So my two month old is still an ounce shy of her birth weight and now the tests are starting :cry: She has put on 3" in length and 1.5" around her head since birth but is not gaining weight.
So we have to collect a stool sample. They are going to look and see if she is not digesting food properly before we do anything more invasive.
I was directed to the lab where I picked up the supplies to bring in the sample and the two women working there had not advised anyone with a child that small and after talking amongst themselves they came back with the following directions for collecting it.
"Put saran wrap in her diapers until she poops enough to fill the vial."
Saran wrap? Seriously? This is their suggestion?
Their reasoning is that the fibers from the diaper will screw up the test.
My daughter is pooping every third day or so and is due today. I have followed these ridiculous instructions and haven't caught anything yet. What I have done is changed her clothes four times because she is peeing right out of her diapers. I am using xsmall Thirsties covers and it is not containing it.
She has been really cranky today and I am sure it has to do with the plastic stuck to her poor booty.
So if anyone has had to do this with a tiny baby and has any advice other than saran wrap I would really appreciate it!
GandH'sMom
11-12-2009, 01:33 PM
I have not had to do this, but wanted to send you (((HUGS))). If I was the one haveing to do this I think I would consider attempting to get her to poop with her diaper off, it may sound gross, but I know there are ways you and encourage a baby to poop. I would lay a diaper under her, so she doesn't pee everywhere and doing some tummy massage, rub first on her left side gentaly about 8 times then across the top and down the left side and last in an upside down u shape from her bottom right to bottom left. In my experience this will encourage pooing....may not happen right away, but I was told that an infant who gets tummy message will poo up to 3 times as often:) (((HUGS))) again, and wishes for quick growth for your baby!
Crazy Cat Lady In Kansas
11-12-2009, 01:48 PM
Thanks mama. This has been really tough. My oldest is 14 months and has never had an issue a day in her life. Dealing with lots of mommy guilt on this one although I have been assured I am doing everything right.
I am going to see if I can encourage her too poop sans diaper.
4blessings
11-12-2009, 01:54 PM
I just couldn't read this without sending you some :hugs: . I hope everything is okay and works out.
TalkinBoutMyGirl
11-12-2009, 02:11 PM
Didn't read any responses but can you tell when she's about to poo..at that age DD would grunt really loud. If you can catch her right when she starts pooing you could snatch her dipe off and let her poo in tupperware or something. Hope you catch your poo soon..and I hope your LO is ok. Big hugs!
Crazy Cat Lady In Kansas
11-12-2009, 02:20 PM
Didn't read any responses but can you tell when she's about to poo..at that age DD would grunt really loud. If you can catch her right when she starts pooing you could snatch her dipe off and let her poo in tupperware or something. Hope you catch your poo soon..and I hope your LO is ok. Big hugs!
I wish I could but shes a silent pooper :giggle: she has surprised me more than once.
Thanks for the thoughts mama :hugs:
Nishu
11-12-2009, 02:45 PM
You poor thing. :( I've had to do something similar with mine but fortunately for me they were potty trained so it involved the toilet, not the diaper. I have no idea how you might do it more easily. Sorry. Just wanted to say I hope she gets it done for you so that you can move on.
tallanvor
11-12-2009, 03:08 PM
Don't know about the poop, but you should also ask them to check her suck. My youngest was not up to birth weight at 2 months and the problem turned out to be that she wasn't sucking properly. It took us awhile to catch it because she appeared to latch just fine. Unfortunately, even when we got the latch and suck worked out I couldn't produce, so she ended up on formula, but it is something to check for.
looking8186
11-12-2009, 03:12 PM
My midwife always gets little babes to poop super super quickly by lubing up the end of a thermometer and inserting the tip a bit into their bum and moving it around a bit. It worked like a charm when my lo hadn't pooped in a while. Maybe you could try that?! Good luck mama :goodvibes:
Crazy Cat Lady In Kansas
11-12-2009, 03:21 PM
Don't know about the poop, but you should also ask them to check her suck. My youngest was not up to birth weight at 2 months and the problem turned out to be that she wasn't sucking properly. It took us awhile to catch it because she appeared to latch just fine. Unfortunately, even when we got the latch and suck worked out I couldn't produce, so she ended up on formula, but it is something to check for.
