Blood in Stool of a B/F baby

[nanette]

My 4 mth old dd is totally b/f and for about 6 wks now I have noticed mucousy threads of blood in her stool. The nurse said that it may be caused by straining. I don't think this could be it considering that b/f babies don't suffer from constipation..or do they?
I read in a couple of other websites that it might be an allergic reaction to a mother's dairy intake?
Has anyone experienced this? I am quite worried even though my dd doesn't show any other visible signs of illness.

Breast fed babies definitely can suffer from constipation! Mine did- she once went 10 days without a poo, and I was really worried, as I'd been fed the same line by the HV. We didn't have the blood, though. Are her stools hard, or still the soft explosive type?

I don't know much in terms of this as my ds didn't suffer in any way like this but all I can say is, if you aren't happy with the information given to you get a second opinion. Don't feel guilty for asking for a second opinion. Our surgery has a couple of hv's and they always have different advice and information to give which makes me dubious about almost everything they say. You know your child best no matter what anyone says. Call the NHS helpline as a lot of people have had really good experiences with them, even if they jsut confirm what your hv has already said.

If your DD is passing blood in her stool and you are concerned about it and not happy with the nurse's opinion then I would take it to someone else for a second opinion.

There is a huge difference between 'constipation' being described here - babies not passing stools for some fairly considerable number of days - and blood-streaked stools.

Nanette - are you sure it is blood? I know that seems a daft question but stools can be all sorts of colours. Usually though they are bright yellow in exclusively B/F babies. Is it definately in her stool? Baby girls can suffer from pseudomenstruation, passing small amounts of blood from the vagina, but not usually for this length of time.
I would take a specimen to the doctor and let him see it. It may not be anything to worry about, but it is not usual for babies to pass blood. Although B/F babies bowels may not move for up to 10 days, it is not constipation in the true sense of the word. It is a normal occurrence. Do not alter your diet at this stage. See what the doctor thinks.

definitely get it checked out. My two dds passed bloody, mucousy stools and were diagnosed with severe wheat/dairy/soya intolerance.(It does pass, in the majority of cases, by the time they are about 6.) As other people have said, it COULD be something harmless, but you don't want to mess around with that kind of thing. Plus the mucous does makes it sound like some kind of congestion/allergic reaction. But don't just cut out dairy without getting someone to look at your daughter.

But does the stool LOOK constipated? Is it the usual colour, "nicely" smelling breastfed poo you usually have? My own DD didn't get onstipated until the moment I put her on babyrice mixed with formula, and the poo was very obviously getting darker, and more solid (and very strong smelling too). If the poo is still soft then it seems unlikely to me that it's constipation. I think you should just take her to your doctor, and take a nappy with a sample of what you're worried about with you for them to check out. Even if it is straining, I would be concerned that she was straining enough to break blood vessels. If it i something you are eating, then they can advise how you carefully cut out items from your diet, and keep a record on how this affects your baby.

Constipation can mean either infrequent passage of stools or passage of painful hard stools, which is why I asked nanette whether the stools were hard or soft. I agree that if it really is blood, then it should be checked out.

(Blimey, I've disagreed with mears about something...better go and lie down....)

Nanette just get it checked out, I don't want to scare you, but one of the key symptoms of cystic fibrosis is mucus in the stools. A stool sample can be given to your GP and he will get it tested quite quickly.

good luck

I avoided dairy products yesterday and this morning my dd did not have any signs of blood streaked mucous. I am going to take her do the doctor today b/c I don't feel it is my diet. My dd stools are very soft almost watery and mustardy.
You all gave me some very good questions to ask her doctor. I didn't think about pseudomenstruation nor cystic fibrosis. FYI...while pregnant the only test I did not receive was the cystic fibrosis test. This test detects CF in the baby.

Tissy - good to have a little disagreement - keeps me on my toes

Tissy, I agree, but it is very common in purely breastfed babies for them not to poo for a long time - as virtually everything in the milk can be absorbed by the body. Mine went for two weeks without a poo, but she was not constipated.

Nanette - how are things today?

Update: I took the baby to her Pediatrician and I proposed all the following: pseudomenstruation, cystic fibrosis, allergic colitis, infantile botulism and anal fissures. The Dr. ruled out the extremes and gave her a physical examination. She diagnosed anal fissures at the "1 o'clock and 4 o'clock position" in her anus. She said it wasn't serious and to consider the fissures like smiling when you have chaffed lips.
She suggested that I rub petroleum jelly in the area to serve as a lubricant. If symptoms continue for two weeks, I will need to take my dd back in for further testing.
Thank you all...

poor wee thing! But hurrah on nothing "serious"... Although it can't be pleasant - at least you feel at ease now...

Take care...