlying cause. While in some cases, the condition may subside without any treatment, some others may require treatment as per the underlying condition. 

 

While intussusception is often treated with immediate surgery, the condition (mucus in stool) will subside on its own, if caused by teething or viral infection. So, if you detect this condition in your baby, don't panic. If the baby is having other symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If there is blood in baby's stool, along with mucus, then also immediate medical attention is required. If the baby is otherwise healthy, then wait for a day or two and then contact the doctor, if the condition persists. The above said is only a brief overview about mucus in baby's stool. It is always better to seek the opinion of your doctor, if you have any doubts regarding the condition.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. Visiting your doctor is the safest way to diagnose and treat any health condition.

Author,

Sonia Nair

Food Allergies in Babies

Food allergies in babies are estimated to affect 6% of the total population of children in the United States of America. It is important that we understand the foods which cause food allergies. The following write-up will help us know more on allergies in babies caused due to food. Read on ...

Often parents are told that food allergies in babies are uncommon. However, the statistics prove otherwise. 1 in 18 children suffers from food allergies. If a child does not eat a particular food, it does not always mean that the child is allergic to that food. In all probabilities the child does not like the food, hence, it refuses to eat. Let us first understand what are food allergies.

What are Food Allergies?

Food allergy is an immune response by the body to a food that the body is allergic to. Often the body makes an antibody, which tells the immune system to fight the intruder. The body therefore releases histamines. These histamines cause allergic symptoms.

Signs of Food Allergies in Babies

The time taken to display symptoms can vary from one child to another and can range from a few minutes to a few hours. Here are some of the common signs exhibited.

Hives

Eczema

Diarrhea

Itching

Constipation

Ear Infections

Swelling

Trouble in breathing

Vomiting

Collic

Runny or stuffy nose

Severe allergic reactions - It refers to reactions in the whole body, which include wheezing, swelling of the face, tongue, lips, and difficulty in breathing.

In case of severe reactions, medical help should be sought immediately. If an allergy to a certain food is hereditary, the symptoms of the allergies to that food is not apparent till the baby has eaten the food a few times, the symptoms might develop after that particular food product is consumed a few times. 

 

Indirect exposure to allergic food too can cause complications. It means that if a baby is allergic to eggs, then eggs eaten through cakes and cookies are also to be counted in the exposure, although indirect. The other indirect way is if the mother has eaten an egg, while she is still breastfeeding the child.

Common Food Allergies

Food allergies can be caused due to direct consumption of a food or through the mother's milk. 

 

Therefore, it is important that the mother keeps a watch on what she is eating and checks if the food she is consuming is causing an allergy in the baby. In such a situation, the mother should avoid the food till after she has breastfed the baby. When you introduce new food to your baby remember to keep a gap of 10 to 12 days. At the same it is always better if you introduce only one new food at a time. In case of an allergy it will be easy for you to find out, which food is causing the allergy. 

 

Generally speaking, a child can be allergic to any food, but there are some foods which are more problematic than the rest. Statistics have shown that the following common food products account for 80% of allergies in babies.

Milk, especially cow milk

Wheat

Eggs

Soy

Peanuts

Fish, especially salmon and tuna fish

Shellfish, shrimp, crab, and lobsters

Tree-nuts like walnuts, cashew, etc.

How to Prevent

It is difficult to prevent these allergies altogether, but they can be prevented if adequate care is taken. 

 

There are many opinions in regard to preventing food allergies. Some pediatricians opine that breastfeeding babies for a longer period of time protects them from potential allergy causing allergens. This advice should be followed, especially where either one of the parent suffers from allergies. You can try alternative food products if the baby is allergic to a certain food. For example, in case of allergy to milk, you can give non-allergic formula or you can try soy formulated food products.

These allergies do not pose a threat to the babies. It has been observed that most of the food allergies disappear after a few years. Then the food can be reintroduced after the child grows up.

Author,

Bhakti Satalkar

How to Make Baby Food

The following article will give you some four quick, easy, and healthy baby food ideas.

