Diarrhea Blowout Survival

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It's November in the South and I'm actually pretty sure that global warming is a thing because it's still unseasonably hot here. I'm so ready for sweater weather, but it apparently isn't ready for me. And I guess I should be happy that sweater weather isn't here yet, because sweater weather also means cold and flu season, and I don't think that I could handle one of that on top of everything else right now!

Life with the boys has gotten hectic again because we are dealing with our third, yes THIRD, big stomach bug. Which just means we're going through double the diapers and Lysoling everything like crazy. My preemies just can't catch a break! I'm going crazy trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. We don't wear shoes in the house, I try to keep everything totally sanitized and sterilized and bleachized and whatever else. I'm a total germ freak, and yet the boys keep getting sick! The doctor says that all babies get these germs and that it's not anything that I am or am not doing, but that my little guys just don't have the immune system that term babies have. We'll be seeing a GI specialist soon to see if there might not be anything else going on.

Poor Beau has been running a fever and has had bloody stool. Seriously, I think my little mama heart might just shatter. I'm hurting really bad for my boy. While we did take him to the doctor for a stool culture, I don't want to have to resort to antibiotics again, because they really do a lot more harm that good in the long run. Bennett had started to get sick first, but we've been able to keep his little tummy in check by using Mommy's Bliss probiotic drops. It was a lot easier to use than the Culturelle powders since the boys have totally forgotten how to use bottles since they were switched to EBF last month. So these drops are great. I just wish that they had a dropper top on the bottle instead of a separate dropper.

Either way, they have totally kept Bennett in the clear. He had started to have some diarrhea and I started him on those drops and it cleared up in just a few days. I think it gave his little immune system the boost he needed. I'm not sure what Beau picked up. I've been giving it to him, and he's fighting it off, but the poor guy is fighting  hard. He must have picked up something a little worse. We're waiting on the culture to come back on Beau, but until then a lot of rest and a lot of mommy time is what's doing the trick! Mommy life is so sexy and glamorous, guys.

Anyways, here are my top tips for surviving those dreaded baby blowouts:

• The main trick to surviving baby blowouts is PREPARATION. 
• You need diapers in a variety of sizes. We usually go a size up when we don't have blowout blockers. 
• WHITE onesies are the best for these days. It might seem counterintuitive, but you'll be able to spot the blowout right away, and you can bleach these in the wash without worrying about discoloration. They might stain, but a day out in direct sunlight will bleach it right back to white. I swear by sun-bleaching. 
• Get the best diaper rash cream available. My recommendation is Triple Paste Ointment always. It's be best stuff. Start using it before you see a rash. Make sure you are letting that cute little tush air dry before strapping on the diaper. 
• Start your little guy on a probiotic ASAP. It'll help clear the diarrhea more quickly. 
• Switch to organic wipes, or even just wet wash cloths. You'll be wiping that skin a lot, and it's only going to get more tender. 
• When using bleach to sanitize, know that splashless and color safe bleach are not considered effective. Only the traditional stuff will do the trick. Don't worry too much about discoloration either, I've washed our Rock n Play covers and our carseat pads multiple times and they haven't ever faded or stained. That fabric is incredible. 
• For fabrics that I don't want to wash with bleach, but don't want to toss in the wash with all that bacteria, I use Lysol Max spray. It's made to be used on fabrics. The regular kind works too. 
• Remove onesies over the feet instead of the head. Most of these are made so that you can remove them that way. 

God speed, mamas!