Pam - I have seen a failure-to-thrive baby with dark green stools, similar
to those you describe. Baby was several weeks old, and the stools were the
colour of old spinach, very dark green and loose. Perhaps the baby you are
working with is still somewhat anorexic from recent infection, or becoming
fairly placid as a result of very low intake and is not "demanding"
enough? Perhaps also, the mother is busy with the other children and
allowing this placid baby to go too long between breastfeeds? Could you
recommend *very* frequent breastfeeds, mother to use breast compression and
alternate massage to increase intake - perhaps even express after feeding
to increase output and top up breastfeeds with EBM by bottle? If this was
my client I would want the paediatrician to be monitoring the baby's health
while I worked with the mom to improve baby's intake.
Please keep us posted.
Pamela Morrison, IBCLC
Australia
At 10:21 AM 8/10/04, you wrote:
>Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 16:28:35 -0500
>From: Price Pamela B <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: infant with dark green stool
>
>Trying to keep this short, I am leaving out some details which I hope are
>not necessary for some insight, but if you need more details just let me
>know.
>
>What illness would cause a 4 month old to have frequent, very dark green
>stools the consistency of ketchup, not frothy looks a little loose jelly
>like but really ketchup consistency describes it best. Baby was gaining
>weight well, then had an ear infection and was treated with antibiotics.
>Infant continued to maintain and very slowly gain but over the past 10 days
>infant has not gained, weight has fluctuated between +2 ounces and -2
>ounces. Infant has been having these stools for about 3-4 weeks. Baby has
>also been very fidgety and fussy. When mom first told me of the stools she
>reported a fussy infant with loose green stools. I pictured what I usually
>see when someone says loose green stools. My first suggestions were to
>evaluate for ear infection (which the baby had) and then the doctor
>suggested baby might be teething so I gave mom suggestions for that. Baby's
>intake on test weights has been up and down but always adequate or above for
>weight. Today I had the chance to see the stool in person. It was about a
>1/2 cup or more of very dark green ketchup. I advised mom to call the ped,
>but the ped says that it is normal and not to worry won't see baby until
>next week. Baby has no fever, no rash, no other symptoms. Mom is
>worried, this is her 3rd baby, she had one bout of decreased milk at the
>beginning with this baby, probably because she was moving and running around
>with the other 2 children both under 4 when her baby was just a few days
>old. (military) That was resolved quickly with usual suggestions to
>increase supply. Mom did take Lactaflow, that was about 2-3 weeks of age
>and she took it for about a week. Mom has also used Mother's Milk Tea, she
>continued to drink this on occasion after her initial supply problem was
>resolved, She did start drinking the Mothers Milk Tea again after the ear
>infection cleared up since the baby was not nursing very well and she was
>concerned her supply would go down.
>
>I tried to find a picture that looks like what this baby is doing but I just
>can not find one. Any ideas?
>Pam Price IBCLC, CBE
>Lactation Services Coordinator
>Women's Health
>Trident Health System
>9330 Medical Plaza Drive
>Charleston, S.C. 29406
>(843) 824-5013 office
>(843) 728-9640 pager
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