Evelyn Landry wrote:  A very experienced breastfeeding mother called me with
concern about her 2nd child's stools.Baby going about 7 - 8 days without
stooling. The stool did come sometimes after a suppository, and it was
"thicker- more clay like".  After 7 - 8 days the baby seemed uncomfortable
and seemed to be straining a lot.  The mother did try a glycerin suppository
and the baby did pass a large thick stool, followed by softer stool.   Ped.
ordered barium enema to rule out Hirschsprung's disease.  Came out negative.
Mother was told to add more fruits and vegts. to baby's diet.  (baby has
just started on a few teaspoons of solids recently)

 

Lee writing now:  Evelyn - Whenever I hear that a baby is not stooling
easily several times a day, I think there is a possibility that the baby is
not causing peristaltic action in the GI tract.  Peristalsis starts in the
tongue, so I start looking for issues with incorrect tongue movement.  Does
the baby have a tongue-tie.perhaps, one that is hard to diagnose?  Has the
baby been using the tongue incorrectly because of bottle feeding or pacifier
use?  Could there be an issue with Superabundant Milk Supply, wherein the
baby never learned to extract milk by sucking correctly but waited for the
rapid flow of the MER?  This calls for some detective work; it's like
solving a puzzle.  Just thought of something else:  Could the baby's lack of
frequent stooling be a reaction to solids?  The mom may need to wait another
month or two or more before giving solids.  I think meds are probably not
the best solution.  Does the pediatric GI specialist have research to show
that Milk of Magnesia or more solids are better than breastmilk?  The AAP
recommends breastfeeding for at least a year.the WHO recommends at least two
years.this MD makes it sound as if breastfeeding has little value after 6
months.  What does she have to prove that?

In the meantime, I would not wait for time to take care of this.  Infrequent
stooling is abnormal.  Find out if it is the incorrect sucking/superabundant
milk supply/or introduction of disagreeing solids that are at fault.  First,
look for the horses before looking for the zebras.

The formed stool followed by a soft stool makes me think that the stool
dehydrates as it sits in the bowels for days.  That is a symptom and does
not indicate a cause.  Look for the cause.  One treatment that might help is
suck exercises as in suck retraining.  Do you know how to do that correctly?
If not, have an IBCLC teach you.  I can do it over the phone if you want to
call me (914-245-2206).  Good luck in solving this puzzle; you should feel
good about putting in so much effort to help this baby.

Warm regards,

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Westchester County in NYS, USA

[log in to unmask]

"Children Are Born with the Right to Breastfeed"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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