Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?

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Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?

by Lulu's mommy
(Ca.)

At 4 months old my babys poop turned mucousy, foamy, and green with streaks of blood. Dr. Ran test to make sure it wasn't an infection and the test results came back negative.

After cutting dairy, soy, eggs, and nuts out of my diet I started seeing a little improvement, but still occasional streaks of blood and mucous. Continuing the diet for 2 months still saw some blood and
Mucous.

Dr. Took another stool sample and said looks like possible lactose intolerance. GI Dr. Told me to put baby on Neocate and stop breastfeeding. I should also mention that baby has about 15 or so wet diapers a day while breastfeeding, but only 6-7 on Neocate.

I don't want to give up breastfeeding. Baby seems fussy on Neocate but not on my breastmilk. She used to be such a happy baby when breastfed. Any suggestions would be helpful.

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Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?

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Jan 19, 2011
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My advice...
by: Tracy

The younger a baby is with bloody poop, the more serious it tends to be. Your little girl is already 4 months old and thriving?

A runny stool is very common in breastfed babies and so sometimes a healthy baby may bleed a little if the stools are explosive.

In most cases if a baby is happy and thriving and doesn't fuss too much when stooling, nothing needs to be done.

This type of problem is actually quite common and will usually resolve itself without treatment by the time baby is 6 - 9 months old, this is when baby's immune system starts performing more like an adults.

Strict avoidance of milk protein will help (as you have already noticed), but it is rarely advised that moms restrict their diets more than this.

The only test I would recommend is to test for iron deficiency. Other than this, I don't think it is necessary for you to give baby any thing other than breast milk.

A mucousy, green, foamy, bloody stool can also be the result of a lactose overload, which is caused through baby drinking too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. This is easily corrected by allowing baby to finish one breast at a time. Read more on Foremilk, hindmilk imbalance

The doctors these days are too quick to recommend that you stop breastfeeding, breast milk is the best thing you can give your little girl and as you said yourself...she is less fussy when breastfed.

I really hope this helps...let me know how things go.

Here is some more info on normal infant stools

Jan 30, 2011
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Update on Lulu
by: Lulu's mommy

Hi Tracy. Thank you so much for your info.

I do think my baby has Secondary Lactose Intolerance due to allergies.

My once happy baby has been strictly on Neocate formula for 2 weeks now. She has no more blood in her stool, but recently has developed a bad rash on her face, abdomen, arms and bottom that is making her miserable! Along with diarrhea that started yesterday. She is also waking up crying in middle of the night. She used to sleep through the night. I don't know what to do!

The GI doctor told me to try mixing rice in her formula.(I have not tried this yet because it doesn't make sense to me.) I have been pumping but my milk supply is slowly diminishing.( from 35 oz a day to now only 16 oz a day. I'm so sad for my baby and don't know what to do.

Feb 04, 2011
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Secondary lactose intolerance
by: Tracy

Hi

I'm sorry to hear you guys are having such a hard time.

Secondary lactose intolerance is temporary. If you can figure out what caused the damage in the first place, then you should be able to continue to breastfeed. Continuing to breastfeed will not harm your baby.

It is sometimes recommended to give baby a combination of breast milk and formula but only in babies who are malnourished or losing weight.

Human milk is still the best food for baby and will help baby's gut heal.

These artificial milks have sometimes been found to make the problem worse, which is what I think is happening with your baby (rash etc.) I would maybe see a specialist about changing the formula type if you do decide to continue with formula.

The average recovery time for a gut problem like this is usually no longer than 8 weeks...after this you can start breastfeed again if you decide to formula feed until then.

In the meantime you could maybe hire an electric breast pump...the hospital grade, double action breast pumps will help keep your milk supply up better than any other pumps. You can also use a combination of herbs to help get your milk supply up again.

Herbs that can help.

Hope this helps, hope baby gets better soon.

Feb 08, 2011
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This is crazy!
by: Lulu's mommy

Hi Tracy. Well Lulu has been on strictly Neocate for almost four weeks now and has dark green, pure water diarrhea 4-10 times a day.

