Expert: ruth kraft - 10/16/2010

Question
My daughter goes to an in home daycare center that provides formula and diapers for those who need it. I  provide her with frozen breast milk to give to my daughter. My daughter's first week was last week and I have noticed a change in her poops.  They are darker and more smelly.  I was thinking that she may be mixing formula with the breast milk but I have no proof...Will frozen breast milk make the baby poop darker and smell more or is this from formula? I asked her if she was giving her formula and she said no. I am hoping that I am just having the "going back to work and leaving my baby worries" but I am not sure.  

Answer
I am assuming your daughter gets no other solids? If that is the case, is the poop like a green color and she is fussy more often? If so, that could indicate something else. If it is more brownish and stinky, then it sounds more formula fed. Breast milk should only be the yellowish color always until you start feeding solid food. I would suggest explaining to them the importance that she only get the breastmilk and absolutely nothing else. Maybe someone else there may have been feeding her the formula, who knows. I agree with you that it is odd and should be looked into. Explain to the woman that if it doesn't clear up, that you may have to find another day care because this is not normal for the baby so for some reason she is coming home with darker diapers. Don't accuse her, just state that the only thing to be given is your expressed breastmilk and nothing else. not even water. that you expect it to go back to normal. You can even do it in writing if you like. I have never heard of frozen breastmilk doing this to baby poop. Not that it isn't impossible I imagine but certainly not close to common. I have seen hundreds of breastfed babies, never had one have a brown bowel movement from breastmilk only after the milk has come in. and especially not change from yellow to brown.

Good luck!
Ruth Kraft
www.honoringwomen.com