The Case of the Missing Poop

Yes, I said poop.  Don't you know that as soon as you have children, or pets for that matter, poop becomes one of the things you talk about, regularly.  You are responsible for another person and nothing says healthy like a regular bowel movement! 

Well, first off.  Stella is very healthy.  She was over 40 weeks gestational age and she is very alert, a great eater and seems to be taking to the outside world very nicely.  Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to want to poop. 

Here is the whole story.  She came out rather dramatically (I promise, more to come on her birth) and fast and as soon as she was placed on my belly she pooped!  A lot.  She pooped all over me, herself, the bed the bed clothes, everything was covered in the black meconium poop.  She was cleaned up and no worse for wear.  She did have one other poop in the hospital.  After that, nothing.

We have had lots of nice wet diapers, over the amount that indicates she is getting plenty to eat.  So we definitely know she isn't dehydrated.  We went to the doctor's yesterday for her first checkup.  This is mostly a checkup to determine if she is getting enough to eat and regaining weight.  She was 7 lbs 10 oz, which is the weight we went home at.  This indicates that more than likely she dipped below this the first couple of days she was home and is back on an upswing toward her birth weight of 8 lbs 2 oz.  Her vitals were good, her jaundice test was normal and in general she is very alert and "normal".  So what gives? 

The doctor was actually not concerned.  I was worried (which is what I do, I am a professional) that she would make me supplement with formula.  But our lovely doctor just wanted us to follow up in two days if she hadn't pooped.  She recommended using a rectal thermometer to gently remind Stella of her duty to poop! 

In general yesterday, Stella was a bit fussy and didn't sleep as much as she normally does, hmmm.  Around 5pm she really acted tired, but just wouldn't settle.  I put her down in one of her many chairs in the house and about 10 minutes later, lo and behold, wiggle and squirm and with much fanfair, she pooped! 

She pooped a lot.  If of course would not be contained by her diaper.  It came screaming out both legs and up her tummy.  It was first bath worthy.  She turned the water brown.  Yuck.  We got her all cleaned up and bundled and she promptly fell asleep.  Good girl.  Now mommy can find something else to worry about.