Greeny poos and change in feeds

[FortunateHamster]

Hi,

Am doing reasonably well with breastfeeding, thanks in large part to help here (at least feel I'm doing ok!), but just had a couple of questions. DS is nine weeks old now if that makes a difference to anything.

1. I know occasional green poos are okay, but at the moment I'm getting at least one a day. Doesn't stink so don't think it's anything bad particularly, just wonder if it's okay to get them so frequently?

2. I think in part it's linked to how I'm feeding him. In the last week or so he's started taking quite a long time on feeds and pulling off the nipple more often. He'll feed for say five-ten mins quite well, then start pulling off, but then wanting to go back to the breast. There's usually still clearly milk in the first breast (if I give 'em a squeeze) and as I'm eager for him to get the hind milk I'll pop him back on the same breast. After a few pull-offs I put him on the second. I wonder if I'm putting him onto the second too quick, hence the green poo - or taking too long to do so, hence the long feeds and him pulling off a lot. Any idea? He doesn't seem to be in discomfort and I don't mind feeds taking up to 40mins/an hour, but am just wondering if I'm missing something.

Well done for bfing for this long. I'm not trained but it could be that he isn't getting enough hind milk. Have a look at what Kellymom has to say.

Hopefully someone with more of a clue will be along shortly

Green poos do suggest that he's lacking hind milk. That would be the most likely reason for that.
In which case, try to keep him on the first breast for a bit longer if you can.
Also, try to make sure that you start each feed on the breast with which you finished the last feed.
It's often difficult to keep a feeding rhythm as the baby changes habits, phases and growth spurts etc, but it sounds like you're doing well.

Thank you Ineed the link is a goody and there are a few possibilities there

And a good idea there too RuthChan :)

Only thing is, I'm basically doing, or trying to do, that already, it's partly why feeds are taking so long at the mo. eg I'm feeding him now - in the last 15 mins he has fed for 5 mins, then constantly sucked a few times before pulling off and is now sucking more solidly again. This is all on the same side. Normally after another 5-10 mins of coming off I would offer the second breast - I'm not sure how much longer I could keep going on the first side tbh.

He doesn't seem to be in discomfort so I'm wondering if perhaps he gets fed up as the flow slows or a growth spurt as on teh above kellymom links

update: so after an occasionally difficult half an hour on boob a, I switched to boob b, where he sucked happily (and well) for 10mins ish before coming off, seemingly satisfied. So I reckon it is a flow thing. I wonder if it means he gets hind/fore from boob a, but only foremilk from boob b sometimes, hence green poos...?

Sorry if writing is bad, trying to type with him on my lap and just thinking out loud.

Like I said before, I'm not trained but if he has come of the first breast of his own accord he should have got enough hind milk before coming off.

Maybe TikTok will be along in a minute.......

Could be, your link was very good and I think he's possibly at that classic stage where they can be a bit fussy and it's something like him trying to stimulate a flow that's a bit more like a let-down. It was only that combined with the more frequent green poos that made me come to the boards, otherwise I'd be fine with it all.

Bah more green poo today and all morning/ afternoon I fed from one breast only at a time. It wasn't satisfying him this evening and I had to give him both (besides I think I should be able to give both if first is drained), but doing one didn't seem to help anyway.

He seems otherwise fine/normal. The only other thing I can think of is that he had his first set of jabs on Tuesday but that wouldn't affect poos, would it?

Maybe I just have to assume it's one of those things?

It's boring to update my own thread, but am pleased to report I've just had a full non-green nappy.

However, it did come after the worst night since we brought him home from the hospital - not because he kept waking up, but because he couldn't go to sleep in the first place.

Now I suspect maybe he was constipated or had tummy cramps? Obviously I'll keep a close eye on him but he seems in very good spirits now.

/attempts optimisim