What to feed bub with diarrhea!?! I'm running low on breastmilk!

K

kyojee

Registered User
Hi!

My 10 month old is having a bout of diarrhea, and had been having watery stools for the past 2 days. My ped advised to stop all formula (even lactose free ones) and cut down on solids. His advice was to give water, rehydrating fluid, breastmilk and a little cereal. Lacteol fort was also given. The gist of it is to keep bub hydrated and not hungry. He's against giving too much solids as it could cause a tummy upset if bub is unable to digest them properly.

Problem is: She had refused water and rehydration fluids, and my supply is running low. EEkkkksss!

I don't know how else to keep her hydrated! Would a lactose free formula and juices aggravate the diarrhea? I had researched on various baby websites and received different advices. Your sharing of experience would be much appreciated!!!

Also, if anyone knows of where to purchase fenugreek pills (am hoping to increase my supply) do drop a line!

Thank you....
 
My doctor recommended cereal, banana and a little apple when my toddler had diarrhea. We also gave him lactose free milk formula as well as water. If you feel that your milk supply is reducing then I'd suggest that you express after every feed (or instead of a feed if you are giving formula for that feed). Expressing certainly helped me increase supply.
 
Galactagogue to help increase your milk supply

The two most famous galactagogues are fenugreek and domperidone (a prescription is required). Dr. Jack Newman has hand outs about these at:

Fenugreek, http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/24pdf.pdf
Scroll down to the heading, Herbs for Increasing Milk Supply

Domperidone, http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/Dom19abcombinedpdf.pdf

For fenugreek capsules try:

Integrated Medicine Institute,
17/Fl., Kailey Tower,
16 Stanley Street,
Central.
Tel : 2523 7121 2523 7121
Fax: 2537 1833
Web site: IMI - Integrated Medicine Institute

Healthgate,
8/F., Hung Tak Building,
106-108 Des Voeux Road Central,
Central.
Tel: 2545 2286 2545 2286
Fax: 2854 0770
Web site: Health Gate - Hong Kong's premier organic health good store since 1992

Drinking fenugreek tea may not give you a big enough dose to increase your supply. Dosages of less than six capsules per day often produce no effect. One way to determine if you're taking the correct dosage is to slowly increase the amount of fenugreek until your sweat and urine begin to smell like maple syrup. The maple syrup smell tells you that you are at he right dosage.

If you notice any side effects (loose stools and nausea are the commonest but also skin reactions) discontinue use and consider an alternative method of increasing milk supply.

Avoid fenugreek if you have a history of:

* Peanut or chickpea allergy
* Diabetes or hypoglycaemia
* Asthma
* Abnormal menstrual cycles
* Migraines
* Blood pressure problems or heart disease

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
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Other Methods of Increasing Milk Supply

Two techniques that can be helpful to increase your milk supply are Breast Compression and Switch Nursing.

Dr. Jack Newman also explains how to do Breast Compression on his web site,

Breast Compression at http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/15pdf.pdf

He also has video clips on his website, Breastfeeding Articles by Dr. Jack Newman - Breastfeeding Online, which can be useful.
Compression
Compression Two
show the Breast Compression technique.
(Scroll down to the heading Breast Compression)

Another good technique is Switch Nursing. Switch nursing is changing to the other side when the baby no longer seems interested. Usually when we start feeding the baby is very interested to suck, as the baby slows down we start the breast compression and when the baby slows down with the breast compression we change and get the baby to have the other side. On the other side after the baby starts to slow down we again use the breast compression and when he slows down again swap back to the first side again. We can continue swapping sides as much as we like and for as long as the baby is willing to continue to suck. It is fine to swap sides 8, 9 or 10 times in one feed.

Remember that breastfeeding works on the demand and supply principal. So your body replaces the milk taken out. Thus to increase your supply you want the baby to suck on your emptying breast - so when you think you have no milk left is the best time to get the baby to suck. If the baby isn't co-operative then a breast pump at this time can help.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
Is your supply low anyway because he takes bottles usually too? If so...hmm, that is some bad luck. The same thing happened to my boy at around that age, but with vomiting instead. I basically force fed him the rehydration fluid (which he hated the taste of) with a medicine dropper. Then got him to take as many sips of water as possible. You have to keep on him like a hound.
For diarrhea, it should be ok just to give him congee, or plain white rice. Bananas puree should be fine too. Also plain white bread (no crust) is good at `stopping` things up in his bowels, as well as providing the nutrition. Basically any `white` carbs are ok, as they are very easy to digest. You can just give him some solids little by little, and see how he reacts, then build up to more if he can handle it.
Also since you have been increasing your breastfeeding times, within a few days hopefully your supply should increase.
 
I agree with Shenzhennifer, would give congee and rice only. Both are very good. Grated apple with grated carrots is very helpful too in this case but I don't know what foods you have introduced to your little one already. Fruits I would rather give in moderation not to upset his stomach even more.
 
