Question
What should I do if my 5.5-month-old baby’s stool contains milk curds?
Answer
A 5-month-old baby’s stool may contain water, mucus, bacteria, and food residue. The frequency, color, and odor of a baby’s stool can vary with age. Normally, newborns have sticky, dark green meconium for the first three days after birth, which has no odor; after introducing solid foods, the frequency of bowel movements may increase, but if the baby’s stool changes from one movement a day to 4-5 movements a day and there is an increase in fluid, it may indicate a pathological condition. For babies on mixed feeding, the stool volume is more and the color is deeper brown than those fed solely on milk, and it is harder. If there are bubbles in the stool, it may indicate carbohydrate malabsorption; if there is oil-like substance, it may indicate fat malabsorption; if there are milk curds, it may be soap-like lumps formed by undigested fat combined with calcium or magnesium, which usually does not mean digestive problems.