Green poo

[Sparrowlegs248]

DS is 4wks old. Did a green poo a few days ago but then back to normal. I read that it means he was only getting fore milk and no hind milk. Since the middle of last night 2am ish he has done green poos despite feeding for hours.

He is also crying a lot, probably windy, unhappy about being put down. This is the first time he hasn't immediately settled when i pick him up.

I have fed for longer than 30 minutes from each breast, done massaging breast, compression etc.

Anything else?

Was previously advised to switch feed, 5mins each side,to stimulate supply. Not sure whether to try that again?

Green poo is on the normal spectrum for bf babies of any age, Notta. It hardly ever means 'only getting foremilk and no hindmilk'.

If your baby is healthy and thriving in all other ways, it's not usually something to worry about.

No need to switch feed.

Many babies of all ages are unhappy about being put down.

Hard to tell from your post if there is anything to be concerned about - it could beyour baby is fine and just going through a fussy, needy phase, which all babies do from time to time.

Is he healthy and gaining weight ok?

Should say no need to switch feed unless you feel there is a problem with insufficient milk.

I have had the same problem. Green poos, unsettled and always seeming hungry. The hv advised me to keep him on the same breast unless I felt that it was empty. If he came off and the breast wasn't empty and he started rooting within 2 hours then to put him back on the same breast. It really seemed to help.

I posted before about weight loss between 10 - 17 days but he gained in the 5 days following. He has grown, put a tummy on and looks nice and pink with nice skin.

I think he's windy but is a vicious circle of wanting to suckle for comfort and getting more wind. Rumbly tummy, think a big poo would help

Why do you think he is windy? All babies in fact all humans have stomachs you can hear :)

Is his weight on track now? If so, he's prob fine. Green poos are in themselves nothing to worry about.

For me, the poo goes green if I've changed sides too soon. I bet if you make sure he's completely drained one breast before swapping over, it will go back to yellow again,

We had a problem with this for a while, very windy and uncomfortable with it. Sticking with one side until either it was empty or where there was cluster feeding for 3 hours really helped. The first milk they take from a full breast is high sugar low fat which more likely to give wind, it's only as they start to drain/empty it that more of the fat is 'released'.

It appeared to me that there was a vicious cycle of being uncomfortable and comfort suckling more - helped us to break the cycle by having a period where he was getting higher fat content which helped everything settle down.

He's had a bit of wind, and a Rumbly poop, still green. Changed nappy, he woke, fed again for almost an hour - was sucking but not swallowing after 30mins so changed sides. Fell asleep, put in basket, woke up. Screamed. Took out to wind, fell asleep straight away.

Have given up on the basket for now and come downstairs. Immediately asleep on my lap.

I have no idea how to settle him in his basket. I can't sit up all night

His weight had gone up on day 21 but he's not been weighed since then. Looking at him i think its fine, you can tell he's filling out.

Please listen to tiktok. You can't 'empty' or 'drain' a breast. Everything she's said is bob on (as usual).

Some/many newborns and even older babies cannot sleep without being in direct contact with their mothers - that has nothing to do with perceived windiness or green poo. We're culturally conditioned - and given SIDS advice - to think that a baby can/will/should sleep in a cot by itself. Not so. Neither of mine would. DS1 was almost two before he'd consider sleeping alone; DS2 (12 months) sure as hell won't. I tried everything with both to make it happen, but ultimately safe co-sleeping is the only way any of us get any sleep.

Better day today.

I wider why the poo has suddenly changed colour?
Also sometimes he Will sleep happily in his basket, had a good long nap this afternoon.

I have safety concerns about co sleeping. No duet or pillows is not going to work for us, and that's what i read we should do for safety. Although he does come into our bed, i get no sleep as constantly checking on him and quite uncomfortable making sure he can't be rolled on.

He's not looking like he'll go in his basket tonight either. Not sure why it was ok earlier!

Green poo is normal for most babies....the reason poo is green is because the milk has been processed in the gut quickly, and it has not hung around in the lower bowel long enough to turn yellow. This happens from time to time with all babies, and with some babies it happens all the time. Why sometimes the gut hurries along more quickly is probably to do with the immaturity of the gut, which has yet to develop predictable practices :)

Sometimes, babies, children and adults too, get green poo as a symptom of diarrhoea, because the gut has worked quickly to get rid of whatever bug is causing the illness.

But for most babies, green poo is not diarrhoea.

Hope you had a more settled night, Notta. If co-sleeping is difficult for you, you could think about a sidecar crib.

Thanks tiktok, you are incredibly patient! I worry a bit as I feel somewhat lacking in knowledge of baby care. I'm astounded that just anyone can have one and be just left to their own devices!