Poop Watch 2011

Possibly TMI below, but hey, I'm a mom - all bets are off when it comes to scrutinizing bodily functions these days.

Tim likes to joke that my favorite way to start a sentence since Elle was born is "I'm worried that ..." This can be followed by anything from "Elle isn't sleeping enough" to "the washer is going to die soon" to "it might rain on Sunday." I consciously tried to stop this way of thought and this sentence construction. Apparently, I've changed it - Tim says I now start with "I'm worried about ..."

Elle visits with friends at Applebee's ...
but does not use the facilities.

I'm a worrier. That will never change. In fact, it might be worse now than ever.

But one of the things I never imagined saying was "I'm worried that ... Elle hasn't pooped in five days."

It isn't uncommon for breastfed babies to go several days between poos. For a few weeks when Elle was about 2-3 months old, she had a few 5-6 day stretches. I was a bit alarmed, having gone from Super Regular Baby to Constipated Baby in an instant. But we haven't gone more than two days without No. 2 appearing in her diapers for several months. And this week, for whatever reason, I've been especially aware of it ... or rather, the absence of it. I usually warn the sitter when I leave for work: "Elle hasn't pooped yet today." This week, though, it has been nearly headline news: "BABY FULL OF CRAP: Poop still no where to be seen." And each day, I expected to come home and see "dirty diaper" listed on our Log 'o Baby. Each day, it was "wet diaper" after "wet diaper."

She hasn't seemed super uncomfortable, and for that, I am thankful, but I have to hope that this dry spell comes to an end soon.

Some friends from my mommy/baby group shared stories of their babies going 7-10 days without a bowel movement. One woman told us of a friend who had a baby who only pooped every seven days - but on that seventh day, they knew better than to make plans to do anything or go anywhere, because the day was all poop, all the time.

Elle usually, uh, *catches up* when things eventually get going again. I had high hopes that she'd make good use of her quality time with Daddy this weekend ... alas, we are approaching my two days off with her, and it looks like I'll be doing a lot of smelly diaper changes on my weekend.