BF WWYD- possible oversupply/imbalance

[Deleted]

XP from BF on the bump

Last Tuesday night, DD slept 2 very long stretches for the first time. I woke up pretty engorged that day. I only had been nursing on one side at a time, usually for about 25 minutes or so. DD is gaining, making plenty of diapers and is satisfied enough to go about 3 hours between feedings during the day - so I haven't been worried and was told this was fine by 2 LCs. But starting Weds, I noticed her poopy diapers were green and kinda snotty - which leads me to believe that my engorgement Weds morning didn't allow her to get any hindmilk. I tried block-feeding for a day or so...Thursday I felt like I had a plugged duct and by Friday I had mastitis. I'm on antibiotics and feeling much better, but the nurse at my OB's office told me I should be offering both breasts every feeding to make sure I don't end up with another plugged duct - even if she takes the second side for only a minute or so just to relieve me a little. So this whole weekend I have been offering both sides. Sometimes she took the second side for a few minutes and sometimes she nursed for the same amount of time on both sides (15-20 minutes each). She's had 1 or 2 mustardy diapers and the rest have been green. I just have no clue when I should be offering the second side.

So far today she nursed at 9:30am for 15 mins on each side...and then again at 12:30 for 27 mins only on the right side. I tried to keep her on the one side for longer for the second feeding to correct this problem, but then she wouldn't take the other breast at all.

I am not sure how to go about correcting my imbalance without causing other issues with my body. Aside from the green snotty poop, DD gives me no indication that this is an issue for her. Again, she's gaining, has plenty of diapers, seems satisfied between feedings, sleeps well and is a pretty content and calm baby when she is awake.

My issue(s) is that I don't really know what it feels like to fully drain my breast before I switch to the other side (and what if DD isn't hungry anymore? Won't pumping to drain it cause it to just fill back up again the same amount?) and DD always pulls off and relatches multiple times throughout a nursing session - so I can't use that as my cue. To compound things, my right breast seems to have a slower flow or something, because DD always seems to start pulling off and crying about 10 minutes in - only on that side. She will re-latch and pull off a bunch of times and will cry and flail her limbs. Usually I can get her settled down again and re-latch, but every couple of minutes it will start again. I'm wondering if she's getting mad because the milk isn't flowing as fast as it was at first when let-down happens. Today I tried doing compressions and that seemed to help. What's the deal with this? Will I have to do compressions every time with this breast? When she did this over the weekend, I tried switching her to the other side, and she immediately calmed down and nursed for a long time. I can't keep this up because I will just be perpetuating the cycle of imbalance. Ugh...

Also, I have to use a nipple shield for now (which I know could be contributing to the plugged duct). I would like to wean from the shield, but I can't battle all of these issues at the same time - I'm getting too frustrated.

TIA - sorry this is so long. I'm ready to give up.

[karinothing]

Hmm, I don't think it sounds like an imbalance. DS has green mucus poops when he has been overly drooly or has a runny nose. The "slime" is saliva or mucous that is undigested. I think an imbalance is usually show with frothy green poop.

DS also has a favorite boob. He nurses there more often than not and it hasn't impact my supply or anything.


ETA: I also want to add that DS only ever nurses from one side. WE have had no issues with it.

[ijack]

I don't agree with your nurse. It's possible to prevent a clogged duct without offering each breast. If you need to you can pump for a minute or two on the side you don't feed on, just to soften it. You can also pump to empty each night before bed, which can help prevent clogged ducts because then you aren't sleeping on full boobs.
IMO I would let her eat until full for each side so that she's fully emptying you and getting the right balance of milk. You might also find as she gets older that she starts emptying one side and then eating some from the other side too.

[Deleted]

I would still offer only one side and then pump the other to prevent a clogged duct and build a stash.

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2012 13:59:00 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Hmm, I don't think it sounds like an imbalance. DS has green mucus poops when he has been overly drooly or has a runny nose. The "slime" is saliva or mucous that is undigested. I think an imbalance is usually show with frothy green poop.

DS also has a favorite boob. He nurses there more often than not and it hasn't impact my supply or anything.


ETA: I also want to add that DS only ever nurses from one side. WE have had no issues with it.

It just seems weird that suddenly her poop is green. She does drool a lot but that isn't new.

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2012 14:13:02 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

Sorry if this doesn't answer your question and it is blind leading the blind but something that has been working for me the past day to try to make sure she is emptying my mastitis breast is to massage it (especially the lump) at the beginning of each feeding and whenever she seems to lose interest. She was only taking my left for 10-12 minutes regularly before and now will go about 20 which is helping a lot.

Yeah, that's what I've been trying to do on the right side near the plugged duct when she starts fussing (which she only does on the right). I still don't really know if it's emptied though...how can you tell?

[karinothing]

OH, I wanted to add that a good way to unplug ducts is to nurse on all fours with your boob dangling over the baby. It sounds ridiculous, but I hear it works really well.

[imimahoney]

Green, muscusy poop is often a sign of a dairy/soy intolerance. For a lot of babies it appears 4 to 6 weeks after birth. I would watch the poop very closely for any blood. Actually, I would probably have her poop tested now for hidden blood. You can bring a poopy diaper to her Dr. and ask for it to be tested. They can also give you an at home test where you get samples over a period of a few days.

In the mean time you can try cutting out ALL dairy (including hidden, baked in) and soy from your diet. It is very hard but if it is a dairy intolerance her symptoms should improve with in a few weeks. It took my son about 5 weeks to clear all of the dairy and soy from his diet.

www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/hidden-dairy01.pdf

Now if you find the block feeding to improve the poop then disregard but more times than not, poop and mucus is a food intolerance.

