Blow Out Diapers

I don't think the amount of food has anything to do with it. The child likely won't eat if she isn't hungry...so tell me, what exactly is a correct portion of food for a baby? My oldest eats very little, but my 14 mo eats all day long...more than I do, and yet he is only 20% for weight. My oldest...the scarce eater has blowouts on a regular basis. It's normal for kids and can depend on how watery the stool is, how the diaper fits and how long they sit in it.

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I have to agree with the other posters...my son is not a HUGE eater and is pretty picky about what he WILL eat. At 2.5 years old, he's still got SO much coming out that sometimes it's overwhelming.

Blowouts when he was little usually happened on and off, but not everyday. It really depends on the consistency of the 'Poop'...if it's runny and watery, then there is a problem...if it's just mushy and a good brownish color then, you're GOOD!

As far as diet, I was always told by my son's Pedi to let him eat as much as he would take. Once he was full, he would tell me. It's hard to over feed a baby/toddler, but if you think there is an issue with her diet when she's with her parents you might want to bring it to the attention of the case worker. Your case worker might be able to take actions so, that you provide food even when she's with her parents. Not sure if it works that way. Maybe you can involve a nutrionist or someone who can teach Mom and Dad 'how to' handle diet issues that you've noticed.

Good Luck!

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The correlation between the amount of food and blowouts may be incorrect. Our son almost always blew his diapers out and we were not over feeding, he just had massive poops. If we didn't change him immediately, they leaked. We tried different brands of diapers and found Huggies Supreme to be the best in containment and also worked with sizing so they were snug at the legs and waist, but still had room in the rear for the poop. Good luck.

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Because mom & dad do not have custody of the baby, I am sure they feed her just making sure she is getting enough, different cultures and nationalties feed there kids different, I won't name any but it is true that one color of skin feeds on different foods than others, I am just making a guess here.. if you feel the parents are not making healthy choices for the baby you might want to speak with the CCS service rep about it. maybe she can speak to them and give them some parenting advice about food.

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My son's diapers were also a mess, although he is in normal weight range. Ask the pediatrician about removing dairy from her diet. Both my kids are lactose sensitive and giving them soy or rice milk has made a huge difference.

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I am excited that this little girl is now in the care of someone willing to figure out what is not right! This is very exciting. I do not have any suggestions, but i did want to say that sometimes it takes 3 weeks of cutting something out to see results. Example, wait 3 weeks with no milk to see if there is a change, it won't happen overnight.Good luck, and thank you for loving on the babies and toddlers who need it! May the Lord bless you with strength and wisdom!

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A good idea to help from the sheets getting soiled, it to use a waterproof bed pad.

Just put this pad DIRECTLY under her (versus under the sheets). And if it gets soiled, then you just have to wash the pad itself. Not the entire bedding. Get several so you can always have extras and switch them out when you have to launder the others.

www.amazon.com has many different kinds. Just use the search word "waterproof bed pads" or, "waterproof crib pads"

I use these for my children, just in case they have an accident while sleeping. It really useful and then I don't have to wash the sheets and only the bed pad.

Hope this helps,
Susan

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I'm not sure if this will help, but have you tried Huggies Overnites? They definitely hold more. Hope you discover the culprit & good luck!

The minute my 16 month old DD wakes up, I change her diaper. Otherwise, she will have a blow-out. The big poo on an already soaked diaper, leads to disaster.

Perhaps, you can monitor when she wakes up and change her as soon as she does. Hopefully, a fresh diaper will contain the poop.

Good luck.

W.

It sounds like you are doing a good job by removing milk and juice. I however would go straight to just water. It may take a week or so to fully take affect but should help also I would remove all junk food and only give fruits and veggies and good food for her. It sounds like mom and dad maybe feeding bad food to her and you have to counteract that. It may take a while but Good luck.

ROFL....oh my god, I shouldn't be...but you just brought back sooooooo many memories.

Short background: I'm the littlest in my family, & I'm over 6 feet tall. My son at six is 4 and a half feet tall. He ate alllll the time (not for the same reasons as yours, obviously), but the results were the same. Oh my goodness. Ugh...Having to use babywipes up to his ribs or his neck was NOT an infrequent occurrence. Especially on days where my mum watched him for me. My god...don't some people realize that you don't give a baby x,y,z??? :P So glad those days are over.

Some of the things we did to combat this probably won't work for you. I was in school when my son was an infant, so the only time I could study/write papers was at night & naptime...so I was up until 1 or 2am, and then back up @ 6 or 7. Maybe you can get by on that little sleep. I'm only able to do it under duress. Also, he's our only, so it's super easy to tailor a schedule to one child.