GI dr. Said there is no way she can be allergic to Neocate. He ordered 7 more stool sample tests and she has an appointment on Thursday.

Did I make a mistake to trust the GI Dr.? She has had water poop for 3 weeks straight now. I'm so lost. What on earth is going on with my baby!?

I don't see any visible blood in her watery stool like she had while nursing, but at least her stool wasn't watery while nursing.

What's worse blood or constant diarrhea? I wonder if it's from the corn syrup solids. I'm sooo confused!

I'm afraid to nurse again cuz if she's allergic to this hypoallergenic formula then I don't even know where to begin on the Elimination diet!

Any more advise would be greatly appreciated. And sorry for the ranting and raving.

Feb 08, 2011
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Hi!
by: Tracy

Hi, thanks for letting me know how baby is doing, I was wondering how you guys where.

You know it is probably the corn syrup in the formula that is causing the runny stool. Formulas contain three main ingredients: a protein, a fat and a carb (sugar) The sugar comes either from milk (lactose), table sugar (sucrose) or corn syrup (which is the cheapest option) If you do decide to go with another formula, ask your doc to change to a more expensive formula containing lactose...which is what a baby is meant to digest. Lactose is the sugar that baby recognizes and is equipped to metabolize.

If it is truly secondary lactose intolerance then maybe baby's gut has healed. I would see a different (breastfeeding friendly) doctor if you can. Ask them to check, most doctors don't care about breastfeeding, actually most of them have only had about a half hours training on breastfeeding all together! So they do not know what they are actually doing when they ask you to stop breastfeeding.

Maybe wait for the results now, then see a different doc.

If you do decide to do the elimination diet, I am more than willing to help.

Please keep me up to date.

Feb 11, 2011
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Back from GI appt.
by: Lulu's mommy

Hi Tracy! Lulu had her GI appt yesterday and Dr. Seems to think Lulu's rash and congestion is not related to the Neocate.

My once happy baby is still so miserable :( all of her still samples show lots of improvement in acidic levels and fat and carb absorption then her levels were on my breastmilk, while on TED. He also seems to think water poop is normal on this formula!

What?! After telling him how miserable my baby is and how badly she has been scratching at her head, he switched her formula to Elecare.

Pharmacy had to order it so it won't be in until Monday. I will keep you posted :)

BTW I'm still pumping but am down to 10 oz a day. Thanks for everything!

Jun 26, 2011
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Blood in stools.
by: Tammy

I saw your post after browsing through countless websites to try to figure my son out. He is 4 months and has had continuous blood in his stools while breastfeeding. I have eliminated dairy, soy, wheat, eggs and eat very bland. The yucky green bloody stools remain. He is gaining and very happy. My doctor and I are still at the beginning stages. I didn't know if you had any recommendations for me?

Aug 10, 2011
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Blood, mucus, and stinky stools-but no colic
by: Anonymous

I was wondering if I could get some help too. My baby seems to be having some of the same problems. She has always been a happy baby and is gaining weight (75th percentile in everything!)She is four months now and about a month ago she started to have bloody mucus in her stools. (She is exclusively breastfed). The bleeding seems to be intermittent- it has only happened 3 times and lasts for about a day. It seems to be accompanied by diarrhea. Recently its become pretty stinky and more greenish. She's seen the doctor and they ran tests . . . it was positive for blood and the reducing substance test showed a lot of undigested carbs . . . so they were thinking it may be lactose intolerance. So, I've been on a dairy free diet for a week and a half and yesterday she had more blood in her stools . . . they are now referring her to a pediatric GI specialist and I'm afraid they'll have me stop breastfeeding. I don't know what to do because she seems happy, but bleeding is not normal right?

Aug 13, 2011
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HI
by: Tracy

Hi Anonymous ;-)

There is hardly ever a reason for baby to stop breastfeeding.

I don't see what the problem is, if baby is happy and thriving?

Have you considered oversupply? Same symptoms with blood in stools...caused when baby drinks too much foremilk...

Read more on oversupply here
Read more on foremilk hindmilk imbalance.