My midwife always gets little babes to poop super super quickly by lubing up the end of a thermometer and inserting the tip a bit into their bum and moving it around a bit. It worked like a charm when my lo hadn't pooped in a while. Maybe you could try that?! Good luck mama :goodvibes:
Thanks for the suggestions! I will try the thermometer trick and as the doctor about a possible problem with her suck.
MT_ranch_mom
11-12-2009, 03:45 PM
My midwife always gets little babes to poop super super quickly by lubing up the end of a thermometer and inserting the tip a bit into their bum and moving it around a bit. It worked like a charm when my lo hadn't pooped in a while. Maybe you could try that?! Good luck mama :goodvibes:
This works incredibly well!!! When DD2 was 9 weeks old she started pooing blood (lots of it). I took her into the Ped cause I was freaked out and the nurse asked me if I was sure it was blood. Ummm, yeah, I know what blood looks like. Anyway, she was really doubtful of me, but had to take a temp. The nurse inserted the thermometer and when she pulled it out, out came tons of poo and, yes, blood.
Turns out DD2 had a whey and dairy intolerance and it was making her insides bleed cause she couldn't digest it. I realize that's not your problem, but I wanted to share my own personal rectal temp producing poo story for you :giggle2: .
I would try that over the saran wrap method. My goodness that has to be uncomfortable!!!
I really hope they are able to figure out what's going on with your lo! :hugs: mama!
Nishu
11-12-2009, 08:12 PM
I don't know if you've tried the thermometer yet, but it might help (or you might already know) to kind of pinch the thermometer about a half an inch from the tip so that when you insert it, your hand is up against her tush and the thermometer won't go in any further than your fingers. (I had to do this because I was afraid of sticking it in too far.)
looking8186
11-13-2009, 09:32 AM
This works incredibly well!!! When DD2 was 9 weeks old she started pooing blood (lots of it). I took her into the Ped cause I was freaked out and the nurse asked me if I was sure it was blood. Ummm, yeah, I know what blood looks like. Anyway, she was really doubtful of me, but had to take a temp. The nurse inserted the thermometer and when she pulled it out, out came tons of poo and, yes, blood.
Turns out DD2 had a whey and dairy intolerance and it was making her insides bleed cause she couldn't digest it. I realize that's not your problem, but I wanted to share my own personal rectal temp producing poo story for you :giggle2: .
I would try that over the saran wrap method. My goodness that has to be uncomfortable!!!
I really hope they are able to figure out what's going on with your lo! :hugs: mama!
You're too funny mama :giggle2:
OP -- Out of curiosity :blush: ... did it work?? :hugs:
Crazy Cat Lady In Kansas
11-13-2009, 11:31 AM
::sigh::
No luck with the thermometer. (The only one we have is a special rectal thermometer that is maybe 1/4" long so no worries there.)
I left her out of her diaper for awhile last night hoping that might prompt something but nothing happened then either. I absolutely refuse to put her in a diaper lined with plastic again. Two yesterday was two too many. I am at a loss. I did abdominal massage and bicycled her legs to try and get things moving, the thermometer, and leaving her diaperless, what else can I do?
Thanks for all the hugs and words of encouragement this has been tough.
Sleep deprived
11-13-2009, 01:32 PM
When DS was constipated, my Dr suggested warm baths. Perhaps you could mimic the effect with some sort of a warming pack on her tummy to get the bowels moving...
jennak
11-13-2009, 01:38 PM
Do you have any liners? I'd use like a fleece liner or a flushable liner in her diaper. If you don't have any liners, you can use paper towels (the super soft kind), or if you have an old receiving blanket just cut it up into liner sized pieces. The fibers shouldn't do anything to the poo if you catch it quick.
Shaunam
11-13-2009, 01:40 PM
We've had to get several samples of my DD's poo and they never told us to keep it from touching the diaper. Can you double check on that? We've done it more than once at home with cloth and once in the hospital with a sposie and it was never a problem.
an_aurora
11-13-2009, 09:52 PM
The fibers are no problem! Just let her poo in the diaper and collect what you can!
deezee02
11-13-2009, 09:58 PM
you can also try eating a little chocolate...I swear since Halloween my DD has gone from pooping once a day/every 2 days to every diaper change (thank god it is all gone from my house :) )
Liddle1
11-14-2009, 11:29 AM
i had to do this with ds, it took a week of trying every day seriously....
in the end just using a diaper cover with no insert worked best.
