TMI: Poop Edition

If you don't want to hear about Jane's poop issues, stop reading now.

OK, if you're still reading, here's the scoop on the poop: I noticed this week that Jane has been pooping more than normal. Usually she's a once a day kinda gal; this week, she's been going three or four times a day. One time on Tuesday it was bright green. And then last night, I noticed a tiny amount of blood in her diaper with the poop. As you can imagine, I freaked. We called the doctor's office, and the doctor on call said that it was probably one of two things - a little tear in her bum, or a milk protein allergy. Some babies are allergic to cow's milk, and blood in the poop is one way they show it. Jane was exclusively breastfed for 7 1/2 weeks. We introduced formula at that point, and until daycare, she had one or two bottles of formula a day. Now that she's in daycare, she's having three or four bottles a day. I'm not sure what that means or how that affects anything, but suffice to say, her diet has been changed. Anyway, the doctor said to watch her overnight and make an appointment in the morning. Last night she had one more little poop that had some blood in it, and then this morning, her poop seemed clear (not literally clear - that would be even more alarming!).

So we went to the doctor's office this morning, used diapers in tow as examples of what was going on. The doctor checked Jane out, and said she didn't see anything, but that didn't mean there wasn't a microscopic tear somewhere, especially since she had been pooping so much lately. Jane conveniently pooped at the doctor's office, so they took a sample and checked it for blood. In fact, there were tiny traces of blood (we couldn't see it). So now, over the weekend, I have to swab these little cards she gave me with samples of Jane's poop, to see if the blood gradually goes away. Fun.

The doctor is not alarmed. She thinks everything is most likely OK. If there is blood continuing, we will probably have to do some allergy testing. This would mean I would have to go on a very restrictive diet, most likely eliminating all dairy, and possibly wheat and beef. This is not my year of fun diets, obviously (see: gestational diabetes). Her formula would have to be changed to a much more expensive kind. But I'm jumping ahead of myself. If anything else weird goes on - black poop, very fussy behavior, seeming in pain - we have to call them immediately. The doctor said they see Jane's situation all the time. So why don't I feel better?

Tell me to calm down. Tell me this isn't a big deal. Tell me to listen to the doctor, who isn't really concerned. Tell me I will somehow survive all of the sicknesses and bumps and bruises and messes Jane gets herself into. Being a hypochondriac, I never thought I could worry about someone's health more than my own. But then I had Jane.