What Are the Symptoms of Neonatal Diarrhea?

Is Your Baby Suffering From Diarrhea? What Should You Do to Comfort the Baby in Diarrhea?

It is normal to spot different colors, textures, and odors in your baby’s dirty diaper. The baby’s diet changes as he gets older. He consumes breast milk for the first six months and some moms also feed formula milk. Poop color and texture depends on what the baby digests.

Babies discharge much softer stool than adults. It may even get softer sometimes. However, if you see the baby is discharging looser and watery poop, it can be diarrhea. Babies lose a lot of water and minerals when they are suffering from diarrhea. It can cause dehydration and babies dehydrate much faster than adults. Therefore, you should know the symptoms of neonatal diarrhea to provide quick medical aid to the baby.

What Symptoms Indicate It Is Neonatal Diarrhea?

If your baby has several bowel movements and stool looks somewhat like an egg drop, it can be diarrhea! It will have a sour smell and baby poop usually does not smell. Therefore, parents must pay attention to the baby’s bowel movements. Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of neonatal diarrhea and its symptoms.  

1. Frequent bowel movement

If your baby is having frequent bowel movements, it is a sign that he might be suffering from diarrhea. This disease’s symptoms are the same for adults and newborn child. Both experience mild to intense stomach pain and defecate frequently. Your baby will defecate less than ten times a day if he has mild diarrhea. It is a serious health concern if your baby has more than ten bowel movements in a day.

2. Sudden change in stool color

Babies discharge different color stools as they grow older. Newborns discharge greenish stool for a few days and then it changes to yellow. It is normal for babies to have a yellow or golden stool. If it suddenly turns yellow-green and mucus comes out with stool, it can be diarrhea.

3. Sour smell

Baby stool does not have a weird smell. It is almost odorless when the baby is healthy. If you check his diapers and it smells weird, the baby is not healthy. If it has a sour smell, it can be due to diarrhea. It also indicates gastrointestinal indigestion issues. His nappy will be filled with watery stool and it will smell bad. So, take your baby to the doctor for a quick checkup.

4. The texture of the stool changes

If you check the diaper and it is filled with watery and loose stool, it can be diarrhea. Babies usually discharge ointment-like stool when they consume milk. It gets thicker as the baby consumes complimentary food. If the shape suddenly changes, it can be due to diarrhea or other health problems.

The frequency of defecating reduces as the baby gets older. A newborn baby would have only 2-5 bowel movements and it will further reduce as the baby gets 3 months old. If defecation frequency suddenly increases, it is a sign of diarrhea. Most of the babies defecate 7-10 times a day when suffering from diarrhea.

What Are the Causes of Neonatal Diarrhea?

Diseases do not just happen. Many activities and habits cause a variety of diseases. Diarrhea is not an exception. Every human being suffers from this disease regardless of age. What causes neonatal diarrhea? Let’s find out:

1. Thicker formula milk

Your newborn baby may have health issues if you feed him thicker formula milk. It is not suitable for newborns and some moms add sugar to formula milk to make it taste better. It affects the baby’s health.

Breastfeed your newborn baby because it is the best meal he can get until he is 6 months old. If you can’t, then maintain the right temperature of formula milk and reduce its thickness. The baby will suffer from diarrhea if you don’t take care of his regular diet.

2. Feeding cereal at an early age

Newborn babies cannot digest food, except milk. Some mothers start feeding cereal at an early age. It starts accumulating and then causes diarrhea. The improper diet causes foam in stool and smells quite bad. Your baby will also discharge indigested food particles in stool if he cannot digest the provided food. He may also vomit if his body doesn’t expect the food!

3. Cold

Cold is another common cause of diarrhea. If your baby catches a cold, he might also suffer from diarrhea. Many parents go to the pediatric doctor when the baby suffers from a cold and they discover mild symptoms of diarrhea.

