Helping Your Baby To Overcome Oral Thrush
Posted on: 8 July 2016
Oral thrush is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouth and is caused by a yeast germ known as Candida albicans. Most of the times, the infection poses no threat to a baby and it rarely causes pain. The infection usually attacks babies who are in their first few weeks of their lives. The reason behind the condition is simply an overgrowth of the baby's own yeast. Even though the infection poses no threat initially, it can become a nuisance if it is not attended to. In fact, it can irritate your baby's mouth when you are breastfeeding the baby. So how can you get rid of oral thrush?
How You Can Beat The Infection
There are different options when it comes to dealing with oral thrush. One, which is also a sweet remedy, is to use yoghurt. Smear some of the yoghurt on the yeast patches present in your baby's mouth or offer your baby a fingerful of the yoghurt for sucking. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after giving you baby the yoghurt so as to avoid contaminating the rest with thrush.
Another treatment option is pure coconut oil. Coconut oil has caprylic acid which has antifungal properties. Using cotton wool, dab some of the coconut oil onto the patches in your baby's mouth.
Baking soda is also effective in combating the yeast infection. Stir one teaspoon of baking soda in eight ounces of water to prepare the right prescription. Then using cotton wool, swab to apply the solution in your baby's cheeks, gums, and tongue after breastfeeding.
How You Can Prevent The Infection From Returning After Treatment
To prevent the condition from coming back, you need to take care of the items that your baby likes to play with. If it is toys, for instance, wash them with soap and hot water every day. If it is pacifiers, sterilize them by boiling; boiling the pacifiers for a minimum of twenty minutes each day should be enough to kill any yeast that might be living in the items.
Success in getting rid of the yeast also relies on how much you are going to take care of yourself. You must kill the yeast residing in your nipples so that it cannot go back to the baby during breastfeeding. Mix a tablespoon of white vinegar with a cup of water. Then apply a bit of the solution on your nipples after each breastfeeding session.
For assistance, talk to a medical centre.
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