EBF baby poop...

[♥ms.pacman♥]

.. i thought it wasn't supposed to smell!! DD is EBF but her poop smells BAD. it stinks up the entire room for a decent period of time. WTH. DS was EBF and it didn't smell at all and with 2 kids in diapers, i was looking forward to having at least one kid with poop that didn't make me want to gag...

only difference i know is that we are giving DD vitamins (poly-vi-sol with iron), bc in the NICU they recommended it and also mentioned she was a bit anemic. i never really gave vitamins to my DS. could this be causing it?? or could this be a sign of other digestive issues (unlike DS, DD seems to be have a lot of painful gas, screams before/during almost every BM).

[ohsara430]

My DD was EBF & hers stunk terribly the whole time. I didn't give her vitamins but she was extremely colicy for over 4 months. I really couldn't believe how bad it was, it got better when we started solids at 5.5 months. I even asked the dr. about it & he just chuckled.

[daisymommy]

Yes--food sensitivities and allergies (which then cause gas and fussiness or colic) as well as vitamins will make it stink.

Is it mucousy at all? It should look like mustard with cottage cheese clumps in it. But if it looks greenish, or mucousy/stringy like snot (sorry! I know that's gross!) that's a sign of a dairy sensitivity or allergy.

Does she have a red bulls-eye ring around her anus opening? That's another food allergy indicator.

Also, I would have her blood checked soon, see if she is still anemic. Studies show that the natural iron in breastmilk is much more bioavailable (able to be used by the body) than synthetic iron additives and vitamins, which are poorly absorbed. It could be upsetting her stomach and making her constipated from the inside out, thus the screaming and crying.

Also, do I remember correctly that she needed to be given formula while in the NICU? If so, please know I am not making any judgment. The first priority is to keep our babies alive! I only ask because if she did have formula, it can take up to 4 months for the microscopic holes in her gut lining to close all the way and for the Ph balance to return to that of a EBF baby. To help it heal, you may want to give her probiotics, which may also help her digestive health and crying.
Look for a powder containing Lactobacillus reuteri. Put a dab on your finger or nipple and have her suck it off.

If you want more info. on what I just said (not even sure if it applies in your situation), let me know and I'll post more.
Hope that helps!

[BabyH]

FWIW, we gave DS some vitamins for a few days (until the doc decided we didn't need to... long story) and I noticed he was SUPER gassy and wow, sooooo smelly. I mean, "give me a mask, please" smelly. And he was EBF as well.

(obviously I don't know if that's the issue with your little one, just wanted to add my experience)

[WolfpackMom]

Those Poly vitamins stink before going into baby, we couldnt get DS to take them, only the vit d which dont smell bad. I bet its probably the vitamins.

[AnnieW625]

No clue, but I am still convinced that the Poly vitamins the stupid pediatrician recommended for DD2 when she was 3 days old (and we had to take her in for the bilirubin test) were what caused her to start having reflux pains. Iron does cause constipation so I would stop the vitamins for a day and see if that goes away too and or if the stink goes away.

[bubbaray]

Given that she has spent time in the NICU, I think it would be prudent to discuss matters with her dr, particularly if the NICU staff recommended particular vitamins and you are thinking of discontinuing/adding other vitamins. What might be a viable alternative treatment to try with a term baby, might not be something to pursue with a child who has been in the NICU.