pasty poop help!

[@llli*janelle525]

Hello! DS2 is 7.5 wks EBF and from about 3.5 wks he's had trouble pooping and now its at the stage where its of mustard consistency, (picture attached), I do not think this is normal no matter how many people say breastfeed babies can go up to 10 days without pooping! This last one he went at least 5 days. Its obvious that it was just sitting in his colon. Although I will say that my first EBF son always had the yellow seedy no matter how long he went in b/w and never had stinky farts like this he was aso better able to cope with my oversupply, I think I make even more this time around! Plus The older one still nurses multiple times a day.

I have suspected milk supply issues so about week ago I started nursing the newborn and 3.5 yr old on separate sides. This has helped with oversupply, but he still spits up a lot, and gags on my milk, even if I'm laying down. I can also tell this causes reflux (cries a lot) and I haven't noticed improvements from my diet, but will be trying eliminating my daily can of coke which I suspect he may be sensitive to caffeine. He has plenty of wet diapers and is gaining well.

How do I adjust my milk supply if I'm already nursing on one side? Does anyone have experience tandeming on separate sides? I'm sorry my question is multi-faceted and could be posted in multiple forums.

[@llli*marinaew]

hi, mama. jmo, but this poop looks fairly normal to me for a baby who is ebf. how often is he pooping? does he seem to be uncomfortable/in pain or grunt like he is trying to poop, but constipated?

also, there is a forum here dedicated to poop issues only. you might try searching that forum, or giving it a look, too: http://forums.llli.org/forumdisplay....ination-Issues

[@llli*janelle525]

I think I should rephrase the advice I'm looking for, I personally do not think pasty poop is normal at this age even if a lot of babies experience it. I did read an article on this site about there being a problem with oversupply and once that was under control they started pooping normal -yellow seedy. I'm just not sure how to do that, since I'm already only feeding him on one side, I wouldn't be able to do block feeding. I will rephrase my original post.

[@llli*mommal]

Mama, that looks like totally normal breastfed baby poop to me. If you don't believe me or the PP- and why should you, this is the internet!- take a diaper in to your pediatrician.

[@llli*maddieb]

Is your baby on reflux meds? I wonder if that would change poop consistency.

I am a bit confused about what you are expecting, poop wise. Yes, A breastfed baby who is pooping frequently- daily, at least-will have loose, wet, seedy, mustardy looking poops as a typical standard (there is lots of normal variation.) But a baby who is having poops that are symptomatic of oversupply or forceful let down would typically have poops that are more wet, more frequent, more explosive and possibly, green and frothy.

After about 6 weeks of age, it is considered by lactation experts (which i am not) normal for a breastfed baby to poop less frequently-even as little as once a week or less- (some do, some don't go to such a pattern) and when it is less frequent it has been sitting inside baby for a time and thus could be thicker and a little bit dryer-and bigger, usually. If baby is straining to poop, and poops are dry, that is constipation and not normal for a breatfed baby. And of course it would indicate a problem if baby was not gaining enough.

I have suspected milk supply issues so about week ago I started nursing the newborn and 3.5 yr old on separate sides. This has helped with oversupply, but he still spits up a lot, and gags on my milk, even if I'm laying down. I can also tell this causes reflux (cries a lot) and I haven't noticed improvements from my diet, but will be trying eliminating my daily can of coke which I suspect he may be sensitive to caffeine. He has plenty of wet diapers and is gaining well.

How do I adjust my milk supply if I'm already nursing on one side? Does anyone have experience tandeming on separate sides? I'm sorry my question is multi-faceted and could be posted in multiple forums.

Have you tried techniques for dealing with forceful letdown, rather than oversupply? They are related but not the same thing, and the 'symptoms" you describe could be an issue caused by forceful letdown-and thus, just dealing with the forceful letdowm could alleviate this-

but he still spits up a lot, and gags on my milk, even if I'm laying down.