Aug 15, 2011
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HELP!!
by:

my son is on aspirin for a heart problem and is also having bloody stool, he was drinking pumped breastmilk with milk formula added for him to gain weight (24 cal)about 2 weeks ago he started having bloody stool, I took him to the Dr. who tested his stool and said everything looked okay.
After a few days of that he sent me to the Emergency room, and the decided that hes allergic to milk and put him on just neocate.They also said to stop aspirin till bleeding stops. He refused to drink the neocate, so I went off dairy.now his bleeding finally stopped so yesterday i gave him the aspirin and the bleeding started again! HELP!!! Is he really allergic to milk or is it just from the aspirin? he's gaining weight and is happy on my milk! HELP!!

Aug 16, 2011
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aspirin
by: Tracy

Hi, to the mom that left the post on aspirin

It sounds to me as though it is the aspirin that is causing the bleeding, have you thought of maybe asking the doc if they can give your baby something other than aspirin for the heart problem?

Aug 25, 2011
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Late, but hopefully will help others
by: Dutch1e

Hi all,

I realise that this will be too late for the original poster, but if anyone lands here after feverish googling, it might help!

Our baby was also sensitive to dairy/soy, but it wasn't until I accidentally gave up beef that everything was fine.

I later found out that many babies who have a dairy/soy protein intolerance have an intolerance to anything beef-related.

Worked for us, hope it works for you too.

Sep 05, 2011
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bloody stool
by: Kristin

How is everyone now? We are going through the same thing...

Dec 16, 2011
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Blood in stool
by: April

Im new to this site and was wondering if anyone has gotten anywhere yet as far as answers to what mayb causing the bleeding?

My baby girl is 3 months today and has been having blood for about 2 months.. She is strictly breastfeeding and they did a test for blood and tests for infections last month. Test was positive for blood but no infections. I have was told it maybe milk so I got off all milk. She seemed better then it started again so they tested her again but test was negative for blood which I don't understand bc she has blood almost every time I change her diaper. And we are still waiting for the test for infections.

I'm so worried and don't know what to do. Just hoping they don't want me to stop nursing :(. Other than the blood she is the happiest baby ever!

Dec 17, 2011
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DO NOT STOP NURSING!!!
by: Kristin

We have been through the same thing. The blood in the stool began at about 2 months old.

My baby is now almost 8 months old and we are still breastfeeding.

GI doc insisted we stop and switch to Neocate. I trusted my gut, found a Nurse Practitioner to work with that was supportive of my breastfeeding and went on an elimination diet.

His blood was the result of a milk/soy allergy and side effects of the rotavirus vaccine.

Breast milk is the BEST food for your baby! If you are willing to modify your diet you can continue providing your baby with the most nutritious food ever and help his/her gut to heal.

Dec 19, 2011
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Blood in Stool
by: Anonymous

Hi Kristin!

Thank u so much for response!! I am definitely still nursing and plan to continue because it is 100% best thing for her. (I nursed my first until she was 13 months.). I am absolutely willing to adjust my diet in whatever way I can to make her better.

It is worth the sacrifice for my little angel!! I've just got to figure out what's going on with her and I've never really dieted before so all this is very new to me. Milk is in practically everything and I love love love cheese :). How long did it take for the blood to go away or show any kind of improvement with your baby?

Thanks again for your response!

Dec 20, 2011
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About a week to see results....
by: Dutch1e

Just wanted to let you know it took about a week to begin seeing improvements.

Something else to consider: Cranial osteopathy. I haven't tried it for our little guy but I'm considering it as he still gets a little reflux and is kind of a high-needs baby. I've heard really good things about it, and I figure for the cost of a couple of sessions, it's worth a try. Anecdotally, it can help out a lot with allergy/sensitivity symptoms.

Good luck, and remember to read those labels carefully!

Dec 20, 2011
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blood in stool
by: Anonymous

My email is jacobson.k@hotmail.com if you want to contact me. I would be more than happy to talk with you and share my # through email. You can do this!!!

