Considering the fact that most newborn babies poop frequently and tend to have soft stools, it becomes difficult to know when a baby has diarrhea. However, if baby’s bowel movements change drastically and he is pooping more than usual and passing stools that are looser and more watery than usual, parents can be sure that it is diarrhea.
Diarrhea in babies is fairly common and while loose, watery stools and vomiting may worry new moms and dads, according to babycenter.com, “in the United States, most cases of diarrhea are relatively mild and don’t pose a major health threat as long as your baby doesn’t get dehydrated.”
Causes of Diarrhea in Babies
There can be many reasons for a baby’s upset stomach. According to authors of What to Expect the First Year, causes can include gastrointestinal infections, teething, food sensitivity, an excess of fruit or juice or reaction to a medication. In order to determine the cause of your baby’s upset stomach, you may want to take a look at her food to rule out food sensitivity and an excess of fruit or juice. Infectious cases could be caused due to contamination of baby food or even passed through the hand-mouth route.
How to Treat Infant Diarrhea
While exact treatment for infant diarrhea would depend on the cause, most treatment approaches involve making changes to baby’s food and diet. Here are some of the changes that can be made to treat baby’s upset tummy.
- According to Murkoff, Eisenberg, and Hathaway in What to Expect the First Year, babies suffering from diarrhea should have a “high fluid intake (at least 60 ml/2 fl oz an hour) to replace fluids lost through diarrhea.”
- Avoid giving sweetened drinks, sodas, juices or homemade salt and sugar mixtures.
- Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding baby and if baby takes solids, continue with them as well. What to Expect the First Year recommends giving starchy foods such as bananas, white rice, potatoes and pastas to baby.
- In case your baby is also vomiting, avoid giving solids but ensure adequate fluid intake.
- According to babycenter.com, “studies have shown that live bacterial cultures found in yogurt are a safe and effective way to cut down on the amount and duration of diarrhea.”
- Ensure frequent diaper changes and use a thick layer of nappy rash cream before putting on a fresh diaper.
- Do not give a baby any anti-diarrheal medicine without a doctor’s prescription.
Call a doctor immediately if baby shows signs of dehydration – sunken fontanel, decreased urine output, tearless eyes and dry skin. Also, contact a doctor if baby has blood in the stools, has had diarrhea for more than 24 hours, is vomiting repeatedly or is running a fever or seems ill. Babycenter.com also recommends calling a doctor if the suffering baby is 3 months or younger.
Ensuring Baby Health by Preventing Diarrhea
Baby’s health is of utmost concern for parents and while episodes of infant diarrhea can’t entirely be prevented, the risks can be reduced by following some basic steps.
- Ensure complete hygiene when preparing baby’s food.
- Wash hands diligently after handling baby’s diapers and going to the bathroom.
- According to What to Expect the First Year, dilute juices and limit intake to no more than 4 to 6 fl oz a day.
- Prevent rotavirus infections by vaccinating baby against it. Parents should ask the baby’s pediatrician about this.
As with all things baby-related, love, hugs and cuddles will make the little patient feel a lot better. Do use these tips and ideas to treat baby’s diarrhea and take adequate precautions to reduce the recurrence of an upset stomach in babies.
References:
Murkoff, Heidi; Eisenberg, Arlene; & Hathaway, Sandee. What to Expect the First Year, 2nd Ed. Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster UK Ltd., 2004.
