The baby should only be fed breast milk for the first six months since breast milk contains an adequate amount of water. Breast milk has a water content of over 80%. Start nursing the infant even while they are having hiccups, and then properly burp the child for at least 8 to 10 minutes. (A baby under six months old should never be given water to relieve hiccups.)
Now let’s talk about the why?
Up to the age of six months, a baby’s kidneys cannot handle water. In general, water can disrupt a baby’s electrolyte balance for infants less than 6 months, which can ultimately result in seizures. A baby who becomes intoxicated by water runs the risk of having serious health consequences and having their growth and development stunted. Consequently, six months is the recommended age for introducing water to a newborn (at that time, you should still only offer your baby a little bit of water). But as your child gets older, his or her kidneys develop. It might also be unhealthy to add too much water to baby formula. Always stick to breast milk or correctly prepared infant formula to prevent these issues. Visit www.caringmomster.in for more pregnancy and parenting advice.
Dear Moms, here we go with some frequently asked questions by most of the mothers….
Does green poop indicate an infection?
Should I take my baby to the pediatrician if poop is green in color?
Don’t worry MoMsters, this post is exclusively for this topic only. we will clear all your doubts.
The reason for green poop is different for 3 stages of kids i.e. babies, toddlers, and older children.
Green poop in Babies
Imbalance of Foremilk/Hindmilk:
In the case of breastfeeding, there is thin and thick milk in our breast, if baby drinks only thin milk their poop color will be green i.e. they are taking in too much lactose (the natural sugar found in milk). Generally, liquidly foremilk is higher in lactose and lower in fat. Too much foremilk may also lead to gassiness.
whereas, hindmilk is rich in fat and has creamy consistency; it is gained at the end of a feed to fill him up.
(If you observe thin milk/foremilk comes out at the starting stage of feed, after 5 – 6 min thick milk/hindmilk will be sucked by baby.
Make sure your baby finishes feeding from one breast before your offer him your other one.
And check whether baby latching properly, bad latch also a reason for skipping thick creamy hindmilk. In that case check some feeding techniques or go for lactation consultants.
Illness:
A simple cold can also be the reason for the green poop in babies, continue breastfeeding your baby under such circumstances, as breast milk contains antibodies that can help boost the baby’s immunity!- read, Common Cold in kids and home remedies to cure it!
Infection:
If the stool is green with mucus, then he is suffering from infection or stomach bug. Consult doctor in such case.
Mother’s Diet
Some babies are sensitive to something you are eating, check accordingly mothers diet and skip the food which creating problems. And also check whether the mother consumed spinach, peas? But don’t worry, it’s not harmful for the baby until he is cranky because of your diet.
Teething:
During the teething phase, they end up swallowing excessive drool and saliva which leads to a green stool. Hence during teething keep baby’s surrounding clean and dust-free, make sure that they not chewing any cloth around them.
Jaundice:
During jaundice phototherapy treatment, the new-borns can have green poop.
Brand of formula feed:
Some formula feed can make your baby’s poo dark green, in such case discuss with your pediatrician and go accordingly.
Green poop in toddlers and older children
Your Child’s diet
After 6 months, once you started semisolid food; if you find green poop then that must be due to green foods such as pureed peas, spinach, and green beans.
Another possible chance is an allergic reaction, did you gave any new food? Once you start semi solid food check for 3 days one single food and figure out which food is the cause of the reaction. Make a note in which food was eaten before allergy reaction and discontinue for a few days and then reintroduce after some days.
Medication:
If a child taking iron supplements, then you may notice green poop; nothing to worry it’s a normal condition.
Another medication reason is antibiotics, if a lactating mother or baby has taken antibiotics then baby poop can be green colored; in that case, doctor may prescribe probiotics to avoid side effects of antibiotics.
When to see a doctor
If your baby continues to pass green poop frequently for longer days, then check with the doctor.
A sudden drop in weight coupled with green poop.
Diarrhea or signs of dehydration.
Green poop with blood tinges.
a fever higher than 100.4°F
Looking dull and lack of interest in eating.
General tips to avoid green poop
Before breastfeeding, mom should drink plenty of water, per day at least 6 litre of water necessarily.
Avoid giving cow milk/ buffalo milk to your baby before 1 year.
For toddler/ older child, add curd and banana in their diet. (Curd, yogurt acts as probiotic which is good for maintaining intestinal flora.)
Maintain hygiene while preparing formula feed and avoid feeding bottles, instead use a cup and spoon. Read – Common questions on Formula feed, click here for more details.
