What's going on?

[handlemecarefully]

My 12 week old ds is getting a lot of green poos during the last week. I don't think its the 'too much foremilk" thing as I have not changed the way I feed him and he hasn't experienced regular green poos up until now (they have always been a lovely cornflower yellow).

He has also increased the number of feeds he takes, and is now regularly feeding at less than 2 hour intervals. Sometimes he seems frustrated with his feed and makes grumpy noises whilst he thrashes around.

So of course I've got it into my head that my milk supply is inadequate....

If it was down to a growth spurt it wouldn't last a week would it?

Is he on vitamins with iron? Dr. put my breastfed son on those and said the iron in it might change his poos from yellow to green. It didn't happen to him, but was a possibility.

Green poos mean zero in a baby who is otherwise healthy and thriving.

No evidence at all from your post that bf is inadequate....appetite spurts can last several weeks!! Just go with the flow

Don't fret - my dd's poos changed colour weekly until she started on solids - and now of course it depends what I feed her (lovely carrot orange today....yum).
They'll probably go back to dark yellow next week.

My Dd's (15wk) poos are all over the place too (metaphorically speaking!).

Last one was mainly yellow and soft, but with a streak of khaki pasty with darker green specks... whoa!!!

Tiktok - does your comment only apply to bfed babies? We're mixed feeding (I'm attributing the randomness/technicolour-ness to this). Why does too much foremilk make the poos green? I'm assuming/hoping it's nothing to worry about as they vary so much and she is happy.

We have the 'Hayes manual' baby book whick has a page with poo photos. Their 'green poo' is the colour of mushy peas - think they said it could mean colic.

My comment was a bit flippant, really....I don't think it's always helpful to talk of appetite and growth spurts as something you can necessarily spot the beginnings and endings of. Babies' needs change as they grow and develop, and of course this can happen with babies whatever feeding regime they are on. It can be gradual or sudden.

The green poo thing can mean the milk has travelled through the digestive system more quickly and hasn't had time to change to yellow. Fattier milk stays in the gut a bit longer and thus turns to yellow. Quicker digestion therefore can mean less fat in the milk - but it doesn't matter, and the baby sorts it out, by getting a higher volume of milk, so he gets the fat/calories he needs this way. If it's associated with a miserable, whingy baby who is failing to thrive, then maybe the baby isn't feeding effectively enough. If it's happening with a baby who is just fine in behaviour and weight, then it just doesn't matter.

It's not helpful to talk about 'too much' foremilk or 'not enough' hindmilk, as if there is a perfect balance. The baby sorts it out

Yes, technicolour poos prob do reflect what's going in at the top end. The khaki will be the formula, I expect - formula fed babies often have khaki poos all the time, but they can also have green poos, too. It doesn't matter if the baby is fine!

Colinsmommy,

No he is not on vitamins with iron, but I have been taking iron supplements recently so perhaps that is it....

Tiktok,

Your answer was informative and reassuring. He seems to be doing okay. He gained 14oz over the last 21 days which isn't quite a textbook 1oz per day, but its not bad either is it....