Blood in baby's feces

The most common and least serious cause of a reddish or very dark color in the baby's feces is related to the consumption of foods such as reddish foods such as beets, tomatoes and gelatin. The coloring of these foods can make the stool a reddish color, but it is not related to the presence of blood, although it can confuse the parents.

In general, finding blood in the baby's stool is not a serious situation, but if the baby has bloody diarrhea or has a fever of 38 ° C or more, you should call the pediatrician promptly, as it can be something more serious and tests may be required.

Blood in your baby's stool can also be caused by situations like:

1. Constipation

Most common when the baby takes a bottle or after starting a varied diet, with few fibers, fruits and water. The stools can be separated in the form of balls and a lot of pain, causing a lot of pain when it comes to evacuating.

What to do: Offer more water to the baby and if he has already started diversified feeding, offer more fiber-rich foods like grapes and papaya, for example. A good tip is to give a fruit at the end of each meal, including breakfast and snacks. Check out here 4 homemade laxatives for babies and children that can also be a good help.

2. Anal fissure

It can occur as a result of constipation, and happens when small cracks in the anus appear, which bleed when the baby poops.

What to do: The secret is to make the stool softer because it does not cause sores when passing through the anus. Offering water, natural fruit juice and foods that release the gut is a good strategy. In the most severe cases, when the baby is not evacuated for more than 5 days, an infant laxative, composed of glycerin, can be introduced to empty the intestine.

3. Food allergy

Sometimes babies who are breastfed may have an allergic reaction to certain foods that the mother eats, such as cow's milk and dairy products or soy. In this case, the feces may present with sections or strips of blood, leaving the baby's poop darker and with a more intense smell.

What to do: The pediatrician should be shown as soon as possible, and in case of suspicion, the mother should stop consuming cow's milk, its derivatives and also everything based on soy. Learn some foods that can cause or worsen food allergy.

4. Diaper rash

The baby's skin is very sensitive and the diaper rash can also bleed, making it appear that the baby's feces have blood, but in this case the blood will be bright red and easy to be identified, especially when cleaning the baby.

What to do: Avoid cleaning the baby with wet wipes, preferring to clean with a piece of cotton soaked in warm water. Using ointment when changing the diaper is recommended especially when the skin is injured, but it can also be used as a form of protection, because it creates a barrier that prevents the direct contact of the stool with the baby's skin. However, it is not necessary to add a large amount of ointment so that the sensation is not strange. It is enough that the area is slightly whitish. See some examples of ointments for roasting.

5. Crack in the mother's nipples

Sometimes the breastfed baby can swallow a little blood if the mother's nipples are injured. These small cracks, although they always cause pain and discomfort, are not always large, and although they do not show a large amount of blood, they may be enough to cause changes in the baby's stool. In this case, the stool gets darker and smells bad.

What to do: You can continue to breastfeed your baby normally, even because it helps in healing the cracked nipple. Find out here How to cure Cracked Nipples to Breastfeed without pain.

6. Diarrhea with blood

In case of prolonged diarrhea, which lasts more than 2 days, small irritations, fissures or even blood in the baby's stools may appear, and in the case of bloody diarrhea in the baby one of the possible causes may be Salmonella infection.

What to do: You should follow the pediatrician's instructions to stop diarrhea, avoiding offering foods that trap the intestine before the 3rd day of diarrhea, because if it is being caused by viruses or bacteria, it is good that diarrhea appears to eliminate these gut microorganisms. But it is important to avoid dehydration, which is very dangerous for babies, and therefore, after an episode of diarrhea, one glass of water, juice or milk should be offered to keep the baby properly hydrated.

7. Mini menstruation

Newborn girls may have blood in the diaper, but this is not related to the stool, but to the hormonal changes that occur in their little body, generating a mini menstruation, which passes in a few days. This is more frequent in the first days or at most in the first 2 weeks. The amount of blood in the diaper is very low, and certain areas may just turn pink.

What to do: You should show the pediatrician so that he can check if it really is this 'mini menstruation' or if it is some other factor that needs treatment. If this false menstruation really is, no specific treatment is needed, and it lasts only 1 or 2 days, not being in large quantities, nor in all diaper changes.

There are also other causes of blood in the baby's stool and so you should always inform the pediatrician that this is happening, so that he can check if there is a need for any test to find out the cause and what treatment will be needed. Only the doctor who makes the diagnosis of what is causing the presence of blood or mucus in the baby's feces is the doctor.

Warning signs to go to the doctor immediately

If despite appearing to have blood in the baby's stool or urine it looks smart and healthy, you can make an appointment with the pediatrician to inform you of what is happening. But it is recommended to seek medical help as soon as possible if the baby has blood in the diaper and has:

A lot of crying, may indicate colic or abdominal pain; No appetite, refusing feeds or food; If you look prostrate, soft and do not want to interact, with an apathetic appearance; If you have vomiting, fever or diarrhea.

In this case, the pediatrician should observe the baby to identify what is causing these symptoms and indicate the most appropriate treatment.