9Mo. Old First Diarreah!

Ok A.. No one has suggested to you. She might be teething. ALL my kids had the runs while teething. Changing her food mostly likely will cause the runs also. Also, for the diaper rash, it's probably a yeast infection, go get some store brand MONOSTAT. WORKS WONDERS.

Let me know if I can be any help.

S.

Avoid juices. They can actually contribute to the diarreah. Get some Pedialyte it's made to prevent dehydration from diarreah/vomiting.

I think it's a rare baby who gets all the way from birth through potty training without a single bout of diarrhea. Keeping her hydrated is important. Pedialyte works well. Stay away from juice or anything sugary as that can make the diarrhea worse. Sometimes when the gut gets irritated it will stay irritated for awhile after the initial cause has resolved itself. When my son was a baby, he came down with it twice, and both times it was about 10 days before he was back to normal. The BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, Toast) diet works to help bind up the loose stool. And then there's the diaper rash. Diarrhea can be very acidic and will burn the skin quickly. You'll want to change diapers often, clean up thoroughly (warm wet washcloth works well - baby wipes can irritate). Sometimes I would try to neutralize the acid by using a little liquid Mylanta before slathering on the Bag Balm or Desitin as thickly as possible before putting the clean diaper on. You'll get through this.

hi A., it IS scary, isn't it? try not to worry too much, soon you'll be the old hand giving advice, but the first time you encounter stuff like this it always freaks you out a little.
i'm with your sister, and it seems counter-intuitive to me to do a sudden big change like switching formula on a baby who already has an upset going on. the BRAT diet is great (but keep it very light) and a little pedialyte will get you through this, and cut out the juice. if she likes freeze pops you can freeze some flavored pedialyte and get her to take it that way. her appetite may be reduced, so don't fret if that happens.
with diarrhea it's tough to get her go bare-bottomed which is the best thing to do with a diaper rash. you really just have to try ointments and see which one works best for her in this case. when the tummy upset passes, if she still has a sore bottom you can let her air out and that will help.
hang in there, mom! it WILL end, and soon, and you'll have a new skill to add to your mom toolbox!
:) khairete
S.

Hi

All kids get an upset tummy so don't worry , she's not going that often and has no vomiting so it's not a more serious virus , yes keep her hydrated with pedialyte , avoid regular juices as this can make it worse , & while she has the loose BM's try & give her the BRAT diet (Bananas , rice , toast , apple sauce) as this helps to bind the BM's back together. My daughter had rotovirus when she was 7 months and her ped also advised to switch her to soy formula but I would wait on that if I were you as her diarrhea doesn't seem that bad.

Good Luck

K.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is good, but we swore by Balmex which we found the absolute best. Uncover rash area as much as possible, cleanse with extremely soft cloth and just warm water and pat dry. We also then applied Caldescene powder along with the Balmex. The powder is imporatn for drying and contains zinc oxide. These tow together worked like a charm. Your daughter's age is young for the usual full BRATT diet, but perhaps very well mashed bananas, rice cereal and applesauce and diluted tea may be useful. Few people know that in extremely poor countries where at least clean drinking water is available, infants and babies with extreme diarrhea are fed and kept rehydrated with just the boiled water from cooking rice, to which has been added some salt and sugar. Extremely effective treatment and readily available. Hydration and patience are the cornerstones to recovery! Hope your daughter is better soon.

A.,

I saw that many have recommended the BRATT diet, but they forgot one very important detail, there are 2 T's in BRATT, one stands for Tea, the other for Toast. My mother had a home remedy that helped, mix your daughter's formula with a little tea (green with no sugar). This will help settle the stomach. You can also give her a little bit of shredded coconut in her food. It will help with any virus that may be in her stomach. Is your baby teething? If so, it is a very good reason why she may have diarrhea. Doctors will tell you that teething doesn't cause symptoms, but any mother will tell you that teething can cause anything from fever to diarrhea especially if your baby is having multiple teeth come in at once. My son had 8 teeth come in a one time when he was a year old and the diarrhea was ongoing for about 3 months. He ate well and drank a lot of fluids so there was nothing we could do but wait till it stopped. Yes, it is very scary, frustrating, and every tiring. You'll get through it. Give your little one lots of hugs and try not to stress because your little one feels your stress. Say a little prayer and everything will be fine. God Bless and I'll be praying that you have peace of mind to get through this time.

I wouldn't suggest switching formula as that can actually lead to more issues. Especially since soy is a high allergen!

Juices could actually make the problems worse because of the sugar in it. Stick to binding foods that she's already had (bananas, rice, apples, toast). Yogurt has probiotics that are good for digestive health, so if she's already had yogurt and that doesn't cause her to have diarrhea, yogurt would be beneficial. Pedialyte either in a cup/bottle or they have freezer pops are good for hydration.

Don't try anything new because you won't know if it the food that is causing the diarrhea.

Also, its possible that teething could be the source. It might last a week or two if its a bug, and she may lose a little weight, but she will be fine. As L. as she has at least 4 wet diapers throughout a 24 hour course, she's hydrated enough (they may not be as wet as normal, but she won't wet them at all if she's dehydrated).

