Newborn diarrhea

The symptoms of neonatal diarrhea

1. Mild: Five to eight stools a day accompanied by mild fever or vomiting, abdominal distension and hyperactive bowel sounds.
2. Moderate : Passing stools ten times a day, watery stools, foul smelling stool smell and moderate fever.
3. Severe: Frequent diarrhea, 8 to 15 stools per day, watery, heavy, foul smelling, and signs and symptoms of severe dehydration such as irritability, drowsiness, sunken forehead and dry skin.

Why newborns have diarrhea

1. Physiological loose stool

There are also obvious differences in the stool characteristics of different feeding methods. 

Countermeasures: Reasonable feeding, strengthened nursing and usually do not need special treatment. 

2. Improper feeding

Improper feeding methods such as unsuitable milk powder, milk being too cold or premature addition of rice paste can cause foamy diarrhea mixed with indigestible particles and mucus  accompanied by vomiting and crying.

Countermeasures: Correct unscientific feeding methods. If the symptoms do not improve, you should go to the hospital for treatment.

3. Allergy to milk powder

There is refractory, non-infectious diarrhea for more than 2 weeks, which can be mixed with mucus and blood, accompanied by skin eczema, urticaria and asthma.

Countermeasure: Follow the doctor’s prescription to feed the newborn with special milk powder.

4. Infection

When a baby has a cold, it is often accompanied by diarrhea symptoms. If the  stool is yellowish water sample accompanied with vomiting and fever rotavirus infection should be considered.

Countermeasure: Don’t hesitate to find an expert for treatment immediately to prevent dehydration.

How to deal with newborns’ diarrhea

1. Feeding should be regular and quantitative. Gradually add supplementary foods on time.
2. The process of transferring milk should be gradual, and avoid quick battles. Generally, it takes 2 weeks to transfer milk.
3. Pay attention to climate change, increase or decrease clothing in time, and keep your belly warm. 
4. The baby’s perianal should be washed properly, the diaper should be changed frequently and the hands should be disinfected to avoid repeated infection. 
5. Strengthen physical fitness to prevent colds, pneumonia, otitis media and other diseases.
6. As long as the baby’s diet and daily life is healthy , the growth and development will be fine. Parents do not have to worry too much about the frequency, shape and color of the baby’s bowel movements.
7. Parents should properly adjust the baby’s diet to reduce the intake of starch and sugar foods.

What to eat for newborn diarrhea

1. Dilute milk with rice soup and meets stomach acid to form soft and loose casein clot, which is easy to digest.
2. Both the burnt rice and the rice soup contain a small amount of calories, which has an adsorption effect and reduces the moisture in the stool.
3. Eating yogurt has a certain effect of inhibiting the growth of bacteria; it can also promote the absorption of calcium.
4. The fat content of skimmed milk can reduce the digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract to fat.