[chookpea]

DS2 is 6.5 months and is only on rice cereal once a day (if that) that the moment, he's quite happy being BF I think, no interest in solids at all.

His poos have always varied from mustard, to yellow, to green. It's been green a lot lately, like slimy stringy green, and he's had the runs I think a few times (well it sure smelt like it!).

I've googled it and it looks like it might be a milk allergy? (Possibly from all the chocolate I can't help eating ). But can he have a milk allergy from my breastmilk even if his poo has been yellow/mustard /"normal" colour as well?

He's been gaining weight and is generally content and happy. I think he drains the breast well as he's feeding 3 hourly and I always start with the last breast fed first, IYKWIM. So can't be too much foremilk...maybe?

Any other ideas? Not sure if I should be concerned.

[Ehill]

My DD was very sensitive to what I ate and had the runs when I ate too much 'fat'. I deducted that based upon the foods that she reacted to, many of them were dairy based like chocolate but there were others so it couldnt be just dairy. Anyway chocolate was most definitely the worst reaction. My advice would be to not eat any and see what happens. i wouldnt be jumping on the 'dairy allergen' bandwagon just yet without a bit more investigating. Red wine was another shocker for DD . No red wine or chocolate and people wonder why I weaned the day she turned 12mo......

[Old Grey Mare]

Mine reacted violently if I ate any thing with corn in it.

[Jenflea]

My midwife told me that too much chocolate can really affect babies(so sucky when I craved it after the birth and had GD while pregnant and hardly touched it). It certainly made my baby unsettled.
I also couldn't eat leek soup as it upset her as well.
I'd try to cut down on the chocolate(send it to me to look after!! ) to see if that helps matters.
Could it be a cold and he's swallowing mucous?
Has he had shots recently? My daughter had green poos after her rotovirus shots.
If it goes on for more than a week, take him to the GP to get checked. they can do a stool sample to look for causes as well.

[pinkcupcakes]

chocolate=bad for BFing.

if you're concerned about dairy, you could try lactose free milk. ( ok, its not a complete solution, but its a good place to start.since when do we shoot someone down for trying to help?what would i know, i'm only lactose intolerant myself.im not an expert parent, i just do the best that i can and offer what advice i feel may be helpful, so shoot me.)its an easy inexpensive way to rule dairy out as an allergen. i would also go and see a gp about other possible allergens/causes, re the stool sample as pp said. the interwebs is great for research but it doesnt hurt to find out for sure.hope you find a solution soon

This post has been edited by pinkcupcakes: 04/09/2012, 09:52 AM

[KRT]

DS's pooh changed quite a lot when I introduced solids, even when he was barely eating anything. It is a big change for their gut to have to cope with solid food.

I think that if you had a problem with cow's milk protein, you would have noticed lots of other problems by now. And if you suspect that it is a problem, lactose-free milk will do nothing to help! You really have to cut out absolutely all food containing milk products, and try it for at least two weeks.

Personally, I never noticed a difference to pooh or behaviour based on my diet. Breastmilk is made from blood, so it would have had to be in my bloodstream to make a difference. So caffeine, alcohol, some food proteins - yes. Cabbage, beans, onions - no.

[chookpea]

Thank you all for your replies. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to stop the chocolate, but I guess that's the first place to start.

How long did it take for you to notice a difference once you eliminated a food, a day, two days? I'm hoping it won't take too long!

[Phascogale]

if you're concerned about dairy, you could try lactose free milk.

No, the main carbohydrate in breastmilk is lactose so you are doing nothing by drinking this. If the issue is cow's milk protein this milk does nothing to help at all either.

But to the OP. How much chocolate have you been eating and how long have you been eating it for? If you have been eating the same amount of chocolate for weeks and your baby's poos have only just changed then it's probably not the chocolate. If you've recently upped your intake of chocolate then maybe scale it back. If it hasn't been a problem in the past then it's probably not going to be a problem now but.....

As for it being milk allergy issue with what you are eating, unlikely as you would have had symptoms way before now.

Most rice cereals are fortified with iron. This can turn poos green. It can also make them smelly. I'd probably stop the rice cereal for a few days and see what happens.

You don't have to give rice cereal as the first foods but go straight to family foods but you'd probably start with thing like vegies. If there's no issues you can move on to other foods quickly.

You could stop the chocolate but if you continue with the rice cereal you may not notice much of a difference. Usually only takes a few days to see an improvement and probably quicker.

[Ehill]

Pureed pear is an excellent first baby food. Trial that instead of rice cereal.

As for the PP who said food didnt affect their babies, it is just so individual to the baby. With my DD it was just so fullon and frustrating, everything I ate had an affect, good and bad. With DS, I was all prepared and....nothing......he has never been affected by anything I eat! Chocolate, alcohol, caffiene, takeaway etc.

And yes, the difference should be very quick, a day, maybe 2 at worst. Food and breastmilk moves theough them very quickly at this age. Far too quickly sometimes!!!