10 effective solutions to prevent diarrhea in babies
Diarrhea is a stomach condition that makes stools very soft, liquid and is evacuated at a higher rate than normal. Diarrhea kills 2195 children every day, more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. Diarrhea diseases account for 1 in 9 children worldwide, making diarrhea the second leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age. Diarrhea can be avoided if you follow all these precautions:
1) Vaccinate your baby against rotavirus
The rotavirus vaccine protects against this serious disease that can lead to severe diarrhea. The vaccine is given in two doses, one given at 6 weeks and the other given at 10 weeks. In the end, a simple vaccination could prevent your child from having diarrhea.
2) Wash your hands with soap and warm water
Wash your hands when returning from the market, school, work or meeting with friends and family. In addition, wash your hands before handling your baby’s bottle or breastfeeding. Finally, wash your hands after you have gone to the bathroom, changed your baby’s diaper, or coughed or sneezed into your hand.
3) Wash the baby’s bottles and associated equipment
Use a machine that disinfects your baby’s bottles or boil them in hot water. By disinfecting them, you reduce the transmission of the disease to your baby. Before boiling your bitters, make sure they do not melt. But also, have at least 5 bottles for your baby.
4) Discard the rest of the bottle one hour after your child finishes feeding
Breast milk and formula milk can quickly develop bacteria, especially after your child has been fed. As a result, you must discard all remaining breast milk after your child’s meal. The refrigerated formula or breast milk (which has not been used) must be rejected after two days.
5) Keep food fresh
Any food you store and give to your baby should be refrigerated to less than 4.4 degrees Celsius. This includes breast and artificial milk, juice or baby food. This is important because unrefrigerated foods can quickly develop bacteria and cause diarrhea.
6) Breastfeed the baby exclusively for at least 6 months
Breastfeeding helps to transfer the immunity of the mother to her child. In addition, breastfeeding sometimes offers better nutrition than infant formula. As a result, breastfeeding infants are much less likely to have diarrhea. Any amount of breastfeeding will be beneficial for your child, even if it is only a few weeks. Imagine the benefits if you give breast milk for a year.
7) Limit your baby’s juice intake to less than 2 baby bottles per day
Older children who drink a lot of juice may have diarrhea. As a result, avoid giving too much juice to your baby.
8) Add prebiotics to your infant’s food
Prebiotics and probiotics are known to promote the growth of good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. By adding them to your baby’s milk, you can prevent diarrhea or reduce its severity. After 6 months, serve yogurt or other foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics. Consult your pediatrician before giving your child prebiotics or probiotics.
9) Limit consumption of products containing caffeine, if you are breastfeeding
Caffeine can be transmitted to an infant using breast milk. This can cause diarrhea. As a result, consider limiting or avoiding caffeine if you are breastfeeding and notice that your child has diarrhea.
10) Change the formula if the baby has allergies and do not give tap water
Whether before or after you have tested your infant for allergies, you should consider changing the milk if your baby often has diarrhea. After you can see that your baby has no more diarrhea. If you use traditional milk, try using a soy-based one. Avoid giving tap water or water from the source to your baby.