Making baby food is quite easy as you do not have to use a whole lot of ingredients. Homemade baby food usually contains only two or three ingredients which are easily available. Food for babies and toddlers should be made only with the most nutritious food items like fruits and vegetables. Fruits like bananas, avocado, apples and veggies like peas, green beans, sweet potatoes are generally encouraged by baby food nutritionists. Without wasting anymore time, let's learn how to make baby food in just a few minutes.

Baby Fruit Salad

As we all know, fruits are rich in nutrients, so for this baby food dish, we are going to make use of some of the most nutritious fruits - avocados, bananas, and pears. This recipe is for babies between 6 to 8 months of age.

Ingredients

Ripe avocados, 3

Ripe bananas, 3

Steamed pears, 3

Process

Firstly, peel, slice, and seed all the fruits. Place the sliced fruits in a clean blender or food processor and blend until desired texture is achieved, do not make it too liquidy or too thick. Remove in a small bowl and feed immediately. If your baby is above 8 months, you can add dollops of yogurt.

Rice and Fruit Squash

Butternut and acorn squash are the perfect choices when it comes to squash as they are high in calcium and various vitamins. Besides, they are smooth and delicious, so your baby is sure to love them!

Ingredients

Squash (acorn, butternut, or other winter squash), 1

Cooked brown rice, 1 cup

Applesauce ½ cup

Process

First cut the butternut or acorn squash in half; discard the seeds. Take a large pan, place the squash halves face down in it and pour water until an inch of the squash is covered. Bake for about 40 minutes at 400ºF in a preheated oven until the shell of the squash puckers and the pulp becomes soft. 

 

Scoop the pulp out of the shell, place it a food processor. Add applesauce and cooked rice to it. You can also add water if necessary and blend until smooth and thin in consistency.

Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes are a must for baby food. If you are dying to know how to make your own baby food, this simple and nutritious recipe is the answer.

Ingredients

Medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, 3

Bay leaf, 1

Homemade chicken stock, 3 cups

Chopped celery, 1 cup

Chopped onion, ½ cup

Canola oil, 1 tbsp.

Dried basil, ½ tsp.

Process

Pour oil in a large pot and sauté onion and celery in it until tender. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat. Let it simmer for bout 25 - 30 minutes. 

 

Discard the bay leaf, cool a little, and then blend it until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and heat through. Feed warm.

Peas Dinner

This healthy dinner is for babies above 8 months. Babies of this age need more than simple liquids. In this recipe, we will make use of nutritious chicken, sweet potatoes, and peas.

Ingredients

Small sweet potato, peeled and diced, 1

Boneless and skinless chicken breast, cubed, ½

Water or homemade chicken broth, 3 cups

Frozen peas, ½ cup

A pinch of dried sage

Process

Add the chicken breast to a large saucepan and cover with stock or water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and cook further for 3 minutes. Now add the peas, cook for 2 more minutes. Cool for a bit. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add sage, and blend until smooth.

Now that you have these simple recipes at hand, you can stop worrying about what to feed your little angel.

Author,

Girija Shinde

Making Baby Food

Are you wondering how to make baby food at home? Well, it is quite easy. Read on for some easy homemade baby food recipes.
 

While making baby food, several important things need to be kept in mind, out of which the most important is the age of the baby. Babies should not be fed any solid food until they are 6 months old. 

 

In fact, till then they should be fed only mother's milk. Secondly, you should avoid a few things, most importantly spices. Not even a pinch of spice should be added to baby food, even salt should be minimal. Only food that is easy to digest and nutritious should be opted for.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup warmed milk

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

2-3 drops vanilla extract

Process

Take a medium-sized bowl, add all the ingredients in it. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Let cool slightly and then feed. Do not forget to check the temperature before serving. This recipe is for 6 - 9 month old babies.

Vegetable Purée

Ingredients

250 g butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled

250 g potatoes

250 g sweet potatoes

250 g carrots

Process

Cut the veggies in small pieces, set aside. Put a steamer set over boiling water, place the veggies into it, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. If you do not have a steamer set, place the veggies in a pan and pour boiling water over them, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. When done, purée the vegetable using the liquid of the veggies that remains in the pan. Feed lukewarm. To store, pour into ice cube tray and freeze until needed.

