4 Month Old Having Blowouts EVERY DAY! HELP!!!

Updated on October 15, 2011
J.G. asks from Provo, UT
9 answers

My darling little girl has a blowout EVERY time she poops! She projectile poops with such force it usually goes right up her back or sometimes her front. We thought it might be because the diaper was already full, but this happens when we put her in a fresh diaper too! A friend said her diaper might be too small, so we tried her in the next size up, and it just happened again! We've used Costco and Huggies brand. We have even tried cloth diapers, too! This time it went down her leg because the legs were a little big on her. She is exclusively breast-fed. No solids yet. I'm off dairy (we discovered early-on that she had a dairy allergy). She doesn't have a lot of gas or anything else, so I can't figure it out! All I know is I am spending WAY too much time hand-washing poop out of her clothes! A couple weeks ago, she had 2 blow-outs in a row at the babysitters!! Anyone had this happen before! Help!!! What do I do?!

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P.H.

answers from Boise on

I had lots of blowouts but not to the extreme that it sound like you are experiencing them. You poor thing. I was wondering if like a plastic pant (the kind you use over a cloth diaper) might help. I'm wondering if the elastic waist might just keep it inside her diaper area. Just a thought...hope you find something that works.

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J.M.

answers from Denver on

I can sympathize. We had great luck with Pampers for helping to contain the blowouts a bit. But there were days I had to have my DS in 3 different outfits b/c of blowouts. One thing to check since she is exclusively breastfed is if the poops are greenish. My DS, who was also exclusively breastfed, pooped a lot more often (and the poops tended to be green) when he was getting too much foremilk (the milk that comes at the beginning of the feed). I used to be an overproducer of milk, to the point where he would choke when I let down b/c it came out too fast at him. So I used to have my DS feed from both sides to relieve pressure, without completely draining either breast. I learned that I needed to have him completely empty the first breast before switching to the next. That way he got the good, high calorie hind-milk at the end pf nursing. This hind-milk helped to also slow down the big blow outs. Just another thought. Definitely once I started him on solids at 6 mo of age, the poops started to firm up a bit. Good luck.

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W.R.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I have found that different brands of diapers work better on different kids. While I have had fantastic luck with Costco or huggies diapers with a couple of my kids, they were awful on others. I would suggest you experiment with brands a little bit to see if a different brand works better on her.

I will say that my oldest girl had rotten luck with Huggies, but was perfect in Luvs. My second was the exact opposite.

Before you go hyperventilating about experimenting on brands, remember that most of them have a satisfaction guarantee. Hang on to your receipt, and if that brand doesn't work, simply return the remaining diapers.

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

We're using Luvs size 3 for our little girl for the same reason. I had a son who did great in White Cloud and another in Pampers Cruisers. You can play around with brands. Sometimes cheaper is better. We change our little girl often. Luvs mostly work. For cleaning the clothes, the best I have found is Shout Advanced, or I use the Tide for the sink packs and soak the clothes. Nothing has stuck with the Tide as long as I've done it wet. Yesterday it was poop all over the tights (think past her knee!). I still have perfectly white tights thanks to Tide Sink Packs. You might try probiotics. Our DD is currently having problems do to antibiotics for an ear infection. It has improved dramatically with probiotics. GL!

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M.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

If you are on to your next child and having the same problem, check out my "Baby Blowout Protector". It will protect from the mess that a blowout creates, containing it within the protector. I know you will love it, or would have loved it. Check it out at: babyblowoutprotector.blogspot.com.

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H.W.

answers from Denver on

My son was like this. Just keep a bottle of Shout around, soak the clothes in water, and then wash. I actually, in addition to the Shout used the Clorox for colors bleach alternative in all his wash and did an extra rinse until this phase passed. The Costco diapers were the best fit for him, but as one of the first moms stated, it depends on the baby. Also, I say those diapers were the best - they were the best at minimizing the mess, but my son still had blowouts several times a day! I usually went through 3 outfits, minimum, a day. You could also just soak the clothes and then try the Clorox for colors in the wash - figure out which of the massive messes needs Shout, but take the easy way out on the rest.

I like the advice given, and I'll remember it myself, about thinking, "at least I have a little boy here that makes me have to do this disgusting chore". That will give me another perspective on it for sure.

This too will pass, and you will be writing to someone in two years reminiscing about this period of time in your and your daughter's life, wondering where time has gone.

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K.P.

answers from Boise on

This is totally normal. You are one of the lucky parents who gets to clean poop out of your baby's clothes every day. I got to do this too with both of my kids. I found that with my son, the Kid's Choice diapers from Wal-Mart worked best for minimizing blow outs. For my daughter, it was the White Cloud brand. I'm not sure why, I didn't question it, it just worked. As your baby gets older, and her poop gets some more substance to it, it will get better. I breastfed both of my kids, so I understand the runny poop thing. Hang in there, and when you are washing poop out of your daughter's clothes, when you start to feel frustrated, say to yourself, "if I weren't washing poop out of her clothes, she wouldn't be here." I say similar things to myself when I have to pick up my now 6 yr old boy's dirty underwear off the floor that he left 2 inches away from the dirty clothes hamper. It puts a smile on my face and I don't get so irritated. Welcome to parenting!

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T.C.

answers from Provo on

oh I know exactly what your going through!!! my son did that EVERY time too. always right up the back sometimes even up to his neck! I tried all different brands and sizes of diapers but nothing helped. and I even switched to cloth and still had the blowouts but not quite as often. I dont really have advice on what to do but when you start solids it gets better (and worse because the smell gets worse)
now my son is 9 mnths and we're having the complete opposite problem, he's painfully constipated and I now I sometimes think I wouldn't mind dealing with the multiple times a day blowouts instead of this. I'm thinking he has a food allergy.
Anyway all I can say is good luck and try to just deal with it for a few more months. it goes by so fast.

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S.L.

answers from Boise on

My boys were starting solids at 4 months, and that certainly helps solidify the poop!
I don't know if this would help, but I had a pee problem with my first. His pee would go up his back every time. I washed sheets and blankets and clothes constantly. My husband said I was being too gentle and that I needed to tighten the diaper tabs. I thought he didn't know what he was talking about, since he'd never changed a diaper in his life, and because the tabs looked as far apart as they do on diaper commercials and pictures. But I got fed up with the laundry and tried tightening the diaper. The tabs overlapped and I was afraid it would be uncomfortable for the baby, but guess what? No more leaks!
We've always used Parent's Choice diapers from WalMart. They're even cheaper than Costco diapers. I did have some Pampers Cruisers, and wow, they were posh. But I can't justify spending that much extra $$ on something my kids poop on and I throw away! They've also improved the Parents' Choice diapers GREATLY since I had my first baby almost 5 years ago.

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