Home Remedies for Loose Motions in Babies and toddlers | Diarrhea Foods for Toddlers | Food to give during Diarrhea / Loose motions

Home Remedies for Loose Motions, Diarrhea/loose motion in Babies and toddlers is definitely make parents worried as it can make the child feel tired and irritable. Babies and Toddlers don’t prefer to eat during diarrhea, but it’s important to feed them to prevent dehydration. Many parents are confused about what to feed the baby during diarrhea/loose motion. Don’t worry, this post helps you to feed your child well when the child has diarrhea and helps to recover quickly.

What’s diarrhea and how can I tell my baby has diarrhea?

Based on two factors u can conclude that your baby has diarrhea,

Increase in frequency: two times your baby’s normal pattern.
The stools become looser, watery, mucusy, green or runner than usual.

For more information on the further symptoms check here

When to see the doctor if your baby has diarrhea ?

Make an appointment to your baby’s doctor immediately if

Baby is younger than 3 months
If your baby is over 3 months, call the doctor if the diarrhea is not improving after 24 hours
Cannot keep any food down
Vomiting or has fever
Blood in stool
Signs of dehydration

Causes of loose motions or diarrhea in babies & Toddler:

It’s vital to determine the cause of diarrhea to take actions. Below are the top culprits which causes diarrhea.

Intestinal infections
Food allergy
Food intolerance
Antibiotics
Too much juice intake

How to feed your baby or toddler when he has diarrhea?

For baby’s younger than 6 months, only breastfeeding or formula feeding is recommended during the episode of diarrhea.
For babies above 6 months, Give small and frequent meals.Prefer easily digestible foods.
Don’t force the baby to eat, instead try to offer the foods he prefers.
Offer your baby fruits rich in potassium.
After every bout of loose motion, feed breastmilk/formula or offer a few teaspoons of drinks like water, buttermilk etc
Give your toddler ORS (Oral Re-hydration Solution) if your pediatrician prescribed the same.

Foods to feed during diarrhea for babies, toddlers and Kids:

Earlier it was suggested to feed your baby/toddler only with the classic BRAT diet (Banana, Rice, Apple Sauce, Toast) during diarrhea , but now the pediatricians and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) are advised to continue including solids preferably light and easily digestible foods.

Bookmark this page for future reference as I will be updating this post on a regular basis. Click on each thumbnail image given below for the recipes. Choose recipes according to your baby’s age which is mentioned in the brackets along with recipe heading. Please refer to the notes section given at the end of post for the key points to remember before offering diarrhea foods to your baby.

Here is the video for the list of foods to offer during loose motion/diarrhea in babies and toddlers

Read further below on the detailed information and foods can be given during diarrhea

Drinks or Beverages:

1. Breastfeeding (0 Months+) :

Breastfeeding or formula feeding during diarrhea helps to keep the baby hydrated. It’s especially important when your baby is less then 6 months. If your baby can’t keep the milk down, call your baby’s doctor.

2. Plain Curd or Butter milk or Plain Lassi (7 months +) :

Offering probiotics like curd, buttermilk or lassi which are doses of helpful bacteria may help get things back on track. Some research shows that probiotics can cut bouts of infectious diarrhea by half a day or about to 2 days. Check out plain Lassi recipe here:

3. Barley Water (6 Months+):

Barley water has good amount of scratch which helps to absorb excess fluid in stool and helps to stop diarrhea. Be sure to feed your baby with barely water in moderation if your family has no history of allergy to gluten. Check out barley water recipe here:

4. Rice Gruel (6 Months+):

Rice gruel/Rice water/Watery rice soup is a best and easily available home remedy for diarrhea, it’s a best re-hydration fluid which can be used as a replacement for the fluids lost in diarrhea. It also helps to decrease the stool output. Check out rice gruel recipe here:

5. Water (6 Months+):

Offering few sips of boiled cooled water after every about of loose motion helps the baby/toddler to stay hydrated.

Diarrhea foods for baby and toddler

6. Lemon Water/Nimbu Paani (8 Months+):

Lemon water is a easy home remedy which is believed to soothe irritation in the intestines and kills the pathogens causing the diarrhea, Make a Juice of 1 lemon, mix with a glass of water, add a pinch of salt or sugar, and offer your baby. Don’t add sugar/salt for babies below one year. Check out lemon juice recipe here.

7. Tender Coconut Water (8 Months+):

Coconut water is ideal in preventing dehydration, it replenishes the natural salt lost by the body.

Diarrhea foods for baby and toddler

Soups:

8. Vegetable Clear Soup (8 Months+):

Vegetable clear soups are best during diarrhea as it’s easily absorbed by the body. Make it as a clear soup without spices like pepper, green chilies and avoid gassy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach and sprouts during loose motions. Check out vegetables soup recipe here:

9. Chicken Clear Soup (9 Months+):

Chicken clear soup is also an excellent choice during diarrhea, which is easily digestible. Check out chicken clear soup recipe here.