What we did that finally worked: (for us)

* * * - Change his diaper in the middle of the night. Sometimes twice. I'd change him around midnight, and then check and see if he was wet again right before I went to bed. By the time he was about a year I could wake him up enough to ("Do you need to go potty, love? need go potty?") & he'd pee one more time BEFORE I put a new one on him. The combo of a soaked to explodium proportions diaper and then a poop in the morning IN that diaper was a combo I was willing to risk "waking the baby" to avoid.

- Switched to PullUps Overnights right around a year. We had him in diapers in the daytime...but the pullups overnights work as well as a diaper, & are MUCH MUCH stretchier. I honestly don't remember if the overnights have velcro or if I had to rip the seams. By 18mo-2years he was in pullups full time...but we weren't potty training him yet. They just FIT. (On a side note: he started pooping in the daytime right about the same time we switched him. Could be coincidence, could be that not having the diaper so tight around his abdomen allowed it to happen easier.) We found namebrand to be worth it. Sigh.

- INCREASED his dairy, specifically milk. He had a straw cup with him at all times. Obviously a lot more wet diapers...but it would help keep his food intake about where it should be, because the milk helped keep him feeling full (and gave him the quick sugar, fat, & protein that he needed to keep his temper. He was also SUPER active & come to find hypoglycemia runs rampant on daddy's side of the family. So perhaps H20 would work better for one needing to shed pounds, but we never tried it.)...anyhow the more hydrated he was the more frequently he WOULD poop...so in smaller amounts...and not just the nightly blowout.

- Increased the number of meals he ate in a day. (Um...obviously not the quantity). Gorging, like he would do at my mums with 3 meals, meant guaranteed disaster in the diaper department. A nibble of something every hour or two worked wonders. I'm wondering if it might help your shell shocked little one, too?

Anyhow, like I said, that's what we found worked for us. I DO have to tell you, I was tempted on more then one occasion in the beginning (around a year old) to get rid of the sheet entirely, or short sheet the bed so that his face wouldn't stick to the plastic, but so I could spray off the waterproof mattress without having to do laundry. I never actually broke down and did either, because we found some things that worked for us...but I suppose those are two more options.

Best
R.

Hi K.,
I just read your post today and the follow up and you certainly have WAY more Mom experience than me - but I do have experience with two boys who were always good eaters (occassional blow outs, but not routine). My second son in particular has always eaten a lot of food, about as much as an adult would eat (or more) and from about a year or so! I had trouble with other people over-feeding him as well (friends/sitters), it was like they would marvel at the phenomenon and not realize that it's inappropriate to feed a little kid SO MUCH food. We absolutely had to limit favorite foods because from about 3-6 years, he would eat so much of a favorite food, like pizza, that he would throw up sometimes. So we had to keep a close eye and limit the number of slices. He's an active and healthy boy (now 9), but doesn't seem to have the "I'm full" switch most of us have. We've had to teach him as he's gotten older to not overeat. I have found that if we eat very healthy recipes for dinners and such, now that he's older, he'll eat much less and say he's full. We don't regularly eat desserts or snacks after dinner, but will allow an apple or a piece of fruit, which he'll eat later if he skipped most of dinner. If he likes that dinner, then he'll want seconds and eat twice what I eat (except that we say he has to wait an hour to discourage overeating). But I guess what I wanted to say is that if you don't make mealtime such an event, it might become less important to this little one (maybe this was the only positive interaction she is used to getting from adults). Perhaps 45-minutes of active playtime a day and lunch could be a more healthy finger food kind of event. It is hard, I know, when they have a really good appetite and other parents don't alway understand, so many people struggle to get their kids to eat a decent amount - they don't understand there are kids that will overeat. All the best to you & the work that you do for children. God bless!

Poor little one. It sounds like she has been through the ringer and doesn't know what to think so food is the only constant in her life and must bring her some comfort. Have you talked to a ped about other ways that she can get comforted? Maybe food was some source of punishment or reward and she's afraid that it might be taken away so she wants to eat as much as she can while it is there. Maybe that's why parents are feeding her so much while she visits; to make up for their lack in the past. I would just love her as much as you can while she is with you. Do you think she wakes up much earlier than you get her and wants out sooner than she is picked up? You're in a tough position but are doing something so wonderful for her. Thanks for being there for those little children that need a positive person in their lives. Hang in there!!

We have a big 22 month old - 95th percentile for height and 80th for weight. We found the huggies "natural fit" (in the all-red box) to be the only diaper that could keep him dry all night, maybe they will work for your blow-outs. Also you can give her the "brat diet" for dinner after visits with her mom & dad; as bananas, applesauce, rice and toast (no butter) tend to be constipating. GOod luck!

