..to the things you can obsess about when it comes to being a mother. Right now, my current obsession is poop. Yes, you heard me. P.O.O.P. Baby poop, to be exact. You can stop reading now, if you have a weak stomach-Parenting is a messy business.
When Colton was about three months old, he started having stinky, foamy green diapers and really awful gas. He was diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Following the advice of the pediatrician, I was forced to give up all dairy in the hopes of curbing this issue, including that in baked goods. Ok, I gave it up voluntarily, but c'mon-who wouldn't, if it meant their kid would be more comfortable and still have the benefit of breastmilk? I did this for about two months, and it made for a very miserable holiday season for me and made absolutely NO difference for him. Neither did the Culturelle I was dissolving in expressed breastmilk in a dropper and giving to him twice a day-what a pain in the a**. I found out just recently, this results from the baby not getting enough hindmilk during nursing. My body was producing milk that was too thin and/or not triggering multiple let-downs during each nursing session to release the hindmilk I DID have, so he couldn't digest it properly-hence the nasty diapers and gas. It had NOTHING to do with the lactose in my diet. My body would make the lactose for him (more abundant in the fore-milk), whether I consumed it or not. He finally started on solids and bottled breastmilk (all mixed together-no multiple let-downs needed) at night when he was six months old-when I started my job. No WONDER the problem corrected itself then. Duh. Worse-because he was having such trouble, I delayed starting him on solids when he was clearly ready at 4 months so the problem persisted longer than it should have. <enter Mommy guilt-also a favorite obsession of mine.>
A couple of weeks ago, I learned I could possibly have prevented or corrected this by making sure to fully empty each side and not limit nursing time. I made both mistakes with Colton. Too late now, but better late than never. However, with Lincoln, I have not limited his time while nursing, (except the last feeding at night because I work and have to nurse on my 15 minute break and the kid flat-out refuses a bottle in any form) and I have made a conscious effort to empty each side fully. Even with this new knowledge and implementation, Lincoln's diapers turned green about the 3 month mark too. I've managed to keep it at a minimum-yellow green mostly and not nearly as stinky but still thrashing while eating and afterward with constant gas, by being extra-diligent and with constant nursing in multiple positions during the day, but I wonder if my kids truly are just lactose-intolerant. They say it's a very rare diagnosis. Either that, or I just don't produce the quality milk they need or just have inefficient delivery of it after 3 months. Or (on the same vein) they're ready for solids sooner to supplement-Heaven forbid! The pediatrician would have a freakin' coronary if I talked about solids before 6 months-certainly before 4! Or worse-I have to transition to pumping exclusively and force him to take a bottle instead. I hate pumping! Talk about a pain in the a**. This option would probably bring about weaning sooner rather than later, both because my supply will not respond as well with the pump and also just because it's a pain in the a**. (There's that mommy guilt again. Convenience or comfort for a mom!? How dare you speak of it!) Even if I try exclusively pumping first, it'll probably end with formula by the end because of supply issues-if I can even put up with the set-up and clean-up several times a day and discomfort of the pump itself for an extended period of time. The absolute worst would be to have to transition to formula or even just supplementing with formula instead when he won't even take breastmilk from a bottle. The kid'll probably starve first. This is what I mean about obsessing. <cue hand-wringing> Good grief.
Any commiseration and/or suggestions from the peanut gallery are welcome.
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