We've been through a couple stomach bugs with my son, who turned 1 today, just stay calm, give her extra love and wash your hands so you stay healthy.

Perhaps she cannot digest potatoes yet. Hold off on solids for another month. AF

I feel like I have tried everything (creams, ointments, no diaper, different foods and drinks) and the only things that I have found to work are infant probiotics (live culture from Whole Foods- employees there are great to help), baths with baking soda (just pour a bunch and let your little one sit in it- it drys the rash right up), and a diaper cream without zinc (I got mine at Whole Foods- try to find one that just provides a barrier between the babies skin and diaper- no desitin, etc). When my little one gets diaper rash now, it is gone within a day or so. Hope this helps.

Don't get too worried...it's probably a stomach bug and it'll pass quickly. If she hasn't had any problems with her formula before, I wouldn't go switching it after just a day of dirrehea. Don't be surprised if she isn't too hungy; it's just like when your stomach hurts and you don't feel like eating. It's good that she's drinking though, that's the most important. My dad was a pediatrician and he retired a couple years ago. Anyway, he mentioned avoiding apple juice since it can add to the dirrehea. Just stick with water and the formula. Applesauce is ok though and if she'll eat her cereal too, that should help.

Hi A.,

It happens sometimes and can be from any number of things. I also wouldn't jump to changing anything just yet. It could be a virus, or it could be a food allergy, there just isn't any way to tell unless your baby starts with blood in the poop. If your baby does that, change your formula to a soy based formula immediately. Does she have a fever or anything? Also, our pediatrician told us not to give any juices because it can keep the diarrhea flowing, they advise just water and formula. Do you have bordeau's butt paste? That stuff works miracles for diaper rash, you can get it at Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Target, etc. Good luck!

Hi A.,
I agree with your sister, wait until tomorrow and see how things are before changing anything. It will upset her stomach more if you change things now. For the diarrhea, make sure you keep track of how much liquid she is drinking. This is the first step. IF she likes, and has tried, bananas before, give her some. This will help bind her up some. I don't know why, but it works. The diarrhea will not last forever. It could be a virus, but in my experience, if it is it will be better in a few days. It could be something she ate, but I would not count on it. I work in day care and we are seeing a LOT of stomach viruses going around in the kids right now.

As for the diaper rash...since she is having diarrhea, I would recommend putting some good ol' corn starch on her at each diaper change. That is what I used on all 3 of my babies bottom's and it works like a charm (and it is cheap!). If she is on any antibiotics, you may need to take her to the doctor to make sure it is not a yeast infection, but if she is not I would put money on the rash being caused by the diarrhea.

I hope this helps a little!

Hi A.,

Solid foods can be tricky depending on the baby. Each child will let you know what foods they are allergic to. The key is to introduce solids one at a time in order to notice how your baby responds to each food. White potatoes are enzymic and not all children respond well to it. The "starchy" foods, (carbohydrates) are best introduced in their natural form. Our youngest had a serious allergy to white potatoes and some other foods and we learned based on how he reacted to the foods.

This is a great time to start a food log so that you know how your child responds to what foods.

I would also like to suggest that solid foods be introduced as whole foods, not processed foods. Babies respond so much easier to foods cooked and pureed at home. It takes a little more time, however, you will have less adverse reactions. You can cook and store the food in advance.

Hope this is helpful.

Once the diarrhea passes, and it can take two days,

I have a recommendation for the diaper rash. Boudreaux's Butt Paste is great. When my daughter gets a diaper rash it is the fastest thing to help clear it up. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

I agree, NO JUICE, more bananas, applesauce, toast if they are not new foods. If they are wait a few days, then introduce one at a time. Bananas and yogurt really helped my little one stay regular. Teething and swallowing all that saliva definitely could contribute, but I would make a note of the date and time of the potatoes and what happened and not feed them again for several months and see if she has the same reaction. Also note if you put anything in them like butter or sour cream or cows milk as one of those could be the culprit. I used to let my son nap on a waterproof blanket in front of our sliding door with no diaper when he had diaper rash, and actually run around outside for an hour and that would help tremendously. It'll pass, and as long as she's hydrated (we call Pedialyte "special juice" at our house and give it as a "treat") you'll both be OK...good luck with all the laundry!! D.

not sure what may have caused it...however for help on the other "end" try the BRAT diet. Bananas Rice Applesauce and Toast...remember this until they are out on their own! it's a lifesaver for the "other end" ! good luck! also...my daughter would scream when I used Desitin on her so we used Aquafor (Eucerin) or Boudreaux Butt Paste on her bad diaper rashes...clears up within a day!
good luck!

Hi A.,

All three of my kids survived this, even my first who was on the verge of being hospitalized for dehydration. Pedialyte or water, the BRAT diet and lots and lots of diaper cream all over the behind will help you get through this. I left my kids without a diaper for periods during the day to help dry out the rash~~I don't know if this will work for you. I was advised to stop formula until the diarreah ended, especially if your child is eating solids. milk has a tendency to make it worse. being a mommy is never easy but the best thing you can do is to make sure your little one stays hydrated. Stay away from juice, i cannot believe that the pediatrician didn't give you that advice. Good luck. you will survive this and it will make you a stronger, smarter mommy.