So, say goodbye to worries Mommies. Stay healthy and Stay Happy.. !!
Hi MoMsters, if by any reason you are starting off with formula feed then I am sure you will be having plenty of questions and doubts in your mind. In this topic, we have put together all the common questions related to formula feed. Please go through it and make yourself comfortable using it.
‘Remember one thing’ “none of the formula feed can replace breastmilk feed”. Generally weight gain will be best on breastfeed.
Now, let’s move ahead with the common questions which are generally asked by Moms:
Is the feeding bottle good for my baby?
No… Bottle is the root cause of infection, because the microorganisms may stick on the neck and teat of the bottle and these microorganisms transmit to the infant. (Feeding bottles require perfect sterilization and regular cleaning.)
Pediatricians generally do not recommend bottles instead they advise giving top milk with the help of a cup and spoon.
And my personal suggestion to adopt our elder’s method of feeding top milk i.e. our Indian feeding device,the Paladai.
How to clean and sterilize the feeding bottle?
All the feeding device including if you prefer cup-spoon, paladai, and feeding bottle should be cleaned and sterilized well.
Most importantly if you use bottle, special care should be given to clean and sterilize (bottle, teats & lids).
Cleaning and sterilizing feeding utensils, bottles removes microorganisms.
Now, let’s talk on Cleaning Feeding Bottle:
At first, wash your hands well.
Secondly, in a clean container prepare hot soapy water and then place all items inside it, which is needed for cleaning, then wash all the feeding equipment thoroughly by using hot soapy water.
Use a small brush to scrub inside and outside of bottles and teats.
And make sure all the hard left over feed is removed.
Finally rinse thoroughly in clean running water.
Sterilizing feeding bottle:
The cleaned equipment can be sterilized by 2 methods.
By a pan and boiling water.
Fill water in a large pan in order to place the cleaned feeding equipment into the water.
(Note: the feeding items should be disassembled before placing in water).
Make sure that the equipment is completely immersed with water.
Bring the pan to boil for 5 minutes.
Remove items carefully without contamination.
Always keep the sterilized items in a clean and covered place.
Commercial sterilizer which is easily available in the market (refer manual for sterilization instruction)
Always Remember: To clean and sterilize after and before you prepare formula feed.
What if I travel out, how to prepare formula feed?
Try having boiled water in a flask and a separate storage container to preserve formula powder. Mix accordingly and feed baby using sterilized cup and spoon.
After preparing formula if baby does not drink, then can we store it or should we discard it? Discard it.
Makeup one feed at a time. It is safer to feed immediately after preparation. The longer you store prepared formula, the greater the risk of microorganism’s growth.
What is the proportion of formula feed?
It’s given on the tin itself.
Follow the mixing instructions which is given on the tin you are using including appropriate use of scoop provided in that tin. This is really important as different formulas will have different scoops size, which will affect the dilution of the formula, do not change proportion of powder except on medical advice. Incorrect preparation can make your baby very ill.
At what temperature should I use to prepare formula powder?
Boil water first and let it cool – the water should be no cooler than 700C. Now add formula to the water in the bottle, mix thoroughly by gentle shaking or swirling the bottle, then immediately cool to feeding temperature by placing in container of cold or iced water. Make sure that the level of the cooling water is below the lid of the bottle, so that you do not contaminate the feed. With a clean cloth, dry outside of the bottle. The feed should be lukewarm, not hot or cold.
Can I warm the prepared formula?
Warming prepared formula is not recommended because it will damage the nutrients.
How many times in a day, formula feed to be given?
It depends on age and the information is given on the tin itself.
Is that ok to let my baby to sleep with a bottle?
A big No…
It can cause choking, ear infections, tooth decay.
Does the formula feeding cause gas?
Yes after you prepare formula, generally air is retained inside the baby bottle and in turn baby swallow air while bottle feeding. And also formula feeds cause constipation in some babies.
Hold in an upright position while feeding and burp well for 10-15 mins after a feed.
How often bottles should be cleaned and sterilized?
Bottles should be cleaned before and after every feeding.
What is the proportion of water to be added for the preparation of formula feed?
Follow the instruction on the tin you are using, which explains clearly about the amount of water to be added. Always measure the water and then add the powder.
Remember: Too much water leads to insufficient nutrients and too little water may cause digestion issue. Just follow the instruction on the tin closely and prepare accordingly.
I purchased Formula milk powder and started to use only once and again I discontinued and used after 4 month, when I mix powder in a bottle it’s turning yellow. Should I use it or not?
