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Infant feeding

Still getting meconium at 12 days?

8 replies

Lindorballs · 12/12/2017 07:41

I had my baby 12 days ago. He was a good birth weight and had lost very little at his day 3 weighing. Bf going well compared to my first. He latches on well, I can see he’s transferring efficiently, and he has also taken expressed milk well from a bottle. He feeds roughly every 3 hours with slightly longer gaps overnight. Reliably doing 8 feeds in 24 hours. Seems to be gaining weight as he’s growing out of his newborn clothes already, but midwives round here don’t reweigh until 2 weeks if initial weight loss ok.
My only concern is his poos which are infrequent and still a mixture if greenish and yellow. Some days he doesn’t poo at all. They look like he hasn’t fully finished passing the meconium to be honest, which seems odd by this stage. He is quite a “gulpy” feeder both at the breast and bottle and in the evenings can be very unsettled with wind - back arching,
Drawing knees to chest. It can be hard to get wind out of him. I’m wondering if it’s normal to still have greenish poos at this stage in a baby that is otherwise thriving. He has lots of wet nappies all day. I am also on iron tablets which cause constipation and dark stools in adults and can transfer to bm so am also wondering if this could be contributing. However I never had this with my first and was also taking iron with her.

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Foggymist · 12/12/2017 11:02

Their poos are supposed to be yellow/greenish at this stage, meconium is the first tar like black/dark green poo so it doesn't sound like meconium at all?

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tiktok · 12/12/2017 11:29

Likely to be your iron tablets causing this colour. But get him weighed to check all bases!

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Dragonfree · 12/12/2017 11:37

Colour doesn't sound like it's wrong.

As for frequency, my LO only pooed once a week until 3 months. It was awesome! Apparently BF babies can be like that and it's not a worry.

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tiktok · 12/12/2017 12:44

Infrequent poos in ebf babies are not usual in the early days. The infrequency which is normal does not begin until after a few weeks. Babies who are not pooing several times a day in the newborn period need weighing to make sure all is well, as infrequent poos are sometimes a sign the baby needs more effective feeding.

It can be ok, of course .... but it's always worth checking.

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Lindorballs · 12/12/2017 13:52

Thanks for the advice. It’s not tar like but still looks like the “transitional” poo you’d normally expect on Day 3/4. He’s actually done a really big one this morning which was more yellowy! I’m giving myself 3 days off my iron tabs to check and getting weighed tomorrow so hopeful that will confirm all ok. Really helpful to hear other opinions

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Lindorballs · 13/12/2017 17:02

So he was weighed today and has unfortunately lost a bit more. He has had another more yellowy poo today so it seems like the poos are heading in the right direction but I am concerned about the weight gain. The midwife advised to try and offer both breasts at every feed even if he seems totally zonked after one side - wake him if necessary to offer, and not letting him go more than 4 hours at night without a feed. He’s had a couple of nights where he’s done longer. Is there anything else I can do? So worried now about his next weigh in next week. Bf has gone so much better this time for me I really don’t want to give him formula so early on.
He does feed 8 times in 24 hours but not always on both sides. Going to try to offer more - every 2-3 hours - as well. Anything else I can be doing to help turn this round?

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BabyOrSanta · 13/12/2017 17:04

How often are you offering the expressed bottles?

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Lindorballs · 13/12/2017 18:55

I’ve only done it a few times to get him used to the bottle, only small quantities (eg 20-30ml) and always offered the breast after which he has taken.

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