Thrush: Just the Facts.

Your newborn has become increasingly irritable during feedings. She cries relentlessly when nursing, and she’s even beginning to snub her once-cherished pacifier. Concerned by her behavior, you examine your baby closely and soon notice an odd sight: white, curd-like patches covering the insides of her cheeks and roof of her mouth. The evidence is clear; your baby has thrush.




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What is Thrush?
Thrush (or candida) is a harmless yeast infection that is most common in babies 2 months and younger, but it can affect older babies as well. It’s most identifiable symptom are the white (or sometimes gray) legions found inside the mouth, which often resemble cottage cheese or curdled milk. What’s more, thrush can travel through the gastrointestinal system and cause yeast-induced diaper rash—a literal pain in the rear!


How Did My Baby Get Thrush?
Chances are she encountered the fungus during her trip down the birth canal. You see, everyone has yeast in their bodies—it helps with food digestion—but too much yeast can lead to an infection. Excessive yeast production is most common in pregnant woman (up to 20 percent of pregnant women experience some form of yeast infection) because their hormones are in flux, which sometimes tricks the body into thinking it needs to generate more yeast. Couple this with the fact that newborns have an exceptionally weak immune system, and you can see why thrush is not uncommon among young babies.


Thrush can also appear if your baby is taking antibiotics, because along with eliminating harmful bacteria, antibiotics can also kill the “good” bacteria that help your child battle germs. You can help restore your baby’s defenses by giving her cultured yogurt, which contains live “beneficial” bacteria. (Note: Only feed yogurt to babies older than 4 months who have been introduced to solid foods; younger babies may have trouble digesting yogurt.)


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