Green Poop, floppiness and short nursings

[earthlycreative]

Okay, here's my story, briefly: Babe is 7 weeks and we've been exclusively BF the whole time. We've had challenges, everything from thrush (currently) to lopsidedness to poor latch, etc. I've been engorged on my left side three times now, and this last time I block fed so much on my right that the left went down but the right became engorged. Luckily it was down in 24 hours. Now, both breasts are even and not engorged, but (seem) to be low on supply. It could just be my new-mama-paranoia, but...

We nurse on one side until she's "done" with it (usually starts pulling off, stretching my nipple - ouch!) and I'll offer the other side. She usually takes the second breast, at least for a little bit, if not for just as long. Thing is, she only nurses 3-5 minutes on each (she has always been an efficient nurser - she's been weighed after nursing one side, and got 2 oz. in 5 minutes). I've pumped afterward to see "what's left" and there's nothing in the right and about and ounce in the left. Yet, she isn't always "satisfied". Can get fussy and act like she wants more, but will not take the nipple (flow too slow by then, perhaps, and frustrating?).

She has had green poops for about 2 1/2 days now, which were mucousy at first. No longer mucousy, but very green. I've heard and read that this can be from too much foremilk, but that it could also be from a food allergy. I haven't changed anything in my diet - could she "all of a sudden" be sensitive to something I'm eating? If it's a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, what else am I supposed to do but what I'm doing (letting her finish/drain the boob; start the next nursing on the one we left off on)? If I block feed, I'm so afraid of getting the balance off again...engorgement is so utterly painful, as I'm sure you all know.

We have our two month wellness check next Friday, but I'm not waiting until then to call the pediatrician. If she still has green poops come Monday, I'm calling her, but I thought I'd get some input here.

[tanyam926]

It is very possible that your babe could develop an allergy to something in your diet. So that could be it.

My advice is to call an LC right away bc you need someone who can ask you specific questions to get to the right answer. The ped (most likely) won't know what is going on as most of them have very limited experience/knowledge about BF.

I would have guessed foremilk/hindmilk imbalance like you mentioned bc that is usually (IME) the cause of green poop and w/the short nursing span it seems plausible.

Can you block feed but pump the side that gets engorged so that you don't have pain or discomfort? Maybe try burping really well after the baby acts like he/she is done and then offer the same side again and use breast massage to get more hindmilk in to baby and stimulate let down again. (Multiple let downs can occur in one feeding).

But definately call an LC! Good luck to you!

[isabchi]

Some times green poop could be over supply. Check it out with a LC and Kellymom

[Shanny2032]

My DD had reflux and a similar reaction to what you talk about with fussing after eating. Then at her 8 week check she had a bright green mucusy diaper that the dr had tested for blood. It was positive so they deemed it a food allergy. After months of trial and error I ended up taking ALL dairy and soy out of my diet and she was fine. I went back and forth during that time also wondering about let down issues since my diet changes were taking so long to figure out. But for us it turned out to be food sensitivities. Be very careful about pediatricains - even ones that seem to support bfing will treat you like a marter for wanting to alter your diet rather than give your baby formula. At 7 months I had my daughter tested and she was negative for food allergies, meaning she was just sensitive and would outgrow it soon. By 9 months I was able to eat everything and she even has small amounts of dairy at 11 months. Just wanted you to know if that is what it turns out to be that it can be done. I would call an LC also and see what help they can offer. So sorry to hear about all your issues - especially the thrush - we are right there with you now and it sucks!

[ewe+lamb]

Sounds like an imbalance to me too, personally i would recommend breast compression which would push the hindmilk forward so that your dd benefits from the thick creamy stuff - that'll help with the green stools, continue to block nurse, it really is a good solution, if you are uncomfortable then express off a little on the other breast - just to make yourself more comfortable - you can save it up for later on if you need to, or cook with it or what ever. Good luck and hope that the thrush is getting better too!

[Eligracey]

We had green poops when baby had a virus. Went away as soon as he was healthy.

[earthlycreative]

Called clinic...an update

Just wanted to update this post, and to thank everyone for the replies. My ped isn't in today, and I can't get in to see her until next week, but I think we're fine. The nurse I spoke to today said not to worry...that we should expect to see all kinds of poops in all different colors, and to worry only if there's black, white or red in it, and if she has a fever. She also said that it's not uncommon to have mucousy poops if she's pooping a lot (which she has been; she slowed down from the typical newborn quantity to more like 3 a day, and went up last week to pooping ALL THE TIME).

We have had some yellow poops, as well as a mix of yellow and green. It's the straight-up bright green ones that get me. But, I'm not going to worry. I'm letting her drain the breasts and compressing as much as I can to ensure she's getting all that they have to offer ;-) and she's an elimination princess with no symptoms of distress. New mama worries have subsided...for now.