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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Green Poo!

14 replies

alex344 · 03/12/2013 18:21

Hello all,

My little man is 3months old and has started producing green poop. I'm finding it slightly worrying and my research into it confusing. He is also going more often maybe 8-10 times a day though not always a lot. Occasionally we have a lovely big yellow healthy poo but then back to many smaller green ones. Sorry for the detail!

I am breastfeeding and don't have a huge supply of milk I don't think as when I express the maximum I get is around 4 ounces in total from both boobs together (not 4 from each). However when I google green poo there is lots of advise for oversupply causing too much lactose.

I have also read that too much lactose from foremilk is caused by not letting baby finish on one side before switching to the other. However I do keep him on one breast for absolutely as long as I can. At the end he just turns his head away and completely refuses to feed anymore, if I try to encourage him back on at this point he'll just cry until I offer the other then he feeds happily again. Are these the normal signs of him having drained all the milk from that boob?

It takes him around 8-9 minutes to drain both boobs, again thats in total not each. I know this is quick. I fear I don't have enough milk as it goes that quick but have been told maybe he's just got efficient at feeding.

Any ideas as to what the problem might be, what to try? Breastfeeding has been the surprise difficultly of being a mum for me but I so want to keep going. Thanks so much for any suggestions.

OP posts:
geekaMaxima · 03/12/2013 19:35

Please don't use expressing as a measure of your milk supply - it's very rarely accurate. The main way to judge if he's getting enough milk is that he's gaining weight at an appropriate rate (kellymom.com/bf/normal/weight-gain/). The signs you mention are pretty typical for indicating he's had enough of one boob, so you're doing the right thing to offer the second boob (and even third boob again if you like).

Can you give some more details of your little one? How often a day (as in 24 hours) does he feed? What is his weight gain like? You say hes just started, but how long has he been producing consistently green poo?

8-10 green poos a day could be diarrhoea from a virus etc., especially if they leave more of a coloured stain in the nappy than the usual half-runny consistency of a bf baby. On the other hand, it could be from a host of other reasons either. You could visit your GP - for consistently green poo, they may analyse a stool sample to see what's going on.

3 months of ebf is a great achievement - well done Smile

Original poster
alex344 · 04/12/2013 00:39

Hi thanks so much for your response.

He feeds 6-7 times a day. I had him weighed about 2weeks ago and his weight gain was good. I'll take him again tomorrow. The green poos started about 10 days ago.

Also thank you so much for saying three months breastfeeding is an achievement. I've felt like a real failure at times as I struggled with supply early on and now this. So that was lovely to read! Xx

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Bippidee · 04/12/2013 00:44

I've had this too, and I think it may be a delayed response to the rotavirus immunisation (the oral one at 8 and 12 weeks). However do take your LO to the GP if you are concerned. I was not too concerned as we have lots of "normal" mustardy ones too! (But then I am a bit more laid back than average).

Original poster
alex344 · 04/12/2013 00:46

Also thanks for thoughts on a virus possibility, I think I will go to the GP just incase. He had the new rotar virus immunisation which is a live vaccine so might be connected maybe? But that was 4weeks ago.

OP posts:
Original poster
alex344 · 04/12/2013 00:50

I must have been writing as you were Bippidee! I just had a guess at the Rotavirus. Thank you, hopefully that's all it is, I will ask the doc. It's just that its 90% of poos are green and its not going away.

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geekaMaxima · 04/12/2013 10:19

The rotavirus vaccine has only been part of the standard jabs since July - if it is causing a spate of green poos then GPs might be starting to notice around now.

alex you might find this page useful - [http://www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html]. It collates a bunch of research on the advantages your baby gets from being ebf for 1 month, 2 months, etc. I found it a good motivator to persist for one more month whenever I had a wobble Smile

geekaMaxima · 04/12/2013 10:21

Whoops, didn't link that properly (damned iphone app!)
www.thealphaparent.com/2011/12/timeline-of-breastfed-baby.html

bigbrick · 04/12/2013 10:22

Sometimes when I was stressed my little ones poo would be green - think calm & easy going if you are stressing

tiktok · 04/12/2013 11:48

Everything in your post sounds normal, alex :) Somtimes, green poo is due to a fast transit and a fast transit means nothing bad :) Yes, the fast transit may be due to a bug, or over supply, but it can equally be normal.

It has nothing to do with stress in you or in the baby.

A baby who is growing well (as yours is) and who is feeding normally (as yours is - and yes, he is efficient! But that's ok!), does not have a problem.

You and your little ds sound really good communicators - he tells you when he has had enough and you offer the other side....and that's exactly as it should be!

Hope you can grow in confidence in yourself and know you can enjoy this great bf relationship you have :)

CheeseTMouse · 04/12/2013 11:57

Another vote for rotavirus... My daughter is 3.5 months old and it knocked her system out for a couple of weeks with smelly green poo regularly for about two weeks and like your little one the odd big yellow poo too.

I spent a lot of time worrying about my milk, and went to the GP who was supremely unconcerned as she was otherwise healthy and gaining weight well.

Tiktok - your advice is kind - I wish someone had said the same to me when I was worrying.

Bippidee · 04/12/2013 13:28

Alex, sorry to hijack your thread, but I would like to ask Tiktok about offering both sides. My LO gets a bit agitated after being on one side for a bit, so I offer the other side then she becomes calm. Is this because she's draining, or could it be wind? I often get a huge burp in the transition iyswim. Sorry, would have thought I'd've figured this out in 11 weeks!

tiktok · 04/12/2013 18:51

Bippidee you are doing what most mothers who are bf happily and comfortably do - you wait for the cues from your baby, and you offer the chance for a burp to come up and then the other side, unless the baby has clearly not fed all that well on that first side (messing about, on and off, fussing, etc etc ).

Bippidee · 04/12/2013 23:38

Thank you!

Original poster
alex344 · 05/12/2013 01:07

Thank-you everyone for the support. Geeka the link reminded me why bf is worth the challenge. Tiktok for the kind words of reassurance, it's so nice to hear we sound like we're doing well.

Small one weighed again today and still happily tracking his line. Full of smiles and sleeping well so if his poo has decided to be green for a while then so be it! I will obviously keep an eye and mention it to my GP but am encouraged to give up my fretting! Thank-you again Xxx

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