Baby blue syndrome, medically known as methemoglobinemia, is a condition that causes your baby’s skin to turn blue. It’s a rare but treatable condition that usually happens when formula-fed babies drink water that’s contaminated with nitrates. If left untreated it can be fatal for your little one, so seek medical help immediately.
What causes baby blue syndrome?
As I mentioned before, the most common cause of baby blue syndrome is that your formula-fed baby is drinking water that’s contaminated with nitrates. Your baby’s body will turn the nitrates into nitrites, which is when things start going bad.
These nitrites bind to the hemoglobin in your baby’s body, forming what’s called methemoglobin, which is unable to carry oxygen.
You’ll get the first signs of baby blue syndrome when you see blue discoloration on the skin around your baby’s mouth, hands, and feet.
Avoid using well water as that brings a higher risk for this syndrome. If you must go this route, make sure to boil the water and let it cool before using it for the baby formula mixture.
So what blood type can cause blue baby syndrome?
I created this post because I saw a lack of research and support to answer this often asked online question.
The answer is that there is no blood type from the mother that can cause the blue baby syndrome. This rare but treatable syndrome is mostly caused by contaminated water when mixed with baby formula.
Research on this syndrome and connection to a blood type might be mistaken for research on Rh disease, which is where women with a certain blood type who are pregnant, can cause complications with their to-be baby.