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2012 15:13:52 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

Green, muscusy poop is often a sign of a dairy/soy intolerance. For a lot of babies it appears 4 to 6 weeks after birth. I would watch the poop very closely for any blood. Actually, I would probably have her poop tested now for hidden blood. You can bring a poopy diaper to her Dr. and ask for it to be tested. They can also give you an at home test where you get samples over a period of a few days.

In the mean time you can try cutting out ALL dairy (including hidden, baked in) and soy from your diet. It is very hard but if it is a dairy intolerance her symptoms should improve with in a few weeks. It took my son about 5 weeks to clear all of the dairy and soy from his diet.

www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/hidden-dairy01.pdf

Now if you find the block feeding to improve the poop then disregard but more times than not, poop and mucus is a food intolerance.

Ugh...I didn't know this. I will ask the pedi tomorrow when we go for her 1 month appt. I REALLY don't want this to be the problem!

[froggy76]

She could be getting a cold, or she could be reacting to something you ate that's causing green poop. DD had green poop all the time... it is not abnormal and not necessarily a problem. You could make yourself crazy trying to modify your diet when that's probably not necessary at all.

No advice on the plugged duct because DD always nursed both sides. I think it makes more sense for you to drain one side completely than offer a little from both sides.

[Saudade]

Plugged ducts: A great relief is to nurse on all fours, dangling over the baby. It is so awkward but works really well. Massage, heat, lecithin supplements all can help as well.

The "frothy green stools" could be indicative of a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance or a dairy intolerance.

You should switch sides *after* emptying the first breast. If the baby doesn't take it, that is ok. If you switch after a certain number of minutes you could be doing yourself and baby a disservice.

Your empty breast will feel deflated, mushy, and soft.

Before you go crazy from worrying about an intolerance though (it's rare) I would rule out imbalance or overactive letdown. Don't be worried if your pedi brushes off your concerns though.

[Xyz]

I could be a horrible parent for not worrying about it more, but my dd had green poops sporadically and pretty frequently until she started solids at 6 months (then all colors of the rainbow came out). I didnt have much of an oversupply or anything, she gained lots of weight and if it was a dairy intolerance she must have outgrown it. I Say be concerned if she is overly fussy or gaining poorly.

As to the switching, if she is getting fussy on the slower boob switch to the other for a minute or two and then back. I can't see how old your baby is but around 8 weeks or so I needed to switch often to keep her satisfied with the flow, then I think she got more efficient and I didn't have to switch so much.

[karinothing]

Oct 8, 2012 17:29:10 GMT -5 @tracy1031 said:

Oct 8, 2012 15:13:52 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

Green, muscusy poop is often a sign of a dairy/soy intolerance. For a lot of babies it appears 4 to 6 weeks after birth. I would watch the poop very closely for any blood. Actually, I would probably have her poop tested now for hidden blood. You can bring a poopy diaper to her Dr. and ask for it to be tested. They can also give you an at home test where you get samples over a period of a few days.

In the mean time you can try cutting out ALL dairy (including hidden, baked in) and soy from your diet. It is very hard but if it is a dairy intolerance her symptoms should improve with in a few weeks. It took my son about 5 weeks to clear all of the dairy and soy from his diet.

www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/hidden-dairy01.pdf

Now if you find the block feeding to improve the poop then disregard but more times than not, poop and mucus is a food intolerance.

Ugh...I didn't know this. I will ask the pedi tomorrow when we go for her 1 month appt. I REALLY don't want this to be the problem!

I wouldn't worry too much. As I said, DS gets them whenever he has a cold or is super drooly (he got them for a month when he was teething). Green poops can also be within the range of normal.

[Deleted]

UPDATE: I have been nursing on only 1 side each time since this morning to make certain that I'm completely emptying my breasts and also to see if it changes her poops. Her last diaper change was mustardy and seedy again...so I feel a little better.

[imimahoney]

Oct 8, 2012 19:51:11 GMT -5 @tracy1031 said:

UPDATE: I have been nursing on only 1 side each time since this morning to make certain that I'm completely emptying my breasts and also to see if it changes her poops. Her last diaper change was mustardy and seedy again...so I feel a little better.

Oh that's great! MSPI sucks so its awesome that it is probably something else.

[Deleted]

Oct 8, 2012 20:00:17 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

I want to try the all fours thing but I am unsure how long I can hold that position in my weakened PP state, lol.

haha - there is no way on earth I could pull this off. I don't even know to even go about this with a nipple shield! Add to that an overactive letdown (I think) and my poor kid would drown.

[froggy76]

Oct 8, 2012 18:55:09 GMT -5 Xyz said:

I could be a horrible parent for not worrying about it more, but my dd had green poops sporadically and pretty frequently until she started solids at 6 months (then all colors of the rainbow came out).

Same here. I don't get why everyone is so quick to cut out dairy. What a PITA for nothing. It's fine, people! Unless your child is extraordinarily fussy or clearly uncomfortable, stop worrying!

[karinothing]

Oct 8, 2012 20:09:07 GMT -5 @tracy1031 said:

Oct 8, 2012 20:00:17 GMT -5 @msstarry said:

I want to try the all fours thing but I am unsure how long I can hold that position in my weakened PP state, lol.

haha - there is no way on earth I could pull this off. I don't even know to even go about this with a nipple shield! Add to that an overactive letdown (I think) and my poor kid would drown.

I believe my friend did it with a nipple shield. If you want I can e-mail her and ask. I know she did it on the bed, but I don't know much of the details.

[Deleted]

Sounds like making sure baby finishes one side is helping. That should definitely be the thing to try before leaping to "OMG! MSPI!". I know there are babies out there that need dairy/soy free moms, but it's not nearly the number that have them.