Question about BM's - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

Jordyn · 09-09-2006, 03:06 PM

My son is 3 months and is breastfed. He usually only has a bm every 2-3 days but they are usually very 'sticky' in consistency and seem very mucousy. I don't really know how else to describe it other than the consistency of huge globs of mucous and a browny yellow colour. Is this normal? My other son was breastfed as well but his bm's were always more seedy in texture and much more mustard yellow in colour. Ds #2 doesn't go as often though so this may be a factor.

baby#2 · 09-10-2006, 12:00 PM

Hey Jodie! Tanner's BM's have also changed quite a bit from when he was born. At first he was going every 2 hours and it was very yellow and seedy. Then the colour changed to a greeny brown. Now, at just over 4 months of age he is only going once every 2 days and it is a chocolate brown and very liquidy with mucousy stuff in it. SORRY IF TMI!!! I know, a little gross talking about it but it's a fact of life!
I think your ds is just fine! Every baby is different and their little bodies go through a lot of changes!

diane79 · 09-18-2006, 07:00 PM

My son is almost 3 months old, breastfed and also has mucusy BMs. Mucus means their intestines are irritated. Does he ever have blood in his poop? It could be a sensitivity or allergy to something you eat. The most common is cow's milk protein. Do you drink milk, eat yogurt or a lot of cheese?
My son started to have mucusy BMs at about 6 or 7 weeks. I didn't think much of it and waited to ask the doctor at his 2 month appointment. I wish I would have called and asked earlier. He said he probably has a sensitivity to cow's milk protein. I cut milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream as the doctor suggested. After a week it got a little better but there was still mucus. They ran a bunch of tests on his poop and did some blood work. He has blood in his stool (which is not visible at all), low red blood cells (probably from the internal bleeding), but no food allergies. Blood in their stool usually means an allergy to a certain food. I just got the blood test results back today that he does not have an allergy. So, we are still in the process of figuring out what is causing it. For now, I am on a super strict diet with no food products that even contain milk or soy. The doctor said to call in one week if it does not resolve. I hope that this cures it. I really miss cheese and butter. I love to eat them on so many things. I'm really glad I am breastfeeding though. The formula without milk or soy is super expensive. I figured out that it would cost about $250 a month to feed him. The whole family can eat on that.
I would suggest talking to your doctor. Try cutting out milk, yogurt, and cheese until you do. A 3 month old having a BM only every fews days is normal from what I've read. My son goes once a day or every other day.

Jordyn · 09-19-2006, 07:59 AM

Thanks for the info. I don't eat a lot of dairy as I have a sensitivity to it but will admit that I eat more than I should for this sensitvity so perhaps it's time to get back on track.
Can you describe your child's bm's a bit for me...gross I know but I want to make sure I am dealing with the same issue.
And no, there is never any blood in his bm's.
We go to the doctor in a few weeks for his 4 mth checkup and needles so I'll have to wait till then...almost impossible to get in sooner anyway.

diane79 · 09-21-2006, 12:10 AM

My son's BMs are on the watery side and when I open and close the diaper the poop stretches, like snot. (That's how I check for improvement). It's not completely mucus either. It's not clear like snot or anything. It's in between a dark yellow and burnt orange color I would say. They used to be very seedy, but since he has had mucusy poops they aren't. Sorry if I'm grossing you out.
Well, I've cut out any food that contains milk and soy completely (except I had bread twice) since last Thursday. I'm not sure if the doctor is even expecting me to be this strict. I've only talked to the nurse for the last week and a half on the phone. She was sort of vague. I thought I'd cut it all for now so I could really rule it out as the cause or not. His dirty diapers don't look any better as of today. So, I'm not so sure this is the problem. I'll continue through the weekend and call the doctor Monday if it doesn't go away. It just makes me worried that he will get an infection in his bowels or something if it goes on to long.
I've read in my baby books that symptoms of food allergies don't show up in breastfed babies until they are a few months old. I would think this is the same for a food sensitivity.