teething/drool/poop

jarob747

My little one is 18 weeks and teething and drooling like crazy! He started having green mucousy stools 3 days ago. He was pooping like once a day or once every other day and now for the past 3 days he's pooped 6 - 8 times a day. He also had his 4 month shots last Monday. And started avocados this past week, And is drooling so much. So I wasn't sure if it was residual from the shots since he had such a bad reaction this time with a fever and not feeling well and hard knots on his legs, The new food, Or a virus or bacteria.So I called the doctor, He says it's probably just from him teething and swallowing so much drool, And that it's irritating the lining of his intestines causing the green frequent mucousy stools. So now I'm just wondering is there any other moms out there who's little ones are doing the same thing?I haven't given him any food except BM since Friday Because we were gone for the weekend. I EBF except for 3 days of a little avocado last week. He still has the green stool this morning too and acts like guys belly hurts. I don't know!!! He's just not himself. 

ashleyandjody

Hmmmm sounds like an infection from a virus or bacteria to me. I've been researching teething and came across several articles that state teething does not cause diarrhea or abnormal stools, but rather a baby picked up a virus/bacteria from putting stuff in their mouth. I know my LO has mucus in her regular colored poop diapers from so much drool, but it doesn't cause her to have green poop. It might also be from the avocados if he's allergic. Does he also have a red ring/red bumps around his anus? That along with the green mucus poop could indicate an allergy. I would continue with just breast milk, and if he starts to run a fever or is irritable then call your pedi again.

Miss Lilac

Their digestive system doesn't finish developing until six months so it stands to reason that the avocado may well have irritated his stomach. That's why most recommendations are not to start solids until then. Everything he needs right now is in your breastmilk. 

Whatever it was though, it will take some time to heal the irritation so results won't be immediate. I'd give it a week if he seems to be nursing and peeing proper amounts. You could always try an infant probiotic too.

jarob747

I wanted to wait until 6 months and actually think I'm going to before I continue any more Foods. Our pediatrician said he would recommend to go ahead and start since he was only 12 pounds. I'm going to wait. I've been doing the probiotic since yesterday. I thought it sounded like a bacteria or infection also.There is no red ring or bumps around his anus or bumps anywhere else around his body. So maybe it's just the immature digestive tract

VitaLuna

Miss Lilac said:

Their digestive system doesn't finish developing until six months so it stands to reason that the avocado may well have irritated his stomach. That's why most recommendations are not to start solids until then. Everything he needs right now is in your breastmilk. 

Whatever it was though, it will take some time to heal the irritation so results won't be immediate. I'd give it a week if he seems to be nursing and peeing proper amounts. You could always try an infant probiotic too.

This. I'd stop the solids, because even if that's not it, his GI tract is clearly a little sensitive and it's unnecessary. I don't think the green/mucous is just from the drool (although my DD1 did get a diaper rash with every new tooth). Did you eat anything new recently that he might be sensitive to?

If your LO has stayed around the same in percentiles (i.e. not rapidly dropping percentiles), there's no reason to be concerned with his weight or to feel like your BM (or formula) isn't enough. Some babies are just smaller and that's ok. DD1 was 10lb 7oz at 4 months. She stayed right around the same percentiles until she was over 2, when she started moving up a little. 

ETA: have his nursing habits changed recently? Too much foremilk can cause irritation and green/mucousy stools. 

jarob747

Yes since his Shots last Monday he has not been eating very long so perhaps too much foremilk. He was in the 3rd %ile at 2 months then at 4 mo he dropped off the chart. He always seems satisfied with plenty of wet diapers. I really wanted to wait till 6 mi and I will now. I guess those 3 days of avocados upset his system. I haven't changed my diet really, but my broccoli is ready from my garden so I've been eating it just about every day for the past week too. 

Miss Lilac

My guy had a bit of what you're describing when I had an oversupply. Chalked it up to too much foremilk and fixed it with block feeding. Basically I nursed 2-3 feeds in a row from one breast only. If the other got engorged I'd hand express a little to relieve it. After a few days it seemed to regulate and his poops went back to normal shortly after that. If he's nursing less than usual even a milder version of that, say one breast every 1-2 feeds, might help him get more hindmilk. 

jarob747

Should I do this even if I don't have an oversupply? I barely pump enough at work and sometimes don't to keep up with his bottle feedings while I'm gone. In the milk I pump there is only like a1/4-1/8 " of cream and the rest is foremilk in a 3-5 oz pumped bottle. 
He's only nursing for a few minutes each time, I really don't think it's long enough for him to be getting to the hindmilk. I'll try block feeding, but don't want my supply to drop. He hasn't had anything but BM since Friday now. How long do you think this will last? He's just fussy and I can tell he just don't feel like himself.

ashleyandjody

It's going to take a good week or a little more for you to see results. Is the poop a dark green with mucus or a bright frothy green? I only ask because my LO developed an allergy to the protein in cow's milk and we could tell because of her dark green mucousy stool (and a little blood). I had to change my diet, and it took about 9 days to see results. Usually if it's a foremilk/hindmilk issue, the poop is bright green (like the color of a kiwi) as opposed to a hunter green.

ETA not trying to discount anyone's suggestions, just trying to help you resolve what's wrong with your LO

jprior85

My little guy is EBF (no solids yet) and had his 4 month vaccinations at 18 weeks last Thursday, which is when he also received his second oral dose for rotavirus. This has caused frequent green poop and the same thing happened when he received the first dose at 2 months. Just today his poop is almost back to normal, only once today, and just barely green. 

Just thought your little guy could be going through the same thing. 

VitaLuna

jarob747 said:

Should I do this even if I don't have an oversupply? I barely pump enough at work and sometimes don't to keep up with his bottle feedings while I'm gone. In the milk I pump there is only like a1/4-1/8 " of cream and the rest is foremilk in a 3-5 oz pumped bottle. 
He's only nursing for a few minutes each time, I really don't think it's long enough for him to be getting to the hindmilk. I'll try block feeding, but don't want my supply to drop. He hasn't had anything but BM since Friday now. How long do you think this will last? He's just fussy and I can tell he just don't feel like himself.

I wouldn't necessarily do true block feeding, but maybe feed on the same side for a 2-3hr stretch (for example: if he eats on the left and wants to nurse again an hour later, feed him again on the left side, then switch to the right the next feed after that). 

I don't know how long you leave your milk in the fridge before using or freezing if, but I find that every day the fat layer gets a little thicker. It seems the thickest after about 3 days, donut may just be that it hasn't separated much by the time you use/freeze it. I don't know if it is directly related, but maybe try including plenty of healthy fats in your diet (avocado, nuts, etc).

jarob747

It has been a light mucousy but not frothy green but the color of a kiwi. And no blood I inspect every diaper. there was so many new changes last week with the vaccinations, fever, and the food, i wasn't sure what the culprit was. Just now he had a more mustard yellowish with a little mucus stool. I'm definitely going to stop solids till 6 mo. I didn't notice any change in stool after a second month shots but he also didn't have a reaction like he did this time. So it may be the rotavirus vaccine. I just don't know these tiny little ones are still fragile

Miss Lilac

I think Vita Luna's suggestion is a good one. You want him getting the hind milk but you also want him to be draining your ducts adequately for your own well-being!

jarob747

Thanks so much you all. Ya know I just wanna do everything so right and it's so challenging sometimes and never is picture perfect like I expect it to be. I happen to have a whole bag of avacados! 

smn14

My LO had vaccinations on Monday and has had similar problems (not green tho). She is drooling like mad, unhappy, pooed 4 times yesterday rather than go every two days like normal. A friend told me that excess pooping can be a teething symptom