10 day old BF baby weeing, but not pooing - what to do?

[dotty2]

DD2 has quite copious wet nappies, but hasn't had a poo for more than 24 hrs. Previously she had plenty of poos, but they were all greenish and explosive - no mustardy poos. I know this isn't normal - but what to do? I had a big blood loss with a retained placenta and am quite severely anaemic (Hb is 8, down from my normal 15). I know anaemia can affect the quality of milk, leading to less hindmilk. I am feeding on demand - at least every 2 hrs, often more. Can I wait a few days and see if it improves? Her weight is still quite respectable - about 7% below birthweight.

[magnolia1]

Stop worrying, poo's vary lots in b/f babies and 24 hrs is not long to go between poo's in fact babies vary and some wioll go daily, others will go weekly. All normal Wet nappies is great and you being anemic is not nice for you but your milk will be fine for baby. Iron levels sound pretty low are you on Iron tablets?

[magnolia1]

Just wanted to add, when ds1 was born my iron levels were down to 5.5 I refused a blood trnsfusion, got spatone from the chemists and ate lots of green veg and red meat. My iron levels are now up to 9 so although not great they are increasing. Ds1 is 8 months and feeding well

[belgo]

magnolia - a hb of 9 eight months after the birth is low.

Dotty- I can sympathise - I also had a hb of 8 after giving birth, and I felt awful. I could barely walk. It didn't effect my breastmilk.

Congratulations on the birth! and I wouldn't worry too much about the poo at the moment.

But make sure you get plenty of rest for your own wellbeing.

[magnolia1]

I know Belgo, it's coming up slowly without the need for nasty iron tablets which just make me constipated which is why I buy spatone

[belgo]

iron tablets can cause constipation, but they didn't with me. I took two a day for a month with no problems. I took it with vitamin C - orange juice for example - to help the absorption of the iron.

[belgo]

magnolia - are you not exhausted with an Hb that low?

my Hb was back to normal within a couple of months with iron tablets. I couldn't have coped otherwise.

[Lorayn]

I breastfed DS and he didn't poo for ages!! I was quite shocked tbh, but there is less for them to digest than FF babies, Its perfectly natural.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

After the first few horrid green poos, ds1 used to go 5 or 6 days, ds2 pooed umpteen times a day. My friends dd went anything up to 10 days!
My hb was 8 after ds1, I could hardly stand up, I had iron tablets for a while to get a good boost initially, but ate lots of iron rich food as a longer term thing.

[magnolia1]

Yes am exhausted but thats with 5 kids too It is coming up though

[terramum]

Dotty - what help has your mw been - has she suggested anything?

[hunkermunker]

The wet nappies are good.

The no sign of mustardy poo ones isn't necessarily bad, but it does need an eye kept on it.

Older bfed babies don't poo as regularly, but in babies under two weeks, where there's been no yellow poo - there might be something with your feeding that needs fixing.

She's probably fine. But might be worth talking over with a BFC - numbers of helplines on my profile.

[KindMum]

AS far as I know, lack of poos is a sign that the baby is not getting enough hind milk, ie the fatty calorific bit essential to growth. So I would contact a BFS or your GP to check all is well. Is the weight you mention respectable at 10 days old? Good luck, I´m sure any problem can be resolved.

[MarsLady]

dotty

this may help It's about Breast compression.

[dotty2]

Thanks very much for those suggestions - will give breast compression a go. Have been waiting for someone to call back from NCT helpline, but will maybe try one of the others tomorrow.

My MW is v supportive but when I last saw her, all seemed reasonably OK. She's away now and saw a diff MW today who said it was prob the heat. Not sure I believe her - surely heat should lead to less wee, not less poo?

[Place]

Can I just ask where you got this from? "I know anaemia can affect the quality of milk, leading to less hindmilk." AFAIK the only thing it might affect is iron levels if mother is frankly deficient but babes are born with an iron store. A heavy blood loss can sometimes lead to the pituitary gland shutting down or going on a 'go slow' which ;might' affect the qualn?tity of the milk, but once placental products are sorted and loads of breastfeeding/expressing is happening the prolactin is generally given a kick start to get the milk going.

Do phone one of the helplines...the ABM has a new number 08444 122 949

[mears]

I don't think you have anything to worry about at this stage. You will probably find your DD2 will have a poo up her back tomorrow. Sounds as though your feeding is OK. Just keep an eye on things.

[dotty2]

Place - from several different midwives, and it seemed to be confirmed by a quick Google search. But it may be one of those commonly rehearsed pieces of breastfeeding misinformation? Thanks for your comments. Still struggling. DD won't settle at all between feeds and had almost completely sleepless night. But we'll persevere.

[belgo]

good luck Dotty - it's very hard at this stage I remember - absolutely exhausting. Look after yourself - maybe google foods that are high in iron for you to eat?

Has she pooed today?

[terramum]

Dotty I came across this article on the LLLI website whilst looking for something else & thought it might be useful for you. It's aimed at BFCs themselves, but still relevant for you I think:

www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVDec97Jan98p123.html