Green poo in breastfed baby

[marzipanned]

DD was three weeks on Saturday and her poo has increasingly been turning from mustardy yellow to dark green.

I've been block feeding her for the past couple of days to try to get her to empty the breast properly but it hasn't made a difference to nappies.

I wasn't worrying too much as she has been gaining weight well, but she is now sometimes (though not always) crying and getting quite distressed after feeding.

Any ideas...?!

Green poo tends to suggest that she's getting a lot of the foremilk and not enough hindmilk. This can happen if there is a bit of an oversupply. Have you tried only feeding her from one breast until it's empty rather than using both breasts each time? (I think that's what you mean by block feeding but just checking?).

on presenting a hv with lots of lovely nappy pics on my phone, i was told the odd green poo is OK but if it lasts longer than a day or is especially watery to let them know.

fwiw my 3 week old had a few green poos and until she was 12 weeks would cry as soon as she was taken off the boob. this was at a time of mammoth 6 hr feeds. the hv didnt seem concerned at all.

In a healthy, growing baby, green poo is nothing to worry about. It does not need changing, it does not mean 'not enough hindmilk' .....please, I wish we could put that one to bed once and for all :( :(

It may reflect the amount of fat the baby is getting with her breastfeeding.....but that does not matter a bit. There is no set amount the baby needs to get so there is no need to worry about the baby getting 'enough' of it.

thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/foremilk-and-hindmilk-in-quest-of.html

www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2010/07/foremilkhindmilk-and-lot-of-confusion.html

are two links which explain it all.

Green poo is only ever significant in a baby who is showing signs of not thriving or of having gastro-enteritis.

marzipanned, just feed her in response to her behaviour and her needs, not the colour of her nappies :) No need for block feeding, from what you say here.

Thanks all. wigwam yes that is what I meant by block feeding, but feel very heartened by tiktok's response as I don't feel that it's making a difference and in fact is probably just annoying DD as she's not getting a lovely full boob to drink from! Very reassuring to hear what you say tiktok.

vichill I mentioned it to my HV last week and she didn't really say anything - love the thought of you whipping out the phone pics...