Infant with blood/mucous in stool - need input.

[Mjaz]

Hi

So my three week old continues to have blood and mucous in her stool.  She was tested for everything in the NICU and they sent us home with the diagnosis that she must have an allergy.I have been off dairy for two weeks, soy and dairy for one.  No change.

She has ZERO symptoms otherwise.  She is happy, content, breast feeding beautifully and gaining weight well.

Waiting to see a Pedi GI, but my pediatrician has already warned me that they are goi g to push formula and an endoscopy.  Yikes.

Thoughts?
Help?

Thanks,
Melinda

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Hey Melinda. I didn't know you had another baby! Huge congrats!!

It can take quite a while for blood to clear after you drop the offending food from your diet. A couple of weeks, even. Over 50% of babies who have a dairy allergy also have a soy allergy so it could still be that you're seeing. Another thing to think about could be gluten. (Not that you want to drop something else!)

Hugs. I hope it clears up soon. I'm so glad she's not having any other symptoms. You're right to be wary of the formula idea....

[Mjaz]

Hiiiiii Kate!
Yes, VERY unexpected little girl...congrats on #3 too!

I just thought I'd see SOME improvement by now?  I don't want to be pushed into formula, so I'm trying to go in Monday morning as informed as possible!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Yeah I'd expect some improvement at least. There's been no change at all? The GI appt is Monday? She's so young for it to be much other than an intolerance. But formula just isn't necessarily the right answer, although it's the one they always want to give since it's easier for them!

I know, I can't believe I'll be in the #3 camp soon enough!

[Mjaz]

No change! Yes, Monday.  I wish I knew what this was!  I really don't want to do formula

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Hmm. That is really odd! And you said they tested her for a bunch of stuff in the NICU? I don't blame you. I'd be totally against formula, too. Yuck. Well there's no reason you have to do whatever they say. It'll be interesting to see them and hear their suggestions anyhow.

[Buntybear]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear your 3 week old is poorly. So scary when they are so young. Great that she is fine in herself - and gaining weight! To me that says it is not an allergy. An intolerance is more likely but of course I guess there are a number of reasons for it 

Sorry I can't be of any more help but I think at 3 weeks old it is such an unknown. 

xx

[Mjaz]

Thanks ladies.  So I'm freaking out.  After weeks of diapers where the blood was microscopic (once and awhile I could see a tiny dot of blood) today (just now, 5:45pm) she had a very bloody diaper.  I mean, I'm in tears.

Question:  how long between MY ingesting something, breastfeeding her and her having a BM?  The reason I ask is that at about noon today I had a Lara bar, which is like 100% cashews.  Have he's her twice since then.  Would it have gotten into my milk and into her that quickly!?


M.

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Oh no. Huge hugs. It's between 2 and 6 hours, I think, depending on what it is. I haven't heard of a nut sensitivity this early, or one manifesting this way, but I suppose it could be. Are you keeping a food diary?

[Mjaz]

I know!  Me neither, but between peanut butter for breakfast and the Lara bar, I just wondered.  . Not sure if I should call doc on call or not.  What else could this be?!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

Ugh, Melinda, I wish I knew!! You could call but if she's acting normally and eating ok, I might just hold on until Monday. But that's me, it certainly couldn't hurt to call. She's just so young that it's hard to come up with what this could be!

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs Hun. I think you should take her to the hospital or dr when you can sweetie. I'd also take a photo of a bad diaper to show them. I'm sure she is going to be ok, but that much blood in the stools at this age should be thoroughly investigated IMO.

I agree it could be an intolerance, wheat is another one some LOs can't tolerate. here are some other possibilities http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/bloodystool/ .  How settled is she? Wriggly and grunty?

So many hugs sweetie. And congrats on the new addition to your family

[Mjaz]

Thanks.  She's fine.  Happy.  Eating.  I did take a photo.  GI at 8am tomorrow, so I think I'm going to wait.  She has had three dirty diapers since then with no blood.  So confusing.

Sara, she spent ten days in the NICU and was tested for everything!  (She was there for SVT, not related to blood in stool...but they thoroughly investigated that and discharged us saying it was a food intolerance).

[ZacsMumme]

Glad the blood has gone, could it have been a wee anal tear?

Poor wee doll. Hopefully she improves now, and you get some great advice from the GI.

[skatty]

My dd would have very mucousy BMs with blood  She had MSPI (I finally worked out with an elimination diet) but the doc diagnosed and showed me she had anal fissures (a symptom of intolerances). The thing is they can take 6 weeks to heal  They also get them inside the intestine and can cause a lot of blood. My advice would be for you to go on a very bland elimination diet for a while (I know it is very hard!) I think mine was from the Dr Sears website, I only ate rice, turkey and carrots for ages if I remember right and then slowly added stuff back in. I must admit I am a bit puzzled your DD is happy though, mine was miserable, gassy and couldn't sleep! Go to the GI of course but the bland diet is a very good idea 

[ZacsMumme]

Slippery,elm is very good for gut healing too Hun. Probiotics too if you can get these into here.

[Mjaz]

Thanks Katt.  I'm off dairy, soy and nuts.  I'm also a vegetarian.  So my diet is hugely restricted right now, but I'm trudging forward. 

My GI appointment was moved to Wednesday.  Man, I hope they have some answers! 

Sara, I've been researching probiotics!

[ZacsMumme]

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/slippery-elm incase your interested

[roseola]

Hi all, following along, I'm currently off dairy and now soy, but after looking at Dr Sears' diet I'm thinking it might be easier to go off  everything, well easier in one sense!

