No poop
Mr. Ben has not pooped in 11 days. We went to the doctor yesterday and they said to do a suppository. So we did one last night, still no poop. So we did another this morning, no poop yet.
We didn't see our regular doctor, we saw some other lady that was also a lactation consultant. She weighed Ben then announced that he is only gaining twelve grams a day. I told her no, he's gaining about 5 ounces a week so that's about 20 grams a day, I weigh him every single week. She insisted I was wrong. Whatever I guess. She thinks he needs formula because her preemie was on formula. So I'm supposed to weigh him next week and call the weight in. It's a math error on her part (she tried to do it in her head).
Anyway, back to the poop. I asked in a breast feeding forum if anyone else has had experience with this - one lady said her kid regularly pooped once every 14 days! And that if they don't need to poop, the suppositories won't work. He isn't super fussy, straining to poop, or acting abnormally so I don't know.
He seems fine for the most part. He's been a little fussy, but part of that is because he isn't sleeping well during the day because I'm working hard to get him to nap in his bassinet. So far, he will usually take his first nap in the bassinet, about 45 minutes. Then after that it's a crap shoot. Yesterday I tried for an hour to get him down in his bassinet, once he finally went down he only slept thirty minutes. Ugh.
Before all this he would usually take three 1.5 to 2 hour naps every day. Yesterday I bet he napped a total of 2 hours the entire day.
I don't know what I'm doing wrong with the whole sleeping in the bassinet thing. Maybe he's just not ready. In the meantime I'm getting nothing done around the house and it's frustrating!
But he's sleeping way better at night! Last night I got a 3.5 hour stretch of sleep which was amazing! So at least I'm not exhausted.
Yesterday the kids' preschool called me because M had a bug bite on her arm. Well I don't know what that thing is, but it doesn't look like a bug bite! It's the size of a golf ball, red, and raised up a little bit. I'm convinced it's either a spider bite or ring worm. Sad to say I hope it's a spider bite - at least those aren't contagious! So we are all trekking back to the doctor today to get that looked at. Did I mention that I took the little four to the doctor yesterday? In the pouring rain? Yeah that was fun. Maybe today it won't be raining.
I guess that's it. Today I hope I get to change a dirty diaper - I don't say that very often! :)
I hope you get some poop too. I feel your pain taking all the kids to the doctor. Sometimes I wish I had a live in nanny. Hey, let's get rich and we'll both get one!
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth on the sleeping- It sounds like you are describing Samantha. Looking back I keep asking myself, "Why in the world was I so desperate to put her down to sleep?" Again, hindsight is 20/20 but I see now that she thrives off the physical touch and she would have been a much happier baby (and maybe even slept better at night) if I'd held her while she slept during the day- in a carrier of course. I fully intend on carrying #2 around in a carrier unless she requests otherwise. Something to keep in mind- sleep begets sleep. The better/more he sleeps, the better/more he'll sleep! He's so young, you aren't going to spoil him by holding him while he sleeps (if you are able, I realize you have 4 other people to take care of!)
ReplyDeleteI read a book called Breastfeeding Made Simple. It's really, really good full of info. Anyway, in there they say that if exclusively breast fed babies aren't pooping it's not because they're constipated but rather because they're not getting the hindmilk which is fattier and is the 'food' of the milk. The foremilk is thinner and is the 'drink'. Make sure Ben is draining one breast completely before switching to the other side so that you're sure he's also getting all the fatty hindmilk he can. I hope this helps a bit. And your LC sounds , well, not very smart to me. Sorry LC.
ReplyDeleteHi! I came across your blog while researching foster parenting. (We are in the process of becoming foster parents)
ReplyDeleteI was a pediatric nurse for awhile, as well as breastfeeding my own 4 children. Babies who are exclusively breastfed do not need to poop as often. Breastmilk is more easily digested and more nutrients are absorbed resulting in less waste. Formula requires more breaking down of nutrients and leaves much more waste. It is not unusual for exclusively breastfed babies to not be "regular" until they begin solid foods.
I totally agree with Em about your lactation consultant. People like her irritate me to no end. It seems like she would have recommended giving a bottle of formula to before suggesting something as forceful as a suppository.
And for what it's worth, one of my daughters was a preemie who didn't gain weight very quickly. Just because they are preemies does not mean that they require formula.
Hope that helps some. :)