10. Moong Dal Soup (6 Months+):

Moong Dal soup is mild and filling soup you can offer your baby during loose motion. Check out dal soup recipe here:

Fruits and Vegetables:

11. Stewed Apple (6 Months+):

Stewed apples or apple sauce is an excellent binding food which firms up the stools and hence it’s ideal to offer during diarrhea. But please keep in mind that one should avoid apple juice during loose motion as its has more of sugar found in the apple. Check out Stewed apples recipe here:

12. Bananas (6 Months+):

Like apples, bananas are also known to help hardening the stools during diarrhea. If using nendran banana, steam it and offer. Check out banana mash recipe here:

13. Carrots (6 Months+):

Carrots helps to firm up the stools and bind when diarrhea occurs. Choose steamed mashed carrots for best results. Check out carrot mash recipe here:

14. Boiled Potatoes (8 Months+):

Boiled potatoes is loaded with carbs which makes it ideal to provide during loose motions. Prefer mashed white potatoes or boiled potatoes when your baby has diarrhea. Check out boiled potatoes recipe here:

Filling Foods:

15. Moong dal Khichdi (7 Months+):

Moong dal khichdi is a comforting and soothing food that makes your baby or toddler feel better during diarrhea. It’s a light and healthy meal option, when the little one is down with loose motion. Make it without spices and ghee. Check out moong dal khichdi recipe here:

16. Curd Rice (8 Months+):

Curd rice is an another comforting meal option during the episode of diarrhea, it’s most of the toddlers favorite too. Good bacteria in curd helps fighting the diarrhea. Make sure the curd is not sour. Check out curd rice recipe here (make it without milk, butter and tempering):

17. Sabudhana (7 Months+):

Sabudhana or sago is full of scratch and is great for a quick boost of energy, hence it’s considered as a best food to consume during diarrhea. It’s very easy to digest and low residue food too. Make Sabudhana kheer without milk and nuts, cook sabudhana pearls in water and make as a sabudana porridge, offer as such or you can strain and feed the water alone. Check out Sabudhana kheer recipe here:

18. Idli or Steamed Dosa (8 Months+):

Idli or steamed dosa is a easily digestible and soft food, you can prefer as a breakfast/dinner during loose motions. Serve with curd or plain dhal. Check out Idli and steamed dosa recipe here:

19. Idiyappam (8 Months+):

Idiyappam or rice noodles is an another easily digestible breakfast or dinner option as it’s made with rice, which is steamed and stomach friendly. Serve it plain or with lemon juice. Check out Idiyappam recipe here:

20. Rice Porridge (6 Months+):

Rice porridge is a well known home remedy for diarrhea. It helps to replenish the electrolytes last in diarrhea. Check out rice porridge recipe here:

21. Bread Toast ( 1 year +):

Bread toast is easily digestible during diarrhea and preferred as one of the main food during the episode of loose motion. Check out bread toast recipe here: (make it without nuts and ghee):

22. Arrow root Powder porridge (8 Months+):

Arrow root is an old fashioned remedy for diarrhea and believed to reduce diarrhea. Make the porridge with arrow root powder as similar to rice porridge. Will post the recipe soon.

Foods to avoid during diarrhea:

Dairy Products except curd and butter milk
Sweetened drinks or carbonated drinks like soda
All fruit juices
Some Fruits ( peaches, pears, prunes, plums)
Dry fruits and nuts
High fiber foods
Sugar
Sweets
Raw salads and sprouts
Spicy food

I will update this post with recipes on a regular basis, please be updated by liking my facebook page GKFoodDiary or follow me through Google+,Twitter & Pintrest!

Important Note:

The information provided here are guidelines and doesn’t replace medical advice.
Check with your doctor immediately if your baby has diarrhea and dehydration, as dehydration leads to dangerous effects. Doctor may help you to determine the cause of the problem and treat it.
Make sure you have introduced each food separate and checked for allergies.
Always check with your pediatrician before giving any food.

Photo Credit:

photo credit: Mano! via photopin (license) photo credit: splash_3 via photopin (license) credit: Ice via photopin (license)

Diarrhea Foods for Babies, Toddlers & kids (with recipes) | Foods to offer during Diarrhoea

Home Remedies for Loose Motions in Babies and toddlers | Diarrhea Foods for Toddlers | Food to give during Diarrhea / Loose motions 1

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

Diarrhea Recipes - a collection of diarrhea recipes for babies, toddlers and kids

Author: Kalyani

Recipe type: Baby Food

Cuisine: Indian