Green poop = milk allergy??

[Parker'smommy]

My dd will be 4 weeks on Friday. Everything has gone great so far. She latched on and nursed within an hour of my csection and has been a great nurser. She gained back her birth weight and more at her 2 week appt. Right after her 2 week appt. ( no vaccines were administered) I started noticing some green poop. I know there can be variations in poop color so I didn't really think too much of it. But now....5 days later, it's REALLY green....dh says, " It's like pesto!"

For the most part, she's a happy baby. She gets the normal fussiness that 3-4 weeks have and is happy to nurse quite often. My supply seems to be normal and I *think* I may have a pretty active letdown ( I don't feel letdown so I'm guessing here) as she sometimes seems to be gulping super fast and comes off sputtering or crying for a second and then latches back on.

So....should I be concerned over the green poop? Could it be related to a milk allergy? Overactive letdown? I tried doing some block feedings yesterday and it didn't seem to change the color of her poop so I don't think it's hindmilk/foremilk inbalance. But maybe?

This is my 3rd babe, and I've breastfed for a collective 7 years and I've never had this green of poop...ever.

TIA!!!

[biohaz444]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy

My dd will be 4 weeks on Friday. Everything has gone great so far. She latched on and nursed within an hour of my csection and has been a great nurser. She gained back her birth weight and more at her 2 week appt. Right after her 2 week appt. ( no vaccines were administered) I started noticing some green poop. I know there can be variations in poop color so I didn't really think too much of it. But now....5 days later, it's REALLY green....dh says, " It's like pesto!"

For the most part, she's a happy baby. She gets the normal fussiness that 3-4 weeks have and is happy to nurse quite often. My supply seems to be normal and I *think* I may have a pretty active letdown ( I don't feel letdown so I'm guessing here) as she sometimes seems to be gulping super fast and comes off sputtering or crying for a second and then latches back on.

So....should I be concerned over the green poop? Could it be related to a milk allergy? Overactive letdown? I tried doing some block feedings yesterday and it didn't seem to change the color of her poop so I don't think it's hindmilk/foremilk inbalance. But maybe?

This is my 3rd babe, and I've breastfed for a collective 7 years and I've never had this green of poop...ever.

TIA!!!

I didn't find that block feeding helped, but it does sound like a fore/hind imbalance - When she comes off choking a bit during letdown, try spraying into a towel or collecting in bottle until it's a little less forceful, this way she'll get a little less foremilk, drink a little more hindmilk... should see less gassiness and mustard poops again pretty quickly... when Cole doesn't come off and seems to keep up with it, I just let him go, and it doesn't seem to be a problem.. I let him suck on a pinkie knuckle for a few seconds while the letdown sprays usually..

[CherryBombMama]

my ds had green pesto poop lol

the mdc mamas helped me out a ton, and it WAS because he was getting too much foremilk, not enough hindmilk. it took a few days of block feeding to make a difference, though. i suggest trying it again

[Parker'smommy]

How long should each block be? I was doing 3 hour blocks. Won't I become engorged on the other side? Then it will happen again, right? Too much foremilk from the engorged side?

[boobs4milk]

heather, i use caution with block feeds as it can seriously reduce supply. i just posted about this on another thread, http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...tion&Itemid=17 is the link.

millie did the same thing and i was so worried about it that i block fed. guess what? her poops stayed greenish. i started letting her finish one side before starting the other and then using the other first at the next feeding and eventually she got the yellow poop back. good luck!

[PatioGardener]

I agree with boobs4milk. I block feed because I have a HUGE supply and overactive letdown. Baby had green poop before blockfeeding, and still does on occasion. But, he went from being unhappy to happy, so I don't care about his poop colour, as long as there is no blood! I watch his demeanor rather than his poop. (Same goes for dairy intolerance.)

[sunshinegal]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

I agree with boobs4milk. I block feed because I have a HUGE supply and overactive letdown. Baby had green poop before blockfeeding, and still does on occasion. But, he went from being unhappy to happy, so I don't care about his poop colour, as long as there is no blood! I watch his demeanor rather than his poop. (Same goes for dairy intolerance.)

I found this to be the same for me. It was my baby's mood that made me wary of the "Pesto" poop and block feeding as well as pulling her off when my letdown was heavy helped to make her happier and reduced the incidence of the green poops. I only had to do this for a few weeks since her eating patterns changed and she got better dealing with my active letdown.

[Parker'smommy]

Well, I had to go to the Ped. today because dd's umbilical cord FINALLY fell off and it was all icky underneath. Turns out she has an umbilical granuloma. Ped. put silver nitrate on it and we'll watch it over the weekend. My ds had the same thing....wierd coincidence.

Anyways, I of course, asked her about the green poop and she said that green poop doesn't concern her, at all. She said it could be yellow, green, even brown. And that she only worries about color when it's black or has blood in it. Sooooo, ALong with the recent posts that say to not worry about it.....I'm gonna try and not overanalyze dd's poop....ugh!!!

But I do have a new problem....she hasn't gained a ton...I think I will post a new question!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy

But I do have a new problem....she hasn't gained a ton...I think I will post a new question!

answered your new post fortunately not gaining 'a ton' is perfectly normal when baby has gained 6 oz/week. sounds like you are doing really well!