Bananas are one of the most common first food items introduced to babies. It’s also common for parents to see a difference in their baby’s poop that sometimes can cause worry, but is there any reason to worry?
Seeing black strings or black specks on baby’s poop after giving them bananas can be normal as these may be leftover undigested fiber and seed from the fruit.
However, If these observations are accompanied by your child acting sickly, contact your health care provider immediately.
Many parents have reported seeing weird changes in their baby’s poop after introducing bananas. It can sometimes be scary if you don’t know what to expect upon serving new food to your baby, luckily, this article has some answers.
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Baby’s Poop After Eating Bananas: What You Might Find
Bananas are a great source of vitamins and minerals important for your child’s growth and development. Some parents observe changes in their baby’s poop after serving bananas to them, and sometimes it can be scary.
Some report seeing worm-like structures or black spots in the poop and may immediately panic.
It’s normal to be scared and worried after finding weird changes in any aspect regarding your baby. But sometimes, most of the time, these changes are normal and perfectly healthy.
Black Strings or Spots (Are These Worms?)
Some parents notice black strings or black spots in their baby’s poop after serving them bananas and think they are worms or worm poop. Do not fret as this is completely normal.
These black strings are banana fibers that remain undigested and passed through the poop (Souce: Iberoamericanjm). Worms in infants are rarely found in the stool and usually spend their entire life cycle inside the gut and are rarely seen outside the body.
On the other hand, most commonly, black specs in baby’s stool are more related to their diet than any other factor. As poop is mainly made out of undigested food bulk (mostly fiber), fibrous food items such as bananas can change the consistency of your baby’s poop.
Black specs you see in your baby’s poop after eating bananas are undigested banana seeds. When you are eating bananas, you may also notice these seeds at the center of the banana.
Some other food items that may result in black specs in baby’s food are blueberries, highly colored foods (especially if processed with food coloring), herbs and seasonings, meat, and undigested seeds such as chia, strawberries, or sesame seeds (Source: Healthline).
Bear in mind that dramatic changes to your baby’s poop might be from allergies, Gastrointestinal bleeding, and other diseases (Source: SeattleChildrens). So, when do you have to worry?
If these observations are accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and weakness, contact your health care provider immediately as it may be a cause for concern.
Having other symptoms such as those listed above may mean that something else is wrong and the strings and specks are not food related.
Grey, Green or Different Colored Baby Poop After Bananas
Baby’s poop consistency and color are very much dependent on your baby’s diet. Changing anything in their regular intake such as formula or introducing solid foods can greatly affect their poop’s characteristics (Source: CCP).
Green poop is more common in babies fed with formula than those breastfed due to the iron content in the formula, and this is also true for bananas as bananas are high in iron (Source: FoodandNutritionResearch).
Medicine containing iron can also contribute to this.
Green poop is normal for all babies and can also be caused by the bile in the stomach. Green foods such as spinach and other leafy green vegetables are likely to turn your baby’s poop green.
Grey poops are common in babies who only consume milk. Medicines such as antacids can also cause grey poops. Grey poops are common for babies after eating bananas.
Red/ black poop is sometimes the scariest as it resembles blood, but most of the time it is due to your baby’s diet.
They could have digested food with food coloring or food with bright red pigments such as beets. An area for concern in this is if it is accompanied by constipation.
Bananas, when not ripe enough can cause constipation in most babies, due to this they might be experiencing more strenuous bowel movements and may cause lower GI bleeding.
I hope I have helped ease your mind regarding bananas and your baby’s poop. Experiencing these things firsthand is very different from just reading them on screen. Staying calm and doing your research is the best way to keep your baby safe and healthy and if you have any doubts, always speak to your healthcare provider or pediatrician.
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