Poop Panic!

I had never really got it. You know in books, and film- and from girlfriend having their little bundles of joy. How in the name of .... does anyone get so obsessed over their babies' bowl movements?! I mean; the discussions over color, texture, amount etc. HELLO! I would have totally gotten an in-depth analysis on the latest range of Chloe handbags. Or Rodarte clothing. Or some seriously sexy shoes. But poop??!! Eh, no thanks. Until now that is. Now I am officially as bad as the rest. If not worse. I clap my hands when she Nahla has a dirty diaper. I sing to her about being a good girl, and clever she is for doing a poop. I am a lost cause. For sure!
In my defense; the debacle over Nahla's poops have been quite exhausting. She passed her meconium in the hospital while we were still there, but then nothing since for 12 WHOLE DAYS! I was going nuts! My poor baby, was she suffering from constipation? Was everything normal with her? I rang the hospital, midwifes, pediatric nurses- everyone even remotely qualified to answer such questions. And they all just seemed so relaxed. "Don't worry, for breast-fed babies, it is equally normal that they poop 10 times a day than it is that they poop every 10 days." That did not settle my panic even the slightest. I was freaked out there was something wrong with my perfect little baby. Then again, she seemed fine. She ate. She pee'd. She slept. She was calm and cute and amazing in every way. She just did not poop. Until, off course, after 12 long days, she did. Alot. All over me. And the sofa. And herself. From her hair to her toes. I'll spare you the details of the color and texture, if you have any experience with baby-poop you'll know. It was extensive.

And now, at six weeks, she still only poops every 4-5 days. Which I have been assured by the entire medical profession is entirely normal as she is for the most part a breast-fed baby. I give her a couple of bottles of formula a day, both because she is a hungry baby and I don't have quite enough milk, and also because I find that being able to do a combination just suits us both better. She is happy and content and sleeps through the night, and it gives me the freedom of being able to let someone else feed her every now and again- which her grandparents and aunties and everyone LOVES to do, and also makes me relax knowing she is getting enough food. Breastfeeding is great and lovely and convenient- especially for us that travel as much as we do, but I enjoy being to do both. Which- I think- is one of the most important lessons I have learnt in parenting so far; to do what suits YOU and YOUR baby. Don't let people tell you what to do. Listening and learning from others is all fine and well, but at the end of the day, you have to make your routine work for your life. Happy mummy = happy baby. It really is that simple.