In a message dated 9/16/02 9:48:02 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< And, my own observations and experience have shown them to be correct as
well. It is only the allopaths (and sadly the LCs') who are stating the
opposite. But, I will continue to look for more information and will look for
more explanation as to the causes for concern.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA >>


I am days behind on reading the posts...and have been following this stooling
issue with great interest.  I have at times been ambivalent about stooling.
IMH the first 4 weeks of a baby's life, the baby should be stooling every day.
About a year ago, I had a client who's baby (from 1 week on) was not stooling
regularly and when he did it was very thick and pasty.  We went to the
pediatrician many times and were told to relax.  We went for sacral-carnial
treatments, we changed the moms diet, we asked questions, ALL to NO avail.
This baby was clearly unhappy for months.  Finally we took him to our local
Family Practice, MD, Tom, who had been my family's MD since their birth.
This is what he explained to us and really helped me to understand colon
health and MEGA-COLON.
The end of the colon at the rectum is enervated, when fecal matter touches
it, the nerves send a message to the brain to push and therein follows the
bowel movement.  If the fecal matter is NOT removed and allowed to sit in the
colon, the colon stretches into a pouch and the nerves loose their ability to
send the message to the brain and stooling no longer occurs this way.
Instead, as the fecal matter builds up, it is the peristaltic motion that
pushes it down and out.  The peristaltic movement happens up higher in the
colon, so the colon has to be fairly full to move what's in the lower colon
out.  This is not a normal way to move the stool, but it works.  Tom further
explained that a lot of times these are the kids, when older, have trouble
with the stooling part of potty training, often times staining their pants
before having a bowel movement, or the kids who hide behind the couch or in
the corner to stool in their diaper.  Often times this is diagnosed by the
MD. as a control issue for the kids.  Tom says it's because the nerves are
shot and so the stooling does not follow a nerve route with voluntary pushing
but a peristaltic route with involuntary pushing.  He says it is very labor
intensive to explain all of this to parents (as you can see!) and is often
times misdiagnosed or skipped or the kid is sent to a therapist.
He explained to us that the colon would shrink back down and the nerves would
work again given a chance.  He recommended using mineral oil, orally, on a
daily basis, to keep the colon empty and allow the nerves to heal.  He uses
mineral oil because it is NOT absorbed anywhere in the gut and comes out
pretty much the same way it went in.  At this point the baby was 7 months
old.  Prune juice was offering very little relief, I suddenly understood why.
 She started him on mineral oil and his bowels began to move more frequently,
but he was still uncomfortable, the stools were still pretty pasty.  Tom
explained it could take 3 months to heal the colon, it did.  She used mineral
oil and Flaxseed oil even after the discomfort was gone for a while to make
sure the colon was working properly.  He poops everyday now and has for a few
months (he is 15 months) without any oils.  He is no longer unhappy or
struggling.  His poops are normal.
I keep this scenario in mind whenever there is no early stooling, after the
meconium has been passed.  It was a real eye opener for me, as my son
suffered from this (I realize NOW!!)  Tom said his daughter had it too and at
age 3 they realized it.  He would get her to take the mineral oil by putting
a m&m at the bottom of the dose cup!!
What do you wise ones think????
Sorry this is so long,
Annie VerSteeg  IBCLC
Mom to Willie; 12 and Kayli; 10
Beach Area Breastfeeding
[log in to unmask]
breastfeeding... It's for life

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