It sounds like you're doing a great job and thank you for taking on this kind of a responsibility! (Most people wouldn't...) Anyhoo, as I have mentioned on almost every post I make, I am the GEEKIEST mom in the world but I write EVERYTHING down that my kids eat (even just snacks and tastes of stuff) that way I can hope to correlate when they have problems. I found out this way that oranges (fresh, canned mandarins, and any kind of juice with a heavy orange element) do the same thing to my son. Actually, this knowledge comes in pretty handy when he's constipated! ;-) Anyway, we just steer clear of those and he's all good. Might not be oranges per se with your little miss, but if you start writing down what she's taking and start eliminating various elements that she sees every day (one at a time to see if it correlates.) Also, couldn't hurt to bring it up with the doc - especially if the consistency is too loose or too hard. It sounds counter-intuitive but she may need more fiber in her diet to a. make her feel more full and b. give poop a little more firmness (making it less likely to explode like a water balloon dropped from 30 feet over her bed!) ;-)
Hope this helps!
Jen

Hey K.,
First let me say God bless you. :)
Next, have you tried using rubber pants over her diaper? They should catch anything that would leak through. I also would cut out juice completely. I would use goat's milk too. You could make rice water and give it to her to drink which should also help. Overnight diapers and rubber pants, I really think they would help.
Good luck,
V.

I, too, thank you for the great job you are doing!!!

If it is diarrhea then I would cut out the juice and focus on real fruits and water or milk. If this is her only poop of the day that might explain things. Is she getting more fiber or sugar at one time of the day and not so much the rest?

If it is just a lot of poop try a different diaper. They are all shaped differently. My son had/has chubby legs and rear. He was kind of pear shaped so he wore pants two sizes bigger than his height. I had to use Huggies regulars (the ultras didn't work) Walmart has a generic that is similar. Pampers or Luvs ended up with stuff everywhere. Even with Huggies if it was a lot I would go up his back because the diapers were so large to fit around his rear that the waist was too big. Try plastic pants (I had to cut the elastic in the legs because they were too tight.)

Last I would wake up early one morning and find out what time she is going. If she has a full load on top of a full wet diaper it may just be too much to handle. If you can get her a clean one before she has to poop it might be solved.
Good Luck!!!

Hi,
I had the same issue with my foster son. He was very overwieght, bad food issues and regular visits with the birth parents made things difficult to manage. I also discovered that his eating and bathroom habits revolved around stress. Stress could be the real culprit - when she is asleep or just waking she is relaxed and safe and warm - things (everything) release. When she is awake things are probably a bit scarry, maybe fun, but it is hard to understand why things have changed, and her body holds onto everything and if she just saw her parents that could be quite alot of "stuff". I completely understand what you are going through. It is so hard emotionally to do what you are doing. Have you tried to contain the mess with plastic pants or a double onesie? She will be bulky but the bed will be cleaner. When my 6 mnth old foster daughter was having similar bowel problems (big blow outs) in bed, I stripped off the bed clothes down to the plastic mattress and let her nap on a soft towel - much easier cleanup. Good luck. I wish I could give you a big hug.

Well...we usually have blowouts, with our daughter, when the diapers are too small. But I would try another brand of diaper in addition to checking in with the doctor. It could be a dietary reason (too much fruit is one that leaps to mind) but it could also be that's just the way the child's digestive system is. Some kids have one enormous bowel movement once a day, every day, very regular. Some, like ours, has two (!) a day, most days, but might skip...depending on what she has been fed. In this case, I'd check the fit of the diaper and perhaps try Pampers or a different Huggies diaper.

For overnight you might try Huggies Overnight diapers--we had issues with too full diapers with our girl. Huggies O/N did the trick.

Good luck--that's a lot of laundry you're doing these days!

Hi K.,
18 months is my favorite age - they are at their peak of cuteness! Blow outs happen - we called them "rocket poops" - from time to time, but in my limited experience, not every morning. I'm sure over eating and stress is playing a part in all of this. I agree with those that say to try a larger size diaper, or a different brand - Huggies was our favorite. Changing her earlier might also help. One thing I did when mine were little was to make up their bed with the waterproof sheet and then a regular sheet. On top of that I'd put a full sized waterproof pad (or sheet) and on top of that I placed a sheet that was the exact size of the top of the matress and on each corner were velcro tabs that hooked to the corner of the crib. That way when there was a mess, day or night, I could take off the 1st layer (sheet with velcro and pad) and the bed was ready to go. It just seemed to make my life a little easier. Just remember to put the velcro together when you wash it, so it doesn't catch on anything. Best of luck to you and your foster girl - and to her parents...who sound like they need some education in child care.
Linda

Is she having diarrhea poops? Or is it that she is just pooping a lot and needs to go up a size in diapers?

My kids have always been in the middle of weight listed on the package when they had to move up a size because of poopy leakage.

DS was only 2 but in size 6 diapers because the 5's wouldn't hold the large amount of pee he did overnight. He is a tall and skinny kid from the beginning.

