The Colour of Poo

I am obsessed with the colour of Alex's poo. With every poopy diaper I am anxious to see if it is yellow or green. Yellow good. Green Bad.

My lactation consultant told me that we want yellow - it means she is getting enough of the hindmilk. Green means she is not staying on the breast long enough and so isn't getting that good fatty milk.

Dr. Jack Newman, breastfeeding expert, disagrees.

I don't know who to believe... yet I still want yellow poo, just in case she is right.

This obsession is just one of many surrounding her growth. I weigh her every week at the community centre drop-in. I am tracking her on a growth chart. I worry about whether or not she is nursing long enough or strong enough.

I am seriously contemplating switching to formula. I am finding it more stress than I need. She has fallen off her growth curve. She was born at 90th percentile and has been hanging at about 75th. But at 16 weeks, she is almost down the 50th percentile. She doesn't nurse well. Half the time I need to be walking while I nurse her, otherwise she fusses too much.

Of course, with that decision comes two big things. First, there is the guilt. Breast is best... I know, I know. Second, there is the logistics of switching her to formula. This is a baby who does not like breastmilk in a bottle. Just how will I go about getting her to drink formula out of a bottle? And what is the best weaning strategy?

And today her poo was green...