A new mother reports her breastfeeding infant is passing mustard-yellow stools. What is the appropriate response from the nurse?

The observation of mustard-yellow stools in a breastfeeding infant is a normal finding. Breastfed infants typically have golden, mustard-yellow stools that may be loose in consistency. This coloration is due to the presence of bilirubin, which is processed differently in breastfed infants compared to those who are formula-fed.

Breast milk is highly digestible and leads to a more liquid stool consistency, and the mustard-yellow color is a sign of the infant efficiently metabolizing the nutrients from breast milk. Therefore, when a new mother reports her infant passing mustard-yellow stools, the most appropriate response from the nurse would be to reassure her that this stool color is typical and indicates healthy breastfeeding practices.

Monitoring for signs of infection, adjusting feeding frequency, or expecting a different stool color would not align with the normal physiological processes of breastfeeding. Thus, reinforcing that the appearance of these stools is indeed a positive sign can help the mother feel more confident in her breastfeeding journey.