You are probably well acquainted with the discomfort of cramps, gas, and the churning in the lower GI associated with diarrhea. Your baby can go through the same discomfort, which prompts any parent to look for a quick solution. You can find that solution among our 15 home remedies for diarrhea in babies.
Before getting started, be sure to understand that babies takes in a broad range of ages between birth and 24 months. Not all of these remedies can be used for every age. If you are unsure about whether a particular remedy is appropriate for your baby, consult a health care professional before using it.
What Causes Diarrhea in Babies?
There are many reasons why a baby might suffer from diarrhea. One of the most common reasons is an infection of sorts. Typically, infections from different bacteria like salmonella may cause your little one to have a runny stomach that will result in diarrhea.
Even if you are not sure whether or not your baby has gotten any of the harmful bacteria in their system, diarrhea will often present itself when your baby is sick. This is why when you experience diarrhea with your little one, you will want to take them to the doctor to get checked out right away.
Diahreahh will not always be a sign of sickness, however. For example, during moments in your child’s early life, developmental milestones like your baby’s first teeth coming out can result in diarrhea as well. While your baby may not be sick due to an infection, the process of teething will cause their body to react with excessive diarrhea.
The good news is that many episodes of diarrhea will not last for too long. Diahreaah in babies should not last longer than 2 days. If diarrhea persists, then that is an indication that you need to visit your doctor as soon as possible.
If you have a newborn or infant that is suffering from diarrhea, then you will want to take them to the doctor as soon as possible. Excessive diarrhea can cause dehydration which can be extremely dangerous for your little one.
The good news is that if your little one is suffering from diarrhea, there are some simple home remedies you can take advantage of to help ease your baby’s discomfort. Here are some of the top remedies for babies with diarrhea to try at home.
1. Avoid Certain Foods
As a nursing mother, avoiding certain foods is among the first home remedies for diarrhea in babies to consider. When breastfeeding some of the foods the mother eats can trigger diarrhea in your baby, so avoiding certain foods can help correct rather than irritate the problem.
If you are still nursing your little one, then a lot of the food that you eat can impact your little one’s digestive system.
What to Do
- Attempt to maintain a well balanced diet without large variations with sugars and greasy foods.
- Food allergies can be part of the problem and the most common come from dairy, soy, wheat and eggs.
- Understand the effects of mother’s diet for baby’s health.
Because nursing can take a toll on your body, you want to make sure that you are not skipping meals. Doing so will not nourish you and it certainly will not help your milk supply. The best way to make sure that this does not happen is by being sure that you get in three balanced meals a day and staying properly hydrated.
2. Change Formula
Formula fed babies can also have their diarrhea triggered due to intolerance to certain ingredients in the formula. Consequently, changing the formula you are feeding your baby is also one of the home remedies for diarrhea in babies.
What to Do
- Recognize the frequency of bowel movements as the issue rather than the consistency of the stools. In addition, look for other symptoms of discomfort.
- Educate yourself concerning the various types of formulas and change to a formula that does not trigger diarrhea.
3. Plenty of Electrolytes
Dehydration becomes a problem with diarrhea at any age. Along with dehydration is the loss of electrolytes. Making sure that your baby has plenty of electrolytes should also be considered among the best home remedies for diarrhea in babies. Electrolytes are made up of five minerals that are vital for maintaining proper body function and a balance of their levels has to be maintained for better health.
What to Do
- Purchase and administer electrolyte solutions to your baby in small doses.
- You can make your own electrolyte solution at home as well.
- Start with a tsp or two, after 20 minutes or so, give a little bit more. Increase the dosage every 20 minutes as diarrhea begins to lessen.
4. Bananas
One of the most common solutions among the home remedies for diarrhea in babies includes an acronym of foods for helping to harden stools known as BRAT. The first on that list of foods are bananas. Bananas are soft and easy to digest. They are starchy and include several of the minerals necessary for electrolyte balance and they contain pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber that helps to absorb excess liquid in the intestinal tract.
What to Do
- Select bananas that are barely ripe and still firm because the nutrients your baby needs are more concentrated.
- Give small portions of the mashed up banana every 20 minutes, building up as you go.
5. Rice
The second letter in the BRAT acronym refers to rice, which is next on our list of home remedies for diarrhea in babies. Rice is another starchy food that is easier to digest and contains the right kind of fiber to draw out excess liquid and firm up those stools.
What to Do
- Prepare purchased rice cereal or make your own.
- Place ¼ cup of brown rice, which higher in those electrolyte minerals, in a food processor or clean coffee grinder and grind it into a powder.
- Boil 1 cup of water and add the powdered rice.
- Reduce the heat and allow it to cook at a simmer for 6 to 10 minutes.
- When it is cooled, serve it to your baby in small doses every 20 minutes, increasing a little bit each time.
6. Apple Sauce
Apple sauce is the third letter in the BRAT acronym and is the next item among our home remedies for diarrhea in babies. Apples and apple sauce are high in pectin, but you have to be careful, because apples can add too much fiber and worsen your baby’s problem and apple juice is even worse. Cooked apples made into apple sauce will work best for this remedy.
What to Do
- Peel core and slice 2 to 3 apples.
- Place the apples, 1 ½ cups of water and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice in a pot.
