How To Beat Thrush!

How to Beat Thrush!

About 90% of all newborns are colonized with the Candida albicans fungal organism (thrush). Once you have been diagnosed with thrush by a healthcare professional, you will need to carefully manage this infection or it can be a pesky reoccurring issue for you and your baby.

Chronic conditions that can cause thrush to become more prevalent are diabetes, anemia, endocrine disorders, PKU, HIV, mother’s with chronic yeast infections, and mother’s and babies that were given antibiotics during labor or immediately after.

Here are some suggestions that can help with the management of thrush. It might seem like this is an overabundance of ideas and information, but it is certainly worth it, if it can shorten your bouts with thrush.

The most common ways that thrush is dealt with are either through prescriptions or alternative treatments. The most commonly used prescriptions for thrush are Nystatin suspension or Diflucan, also known as Fluconazole (this should be used as the last resort). Sometimes these work well on their own, however there are other methods that you can use in addition to these to help beat the thrush bug.

Herbs/alternative treatments

Gentian Violet has been used for many, many years. It is inexpensive, effective, advantageous, and can be purchased over the counter. Always check with your healthcare provider before using Gentian Violet. Gentian Violet commonly comes in a 2% concentration, however this should not be used without diluting to 1%. It can be diluted by the pharmacist or you can dilute it by half with sterilized water as well. Gentian Violet can be used once a day, for 4-6 days, but should not be used past 7 days. The Gentian Violet can be applied to the baby’s mouth with a Q-tip and to the mother’s breast with a Q-tip, gauze pad or cotton ball. It can also be applied to the baby’s hands. It is very messy, so be sure to wear clothing for yourself and the baby that you do not mind getting stained. Another way of application for Gentian Violet tothe baby’s mouth, is to paint the nipple and areola with a cotton ball and quickly bring the baby to the breast to feed. Gentian Violet can be dangerous if used improperly or for too long.

Grapefruit Seed, (taken orally) 250 mg, 3 times daily, or 5 to 15 drops in 5 oz of water, 2-5 times daily. DO NOT USE GRAPE SEED EXTRACT, ONLY GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT.

A probiotic for the momma. Acidopholis Bifidus: 400 million-10 billion viable units daily. This should be used for up to 2 weeks after the symptoms are gone. Based on anecdotal evidence, it is difficult to know how well this works, however it has been used for years. Oral supplements of Acidopholis contain beneficial bacteria that can help to limit the Candida in the digestive track.

• Garlic tablets can be taken in doses of 3 tablets, 3 times a day, for 2 or more weeks.
• Vitamin B- at least 100 mg daily.

Hygiene Protocol for Thrush recipients

All people and parts need to be treated

Mother:

• Wash hands every time after using the bathroom, changing the baby’s diaper, and before and after every breastfeeding session. All family members who change diapers or bottle feed the baby should follow these guidelines as well. Use soap and water while lathering for 20 seconds.
• Nipples should be rinsed after each nursing with clean water and air dried (Thrush organisms thrive on milk and moisture).
• 1 TBSP of white vinegar in 1 cup water can be applied with cotton ball after nipples are rinsed. Or 1 tsp of baking soda in 1 cup water can be applied with cotton ball, this mixture can also be applied to breast, baby’s mouth, and baby’s hands. (Keep either mixture in a sealed jar to keep sterilized, do not re-dip the cotton ball after it has touched the breast. )

Baby:

• The diaper rash area needs to be washed and rinsed with clean water every time the diaper is changed.
• Several times a day the baby’s bottom needs to be left out to air dry.
• An appropriate anti-fungal cream can be used.

• Disposable diaper and plastic pants usually aggravate thrush because they hold moisture. Use cloth diapers if possible during thrush.

Father:

• Dad’s should be treated as well if Sexual Relations have taken place during the time of infection.

Everybody:

• You do not have to have visible signs for the thrush organisms to be present.
• Even when symptoms seem to be gone it can reoccur easily. So, make sure to continue treatments for 1-2weeks after the Thrush seems to be gone.

Household care

• Toys, Pacifiers, Bottle nipples, breastfeeding pump kit parts, medicine droppers, nipple sheilds, and teething toys need to be boiled daily for at least twenty minutes. They first need to be washed in soapy water, then rinsed in clear water/ white vinegar solution and lastly boiled. Pacifiers and other rubber nipples need to be replaced weekly. Nursing pads, bras, diapers, bed sheets, crib sheets, and all towels that are used after hand washing or bathing all items need to be washed in hot water with 1CUP bleach in wash water. If items cannot be bleached use 1CUP white vinegar instead. Items should be dried in a very hot dryer or the sun.
• Paper towels should be used after hand washing whenever possible.
• Toothbrushes and all dish ware should be washed with soap and water with vinegar. These items also need to be run in the dish washer daily, 1CUP of white vinegar can be added.

Dietary Changes

• Eat 1-2 cups of cultured yogurt daily and/or cottage cheese, preferably unsweetened.
• Try to limit food items with yeast, sugar, and alcohol while trying to get rid of thrush.
• Do not freeze or save any milk that was pumped during infection. Freezing milk does not kill Candida albicans.
• Add as much garlic as possible to your diet during this time.

