Preemies

Question about GI doctors

This isn't a preemie question, but you girls know so much I said I'd ask here. One of my close friends had a baby almost 4 weeks ago. The baby hasn't really ever had a "normal" BM. All of her BMs have been explosive (with some mucus) and when she is trying to poop she screams and her stomach is really hard. They've tried mylicon and it hasn't helped. She BFs and is possibly wondering what to do next. The doc mentioned seeing a GI specialist, but she isn't sure what they do (and I'm not either). I know most of you have seen them but it sounds like it's more for digestion/mobility issues. Do you think a GI specialist would help? Any other suggestions to try?

TIA!  

Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey

Re: Question about GI doctors

  • I wonder if the baby is lactose sensitive/intolerant.   Maybe she could talk to the doctor about changing what she eats to see if that helps.   
  • Her doc suggested fully giving up dairy for 3 weeks to see if that helps. She's tried cutting back and hasn't noticed any difference, but she hasn't given it up completely. 
    Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
    Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
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  • would she be willing to try formula for a couple weeks?  Either way I don't think it would hurt to call a GI and see what's going on.  I wish her luck :) 
  • She is willing to try formula, I think she's just scared of what trying to EP to keep her supply up with 2 kids under 2 will be like :) 
    Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
    Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
  • 2 under 2....oh geesh!  I am no help with the pumping ..it didn't really work out to well for me. :(  sorry 
  • I don't know that I'd go to formula first. With very few exceptions, breastmilk is usually the easiest on the gut of anything.

    Yes, for pooping issues, the GI doc is where she needs to go. I don't know specifically what would cause frothy/mucusy poops but a GI doc can do some bloodwork and a stool sample and check for absorption issues, metabolic issues, physical abnormalities. 

     

  • This is the only info I have bookmarked that might even be remotely helpful, but it just lists mucus as coming from a lot of teething which wouldn't be at 4w. I honestly don't know.

     https://www.drjaygordon.com/development/pediatricks/poop.asp

  • I agree that a GI doc is the place to go. In the meantime, her pedi can do a test for blood in the stool. Our GI doc told us that if they find blood in the stool that it is a very, very strong indicator of Milk Protein Soy Intolerance (MPSI), which means that mom can't consume any dairy or soy while BFing and baby girl will need a digested formula like Alumentum.

    MPSI is actually pretty common in newborns, I think the statistic I heard was 10% of newborns have it and the vast, vast majority of them outgrow MPSI by their 1st birthday. 

    A friend's little guy was diagnosed with MPSI not too long ago, and his symptoms were explosive, mucusy poops that eventually turned into bloody stools.  So in my very limited experience, I think MPSI could be the culprit.

  • Yeah, it seems like based on what I've read that milk allergy is a pretty strong contender. Is it possible that the baby would have blood in the stools without her noticing? 
    Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
    Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
  • Yes, it's possible if it's a small amount.

    I hope they can figure this out soon. Poor baby :(

  • If she can tolerate it, I'd suggest trying to cut out all dairy and soy.  The special formulas are expensive and, from what I've heard, smell disgusting.

    Wholesome baby has a list of the sneaky milk and soy things that sneak into food.

    https://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm

  • The mucus is concerning. Has she had a stool sample done? Mucus + belly distension are signs of an issue. I'd check for c.diff , shigella, food allergies and celiac disease. I'd see a GI doc for sure.
  • It sounds like something she's eating, but, I def think seeing a GI doctor makes sense.

    Andrew has/had poopy problems and reflux problem and swallowing problems - they kind of handle anything and everything in that arena.  

    They could probably help understand if her symptoms are normal or not and figure out what is causing them - food or otherwise.  

    Our GI doctor is just so much more knowledgable and helpful than our pedi.  For example, Andrew's Prilosec - we were complaining that he was screaming when eating and we thought it wasn't working.  The Pedi said he was on the max dosage.  Then we went to the GI doctor and he was far from the max dosage - it's just the max dosage a typical pedi would prescribe for a typical kid.  The Gi doctor increased it and it worked like a charm!

    another example was in the NICU, Andrew wasn't pooping at all in his own, so the GI doctor did a rectal biopsy, and a scan (forget what this is called) to see if his intestines were twisted or narrowed.

     

     

  • I knew this was the right place to ask!! Thank you ladies :)
    Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
    Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
  • A GI can help with bowel motility issues, but it sounds like a milk/soy intolerance. 

    ETA:  I think to see a difference she needs to completely give up dairy in her diet because some kids are sensative to even small amounts.  DS was put on alimentum and still reacted to the tiny amounts of milk protein that was in it and had to go on neocate. 

  • Poop is the first place to look for issues that indicate there is something going on.  It does sound like a motility issue or a bacterial infection in the gut which needs a GI to diagnose and treat.  I would not go to formula but I would change to a dairy free diet until she can get into a GI and have tests done.  BF is best no matter what, but the GI can help figure out what kind of diet she needs to be on.  Tell her not to wait to get the GI appointment, that she should call every day to see if they have a cancellation to be squeezed in as soon as possible.
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