The diarrhoea episode

Lil General, all of 70 cms, has kept the whole family on vigil for five days in a row now. It all started on Monday with a loose watery stool that I thought must be because of apple juice. Before I knew it, he ad already done it 9 times since morning and it was alarming. I had started on the medication and spoken to his Paed in Pune but it wasn't having any effect. She told me to wait a good 48 hours and then get back if it wasn't working. It kind of put me off.

Having just moved to Pune after LG's birth, finding a good Paediatrician for him was a job half done since we knew this lady to whom all our friend's kids have been going to. I was not too happy with her when I went last time as she prescribed drugs without asking what diet the baby was on, if he was being breastfed etc etc..I don't know, maybe it doesn't matter but to me it did as he has been lactose intolerant before and I would expect any new Doc to go into the history of a baby..But friends reassured she was good so I went back.

Left with no option I called up his old Paed from my hometown who has been seeing him since hours after he was born and prescribed Darolac and ORS-224. He asked me to stop Cerelac and NaN and put him on Nestum alone. Rice cereal during diarrhoea helps. It is a different issue now that many baby medicines I have come across are available only locally. ORS-224 is not available in Pune and so was another one he prescribed.

I was in constant touch and 2 days later, the frequency was reducing but it hadn't completely stopped. On his advice and a little research locally, we took him to another Paediatrician and this has helped. I was apprehensive of showing to too many Docs simultaneously and changing treatment in between and putting him on too many antibiotics. But this worked for good and I am finally relieved Lil General is back on his feet now.

From my experience, tips on when you need to visit the Doctor during a Diarrhoea episode:

1. If the stools are watery, more than 7 times in a day and is foul smelling


2. If the baby is cranky and loses appetite all of a sudden


3. If he has fever and doesn't sleep well


4. Is dehydrated - reduction in the frequency of urine

What you can immediately do to prevent dehydration :

1. Give the baby enough sugar/salt water solution such as Electral or ORS. ORS is sold under different brand names and you might want to check with your Doctor. I was advised to give 50 ml of Electrobion 4 times a day.


2. Tender coconut

Updated on 26th May
Related sources : Infectious Diarrhea
Another great resource on Diarrhoea is this one
More info on green stools
Green stools caused by mother's diet

Diarrhoea and dehydration

Lil General woke up in the middle of the night and coughed a bit. I woke up startled around midnight to find my bed wet with formula like substance..just then I saw LG throwing up a lot more in his sleep...felt so sad for the little one ..the feeling was like never before...guess this is what motherhood is all about, when your heart goes out for your little one every time he gets sick, you don't really care what time of the day or night is, how much or how little sleep you've got, you are stark awake and alert to care for that little one. To see such a small baby who can't talk or express what he is going through up like that. Just that evening he had 2-3 times dysentery and I put him to sleep after feeding Nusobee forcibly and giving a sachet of Darolac to arrest his loose motion. Guess shouldn't have force fed Nusobee..the boy hates it.

He wasn't his normal self this morning ,so I rushed him to the local Paed and he declared LG was dehydrated and prescribed Oralyte - the whole bottle to finished within 2 days.

Update: He looks fine now and a lot more settled.

How many times a day can a newborn pass urine/motion?

I was very worried when our son passed yellow mustard colored stools with a consistency of water about 3 times in 2 hours. Thank god this happened while in the hospital. I got one of the nurses and she said this was perfectly normal and infact healthy for the baby. If the stools are dark and solid, then it is a cause of concern. If your newborn excretes a lot, then it is a good sign he is getting good feeds and his intake is healthy. Only if he passes motion more than 20 times in a day, then you need to rush to the doctor for dysentery.

Urinating 6-7 times a day is good again though my lil one has his tank open when he is awake and I can very well win any nappy changing competition now.