Jan 04, 2012
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Hi
by: Anonymous

Hi lulu's mom

How is yr babynow? We r having the same problem.
4 month baby exclusively breastfed with blood in stools slow weight gain and reducing substance positive

Jan 28, 2012
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7 months, continued intermittent blood in stool since 2 months
by: Anonymous

Hi,, just found this site. I've eliminated everything I can think of. Thankfully it is only intermittent but there was one time, I was very worried because the amount of blood was 'moderate,' (said the doctor)That was after I had taken medication for migraine... So, I eliminated that as well (already had stopped all milk products.) And then it occurred after I had some advil, so I don't take advil..

I was sure it was each of these things but then it will happen again and I don't know what to stop eating. I do eat eggs a lot, I have low blood sugar very often and struggle to be 'ok' with that so giving up milk was huge.. I don't 'think' it's the eggs because those are so regular, he'd have blood all the time if it was that..

Such a mystery! Our pediatrician seems to be conservative so we haven't gone to a specialist and I'm glad to still be breastfeeding. He's thriving also, around 20lbs and tall, and happy.

??? Does everyone here keep detailed logs? I know it's crazy I haven't, but each time I eliminated something I was 'sure' I figured it out.. Guess I will start to write everything down that could be relevant..

Feb 02, 2012
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streaks of blood in stool
by: mom of two

Just saw streaks of blood in my 2mos baby girl. Stumbled on this site. Absolutely crazy how women have to be pleaded with to KEEP NURSING!

Not for a minute, unless absolutely medically necessary, should a mother deny her child whats best for him/her! Come on mama's, really!

Scientifically modified(which makes it fake food) formula shouldn't be pushed on us by dr.'s who make money, might i add, when writing prescriptions and push pharmaceutical products and formula's.

How we have been made so wonderfully to provide our offspring with the very best to keep them alive and healthy. We should want to do any and everything possible to continue this. They DESERVE THE BEST!!

That being said, please find out as much as you can ladies(which i know you are trying to do or you wouldn't be reading these post's) and do what it takes before you make a decision on formula or continuous breastfeeding.

f we were having side affects from what we eat we would cut it out right? why would we not want to try for the one we love more than ourselves. This post stems from a lot of "i want my body back" n "I want to smoke n drink when i want" moms around me. You mom's are actually worried about your LO's...my advice is to KEEP BF while you investigate. Like Lulu's mom said, her LO was a lot less fussy when on the boob, and only more problems came after Lulu was put on formula.

Hope i didn't sound like a drag. Wasn't trying too.

Feb 12, 2012
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Stool mix with blood
by: roel

doc. my baby is experiencing soft stool with a mix of blood in it everyday, but not all the time during a day, she still 3 weeks young. she seems happy and healthy, shes not feeling bad. I been to the doctor but she just advice me to a full breast feed but still there's a blood on it,what will i do?

Apr 22, 2012
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5 months and figured it out
by: Anonymous

My son is 5 1/2 months old. He has had green stools with streaks of blood since 5 weeks old. I eliminated all traces of dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, caffine, pork, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts and still had green poop with blood. I tried block feeding. Still it continued. I read about lactose overload, and that sounded like him. I bought some lactase drops and am giving them in the afternoon, when he tends to begin having problems. They fixed him up immediately.

Apr 22, 2012
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FORE and HIND MILK
by: Anonymous

Lactose drops for the baby? I don't think there is a need to give him anything, he's not allergic to lactose he just is getting too much. Lactose overload means he is drinking only fore milk. You are not giving him a chance to drink the hind milk(rich n creamy, less lactose). I feed my 5mos old twice on one breast cause she was having green bm's too. Once the fore and the hind mix inside the gut it will no longer be green and the blood usually subsides(if that was the problem). Try it naturally and see, you dont want to affect the way his body digests. I produce a lot and that's why i nurse twice on one breast before i switch. :)Hope it works.

Apr 25, 2012
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DiaGnised
by: Anonymous

Hi

I had left a comment in jan... We just did a colonoscopy last month as he was bleeding continuously.. Was diagnosed as lymphoid hyperplasia and has been put on neocate
Hes 8 months now...also on plain rice ceral and few veggies all homemade. But hes much better now

Thanks all

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Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?

Comments for Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?

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Blood in stool. What's a mom to do?