# Green poop.



## blueridgewoman (Nov 19, 2001)

I know that consistently green poop can be a sign of a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, but what about occasional green poop? DD has maybe one of these a day usually- not consistently, but that's about what it averages to. I don't think its at one particular time during the day or anything.

No mucous or anything and she's totally fine, but I'm a little concerned just because she has trouble gaining weight and I want to make sure she's getting a lot of hindmilk.


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## merry-mary (Aug 9, 2007)

One a day would still raise a red flag for me, especially given her weight issues.

Do you do block feeding (i.e., feed her on one breast for as long as possible so she gets as much hindmilk as possible)?


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## BeckiB (Dec 30, 2006)

I don't know about one a day. When my LO had green poop, I started feeding her a few times off the same breast (left, left, left, right, right..etc...). It fixed it. She hasn't had weight gain issues, but she's also not a 'fat' baby, if that makes any sense...


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## blueridgewoman (Nov 19, 2001)

Actually, I only feed her from one breast. The other was really damaged by mastitis and I kept getting terrible infections, so I weaned off it as a last resort. So I don't really know what to do.


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## princessgrace (Jan 8, 2008)

It might be something you're eating - especially if its only occasionally. Maybe write down when it occurs and see if you can trace it


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## Meems (Jan 8, 2007)

I can't speak for the weight issues, my DD never had any, but she had green poops plenty of times, and most often it was something I ate. I worried about it a lot but then talked to some other moms, who assured me it wasn't a big deal.

BTW, I did begin feeding from one side each session... didn't seem to make a difference so I think it was my diet.


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## delphiniumpansy (Mar 1, 2007)

What about connecting it to what you are eating?


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## Carlyle (Mar 31, 2007)

My dd had green poop like you're saying (a little more frequently), and block feeding didn't work for us (I just started not having enough milk that way--she got really really fussy). What DID work for us, was going on a lactation tea that has fenugreek and blessed thistle (and red raspberry leaf, nettle leaf, fennel seed, chamomile flower, oat top, and alfalfa leaf). I think these herbs might help you--fenugreek can help increase your supply and blessed thistle can help you make fattier milk. I got my tea from "Western Botanicals," and the VERY DAY that I started drinking it, her poops changed back to all yellow all the time. Good luck!

ETA: it seems to me like green poops are much more likely a result of your baby not getting quite enough hindmilk than to be a reaction to something you are eating--especially if she's having trouble gaining weight. The only diet things that I can think of that might help making fattier milk is to eat more healthy fats (good eggs, avocado, coconut milk, etc), and maybe eat oatmeal to help you increase supply if that's an issue.


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## blueridgewoman (Nov 19, 2001)

Ah okay, maybe I'll keep a food log.

Actually, Carlyle, I'm one of the rare people who has a sensitivity to nursing teas. I was taking fenugreek and nursing tea and ended up with a bad case of mastitis and had to be hospitalized. No more of that for me!









Ah- the good fat thing rings true for me. I'm trying to lose a little weight, and I guess that I'm having trouble finding a good balance. Off to eat a few Omega 3 eggs.


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## hollytheteacher (Mar 10, 2007)

if she is having trouble gaining and has green poop, it could be a food sensitivity from your diet. For us it is dairy.


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## Meems (Jan 8, 2007)

http://www.drjaygordon.com/developme...ricks/poop.asp

this is the link i checked out a lot.

again, w/ the weight gain issues, it may be the imbalance of foremilk/ hindmilk... but I thought this was helpful.


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## Carlyle (Mar 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *blueridgewoman* 
Actually, Carlyle, I'm one of the rare people who has a sensitivity to nursing teas. I was taking fenugreek and nursing tea and ended up with a bad case of mastitis and had to be hospitalized. No more of that for me!









That's a bummer! Wow, I've never heard of that before, but sounds pretty awful! I'm pretty sure that blessed thistle is the herb that helps make your milk fattier (I'm SO not an expert though), and if you wanted to try it you might be able to find some kind of tincture instead of tea. But you might have the same reaction, who knows? So it might be safer to stay away (or at least talk to someone who knows more than me!!!).

Good luck--I do hope that eating good fat helps you out. For a while there, I was also eating 2 eggs for breakfast every day to help make my milk fattier. Maybe that was part of what made the difference too, so hopefully it will help you! I am still a bit heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight...I think that my body realizes that it needs to keep some more fat on in order to make my milk fattier enough. *sigh* Oh well. Good luck finding a good balance


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## blueridgewoman (Nov 19, 2001)

I'm eating organic peanut butter with chocolate chips at the moment.









I just took 2g of fish oil though, so at least the fat is balanced.


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## blueridgewoman (Nov 19, 2001)

Meems, that site is interesting because he distinguishes between bright green curdy stool and green frothy stool. DD's stool is the former- bright green and curdy, and looks just like her other stool except for the color. Does that mean it's normal since it's not frothy?


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## Frenchie2 (Sep 27, 2007)

I am bumping this because I have the same issue. With DS#1 he had green stools and it ended up being a dairy allergy. DS#2 also has green stools but doesnt seem to have the extreme tummy problems as his big bro and dairy doesnt seem to affect him one way or the other. I read through that Dr Jay article and it seems that regular green poop isnt a huge concern. I know I have oversupply with this baby and I am block feeding, but I still have some yellow, some green and some days are more green than yellow. Since both my babes have green poop, I do not know what is normal and what is worrisome - does anyone else have this issue?


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## miasmommy07 (Jan 4, 2008)

I had the same issue with dd up until 3 1/2 months.
it took weeks for me to figure out how to stop the green poops. I have an oversupply, fore/hindmilk imbalance issue and dd never nursed for a long time... she's a snacker so i tried block feeding. Left side for 3 hrs then switch but dd still had green poop. I just continued increasing the time until the green stopped. Now I nurse about 6hrs per side or until I feel really empty. No more green poop and I don't feel engorged anymore either. I think it takes a little while before your boobs or boob get balanced (as far as the foremilk/hindmilk) when block feeding. Also my ped reassured me that a green poop occassionaly is ok as long as there is no rash or fever.


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