Sources: “Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding”, La Leche League International, Ameda/Egnell-Hollister Inc., Dr. Jack Newman, M.D.

*All products pictured can be purchased locally at: Health Nut Nutrition 1505 Enterprise Drive Lynchburg, VA 24502 (434)239-5170

Disclaimer : Anticipation and Beyond uses all reasonable effort to provide accurate, up-to-date and evidence-based information for teaching and counseling purposes. All information that is written for blogs, social media posts, and websites is to be used for education and informational purposes only. All data and instruction from Anticipation and Beyond should not be intended to replace or substitute professional or medical advice from your health care provider. Direct all of your family’s concerns, questions, and health issues to your health care provider.

The information provided is not and may not be applicable to every situation. The purpose of Anticipation and Beyond providing guidance and education to new families is two-fold. The first purpose is for the intention of teaching parents about the many choices and alternatives that are available to them. The second motivation is to encourage families to dig down deep and research themselves from reliable resources that will help to enlighten their new journey.

Learning About Ankyloglossia (Tongue-Tie)

We thank our educator-in-residence, Laurie Flower, for sharing information on a common (and under-diagnosed) issue! Ankyloglossia, what, you might say? You may think it sounds foreign. It is Greek for crooked tongue. It is the true medical name of a baby being tongue-tied. Many new mothers are not informed about the very common condition of babies being tongue-tied and how it can lead to unsuccessful breastfeeding.

A tongue-tie consists of an abnormally short, tight, or deep lingual frenulum, which restricts the mobility of the tongue. It is a membrane of tissue that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth that constricts movement for feeding. Tongue-ties vary greatly in length and thickness. It is not always at the tip of the tongue, which is what many people commonly look for, which can mislead the diagnosis. Why is that a problem? Freedom of movement is essential for the withdrawal of milk from the breast.

Symptoms for Mom:

• Sore cracked nipples
• Thrush
• Mastitis
• Insufficient milk supply

Symptoms for Baby:

• Short feeds
• Non-stop feeds
• Unsettled baby
• Weight issues
• Tongue can look like it has a heart shaped tip when trying to extend
• Tongue can look square or flat
• Baby can not poke tongue out beyond bottom gums or lip
• The tongue humps up in the middle instead of plunging forward
• Tongue can not move freely to the left or right of mouth
• Baby often makes a clicking or smacking sound while trying to eat

It affects more boys than girls. Babies who have a family history of tongue-tie are more genetically inclined to have tongue-tie as well. Most of the time it is found through moms trying to breastfeed, because it doesn’t appear to hinder babies who bottle feed.

Not only can being tongue-tied affect breastfeeding, it can affect children and adults who desire to play wind instruments. Long term, it can affect dental hygiene, kissing and speech.

For years every baby was checked at birth for tongue-tie to prevent breastfeeding problems. Then, in the 1940’s and 50’s when the number of breastfeeding babies declined, the monitoring of newborn tongue-tie virtually stopped. As breastfeeding rates have risen, it has once again become a potential issue and a nasty nuisance for struggling newborns. As new parents are educating themselves and choosing breastfeeding as the “normal” way of feeding, tongue-tie can be an issue for some mothers and babies.

A breastfeeding baby with a correctly-working tongue should be able to lick his lips and touch the tip of his tongue to the roof of his mouth. The tongue is the major component of breastfeeding. It is what pulls the breast into the mouth and holds the breast in position. When the tongue tip elevates, it traps the milk in the front of the breast and then presses the breast moving the milk from the areola to the nipple. The tongue then helps “catch” the milk and “throws” it smoothly down the throat for the baby to swallow. When that cannot happen, the baby instead struggles to use his lips and jaws to clamp down, and painfully compensates with an incorrect latch. This causes pain to the mother and can contribute to low milk production.

Who Usually Finds a Tongue-Tie?

• Lactation counselors/specialists
• Lactation consultants
• Occasionally pediatricians

Breastfeeding clinicians base their assessment of tongue-tie upon the following:

• Closely monitoring the mother and baby dyad during a feeding
• Comfort/pain level of the mother
• Breast damage
• Babies feeding poorly, if at all.
• Referral for either low milk supply or low baby weight

What to do Once Tongue-Tie has Been Found?

A frenotomy can be an appropriate option for most babies. A referral would be made to one of the following specialists to perform this quick and easy procedure: an ENT (ear, nose and throat doctor), general dentist, some pediatricians, some midwives or pediatric surgeons.

What Does the Procedure Entail?

When many new parents are told their baby might need a surgical procedure, they might become very alarmed and filled with concern. However, this office procedure takes less then one minute. Sometimes a local anesthetic or a topical analgesia is used. When the frenulum is released the tongue is then freed to make natural wide movements. This is done by making a small direct cut to the part of the frenulum that is preventing the tongue to move properly. Usually within a minute the baby can go right to the mothers breast to be calmed and also to see if a proper latch can occur. This is a very low risk procedure. On occasion, there can be short term bleeding or infection, but these complications are very uncommon.

The joy, success and the health benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the fear of this extremely common procedure. If you find that you are having any of the above mentioned symptoms, it is imperative to see a breastfeeding specialist/consultant as soon as possible to help you get breastfeeding back on the right track; before too much damage is done to the breast or the milk supply is depleted.