DD is short and chubby in the rear end but only 27 lbs. She should be in a size 3/4 diaper according to the package, but she is in a size 5 because of poopy leakage.

But if her poop looks weird, I would definitely keep track of her diet like you are already doing to see what the culprit is.

Is their any medical history from the parents for allergies or intolerances? Also if she is an overweight baby, there could be some genetic or hormonal imbalances that needs to be checked and by curing those issues, the blowouts might also go away.

I'd go up a size in diapers. when my kids had a pattern of blow outs I knew it was time to go up a size. I also like Pampers cruisers for keeping it all in. good luck

Hi K.,
First, BIG KUDOS to you for caring for foster kids!!! My husband and I adopted a foster baby, who is now two, who we absolutely adore.

As to the blowouts, when this happens in our house, I eliminate juice altogether (they don't really need it), and add things like rice and bananas. Apples would be good, too, as they have fiber and will help "bulk up" poop.

She may also have a digestive problem that may need to be checked out by a doctor, e.g., she may be lacking digestive enzymes, or enought of the good bacteria in her gut. We give our 2-year-old probiotics in his milk/formula. 1/4 tsp every day. It's called Life Start and you can get it at Whole Foods.

I know it's so difficult to keep her on a good diet when you are dealing with the birth parents. (and I know how much they lie!). But hang in there. She is obviouslya accustomed to eating a lot, and that may take a while for her to get over if her bio parents continue to feed her as they do. My recommendation would be to only give her a snack at lunch on days that she visits them, since they seem to be feeding her lunch. And then go light at dinner as well. I would feed her as many vegetables as she wants, although not too much of the really sweet ones like corn, etc. Switch to whole grains if you haven't already, like brown rice. That should help. too!

Good luck, and keep up the good work!

For overnight we ONLY use Huggies overnights or else we have to deal with blow-outs and pee everywhere!!! For the day time I'm not sure what to do if you already have her in a nicer diaper--maybe Cruisers?

For the overnights my cheapest place to get them is Amazon.com and they have subscribe and save (which takes off 15% more). You can also get them at Wal-mart (and Target) usually. Some of the grocery stores carry them also.

:) Good luck!!

I second the Huggies overnight diapers. Our son was doing the same thing for a while at the same age. We had him drink soy milk up until he was 20 months. It was expensive, but really helped with the blowouts. The waterproof mattress cover is also a good idea.

As far as food and weight is concerned, if her parents are feeding her a sandwich and full meal as a snack, you should just consider that her dinner. If she is hungry around dinner time, then give her something healthy for the rest of the night. If you need to cut her caloric intake, switch to 2% milk. My sister-in-law (who is a registered dietician) fed her kids 2% milk. She was telling me that there are so many places where toddlers get their fat sources that you can cut the fat and calories in milk.

Again,next size diaper size 6, use the old fashioned cloth diaper cover ups, (rubber pants) used with potty training, also. Does she sleep through the night, if so maybe changing her once in the middle or early morning would help. I have found that Huggies works best...better than the generic brands, (6kids) they hold more..and in control more. Good luck and God Bless you!!

Good Morning K.,

Great that you considered food allergies. I recommend that you log onto site NAET.com. NAET.com is a group of allergists around the world who ELIMINATE allergies.

One of the reasons why I suspect allergies is that she is overweight. Overweight is a tell tale sign of food allergies.

I have been overweight my entire life and have suffered many physical problems because of food allergies. I am 37 years old and just discovered NAET.com last year. I have been going to treatments once a week. And, my allergies are being elimianated. My suggestion is that you have your child tested now, instead of waiting until she gets older. Allergies do not lessen with age, they get worse. And physical problems arise because of allergies.

You can also go to Amazon.com, find the books - Say Goodbye To Illness by Dr. Devi Nambudripad, and Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch.

2 things to consider when addressing Great Health: 1. Allergies and 2.Deficiencies. When both are addressed, the body will normalize.

I have a total of 60 pounds to lose, so far, just going to my allergy treatments, not trying to lose weight, I have lost 20 pounds.

You may email me at ____@____.com, but I strongly suggest that you just jump in the water of NAET.com. Find an allergist near your home and have you and your children tested for food allergies. The cost is not too expensive for testing and some NAET.com allergists do not charge for testing, only for treatment.

Be Well.

N.

K.,

Thanks for being a foster Mom!!

No advice on the poop but I would try the Gerber diaper covers over her diaper. This should keep the mess inside or at least contain it a little better.

Take care,
M.

Hi there, Sounds sort of like a jr. eating disorder. Perhap there is a way to replace the food with some other comfort item, a blanky, hot water bottle etc?

Maybe your doctor has some ideas - you might ask him to check her hormones just to be sure. Good luck to you and the child. Some of this must be heart breaking.