HELP for a first time mom...Newborn is pooping alot and its green, is this normal?

Question

Hi, I have a precious three week old little boy. Due to a serious infection and hospitalization after my c section I had to stop breastfeeding so he is now on Nestle Good Start Supreme...he seems to be very happy on it but his p**p is green and he has about 5 dirty (p**p) diapers a day which seems like alot for a formula fed baby(so Ive been told) Is this normal for him to go that much if he is otherwise doing good and having wet diapers and not fussy? And whats up with the green p**p? HELP! Im a first time mom freaking out about her babies p**p! lol Thaks for any advice!

Answer 1

Diaper watching is very common, try not to be too alarmed.

You have to remember that his digestive system is only three weeks old too.  It's still trying to figure things out and if he's pooping frequently, it's better than thinking he can't p**p at all!

The green is probably just his system figuring out what to do with formula.  Yellow seedy p**p is also a common sight.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I was told it is normal for a bottle fed babies poo to change from yellow to green. If it is frothy I would get him checked. I would take him to your doctor just to get him checked out just in case.

Good Luck hun, and well done for even wanting to breastfeed!

Answer 3

Baby poo turns all different colors. It has to do with the food it eats and the age and if it's sick. You're little baby doesn't sound sick. If he's eating good, has a good amount of wet diapers, and isn't fussy, then everything is fine. He'll let you know if he doesn't feel well.

Congrats on your baby! Time flies by. So make everyday count! The past 6 months with my daughter have flown by oh so quickly..

Answer 4

I've heard that happens with new borns and for the life of me I cannot recall why.  I would still drop a line to your doctor just to double check

Answer 5

Yes that is normal for newborn p**p to be green and sometimes yellowish color.  You should get a book called "What to expect the first year"  Love this book to death.  It tells you everything you want and need to know month by month. Congrats

Answer 6

Don't freak out, it's normal!  The formula does it, and eventually his system will get regulated and he won't go as much.  Hang in there!

Answer 7

I just started feeding my son the exact same fornula yesterday and I have noticed hiss poo is slightly green also. I think it's just the formula. Usually green poo is a sign of infection, but if he isn't cranky and doesn't have a fever then that's probably not the problem. My son has been formula fed since he was about 10 days old (i had to quit breastfeeding due to major issues with it.....medical and personal) and he poops about 3 times a day but it has been more!

Answer 8

God yes! You'll see a lot more of it and all different colours. The only time to worry is if there's any blood or if baby is unhappy

Answer 9

ok my son is 4 months old now but when he was that young his p**p was green for the longest time i too was a nervous first time mom and asked the doctor and he said it was normal !!! so i knowit is!! now my son only pooped every other day which is normal 5 times a day is too much i would ask the doc maybe he needs a different type of formula my son is on the same thing. good start dha and ara

Answer 10

Don't worry its perfectly normal for a new baby

Answer 11

Yes, baby formula makes it green.

don't worry about it.  

there is actually a car color out there that is called baby p**p green.  so don't fret.

Answer 12

That sounds like functional lactase deficiency, basically your baby isn't making quite enough lactase to digest the lactose he is eating.  It is relatively common and not harmful.

In a formula fed baby it is most often related to overfeeding.  Make sure you aren't offering more than a reasonable amount of formula for his weight.

This is absolutely not a reason to switch to lactose-free formula in the absence of other symptoms.  Lactose free formulas have serious risks which are not well understood and should only be used when absolutely needed for congenital lactose intolerance (which would have caused failure to thrive from birth) or for babies with unavoidable food allergies that cause severe secondary lactose intolerance.

http://www.babycareadvice.com/babycare/g...

Overfeeding is a common problem for bottle fed babies because many young babies cannot control the flow of milk though an artificial nipple and/or cannot indicate when they have had enough. A baby's digestive system can become overloaded when it receives excessive amounts of milk from large volume feeds or frequent feeding patterns. The larger the volume of milk, the quicker it passes through the digestive tract. Large volumes of milk may pass through a baby's small intestine too quickly for all of the lactose to be digested.

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/l...

Lactose overload

Lactose overload can mimic lactose intolerance, and is frequently mistaken for it. An overload is commonly seen in babies consuming large amounts of breastmilk, ie in mothers with an oversupply. This may result in symptoms such as an unsettled baby with adequate to large weight gains, more than ten wet and many dirty nappies in 24 hours. Baby is usually less than three months old. Ironically, a mother may perceive that she has a low supply because her baby always seems to be hungry. The nappy count can be the biggest clue to what's happening. What comes out the bottom must have gone in the top!



There is a vicious cycle here - a large-volume, low-fat feed goes through the baby so quickly that not all the lactose is digested. (More fat would help slow it down.) The lactose reaching the lower bowel draws extra water into the bowel, and is fermented by the bacteria there producing gas and acid stools. The latter often causes a nappy rash. Gas and fluid build-up causes tummy pain and the baby 'acts hungry' (wants to suck, is unsettled, draws up his legs, screams). Sucking is the best comfort he knows, and helps move the gas along the bowel. This tends to ease the pain temporarily, and may result in the wind and stool being passed. Since the baby indicates that he wants to suck at the breast, his mother, logically, feeds him again. Sometimes it is the only way to comfort him. Unfortunately this provides another large feed on top of the other one, which hurries the system further, and results in more gas and fluid accumulation. The milk seems to almost literally 'go in one end and out the other'.



Many mothers whose babies have had this problem have found it helpful to temporarily change from an on-demand breastfeeding routine. They aim to slow the rate at which milk goes through baby, so they feed one breast per feed, or set aside say a three-hour period (adjust this according to the severity of the oversupply) and every time baby wants to feed during this period, they use the same breast. Then they use the other breast for the next three hours, etc. This way, each time baby returns to the already used breast, he gets a lower-volume, higher-fat feed that helps slow the system down. When the baby's symptoms are relieved, the mother is able to go back to a normal according-to-need breastfeeding routine.

http://www.mother-2-mother.com/cc-baby-A...

Consistently green stools in the breastfed baby can indicate:

    * an imbalance of foremilk/hindmilk, often resulting in frothy green stools.

    * a sensitivity to something in the mother's diet, such as cow's milk products.

    * a sign that baby has an illness. Babies with an intestinal virus or even a simple cold will sometimes have green, mucusy stools. Teething can also bring about green stools due to increased saliva (can also cause tummy upset)

    * a lot of green vegetables or something with green food coloring in mom's diet.

    * If baby has started solids, that could also account for the change in color (this is normal with the change in diet).