Check for expiry date and also check within how many days it should be used after opening the pack..? Generally, within 3 weeks it should be used after opening… This rule is because there will be a chance of contamination of milk after the powder exposed to air, which leads to discoloration i.e. it will begin to have a yellowish tint and sometimes odor. If you notice discoloration or odor in your powdered milk, then it should be discarded.
Since it’s a milk product do not take a chance MoMster.
General advice:
On opening the pack of formula powder, transfer the contents of the pack along with the pouch into a clean airtight container. And note the manufacture date and expiry date carefully.
Ok, MoMsters now you would have got some clear picture about formula feed-related queries and doubts. For more information, please leave a comment.
Want to try few home remedies for your kids’ cold and cough? Try according to instruction given. Let us know if it worked?
I hope if you are reading this article that means you want to explore more about cold and cough or your baby is suffering with it and you want to know some good homemade remedies. Let us go one by one !!
Some of the home remedies to ease the symptoms are:
First, make your infant comfortable. Provide him/her extra rest and an increased amount of fluids. If you find nasal congestion during cold, use saline nasal drops that are available in medical stores. [Dosages – 3 hours once, 2 drops in each nostril.]
Steam inhalation
If the infant is more than 1 year old give steam inhalation 3 times per day. (Trust me it really loosens mucus in the nose and eases nasal congestion and sinus symptoms).
Note: have a careful look at babies while making them inhale; they should not get burnt by hot steam.
Mustard oil massage
During the cold period, give mustard oil massage before bath (recommended for both babies & toddlers).
During bedtime, warm mustard oil with small pieces of garlic cloves dipped in it should be massaged.
Apply mustard oil on betel leaves and slightly warm the leaf on low heat. Place the warm betel leaves on the chest area and also on the back of the kid.
[By doing this you will notice baby stool with mucus – i.e. removing phlegm from chest congestion.]
The phenol present in betel leaves contains anti-inflammatory & antiseptic properties that provide quick relief from chest congestion.
Medicinal Extracts:
Prepare Tulsi ( Ocimumtenuiflorum) extract and karpuravalli (Plectranthusamboinicus)extract.
[Dosage: 3 ml/per day for babies of 6, months and above and 5 ml for toddlers once in the morning (before morning food)]
Tulsi and Karpuravalli is an excellent cure for cough & cold.
A very simple & effective method is Ginger (Zingiberofficinale) rasa with a pinch of turmeric (Curcumalonga)powder which reduces cough & cold. [Recommended for babies 6 months and above].
Turmeric+Honey in Warm GheeAdd pinch of turmeric (Curcumalonga) and honey in warm ghee. This (honey) is recommended for babies of 1 year and above. It gives immediate relaxation in cough. Note: This remedy is quite effective as one of our momsters use it whenever required. If you need more detail, kindly post your query in the comment section.
Breastfeeding
Last but not least, “Breastfeeding your baby will provide antibodies & enzymes that help to protect against illness”.
Note: Home remedies for common cold should be followed only for 4 days, if still cold persists, please consult the pediatrician.
So, dear Momsters, these all are tried and tested by various moms. Please do let us know in the comment section if you have used any of these remedies and how did it work.
I have tried to cover all the points about Breastfeeding. If you need any other topic to be posted, please do post the name of the topic in the comment box.
There are few tips which will be helpful to know. They are as follows :
Good latch allows your body to produce the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for milk production. Make sure you are holding your baby in the correct position, try offering by sitting upright with your back supported and raise the child level using a pillow. Mom can also try C shape pillow for feeding on the lap.
Holding your baby in the correct position will avoid trapping of gas in baby tummy.
Do not give cow’s milk to your baby till they turn 1 year old, because its protein is very difficult to digest by the little kidney.
No for bottle feed, bottle nipples are suspected for lots of infection as well as the gas filled in the bottle leads to stomach upset for the little wonders.
Don’t think you can’t breastfeed if you go back to work. Many mothers expressing the milk using a variety of breast pumps available in the market and feed with sterilized bowl-spoon.
To check whether the infant got sufficient breast milk, just observe per day how many times they wet their cloth. During day time better don’t use a diaper, the cloth is the best way to check. If the child passes 6 to 8 wet diaper then that should be enough. You can reassure the weight gain for every vaccination visit.
These tips are to help you with a few more unsaid suggestions that are ignored or unknown but are very important.
wash all the feeding equipment thoroughly by using hot soapy water.
e little kidney. 
bottle leads to stomach upset for the little wonders. 
the market and feed with sterilized bowl-spoon.