Infrequent stools with a newborn - help

[Flower of Bliss]

DD is 13 days old. She's pooping about every 2-3 days. When she does poop it's LOTS, volume wise I think its plenty enough, but I'm worried about the unusual pattern this young.

She pees very frequently - at least 10-12 times a day, likely more. She had NO jaundice at all. She's not very sleepy - she wakes up on her own at regular intervals to nurse and stays awake through a good nursing session. Her latch is fine - it looks good and while I've had sensitive nipples, I've had no dry, cracked, bleeding, etc sort of issues. I can hear her gulping while she nurses. I feel let downs (often more than one during a feeding). My breasts feel full before a feeding and drained afterwards. We generally nurse on one side per feeding except during long cluster feeding sessions. She nurses as long as she wants - I don't unlatch her. She naps mostly in my arms, often against my bare breast, or even still latched on. She sleeps right next to me at night, her face right next to my breast. I'm nursing her on demand (counting rooting, sucking on hands, making nursy faces as demand, not just crying). She wakes me up at night to nurse. She sometimes goes 4 hours at night between nursing sessions, but never goes more than 3, and more often it's 1-2 hours between nursing during the day. I really don't feel like I have a supply issue, unless it's a foremilk/hindmilk issue.

DD was 8lbs 1/2 oz at birth. At her 24 hour exam she was 7lbs 9 oz. Because I was nervous about a lack of poop, my midwife came by and did a weight check at 6 days, she was 8lbs 1.5 oz. She hadn't pooped in 2 days. That afternoon she pooped (very very very large volume). DH joked afterwards that she certainly wasn't up to her birth weight anymore after that. The poop is normal BF baby poop, yellow, seedy, runny. Tuesday (day 11) she had a similar HUGE pooping day. We went in for a 2 week visit on Wednesday (day 12) and she was only 8lbs 2.5 oz (all of this is the same scale). I'm not comforted by the weight gain there at all. I'm wondering if the timing of her pooping days with the weight checks explains it, or if I'm just looking for excuses. My midwife is not worried after seeing her nurse and seeing her in general.

I took her to a pediatrician on day 3 where she weighted 7lbs 9.8 oz. We go back to see him today. I'm planning to discuss the infrequency of bowel movements with him. I assume that she'll be back to her birth weight (and beyond) at this weight check with him. I'm not sure if I should volunteer her in between weights with the midwife.

Anyone have a similar experience? How worried would you be if this was your baby?

[PatioGardener]

Honestly, I'd be worried about the slow weight gain. If the weight on day 6 was correct, then you'd expect baby to start gaining well by day 11 or 12. Usually a baby who takes 14 days to get to birth weight loses more weight initially - 7-10 days is more typical, so if my baby grew slower than that I'd be looking for LC advice. The fact that the poop is yellow is awesome - all the meconium is gone

There is a good LLL website about infrequent stool in a newborn - I'll see if I can find it for you.

Are you able to see a LC? If this were me I'd be looking for qualified breastfeeding help - mainly to make sure that baby is transferring milk well. The pees are very reassuring (are they heavy pees? clear fluid?) so you know baby isn't dehydrated, which is awesome.

ETA: here it is. I hope it helps: http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/L...Jan98p123.html

[LMG462]

My DD was the same with the delayed poops as a newborn. Freaked me out, but everything was ok.

[Flower of Bliss]

She's in cloth diapers. The wet diapers are quite wet and clear.

We went to the ped this afternoon. She weighed 8lbs 4.3oz (day 13 after a 7lbs 9.8oz weight with him on day 3). He walked in commenting on the "great weight gain." He's quite pleased with 10 oz in 10 days. I talked to him about the infrequent stools and gave him the intermediate weights with the midwife. He understood my concern with the latest weight with the midwife, but told me he's not worried. He did a full exam, told me she looked great, and that he was comfortable seeing us again at 2 months. She nursed through the bulk of his exam (and wet 3 diapers in the time they had her in "just a diaper").

I asked about weight checks with him. He said he didn't think they were necessary, and he doesn't want me bringing her in if I don't need to because "this is a good place to pick up something". Honestly, I was really impressed with his honesty there. He encouraged me to do weight checks with my midwife if I wanted any between now and 2 months. He said I could call him with the weights if I had any questions/concerns, and we could talk about it after hours.

I've talked to 2 LLL Leaders about this (I'm pretty active in our Group and I called one for advice and the other Leader called just to congratulate me and check in on us). I'm going to start sitting up in bed at night and making sure she gets a good full feed that empties the breast at each wake up (she's been nursing side lying pretty well, but I'm generally half sleeping through the feeds and fuzzy on when, how long, etc she's been nursing).

I'm considering calling an LC that I feel really good about, but it's pretty expensive to see her and we're pretty broke after paying for the homebirth. I'm still debating. It's nice to have both the ped and the midwife telling me they're not worried, but I'm not sure I'm feeling completely reassured.

I might try calling and talking to the LC (which would be free) and I'll likely try to do a weight check with the midwife in 1-2 weeks (ped said 2, but I was thinking 1).

[abc123xyz]

I wouldn't worry at all. My son pooped about every 10 days while BFing and that was his normal. Dr. followed it and found it to just be fine. She said she doesn't worry unless a child is constipated and/or hasn't gone for over 14 days. They absorb so much of what they take in as far as BM is concerned and their growth at that stage. My son also didn't hit his birth weight again until he was at least a month old. That too what his normal. He was a slow gainer but caught right up at about 1 year on his weights. He's just tall and lanky. He was in the 90%tile for height and the 2-3%tile for weight!!! He developed fine motor skills wise: walking at 10 months, potty trained at 19 months...I would definitely follow it but don't worry and don't feel inadequate...I feel like BF babies gain slower so we can nurse them while carrying them grocery shopping longer!!!

[justKate]

I would not be worried at all. I'd just keep an eye on her weight and make sure the poop stays the right color.

Our ped told us, "seven times a day or once every seven days--both are fine." As long as he's not straining or constipated, no worries. If she were going less often than that, then I would start to think about treating for constipation...but otherwise, congrats, mama! Enjoy your new baby.

[NaturalMindedMomma]

My midwife said that while nursing sometimes babies can go a day or two without pooping because they are using everything they take in to grow. Makes sense!

I wouldn't worry, there is some gain going on. I hope the APPT goes well.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Flower of Bliss

She's in cloth diapers. The wet diapers are quite wet and clear.

We went to the ped this afternoon. She weighed 8lbs 4.3oz (day 13 after a 7lbs 9.8oz weight with him on day 3). He walked in commenting on the "great weight gain." He's quite pleased with 10 oz in 10 days.

Awesome weight gain!!! An ounce a day - you couldn't ask for better weight gain I'm so glad everything is going well. With good weight gain and good pees I would be reassured in this situation.

Happy Babymoon! :