Hello,

I had this problem too when my baby had bad diarrhea. He too rejected the dehydration fluids, but would drink them if given in a lactaion aid (supplementing tube).

I also gave him soy formula in addition to breastmilk as I too had to supplement due to low supply. For the first day I gave him just rice water, that is you cook rice with lots of water and give him the white water (and breast milk).

Twice my little one lost a lot of weight through diarrhea but he gained it back.

Good luck!

myriam
 
Hi all!

It's day 5 and things got better yesterday and somehow worse today... i don't know what's going on, but doc said she might have developed a temporary lactose intolerance (which could last 1-2 weeks) during this diarrhea episode, and told me that breastfeeding (breastmilk contains lactose) might in fact be causing her condition to aggravate. oh my... i'm so torn now if I should to continue breastfeeding.

she took on the rehydration fluid fine (i added a bit of apple juice to get her on to it at first, and later removed it...) and now she seems to love the rehydration fluid so much that she would actually initiate to hold her own bottle (never with formula before...)

I don't think my supply did not increase much through increased nursing (actually am down with a flu myself, sighhh....) and as per Sarah's advice, I did check out fenugreek, but I decided not to take it as I have a history of extreme irregular menstrual cycles. I pumped literally nothing! So depressing... argghhh =(

fingers crossed that things would get better. she's a really slim baby, I can't bear to see her turn into a skinny one. Will continue giving plain congee, bananas and a bit of white toast + rehydration fluid + lacteol fort. Still unsure if i should continue with breastfeeding or to offer some lactose-free formula or do a mixture. it would be hard to stop bf so suddenly as she's so comforted by the boob.

will keep things posted here, so moms could use it for a reference! (touch wood of course, hopefully you won't need to.)
 
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I would think very carefully about stopping breastfeeding while your baby isn't well. Remember that it is when babies are ill that they really need the antibodies in the breast milk.

I have attached a pamphlet about lactose intolerance. I hope you find it useful.

Remember that the amount of milk you can pump is not the same as the amount you have. Your emotions made a huge difference to the amount you can pump but very little difference when your breastfeed directly. This is because your hormones work automatically when you directly breastfeed and they all help the milk ejection reflex to work better.

So the very fact that your baby is unwell and you are worried about your milk supply will reduce the amount you can pump.

If you would like to talk on the telephone my number is 2548-7636.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 

Attachments

I also would not stop breastfeeding. I know doctors do recommend that easily, but they also have different opinions. I was told by a leading allergy specialist (Adrian Wu) to stop breastfeeding my 8 month old when he had severe exzema which he said was due to food allergies. Instead I followed the advice of a homeopath and eventually the exzema cleared up without any medication and with continued breastfeeding.

My little one had severe diarrhea three times between the ages of 7-10 months. Each time it lasted about 2 weeks. Totally liquid for about a week, several times a day we had to change all his clothes. Was very scary. He is also thin and got very skinny. But it does clear up and in our case over the last few months he's been gaining more and is now about average.

In any case I would say do what you feel is right. It's good your daughter likes the Rehydration Fluids, that is the most important to avoid dehydration. Take your doctor's words (and any other professional's) as advice from consultants who will have different opinions. Only you can decide what you will do, especially for something as personal as breastfeeding.

Else I would say give your baby as much time, love and cuddles as you can, that will be the best cure.

Good luck...

myriam
 
I agree you should try to keep nursing, but you may also want to stop all dairy products yourself. The other thing my pediatrician recommends is Pediasure diluted to half strength or even less. It has no milk, and diluting it helps you to get more liquid in. Hope this helps!
 
I have no experience with breast milk, but your child needs to continue drinking. In terms of solids, I would advise BRAT.

B = bananas
R = rice
A = applesauce (no pear!!!)
T = toast

That's what most US ped would advise you. You can google it as well.
 
Thank you so much for everyone's advice.

I have disregarded my doc's advice/suggestion to discontinue breastfeeding, and continued nursing my daughter.

Gave her the BRAT diet through the entire period of diarrhea, which was effectively 7 to 8 days.

Things got from multiples watery poops to 2-3 solidish poops to eventually 1 poop a day.

Gave her lots of rehydration fluid, lactose free formula (Isomil) and breastmilk (water would be good too, but unfortunately my daughter hates water and only takes a few sips at one go.) I did not give her usual formula (cow's milk based) till her diarrhea was completely cleared. She was also on lacteol fort (some sort of good bacteria), they came in sachets and were prescribed by the doc.

As told by my doc, I should not attempt to prepare homemade rehydration fluid (silly me was desperate and ignorant on the first day of her condition) Just a fyi!

Am glad things are back on track again. Baby's appetite seems to have improved (even better than pre-diarrhea days) which is a huge relief. Fingers crossed that she could gain some much needed weight quickly! =)
 
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Congrats your little one is recovered. Thanks for the info as I needed it, my baby girl just started diarrhea yesterday... hope she gets well soon...
 
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