Green, liquidy poop in 2 month old - block feeding and going dairy-free hasn't helped

[mrgdess]

Hi everyone,

The owner of my local children's store suggested I reach out to the mothering.com community for help.  My son is 10 weeks old is breastfeeding exclusively, and for the 6 weeks has had very green/brown liquidy, frothy, poops (in the diaper they kind of look like loose jelly), and pooping 4-6x every day.  I never had this problem with breastfeeding my daughter, who is now 3.

A lactation consultant said it was a foremilk-hindmilk issue, and recommended block feeding, with 1 breast per feeding.   This sounded right to me because I had oversupply issues, so I've been block feeding for the past month, but his poops are the same.  At the 2 month appt, my pediatrician said the poops were most likely due to a dairy allergy, so I cut out all dairy 2 weeks ago, even the "hidden" dairy.  Though he is less gassy now, my son's diapers are still very green (though less brown).

Any tips on what I can do next to help his stomach and fix the poops?  I'm not sure what to do next to help him.  Harry is a happy, mellow baby, and not colicky at all, so I don't think he is in pain.  But I can't imagine that it is comfortable for him to have diarrhea all the time.  My family thinks I should quit breastfeeding and offer formula, but I'm not ready/willing to do that.

TIA!

[mamazee]

Do you still feel like you have an oversupply problem? I ask because I had to nurse like only on one breast for any feeding over a 4-hour period, and then switching to the other breast for a 4-hour period, for my oversupply problem to end. Do you feel like you still have oversupply? I don't want you to do larger blocks of time if you don't because you don't want to end up with undersupply either. That's even harder to fix. But if you still have an oversupply problem, longer periods of time for the block feeding might help.

I am not an expert on food allergies, but I think if it is a dairy allergy, it can take 2 weeks just for your system to be clear of dairy, so I would keep up with that a while longer seeing as you have had some improvement.

If he's happy and growing well I wouldn't worry too much about it. He's still very young and adjusting, and your milk supply is still adjusting, so things might settle within the next month or so regardless of what you do or don't do. I would definitely not switch to formula, which to me seems like a crazy suggestion for a healthy, content baby. But it sounds like you and I agree there.

Good luck!

[sosurreal09]

It can take up to 6 weeks total for dairy to leave both your systems.

[akemt]

I know I'm late but thought I'd chime in.  It sounds like dairy was definitely an issue, and I would NOT switch to formula.  What a mess that can create (if milk is the issue and soy doesn't work either, the special formulas are nasty and expensive and personally I don't think any of them are healthy).  If he's reacting to the dairy you're eating, then it is either a "true" allergy or a milk-protein intolerance, which is frequently associated with a soy protein intolerance.  Honestly, I did my research some 4 years or more ago so I don't remember exactly, but it was a large percentage that had both --80's maybe?  So it may be that milk was a biggie and he has another one hanging around.  My children have all reacted somewhat differently, and each child can react differently to each individual intolerance.  Have you gone off the top 8 allergens and then done trials to put them back in?  That is a good way to find out if anything else is causing problems, though it may not be as much fun for you!  I would suggest going to a whole-foods diet if you're going the elimination route, and be sure you're prepared before you start so that you don't fall off the diet in the middle because you're not prepared or too hugry without the time to cook or don't have something in your house.

How is it going now?  If you do feel the need to switch to formula I would HIGHLY suggest one of the "Nourishing Traditions" formulas that can be found online at the Weston A. Price foundation website. 

Best wishes!