Discouraged after gastro spec. visit

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

my second baby hardly ever pooped. Like 2 weeks between poops.

Don't stress too much about the weight gain. The scales are reall different. If you feel like tracking weight, take baby to her regular doctor and weigh her on a scale, naked, then return a few days or a week later and se the same scale. IBCLCs and midwives may also allow you to use scales like this too.

Don't get discouraged!

[@llli*mommal]

Her poop, when she does poop is yellow in color and has those white seedy things in it. Although I have noticed that her poop is kinda stringy stretchy (i know a little too explicit).

That sounds like totally normal breastfed baby poop.

Wait she does get this red bumps on her face and neck and shoulders lately but I think that may be a heat rash? They go away and dont stay long.

That sounds like normal infant acne or heat rash, not eczema.

Based on what you're describing, it just doesn't sound like an allergy. Sometimes I think docs reach for the allergy explanation when they're a bit stumped by the symptoms they have.

Did anyone suggest Hirchsprung's? A baby who has trouble pooping from birth always makes me think of this possibility. Did baby pass her meconium in a normal amount of time?

[@llli*Mcnada.cal]

Thought I would up date yall. After the advice and recommended websites, I think I figured out the problem. I believe I may have an overactive let down. It describes everything she is going through. It all made since. I never thought that if the milk was squirting out when using a manual breast pump that she would be getting a stronger squirt when she was at the breast since babies suction is stronger than any pump. So since reading this information, I have been pumping a little before feeding her and letting her feed off the same breast for at least 2-3 feedings, also I've changed her feeding positions. In the last two days since doing this routine, she has not spit up and has not been screaming in pain because of gas. She has been eating and sleeping alot. I'm just concerned that i might start producing more milk from pumping some. Would this be problematic? I'm so happy that she is feeling better but concerned about pumping.

[@llli*mommal]

The problem with block feeding (i.e. using just one breast for one or more feedings in a row) is that it can reduce supply. This is desirable when a mom has oversupply, but since your baby has been relatively slow to gain weight I'm not convinced that oversupply is likely to be a problem for you. Usually when a mom has OALD, it stems from oversupply and because of that, babies whose moms have OS/OALD usually gain weight very quickly.

I don't think I would pursue the block feeding strategy without being 100% positive that fast letdowns AND oversupply are both a problem for you- it is quite possible to have fast letdowns and normal supply.

[@llli*Mcnada.cal]

I dont think i have oversupply either, just a fast let down. From what I read, it said that with fast let down the baby can get to much foremilk and not enough hindmilk and that could lead to slow weight gain. Everything is just so confusing. Now to add more on top of all that is going on with her now, her poop was a dark orange at 4am this morning, and she just took another poop that was dark green with alot of mucus. It looked crazy!!! I called and talked to a nurse at the pediatricians office and she said that is kinda normal. That it could be something im eating and to keep an eye on her tonite and if i need to come in tomorrow call them. But I havent eaten anything different, so i dont know what could change her poop from yellow to orange to green with alot of mucous. My poor baby, i didnt know breastfeeding was so exhausting for both of us.

[@llli*phi]

If the problem is overactive letdown, then nursing in a reclined position, very frequently should help. The more often your baby nurses, the better off she will be. I has milk that sprayed like a fire hose (and a severe oversupply), but my baby nursed every 1-2 hours and rarely had green poops. I would also lean back on a few pillows, put my baby on my stomach or chest, and let him latch. That is what ultimately saved out nursing relationship. The reclined position can take a lot of tweaking (recline a little more, a little less, try different placements of your baby), but works wonders for overactive letdown once you find something that works. I did only nurse on one breast per feeding, but I switched breasts for each feeding (i.e. right for 1st feeding, left for 2nd, right for 3rd, etc.). If your supply seems otherwise normal, I would not go beyond that as far as block feeding. And stop pumping altogether if it is possible. Pumping does nothing but worsen overactive letdown issues.

[@llli*rakoonz]

Perhaps you could try nursing laid-back, which would help slow the letdown without altering supply. http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...astfeeding.pdf

[@llli*Mcnada.cal]

Shes always nursed in a reclined position during night feedings, cause she sleeps on my chest. When i read about overactive letdown about 2 days ago i started the reclined nursing. Im just a little freaked out about her poop changing colors today. Yesterday she did great with no cramping and only fussing a little. But today with the orange, than green poop she has been so fussy. Could it be that I am messing up her fore/hind milk balance by pumping and letting her nurse? Could that change her poop color and make her fussy? It just seem to coincide with each other.

[@llli*phi]

Pumping generally makes OALD/OS much worse. Stop pumping. How frequently does your baby nurse? Very frequent nursing in addition to the laid position helps a lot. If you need to block feed, keep blocks small - one breast for only one or two feedings in a row.

[@llli*phi]

Also, are you working on the gas throughout the day? I had to give a tummy massage then bicycle my son's legs between every single feeding. Then he needed a warm bath followed by more leg bicycling every evening while we were in the thick of it.