Rice with Chicken

Ingredients

1 peach, peeled and diced

½ cup diced, cooked boneless skinless chicken

¼ cup cooked brown rice

2 tbsp. milk

Process

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and purée until you get the desired texture and consistency. 

 

Isn't making your own baby food easy? This recipe is especially for babies who are 6-8 months old. 

 

The baby is sure to like the yummy chicken and rice taste!

Vegetables with Cheese

Ingredients

1 medium carrot (approx 125 g), peeled and sliced

300 g potatoes, peeled and chopped

75 g broccoli florets

40 g cheddar cheese, grated

15 g unsalted butter

4 tbsp. baby's usual milk

Process

Take a large saucepan and add carrots and potatoes to it, add boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes until tender. While the carrots and potatoes are cooking, steam broccoli in another saucepan for about 7 minutes. After the broccoli is tender, add it to the potatoes mixture after about 12 minutes. 

 

Drain and mash the veggies, add butter, cheese, and milk. This is a recipe for babies who are 9 - 12 months old.

Potato Soup
Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cubed

1 bay leaf

1 cup celery, chopped

½ cup onion, chopped

1 tbsp. canola oil

½ tsp. dried basil

Homemade chicken stock

Process

Take a large pot, add oil to it and sauté onion and celery in it. Add all the other remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 25 - 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and then lower the heat. Remove the bay leaf and cool. Purée in a food processor in batches. 

 

Again heat the soup, cool, and then serve. This is a recipe for 9 - 12 months old babies.

There are also many books on cooking baby food which can provide you with proper guidance. Make baby food at home and get rid of the tension of whether the food you are serving is fresh and healthy.

Author,

Girija Shinde

Iron-rich Foods for Babies

Iron-rich foods form an important part of the daily diet, and are essential for the proper growth and development of babies. The following article will provide more information with respect to the fulfillment of iron requirement in infants.

Newborn babies have a fixed reserve of iron, which lasts for about six months. Once the iron levels in the body get depleted, it becomes absolutely necessary to include iron-rich foods in their diet.

Why is Iron-rich Foods Important for Babies?

Iron is very important for the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which are responsible for oxygen transport to all the tissues of the body. If there is deficiency of iron in the body, it will lead to anemia, making the baby lethargic, pale and weak. Iron deficiency anemia is commonly observed in babies belonging to the age group of 9-24 months. It may even lead to a delay in talking, walking, and development of behavioral skills.

Iron-rich Foods

The amount of iron required by babies and toddlers has been given below.

Age Amount of Iron

0 to 3 months 1.7 mg

4 to 6 months 4.3 mg

7 to 12 months 7.8 mg

1 to 3 years 6.9 mg

Babies get the required dose of iron through breast milk for the first 6 months. Then, they need to be given infant formulas to fulfill their iron requirements. These baby formulas are enriched with iron, and also contain vitamin C, that helps in the absorption of iron.

In addition, you can include baby cereals and mashed vegetables as the first foods for your baby. 

 

When your baby starts eating these soft foods comfortably, you can gradually introduce meat or fish to the mashed vegetables and rice cereal. The meat should be cooked to a very soft consistency, and should not contain any bones. You can try including minced meat, as it will be easier for the baby to digest. Broccoli, watercress, sprouts, and cabbage may also be included. A baby can also be given dried apricots, figs, and raisins. Do not give your baby cow's milk till he/she is 1-year old. Cow's milk contains very little iron, and also hampers the absorption of iron from other foods.

Iron-rich Foods for Toddlers

The following is a list of iron-rich foods for toddlers, and should be eaten consumed at least once in a day.

Beans and lentils

Blackstrap molasses

Cornmeal

Dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, dates, and apricots

Swiss chard

Asparagus

Parsley

Watercress

Brussels sprout

Egg yolk

Flax seeds

Fruits like red bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries

Fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, and kippers

Meat like chicken, pork, turkey, and beef

Kale

Broccoli

Collard

Spinach

Wheat germ

Nutritious food is very important for the overall growth and development of your baby. You can speak to the appropriate doctor, and plan a balanced diet for your baby.

 

Author,

 

Batul Nafisa Baxamusa