And Melinda, I love you avitar!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I'm off dairy, soy and nuts.  I'm also a vegetarian.  So my diet is hugely restricted right now, but I'm trudging forward. 

BTDT and it's so tough. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she's going to turn around one of these days. Gut healing can definitely take time. I hope the GI might have some other ideas tomorrow. Hoping for you!

[Mjaz]

Met with GI.  Didn't love her

They want to put her on eldercare for to weeks while I pump.  Said that her stool LOOKS like a milk protein intolerance kind of stool, but she said its very weird that she has had the blood since she was ten days old.  So I guess we're going to try the two week trial to see if there's a massive improvement and then we'll have confirmation?

If there is no improvement in two weeks, she wants to do a endoscopy . To look for polyps, meckles diverticulum and intussusception.  Ugh.

Praying its an intolerance now!

[Mjaz]

My gut is telling me that I should stick with MFSF diet for longer than two weeks before putting her on formula.  This stuff smells awful and she didn't sleep for the first time last night. 

I would be going directly against GIs recommendation.  But maybe a second opinion is in order anyway?  Her stool was different this morning - more formed, but still full of mucous (no blood)...

Opinions?

[Buntybear]

I would probably give her a bit longer on the diet you are on to see if it makes a difference yet. It is hard one because if you are a vegetarian too then where are you going to get your nutrition from? It is hard enough when you can fill up on meat YK?

[Mjaz]

Oh yes, I know.  I'm eating vegan.  Hard part is no nuts.  .

[Mjaz]

Should I be worried that she has not pooped in 18 hours?  Ugh.  Hate formula.

[ZacsMumme]

I think what the gi spec may be trying to determine is if your LO is in fact unable to digest much at all due to whatever reason (allergy, intolerance, EE, something else)  elecare and neocate formulas are so broken down that the body doesn't recognise the protiens and therefore won't respond negatively to it. It's ingested up high in the gut, and allows the lower digestive tract to heal as virtually nothing goes through it. I guess if on this formula your LO still had these issues then it would mean something else is going on.

T was older when I put him on neocate, and it was heartbreaking doing it (I bf Z for 18 mths and loved it) but, I do think maybe in order to work out what is going on, this may be the fastest and safest way for your LO iykwim. I am not saying give up...that decision is so so hard but looking back I know had I tried and tried it would have just prolonged everything and in the end, t just needed the neocate, my milk was no good for him

Just offering a different perspective, and maybe why the gi spec is advising what he is. Ts gut was so damaged from my milk, and then from solids it took 3 months to fix and 8 mths old before he could eat anything other than pumpkin

So many hugs, and sorry if this is a ramble (I'm sleep deprived ATM) - do whatever you believe is best for your LO, you know her better than anyone

[ZacsMumme]

And no, don't be worriedly poop yet. Your LO may actually be absorbing most of it. There is little waste with elecare/neocate. Don't be shocked if her poops are green/black

[Mjaz]

Thanks Sara.  She's been on elecare three days now and the changes are good and bad.  Most importantly, there has not been any frank blood and very little mucous.  The stool is also more formed.  Unfortunately, it does not appear to satiate her.  I'm tracking how much formula she ingests today - bc we feel like its a lot.

I'm feeling relieved and validated, as I do not feel this is something more serious.  But pumping really sucks.  I know it's only two weeks, but I am sore and frustrated.  I have no idea what to do.  The GI said we'd reintroduce breastfeeding after two weeks, but I'm not sure it's worth going down that road again?  Have her heal and then potentially upset her gut again?  I mean, this could be something other than milk or soy, right?

Ugh.

[ZacsMumme]

She may be feeling. Ore hungry as her appetite increases with the discomfort easing...I think t went a little mad for a few days as he didn't accociate food with pain anymore YK?

I was in your boat when T was 9 weeks. He was just sooo much better on neocate I couldn't face pumping cutting out wheat and eggs as well...and then risking him get worse again. So I stopped. I had Z to worry about and PPD was knocking at my doorstep. I still feel guilty I couldn't bf like I did Z but YK...it was the best thing for him and my family, so I'm comforted by that.

Lots of hugs, I know it doesn't help your decision but I do understand how tough the decision is

[Mjaz]

I know what you mean.  I'm already being treated for PPD!  Ugh.  I keep telling myself it's ok to stop...and then I can't bring myself to do it.

. Thanks for listening, Sara.

[Buntybear]

I never had to face the decision about formula as olly wouldn't take a bottle but don't beat yourself up over it. At the end of the day you are making a decision about what is best for your LO and for you all. I just don't think that there can be any regret when you have weighed up all the options you know. Feel sad, but be assured you are doing it for all the right reasons. Hugs x

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs..at the end of the day it doesn't matter how your baby gets fed, as long as they are fed. I still feel guilty about T but then it remind myself no one was happy when I bf him, not him, not me, not DH not Z. so how was it best for him YK?

There is no reason you couldn't maybe mix feed? If your everything free, you could see if a few bf a day are ok for him? Then if he can tolerate your milk increase back up to drop the formula?

[Mjaz]

Well she's doing well on formula - no blood.  GI said we could experiment with adding BM back in - in 2 months!  No way I'm pumping for 2 months, 8x a day.  I'm going to aim to keep some breast milk going, I guess.

Question!  My DH and I are going to a fancy wedding Sat night and I'm a little worried about the no dairy/meat/soy/nuts!  How bad would it be if I had small amounts of dairy for one meal!?

Thanks,
Melinda

[ZacsMumme]

How are things going Hun?