at least 6/7 dirty nappies a day. Normal or not?

[daisietaylor]

Please help, I feel like such a bad mum.

My DS is 10 months old and has just started nursery. After a discussion with one of the staff she told me she had changed 7 dirty nappies that day and suggested maybe he was ill - I told her no, he has always been like that since we introduced solid food. She kindly pointed out that since he was now eating mainly with his finger foods and not much pureed food that 7 dirty nappies might not be normal.

I had never considered that there might be something wrong with him since he was always like this.

Now I am wondering if this is linked with his nightwaking (I usually change him at least once a night) as prior to eating solids he slept through every night. The day I introduced him to baby rice was the first broken nights sleep we had, and we haven't had a full night since then.

Yesterday I changed 12 dirty nappies and his nappy rash is now so bad it is bleeding. He has nappy rash on and off for the last 4 months but no sign of any teeth.

I change him as soon as I smell him, but over the last few months have come to check him every half hour or so just in case.

I suppose I'm asking should I be taking him to the GP? Or will they just tell me 'every child is different'?

Advice please - I feel like such an idiot

You're not an idiot at all. You can't be expected to know this stuff by some amazing psychic genius. None of us do.

7 dirty nappies a day does sound a lot. What are you feeding him? I'd take him to the GP for a check.

The nappy rash sounds bad too. I'm just battling that as well and MN came up with the answer for me....use Tesco Zinc and petroleum jelly cream rather than Sudacreme, and bath my ds morning and night with half a cup of salt in the bath water. It's cleared it up completely in a week. Huge relief.

In no way a medical opinion here but my ds2 also used to do lots of very stinky poos in a day so I drastically reduced his wheat intake (mainly by switching to gluten-and-wheat-free bread and pasta) and it made a massive difference. He was much older though (17months). Like I say - non-medical, worth speaking to your GP (though mine just said 'so long as he's gaining weight its fine' 't worry

Really don't worry and don't feel like an idiot. BTW I find Metanium great for nappy rash. Good luck.

Sorry - stray "'t worry" there!

Until I figured out that my ds had developed a cows' milk intolerence, he was doing 4 or 5 iffy nappies a day.

Does your ds do this every day? Do you think it is worth keeping a food diary to see if you can see a pattern?

Thanks for your responses...

I am just so sick of having crappy nappies day in day out - the laundry I am doing is ridiculous (they usually leak all over his clothes - and end up on mine) and I find I'm getting cross with him for wiggling off the change mat because I cant get him clean with bloody cotton wool fast enough for him...

Anyway sorry for the whine.

I took him to the GP who did actually say "as long as he is putting on weight he is fine" as Bluecar said!

However - he did prescribe me some steroid cream as he said it was a very nasty case of nappy rash. Also suggested I try cutting out dairy for a week...my god what do i feed him? He easts so much cheese and yoghurt.. anyway I will try that.

I have to take in a stool sample to check for anything else too.

He also said it could be normal for him, I just dont know if I can stand the thought of this for the next year...

But thanks again for your advice

Mine (age 12 months) was doing at least 5 a day with 7 some days until quite recently

Sometimes he had really bad nappy rash and sometimes they were stinky - the nappy rash seemed to be related to teething and was cured with Metanium cream

But in the last month (ie when he was 11 months) or so they've started decreasing in frequency/becoming more solid etc

So yours and mine might just be poo-bum outliers!!

DD2 was a bit like this as a baby - up to six changes was the norm, always really messy and sloppy. I never really thought much about it, I just got on with it.

She's nearly three now and we potty trained her last year and that sorted her out a treat tbh. She does a far more normal one a day, or sometimes one every two days.

This sounds exactly like my son, I tried a gluten free diet of my own back, it worked to a certain extent but ultimately we came off it as there was obviously another problem. At that point I insisted on a referral to a paediatrician (DS was putting on weight fine but had lots of colds, ear infections, etc). After testing we did a month's lactose free trial and had our first formed poo ever! He is now on a 2 months cows milk protein free diet as there were residual symptoms still on the lactose free diet. I have noticed a major improvement in health, energy, lack of irritability etc. DS is now 2.9 and I wish I had followed it up earlier. DS has also slept through the night, the first time since he started solid food!

I would really advise pushing for a referral to a paediatrician and then a dietician. DS has to have calcium supplements now and while I went gluten free without dietician support I think that calcium intake is important for children and needs overseeing.

Good luck

MrsBaldwin - I'm using the metanium and tbh it usually clears it up fine, but not so this time. He only has the two teeth so far - we have been having these horrid nappy rashes for about 3 months but no more teeth since teh first two popped out on the same day at 7months-ish. I really hope it is teething related at least then there will be an end to it!

HairyMaclary - its great that a change in diet has had such a huge impact on your little one. I hope if a lactose intolerance is the cause we see the same improvements! The GP was brilliant and has already mentioned a referal if we need one so I'm reassured by that given what you say about needing to be overseen.

Thanks everyone for your responses, I'm feeling much more positive now. It's hard to think your baby is normal when all the other mums I know are tutting and shaking their heads as you trudge off to the baby change room every hour or so. Good to know my DS is not a freak

daisie - just quickly, I wanted to tell you that when I cut out dairy with my ds, it took longer than a week for his poo to go back to normal. 9 or 10 days I think.

Also, has anyone mentioned toddler diarrhoea? Have a google for it, although your ds might be a bit young for it

Thanks - I will give it a couple or three weeks then. When you say normal, should I expect solid at this stage? His dirty nappies are usually (and have always been since starting solids) a wide range of colours, very loose and usually leaky, with quite a bit of undigested veg... does this sound right for a 10 month old? He is eating mainly mashed and chopped food at the moment. Sorry if it is TMI!