- Bring the water to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the apples are mushy and falling apart.
- Use a potato masher or pulse food processor to break up the larger chunks into a sauce.
- Give this to your baby a teaspoon or two at a time in 20 minute intervals, increasing a little bit each time.
7. Toast
Next among our home remedies for diarrhea in babies is the last letter in the BRAT acronym, toast. Toast accomplishes two things: it is a starch, which helps to absorb excess water and add some substance to your baby’s stools, and its char helps to absorb toxins that might be causing the issues in your baby’s digestive tract.
What to Do
- Toast a slice of bread until it is fairly dark and bordering on black.
- Give a small bit of toast along with applesauce or rice cereal, following the 20 minute intervals already discussed.
8. Mashed Potatoes
Another good starch among our home remedies for diarrhea in babies is the potato. Potatoes also have many of the minerals necessary for electrolyte balance, they also help to absorb excess liquid and firm up stools, and they tend to calm a churning stomach. Mashed potatoes are particularly easy to feed to your baby.
What to Do
- Peel and cube 2 to 3 potatoes and add them to a pot of boiling water.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the potatoes to cook for 15 to 20 minutes until they are soft.
- Drain off the excess water and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes.
- You can add a dab of milk to smooth out their consistency and some salt is okay, but don’t go crazy with butter and seasonings. In this case, plain is best.
- Feed the mashed potatoes in small spoonfuls following the 20 minute intervals we discussed.
9. Crackers
Crackers are also among the best home remedies for diarrhea in babies. Again, getting the right kinds of starch into the intestines to help absorb the excess liquid and firm up those stools is the objective.
What to Do
- Feed your baby crackers and pretzels in small portions every 20 minutes and watch how their body reacts to increase the amount, building up until the stools are firm.
- Make your own pretzel crackers.
10. Chicken
Building up your baby’s energy during a bout with diarrhea can be a problem and a little bit of protein in the form of soft, white-meat chicken can help. The protein can help to boost energy as well as replenish nutrients lost through those loose stools, so chicken is included among our home remedies for diarrhea in babies.
What to Do
- Feeding chicken to your baby does not include highly processed chicken nuggets, fried chicken, stir-fried chicken or just handing your baby a roasted drumstick.
- Select a lean chicken breast and remove the skin.
- Steam or boil the chicken until it is cooked through (165 degrees in the center).
- Feed your baby small crumbled up pieces of this chicken using the 20 minute intervals already discussed.
11. White Flour Paste
This next item among our home remedies for diarrhea in babies might not appeal to you and might seem to go against the healthy eating bible, but it is an effective remedy. Where whole grain flour is better for your health overall, it is better because of the fiber it contains. We don’t want to feed our baby that type of fiber when he or she has diarrhea. White flour can help to draw out excess liquid and firm up those stools.
What to Do
- Mix just enough water in ¼ cup of white flour to create a thick paste.
- You can add a little bit of salt to make it a little bit more palatable.
- Feed 1 to 2 tsp of this paste in the 20 minute increments we discussed earlier.
12. Chamomile Tea
The soothing effects of chamomile tea can also be included among the best home remedies for diarrhea in babies. Chamomile is both anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic in nature and works to calm that churning stomach and bring some relaxation to your baby.
What to Do
- Pour hot water over a tea bag or 1 tsp of chamomile flowers.
- Cover and allow the tea to steep for about 5 minutes.
- Strain out the tea and allow it to cool.
- Serve this to your baby in small amounts using the same 20 minute intervals we already discussed.
13. Turmeric
Also among the best home remedies for diarrhea in babies is the herb turmeric. The curcuma contained in turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties as well. It can relieve the cramping and churning in your baby’s intestinal tract.
What to Do
- Add ½ tsp of turmeric to 1 cup of warm water, formula or milk.
- You can also add ½ tsp of turmeric into several of the other recipes on this list to give them a little extra boost.
- Allow your baby to sip on this or give it to him or her in intervals.
14. Carrots
Like many of the starches we discussed earlier, carrots help to absorb excess liquid in the intestines and firm up those stools. In addition, carrots are high in several of the minerals included among the electrolytes and help to bring their balance back in line. Carrots are a necessary inclusion among the home remedies for diarrhea in babies.
What to Do
- Peel and chop a couple of medium sized carrots and place them in 1 ½ cups of water in a sauce pan.
- Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes until the carrots are soft and mushy.
- Use a potato masher to make them into a paste.
- Feed this to your baby in 20 minute increments as discussed.
15. Yogurt
Though, in general, dairy is out when it comes to home remedies for diarrhea in babies, yogurt is the single exception. Because of its beneficial bacteria, yogurt can actually help to overcome the issues causing your baby’s diarrhea.
What to Do
- Select plain yogurt without any sugars or flavoring.
- Feed this yogurt to your baby in 20 minute intervals just like we have discussed all along.
Wrapping Up
Whenever your baby experiences the extreme discomfort of diarrhea, being able to find quick and simple solutions becomes a major priority. Making use of several of our 15 home remedies for diarrhea in babies, you can get your baby’s intestinal tract back in line and relieve his or her discomfort quickly. Don’t forget to include any additional remedies, questions or comments in the section provided below.