4. Bacterial infection

It is the fourth most common cause of diarrhea in babies. Rotavirus is mainly responsible for causing diarrhea in babies during the winter and autumn seasons. 70-80% of babies suffer from diarrhea because of bacterial infection. If it is the cause of the disease, vomiting and fever can make the condition worse. Therefore, you should immediately take the baby to the doctor for quick treatment.

5. Milk allergies

Some babies are allergic to milk and therefore they suffer from diarrhea. 2-7 out of 100 babies cannot digest formula milk. They start vomiting milk and they have loose motions. Parents should stop feeding formula milk if the baby shows such allergies. The baby will have bloodshot eyes and eczema or other allergic reactions.

Whatever is causing diarrhea, your baby needs immediate treatment. This disease can badly affect your baby’s health. He will lose essential minerals and water. The baby will look upset most of the time and cry a lot due to discomfort.

How to Comfort Your Baby in Diarrhea?

Every mother gets concerned about the baby’s health when he suffers from diarrhea. It would be daunting to manage if it is your first-time experience. Try the following tips to comfort your newborn baby.

1. Prevent health issues as far as possible

It is not easy to deal with diarrhea because the baby will face a lot of problems. So, prevent this disease as much as possible. Provide your baby with a healthy diet. Breastfeed him every day and clean your baby daily to eliminate the chances of germ attack. If your baby starts consuming complementary food, provide fresh and clean meals.

Do not serve stale food to kids because it can be dangerous to their health. Also, make sure that the baby eats food on perfectly cleaned plates.

2. Breastfeed your baby

Newborn babies find it extremely daunting to digest external milk. Mom’s milk is the best meal for newborn babies. It is easy to digest and it contains everything your child needs for better health and better growth. Breast milk is also known for strengthening the baby’s immune system. Therefore, you should only breastfeed your baby during the first six months of his life.

3. Improve the interior environment

Clean your house regularly to prevent germ attack. Babies can fall sick quite easily because their immune system is not strong enough to prevent germ attack. Provide baby fresh air to breath and a clean house to roam. Maintain the right temperature in the baby’s room to prevent cold and fever. Thus, your baby will stay fit and healthy most of the time.

4. Keep your baby well-hydrated

Along with maintaining a hygienic environment in the house, you should also ensure the baby is well-hydrated. Newborns cannot speak when they are hungry or thirsty. They only cry when they need something. Babies mostly demand food or they cry when they feel too hot or cold. Check everything when your baby is crying. Feed him regularly to keep him well-hydrated and comfortable.

5. Clean your baby regularly to prevent skin infections

Your baby will defecate several times a day. It is your job to keep him clean to prevent skin rashes and other health issues. Use high-quality wipes to clean your baby’s butt. Diarrhea causes the baby to release more stool. It can easily damage the baby’s delicate skin if not cleaned on time. Therefore, parents should timely check and change the baby’s diapers to comfort him longer.

Which Home Remedies Are Perfect to Treat Neonatal Diarrhea?

You can try the following home remedies to treat the baby’s diarrhea problem quickly:

1. Carrot soup

Being alkaline food, carrot also provides pectin. It eliminates pathogenic bacteria and helps the baby in discharging toxins out of the body. Carrot juice is an ideal anti-bacterial and anti-diarrheal food. Prepare carrot juice and serve it with water to help your baby in digesting it quickly.

2. Apple puree

Apple puree provides the baby with tannic acid and pectin. This food is ideal to consume in diarrhea because it increases the absorption of minerals and other nutrients. Include it in the baby’s diet, especially when he has diarrhea.

3. Rice soup

Fry rice until it gets completely brown. Now add water and a moderate quantity of sugar. Boil the rice with sugary water and then make a thin paste. Provide this soup to your baby. He will easily digest it and that soup will have anti-diarrheal effects.

Conclusion

If your baby is younger than 6 months, you should breastfeed him. Take your baby to the doctor to get the right medication for quick treatment of diarrhea. The aforementioned home remedies are suitable for 8 months to 1-year-old babies. Try them to comfort your baby, treat diarrhea, and make him happy again.  

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