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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

so, is this bad advice from the HV?

18 replies

ginger2000 · 26/10/2010 19:56

I posted yesterday about DD2 having lots of green poos, some tinged with blood. Today has been a lot better - lots more yellow and no blood at all.

I mentioned it to the HV when we went to have DD2 weighed (she has gained about 7oz this week) and she said it is 'probably' because I am feeding her too frequently and that I should be trying to stretch her to 3 hourly feeds. Her reasoning was that anymore frequent than that would result in the green poos as the feeding stimulates the bile duct to produce bile which is then pooed out as green poo. Is this right?

I can't honestly believe it is right to stretch out a 4 week old to 3 hours if she wants feeding? I haven't followed the advice tbh as DD2 has pretty much fed for the last 2 hours and when I didn't feed, screamed her head off!!

any thoughts on the advice given?

OP posts:
HumphreyCobbler · 26/10/2010 19:57

This is complete bollocks.

Bile duct???? WTF???

whomovedmychocolate · 26/10/2010 19:57

What are you feeding her? She sounds like a nutjob though.

MoonUnitAlpha · 26/10/2010 19:58

Sounds strange advice to me - there's no way my ds would have gone 3 hours at 4 weeks. I've never heard this about bile either, I think I'd ask her for some evidence or something to take away and read.

BertieBasset · 26/10/2010 19:59

Load of rubbish that it would be due to feeding too frequently, lots of babies are fed on demand.

Personally I would mention it to the GP though, as those nappies don't sound right

OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel · 26/10/2010 19:59

Well I dont know much about bile but my 6 week old would up and leave home if I left him longer than 2 hours during the day and his poo's never been green! It sounds to me like he could have been a bit constipated, with the blood streaks maybe he had to strain a bit hard and popped a blood vessel in the meantime. If its back to normal now, dont worry and carry on as you are. Smile

LoopyLoupGarou · 26/10/2010 19:59

Take her to the doctor.

I'm no scientist, but having had a quick Google it seems unlikely to me.

You need the opinion of a professional doctor.

Ghoulfriend · 26/10/2010 20:00

Sounds like she may be getting too much foremilk, are you feeding her for long enough each time? This happened to DD2, after leaving her on the breast for a bit longer she went back to the yellow poos.

TheProvincialLady · 26/10/2010 20:04

Green poo tinged with blood? If that happens again you should speak to your GP.

My GP told me that green poo is often a sign of low level infection in the gut. Nothing to worry about if the baby is otherwise well, gaining weight etc. In my DSes case it was a sign of lactose intolerance. As I was BF I had to cut out eating milk for a while until it settled down.

Are you BF or FF?

thisisyesterday · 26/10/2010 20:04

well a bile duct doesn't produce bile anyway. it's just one of the ducts that takes it where it needs to go
bile is produced by the liver, and is used to aid digestion. so yes, when she feeds bile will be produced.

but overfeeding doesn't result in too much bile being produced
bile CAN make poo green if for some reason the food is passing through you very quickly, but tbh i have never heard of this being the case just becaus a baby is fed frequently.

anyway, you should ignore HV and carry on feeding on demand!

Original poster
ginger2000 · 26/10/2010 20:08

Glad its not just me that thought it sounded odd! I am not inexperienced having breastfed DD1 (am EBF whomovedmychocolate) but I thought it sounded wierd.
I am not overly concerned although she is pooing ALOT so will probably take her to the GP (who will probably send me away!)

Ethel - I think its a straining issue too! and Ghoulfriend, I have been trying to feed her from the same breast for 2 feeds if they are short ones!

OP posts:
ArmyBarmyMummy · 26/10/2010 20:09

Eating stimulates the bile duct to produce bile as part of normal digestion in everyone but weird advice. Carry on feeding on demand like any HV should tell you!

bedlambeast · 26/10/2010 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
ginger2000 · 26/10/2010 20:18

Thisisyesterday - that makes sense - thanks. I do get the feeling food is going through her v quickly and i am wondering about the intolerance thing (someone mentioned it yesterday so i had toast for brekkie, yellow poos followed - had a couple of milk choc biscuits and some dips this afternoon = green poos!)

Thanks for info about the fat slowing the progress of food down bedlam - makes a lot of sense too.

thanks all

OP posts:
HumphreyCobbler · 26/10/2010 20:20

I was just shocked that making such a little baby wait for food was advice given by a HV.

Original poster
ginger2000 · 26/10/2010 20:22

agreed Humphrey - will mention it to my GP when I see him/her. It was a stand in HV who I'd not seen before!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 26/10/2010 20:23

yes, ds2 is dairy intolerant and one of his symptoms was very explosive green mucousy poo

TruthSweet · 26/10/2010 20:35

AFAIK bile is what makes the poo that familiar yellow/mustard colour not green (speaking as an adult who's been on a liquids only diet following pancreatitis and it was just yellow bile coming out! Blushsorry).

Green mucousy poo would suggest that something is happening in the guts to alter the normal passage of the milk (not too much bile Hmm) a la TIY's ds2 with his dairy intolerance.

Please see the GP if there is blood in your DDs poo again and trust your instincts and your baby re. restricting feeds (as I'm sure you are going to do Smile).

ChunkyPickle · 26/10/2010 20:39

I know that if I let my little guy snack (ie. short feeds when he's not really hungry and just wants a cuddle really) then he gets green poos.

I would never stretch out his feeds to make them yellow, but if I notice too much green in a row then I make sure that he actually is hungry before I feed him rather than use it like a dummy - that way he has a proper, long feed with hind milk rather than repeated quick sucks of fore-milk

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