Natural Birth and Baby Care.com

Baby Medicines, Diet, and Things to Avoid

Dear Kirsten,

I have received valuable suggestions which helped me a lot with my 7 month old son. Whatever you've written about baby development my son has been doing the same.

Kindly suggest:

1. Medicines for cough, fever, cold, loosemotion/dysentery (diarrhea) and body care?

2.What is an appropriate diet?

3. What should I avoid?

Answer:

Please note I am not a doctor so this is just my advice as a mother. Talk to your doctor for medical advice!

I will be very honest here - I have never used standard medicines with my babies. I strongly prefer to let their bodies help themselves heal. I do keep a bottle of infant (or children's) Tylenol in the cabinets in case my baby or child ever has a high fever.

But for most illnesses, including most fevers, I simply keep my baby close to me and breastfeed a lot.

It is vital to keep a sick baby warm, even if they are feverish. Keep a hat on your baby and keep him dressed and wrapped in a light blanket of a breathable fabric (like a cotton blanket). Then just keep your baby with you.

It is most vital to be sure a sick baby does not get dehydrated. This is a greater risk if your baby has vomiting/diarrhea (loosemotion) or is refusing feeds. If your baby's skin looks very pale, if his lips and tongue are dry, and if his eyes look sunken he could be dehydrated.

I always give my children homemade chicken broth when they are sick because it is rich in minerals. I add mineral drops and a little salt, as well. I give them teaspoons of this at a time, or even less at a time, every few minutes. As the child is able to keep the liquids down I give more at a time. I also nurse as much as they want, even if it is vomited back up. The little amount that goes down is worth it.

You can also buy a solution at the store such as Pedialyte if you feel more comfortable with that.

If your baby is not able to keep anything down call your doctor or take your baby to the hospital. Dehydration can quickly kill a small child. If you see pale skin, dry lips and mouth, pale nailbeds, and sunken eyes and your baby cannot keep anything down, again - go to the hospital.


By giving small amounts of liquids frequently you can usually keep a sick baby well-hydrated as his body fights off the illness.

I will also use some herbal remedies for my older babies (over 6 months old). I usually buy Echinacea or a combination with Echinacea in it. You can buy these at many health food stores in children's combinations. I recommend only giving a baby children's formulas, and only give the recommended dose.

If I am still nursing the child I take an adult formula myself so the herbal properties will go through my milk to the child.

You must watch your baby and decide what you feel is comfortable treating at home, and when you want to call the doctor.

I do recommend an excellent book that covers all remedies and gives good indication on when to call the doctor: Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child. I have referred to it countless times. It covers illness and injury.

For body care I use gentle baby soaps to clean my babies and every one in awhile I will use lotion on their skin.

Feeding

I recommend you start your baby with easy-to-digest foods that provide a lot of nutrition. Banana, sweet potato, avocado, egg yolk (no white until he is 1 year), and butter are good things to start with.

You can begin adding other vegetables and such around 8 months. Wait on feeding salad greens and grains because they are hard for babies to digest.

At 9 months you can add meats, yogurt, and heavy cream.

At 1 year you can add in common allergy foods (citrus, berries, shellfish, egg whites, etc.) You can also start offering rice and salad greens in small quantities. It is ideal to wait even longer for other grains such as wheat.

The Weston A. Price Foundation offers excellent articles on feeding babies and children.

Things to Avoid

You can enjoy many things with your baby and he can be a part of your life!

Avoid feeding him sweets and junk food.

Avoid letting him watch television.

And make sure your home is safe for him!

Also set good and consistent boundaries and he will grow up happy :)