I tandem nursed a three yo and a baby but i did not give them thier own sides. I also had oversupply, and baby was diagnosed with reflux (i decided it was principally an oversupply/ffld issue. here is what worked for me- 1-I nursed baby in a more upright position-i was laid back, reclined on the couch, and baby more or less straight up and down with head over tummy and feet between my legs or angled to the side.
2-I held baby upright after nursing, for a long time. I wore him in a sling most of the time.
3) at night, i nursed side lying but then lifted baby and kind of draped him over my side so he was again head above tummy to burp him and just give time for the milk to go down. I am doing the same thing with my new baby.
4-Since my baby was gaining well, i let my older child nurse first sometimes, or nursed them at the same time and swiched sides part way through, so he got more of the fast flow and baby could hang out and nurse more relaxed with the slower flow.

I kept lots of burp cloths handy. And changes of clothes for me and babies. All my kids spit up a ton and are all the picture of health.

According to two studies, usually a mom would have to be drinking more than the equivalent of 5 5oz. cups of coffee a day for caffeine to be an issue in for baby via breastmilk. But caffeine is found in lots of things and there is a substance in chocolate that is similar.

article on forceful letdown http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supp.../fast-letdown/

[@llli*janelle525]

Is your baby on reflux meds? I wonder if that would change poop consistency.

I am a bit confused about what you are expecting, poop wise. Yes, A breastfed baby who is pooping frequently- daily, at least-will have loose, wet, seedy, mustardy looking poops as a typical standard (there is lots of normal variation.) But a baby who is having poops that are symptomatic of oversupply or forceful let down would typically have poops that are more wet, more frequent, more explosive and possibly, green and frothy.

After about 6 weeks of age, it is considered by lactation experts (which i am not) normal for a breastfed baby to poop less frequently-even as little as once a week or less- (some do, some don't go to such a pattern) and when it is less frequent it has been sitting inside baby for a time and thus could be thicker and a little bit dryer-and bigger, usually. If baby is straining to poop, and poops are dry, that is constipation and not normal for a breatfed baby. And of course it would indicate a problem if baby was not gaining enough.



Have you tried techniques for dealing with forceful letdown, rather than oversupply? They are related but not the same thing, and the 'symptoms" you describe could be an issue caused by forceful letdown-and thus, just dealing with the forceful letdowm could alleviate this-

I tandem nursed a three yo and a baby but i did not give them thier own sides. I also had oversupply, and baby was diagnosed with reflux (i decided it was principally an oversupply/ffld issue. here is what worked for me- 1-I nursed baby in a more upright position-i was laid back, reclined on the couch, and baby more or less straight up and down with head over tummy and feet between my legs or angled to the side.
2-I held baby upright after nursing, for a long time. I wore him in a sling most of the time.
3) at night, i nursed side lying but then lifted baby and kind of draped him over my side so he was again head above tummy to burp him and just give time for the milk to go down. I am doing the same thing with my new baby.
4-Since my baby was gaining well, i let my older child nurse first sometimes, or nursed them at the same time and swiched sides part way through, so he got more of the fast flow and baby could hang out and nurse more relaxed with the slower flow.

I kept lots of burp cloths handy. And changes of clothes for me and babies. All my kids spit up a ton and are all the picture of health.

According to two studies, usually a mom would have to be drinking more than the equivalent of 5 5oz. cups of coffee a day for caffeine to be an issue in for baby via breastmilk. But caffeine is found in lots of things and there is a substance in chocolate that is similar.

article on forceful letdown http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supp.../fast-letdown/

No he is not on any meds, I guess I just really feel that poop shouldn't just be sitting in there, and something is not stimulating him to go more frequently, but I am willing to except that it may not change no matter what I try to do. I have been trying to rule out food sensitivities but haven't been able to pin point anything, some days he doesn't spit up AT ALL, and others its like vomit, but food elimination doesn't seem to make a difference. I hate seeing my milk come back up I may try to unlatch on letdown consistently and see if it gets better with that. And nurse while reclined or side lying, and maybe try propping him up at night so that he sleep better ( he is already napping on me during the day). Thanks for your suggestions