Baby Diarrhea

For most parent the real concern is does my baby have infant diarrhea? Firstly, most babies have soft textured stools, so if a parent notices a drastic change in the infant's bowel movement it usually is diarrhea. One will also notice that the feces is watery and have become more frequent. However, if it is just one diaper change with a loose stool, there is usually nothing to be worried about. Remember, your baby is growing and his or her feeding patterns will change and so too will their bowel movements.

Many new parents are surprised at the number of times a newborn has a dirty diaper. Some newborns poop after every feed, especially if they are being breastfed. Obviously, with the introduction of solid food, the frequency of the bowel movement will change and should be less often. Be advised each infant is different. What is normal for your child, may not usually be normal for another child. There are several causes for baby diarrhea. The most common cause is a viral or bacterial infection. Another common cause can be a food allergy or if the baby consumes too much fruit juices. If the baby is prescribed a medication, these sometimes are known to irritate the digestive tract and cause infant diarrhea.

If your baby does have diarrhea, they will be losing salts and water which need to be replaced to avoid becoming dehydrated. Be aware of the signs of dehydration. These include decreased urine output, so you should notice less wet diapers, a dry mouth, your baby does not tear up when crying, drowsiness, or irritable. Now, remember, dehydration can occur quickly, within twenty four to forty eight hours. Call your pediatrician immediately, if you think your baby is dehydrated.

If your infant has baby diarrhea, you need to follow a special diet. The last thing you want is to worsen the condition. So what do you feed your precious one. Complex carbohydrates have shown to be less irritating on the digestive tract, especially when one has diarrhea. Fortunately, there are some foods that you can give your baby that will actually help stop the condition. These foods are apple sauce, rice cereal, pasta, oatmeal, strained bananas and mashed potatoes.

Dry toast and yogurt with live cultures will also help ease the condition. Be careful to avoid the following milk products, peaches, apricots, pears, prunes, and fruit juices especially pear, apple and cherry. Notice that apple sauce will lessen diarrhea where as, apple juice will worsen the condition. The reason being is that apple sauce contains pectin, which is an ingredient that will make feces firmer, where as apple juice has sorbitol, which will make diarrhea worse. If you are breast feeding your baby, continue to do so. However, avoid caffeinated products as this might irritate the baby's intestine. If these home remedies do not work please consult your baby's pediatrician.