When can I expect 1st 'breastfeed' poo?

[dinnersinthedawg]

Had my beautiful baby girl on Friday morning at 40+5 and have been breastfeeding, think milk came in on Sunday. Feeding on demand, never going more than 2 hours between feeds, which are usually around 10 to 15 minutes. Latch has been a little difficult as she wasn't opening her mouth very wide at first so nipples are sore and cracked, however it feels better now and she often comes off with milk in her mouth so I know she is getting some.

Anyway my concern is that she did lots of meconium poos on Friday and Saturday and then a transitional type one on Sunday but no bowel movements since then. She has done wet nappies though.

I am really worried that this is a sign she is not getting enough milk. I went through hospital visits and formula top ups with my son (different circumstances as he was pre term and very sleepy) and ideally I had wanted to exclusively breastfeed this time.

The midwive is coming to weigh her tomorrow and I am getting a bit worried that she might have lost too much weight. Any advice? Anyone been in the same position and found that the weight was ok? I know I should just wait and see tomorrow but would be interested to know your experiences. Thanks!

I was in the same position with DD. it was not ok. She was born on the Thursday. Meconium passed Friday & Saturday. No poo until 8 days later. She lost more than 10% of her body weight. My nipples were wrecked & I caught infective mastitis which developed into sepsis. We were admitted to hospital at 10 days post birth for 8 days.

DD has a posterior tongue tie, a lip tie & had asymmetry of the skull after birth causing an arched palette on one side.

I was in exactly the same position as you just two weeks ago so didn't want to ignore your post. DD had 3 days of meconium poos then we waited a whole 6 days for her first breastfed poo. Spoke to midwife, HV and bf support worker and none were concerned. She was weighed on day 5 and had lost 7 percent of her birth weight which they said was well within the norm and they came back two weeks later and she had gained a pound and has continued to gain great this week. She still only poos once a day, two at most and like you I panicked over the lack of them ( guidance says often its one after every feed etc). Lack of poo can be a sign of insufficient feeding, mainly that they aren't receiving the hind milk but not always sometimes their little bodies are just adjusting and that first poo can take a while. Keep going as you are until she is weighed and go from there.

OP, you are right to be watchful about this. But you are doing the right thing - feeding often and without restrictions, and getting her weighed.

No poo like this is always worth checking out, but it does not always mean anything is 'wrong'.

I hope that the visit went well and the midwife was able to reassure you.

It's something to keep an eye on but not necessarily to be too worried about. I'm not an expert but my ds took a while to do a non meconium or transitional poo and was slow to regain his birth weight after loosing 10.1%. I was told by several midwives that as breast milk can be completely be absorbed by the babies gut (unlike formula) that it can take a bit longer. One midwife said she knew one case which took 6 weeks! Ds took 2 weeks.

They kept an eye on him and weighed every few days until he was discharged at 3 weeks, but always reassured me he was doing well. He was very alert, had plenty of wet nappies and was clearly feeding well (you could hear the milk being swallowed and after there would be residue in his mouth). The midwives and hv could all see these things for themselves so were happy with his progress and reassured me. Since 3 weeks ds has accurately followed a centile line just below the 50th all the way through to his 1 year check. No jumping around on the chart at all which is a little unusual, I used to get him weighed regularly as I'd gotten in the habit. His birth weight was a bit above the 50th centile so with hindsight he just took some time to settle down to where he 'should' be after the birth. Other babies I know piled on the lbs straight from birth - they're all different which is why there's a little leeway.

A previous poster described her experience when it wasn't ok, the midwives should definitely keep on eye on your lo until 'normal' poo begins for good reason. But keeping an eye on it doesn't necessarily mean that something's wrong, as was my experience.

Thanks everyone for your replies, it's reassuring to know that this is not uncommon - like busybee says the guidance says they should be pooing a few time a day so it is a little worrying. Anyway the weigh in went well - she had lost just over 7 per cent so the midwive seemed ok with that and wasn't too concerned about the lack of poo... DD is getting weighed again on Monday so fingers crossed she gains weight and poos by then!

I was. I had a c section so my milk came in late as a result

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