Nancy,
C. diff. diarrhea is NO FUN--I have seen pregnant moms
hospitalized for treatment.  My gut (sorry) is telling
me that this mom is exhausted because she is ILL, not
because of breastfeeding.  The BRAT diet is a good
idea; she also needs to take in as much fluid as
possible, in whatever form she finds appealing (water,
juice, sports drinks, etc.); as soon as she can
tolerate dairy, she should also eat a cultured dairy
product like yogurt or kefir, to help restore a normal
flora to her bowel.
I would also tell this mom to enlist HELP, serious
HELP, around the house.  She isn't even 2 months
postpartum and she has been hit with a nasty bacterial
invasion!  She needs someone to watch older kids,
prepare meals, and do maintanence housework until she
is rested and healed, both from birthing and from the
illness.  Starting bottles at this point may seem
easier now, but as we both know, bottle feeding is A
LOT more hassle in the long run.  I always wonder how
the myth that "bottle feeding is easier" got
started...While she is battling C. diff. diarrhea, she
also risks passing it to her baby if she is preparing
formula or handling bottles; just checked my Merck
Manual and clostridial bacterium are transmitted via
fecal/oral route.
I hope this mom can hang in there until things
improve!
Carole Jernigan, RN

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