Friendly Micro-organisms Promote Proper Digestion and Nutrition in Babies

As in one of our posts, MiGS has had problems with spit-ups and gas. The wonderful staff at Valley Health Mill has suggested using Udo’s Choice Infant’s Probiotic Dietary Supplement. It is an all-natural supplement that:

• Contains 7 infant & toddler-specific bacterial strains at an appropriate strength, designed specifically to reflect healthy infant microflora
• Provides B. infantis, the most important micro-organism in the large intestine of babies & toddlers
• Facilitates healthy weight gain in infants
• Powder format has been designed to be added to formula, water or other liquid after it has been heated
• Contains 2 billion viable/active cells
• More importantly, promotes better food digestion and nutrition

This supplement provides the “friendly” microorganisms (probiotics) that help protect us from “unfriendly” ones such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi that cause disease. They also improve immune system function. Such probiotics come from many natural primary sources.

During birth, probiotics from the mother's birth canal colonize the infant's gut (unless the baby is delivered via C-Section like MiGS), and thereafter are provided by mother's milk. After infancy, probiotics are supplied to us by raw foods (grown on uncontaminated soil); lactic acid bacteria-fermented foods such as yogurt and cheese; and probiotic supplements like this product.

Baby poop: A visual guide - Photo Gallery | BabyCenter

An interesting read for those with babies or expecting one..
http://www.babycenter.com/baby-poop-photos?bclink=intro_text2&scid=adhoc_20120302_cobrand_desitin_baby%3A2

Infant Stomach Gas and Acid

MiGS since his early days has been having spit-up and stomach gas problems, sometimes to the point that he sounds almost like he is drowning in his own spit-ups when the worst symptoms occur. There were nights that we would wake up in the middle of the night with him almost like shouting and crying for help. He would cry like he never usually does and that scared us. So we tried different remedies and ways to help him from having "episodes".

One way that seem to help him is when we elevate his head during feeding. Also, it helps when we give him time to rest and have him burp at every 1 ml. of feeding. Though he didn't like to be disturbed when he feeds, it seem to help him take his milk gradually. One other thing that we tried is Colic Calm. I found this after reading forums about infant gas and acid on BabyCenter. It is a homeopathic gripe water remedy that is not only natural and organic, it's effective and most importantly, MiGS loves its taste.

We give him Colic Calm once in a while when his symptoms seem at its worst so we don't really reach the dosage limit of 3 times in a day as the instructions on the label indicate.

It's highly recommended for those with colicky and fussy babies or babies just like ours who's just been a real angel (so far).

Update: Rash Alert!

Good news! MiGS' rashes are now healing. Thanks to Vaseline and Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream.

We recommend using these products but cautiously warn to consult with your physician first to identify the type of rashes your child might have before using any product on your baby's sensitive skin.

Rash Alert!

Little MiGS has rashes on his face so we went to see our favorite Pediatrician, Dr. Christi Klimisch, last Saturday. She said it could be a mild case of Eczema. Obivously, we're totally bummed about this. The worst thing about it is that apparently, there is no cure for Eczema and that one way to treat it is moisturizing the affected area and for worse cases, use of topical steroids (e.g., hydrocortisone) is needed. She recommends we use Vaseline or Aquaphor to protect the skin and to keep the moisture in the skin and if the symptoms persist, we should use 1% hydrocortisone, which is available over-the-counter. She warned that the use of the hydrocortisone should be kept to a short period of time.

I've read a few articles about this and so far, there is no definitive findings for this condition. One study says, that one cause could be hygiene, or too much of it. Like Asthma and other allergies, it is acquired during developmental stages when the necessary exposure to beneficial bacteria and other immune system modulators were missed out. An unusually clean environment kills both the harmful but also the helpful bacteria. On the other hand, another study says that it could be caused by excrements from house dust mites. So, we can't be too clean and yet we can't have dust either. If anything, we are probably more on the "too clean" side. 

One good thing though, MiGS is now 10lbs 4oz. It's quite a leap from his last check-up. We'll have another one in about two weeks.