19 mo old with usually soft/creamy unformed poop- normal?

[lkmiscnet]

This has been going on for several months despite eating more solids. He now only nurses once to sleep at night, so I'm now thinking his BMs should be much more solid. Occasionally, he will have a poop that is "formed" and easy to roll off the diaper, but generally, they are creamy consistency or a very, very soft "ball" of mush, making for very messy diapers. He hasn't had diarrhea.

I'm beginning to wonder if it could be a food sensitivity or allergy (maybe to dairy?) and am going to start a food and poop diary for a few days.

He is on dairy and is down to nursing just the one time daily, though he gets cow's milk (about 2 cups) and thawed breastmilk (about 4 oz per day) during the day. He does get additional dairy in the form of cheeses and yogurt.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had experienced this and what you determined the cause to be, or is it completely normal?

I had been wanting to finally make the switch to cloth diapering, and when I read about how easy it is to just let the poop slide off the diaper into the toilet, it then dawned on me that perhaps his BMs weren't normal.

Edited by lkmiscnet - 12/18/10 at 10:50am

[crunchy_mommy]

22mo DS is like this as well, I just assumed it was because his diet is still only maybe 30% solids (70% breastmilk). I just assumed it was normal??

[babymango]

My 16 month old does the same.  I assumed it was because of the high amount of fiber than we eat.  I had to see a colorectal surgeon for myself in the past, and he told me that people should aim for toothpaste soft stool by increasing their fiber and fluid intake. 

DS is mainly on solids/cows milk and nurses 2-3 times a day (small amounts though as Im 38 weeks pregnant and barely have anything left)

[tanyalynn]

For my kids it was mostly food intolerance, plus when you consume foods you're intolerant of, your gut bacteria tend to get imbalanced.  Cutting out gluten and dairy and adding in probiotic foods did a lot to normalize their poop.  For food diaries--just keep in mind foods that are eaten quite often.

[JudiAU]

No allergies here. DS still has very soft poop at 3.5. He eats particularly well including steel cut oats for breakfast and a lot of lunches based around whole grains + a lot of fruit and he doesn't drink cow's milk much, which tends to be a little constipating. Thing god for early potty learning. I would be horrified to clean that off of a diaper still.

[CookAMH]

My 19mo DS also has bowel movements most of the time, sometimes they are hard balls. I actually think it's just fine like that, and would rather them be soft than hard, and I think I notice it softer when he is better hydrated.  Is there mucous in it? I have heard THAT can be a food intolerance issue, which DS has had occasionally, but I think softer, easily voided stools are generally healthy (ie in myself too).

[Madalyn]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

22mo DS is like this as well, I just assumed it was because his diet is still only maybe 30% solids (70% breastmilk). I just assumed it was normal??

Ditto. My son's poops are the same as the OP described though he does have an occasional 'yay easy to clean off his diaper' hard poop most are mushy. I'd say he's probably 30% solids too.

[crunchy_mommy]

Oh I will also mention that we don't eat dairy or gluten so I know in my DS's case, at least, that it's not due to either of those, and like the pp's mentioned it is probably healthier for it to be softer...