What does it mean when a baby has milk mucus?

Baby milk mucus usually appears in your baby's stool. Milk curd is a white petal-like substance, which is a kind of curd. If this curd is not completely absorbed, it will be excreted with the baby's feces. Mucus refers to a substance secreted by the intestinal mucosa and is also excreted with the baby's stool. Generally speaking, it is normal for these two conditions to occur, but if they occur for a long time, medical treatment is needed!

What is milk curd?

Milk curds are the white granules, small pieces or curds in the baby's stool. It is more common before 3 months after the baby has finished excreting meconium. In English, milk curds are called milk curds, which means curdled milk.

Different books have different descriptions of what milk curd is. Some say it is soap formed by the combination of undigested fat and calcium or magnesium. Some say it is a coagulation of casein in milk. However, considering that children fed with formula or milk have more curds than those fed with breast milk, and that formula or milk contains more protein (especially casein) but no more fat than breast milk, it can be inferred that curds should be casein coagulations rather than fat particles.

As we all know, there is gastric acid in the stomach. Gastric acid denatures protein and produces curd, which is milk curd, which is beneficial to digestion. However, if the milk curds enter the intestines and are not completely absorbed, they will be excreted with the feces, and they will become milk curds in the feces. When does digestion become incomplete? It is common when the baby has diarrhea, so people often find curds when the baby has loose stools.

Are breast clots abnormal?

After the newborn's meconium is excreted, the newborn starts to excrete feces after digesting breast milk or formula. However, the child's intestines have just started to function and their functions are not so complete. In addition, the mother has the power to control how much the child eats, which usually leads to the child eating too much, resulting in the intestinal tract being unable to completely digest and absorb protein, forming curds. This does not mean that there is something wrong with the child's intestines. It is a normal adaptation stage when the intestines start to work.

It is normal for babies who switch from breastfeeding to formula feeding to have a lot of curds in their milk. Formula contains a lot of protein, especially casein, and the intestines cannot keep up with the pace of digestion, so it is normal to have some curds in the milk.

If the baby's stool always contains curds and is loose, but the child's growth, development, and diet are all normal, you can continue to observe; but if the child's growth and development are delayed, you need to go to the hospital for examination, as this indicates that the child's digestive function is damaged.

Is mucus in stool a problem?

Mucus is secreted by the intestinal mucosa and has the function of forming a barrier to prevent foreign matter from entering the intestinal mucosal cells and lubricating the intestines to facilitate stool excretion. Normally, there is mucus in the stool, but it is not visible to the naked eye because of the small amount. When a large amount of mucus is secreted and enters the stool, it can be seen more clearly.

If your baby has mucus in his stool only a few times, and his diet and spirit are normal, and he has no abdominal pain, it may be a reaction to a mild stimulation of the intestines. It is the body's self-regulation and there is no need to worry.

If there is blood or pus (fishy smell) in the stool; abdominal pain and bloating; frequent vomiting, you need to pay attention. This is a sign of a serious intestinal disease.

When there is Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis in the intestines, because ulcers have already occurred in the intestinal mucosa, it will stimulate the production of a large amount of mucus, and the ulcers may bleed and discharge pus, resulting in mucus stools or bloody and purulent stools.