Oral Thrush in Newborns - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Oral thrush is an infection caused by the yeast fungus known as Candida albicans and is a common illness in newborn babies. The fungus is also referred to as candidosis and moniliasis, but generally these terms describe the appearance of candida albicans in adults. This article will focus on the causes and symptoms of oral thrush in newborns as well as methods of treatment.

It may be helpful to first understand some background information on exactly what oral thrush is. Microorganisms exist everywhere in our environment and usually bacteria, viruses and fungi form a symbiotic relationship with the human body. These microorganisms are beneficial to the health of babies and adults alike and the body allows them to remain present. The fungus that causes oral thrush does not have a symbiotic relationship with the human body. Candida albicans usually works its way into the body when the immune system is in a diseased or weakened state. In their first few days of life, newborn babies are especially at risk from infections such as oral thrush.

Two specific causes of oral thrush are a reaction to antibiotics and transmission from a mother with a yeast infection. The mouth of a postnatal baby undergoes certain changes following a dose of antibiotic medication that create a breeding ground for a fungus to develop. It is also possible for a mother to pass on a yeast infection to her child in the form of candidosis. The transmission occurs from exposure in the birth canal and oftentimes results in infection when the baby is from two to ten weeks old.

Diagnosing babies is usually done using the clinical picture. This means that doctors are generally able to diagnose the infection on sight alone. Oral thrush manifests itself in the form of painful white lesions on the inside of the baby's mouth. These patches appear on the gums, insides of cheeks, palates and tongue. It is also possible for thrush lesions to work their way into the esophagus. Doctors use throat cultures, endoscopic examination and barium swallow to help diagnose an oral thrush infection that has progressed to this degree.

Nipple damage due to breastfeeding can lead to an elevated risk of Candida infection. Although the nipples and areola may not show signs of an infection certain symptoms can help indicate that one is occurring. One or both nipples may be experience stinging pain or itching. Visible signs that a mother has a Candida infection include nipples with white dots, a skin rash with small fluid filled blisters, swelling and cracking of the skin.

If a doctor has reason to believe that an infant has oral thrush, he or she may send a cell sample from the baby's tongue to a lab for analysis and confirmation. The use of a lab sample can help ensure that there are no other illnesses causing complicating a thrush infection.

When oral thrush or a yeast infection has been diagnosed, both the mother and her baby should be treated simultaneously. Coordinating care for both the mother and child helps avoid the risk of the infection being passed back and forth.

Medications for yeast can be systemic (internal) or topical (external). Often physicians will begin curing a yeast infection with a topical drug, followed by a more powerful systemic if necessary. Fluconazole is antifungal cream used to treat a mother's breasts that have come into contact with a baby experiencing oral thrush. Some examples of commercially available anti-fungal drugs include Nystatin, Lotrimin and Itraconazola. Oral thrush is often treated with Nystatin by application to the inside of the infant's mouth several times daily. For complete treatment information speak with your pediatrician.

By paying close attention to the warning signs and symptoms of an oral thrush infection, mothers can reduce the complications caused by this illness. As with all concerns related to the health of your newborn, always rely on the suggestions and information provided by your pediatrician. With treatment time and concern you and your child can overcome the challenge of an oral thrush infection.

Copyright © Safe-Baby.net 2006.

10 Reasons Why Breastfeeding Is So Much Better For Your Baby

You've most likely heard every doctor and health care professional say that breastfeeding new babies is the best nutrition there is. Not only is it the natural way to feed your baby, but the health benefits are enormous. Here are a few great reasons to breastfeed your newborn baby.

1. Fat is vital to your newborn. Why? Because most all of the essential vitamins and nutrients that your baby needs, comes from fat. It gives vitamin A - D and E, and at the same time provides the necessary calories your baby requires. Breastfeeding gives your baby these vital nutrients to keep them healthy.

2. Milk from a cow can often times create an allergic reaction in a newborn infant. Breastfeeding reactions are extremely rare.

3. Milk from breastfeeding has many hormones and growth factors in it that assist your baby in growing and keeping healthy.

4. It's a fact that breastfeeding babies are healthier. They have lower risks of getting infections, illnesses and meningitis. Another important aspect is that a breast fed baby is 5-6 times less likely of getting childhood lymphoma. They are also much less likely to get ear infections than their bottle fed counterparts.

5. Another important reason for breastfeeding your baby has to do with staying fit. Research has been done and shows that breast fed babies are more fit and have a lower risk of becoming obese when they grow up. Why? It has been determined that bottle fed infants have much more insulin in their system which causes the fat cells to increase. We all know that obese children are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular diseases as they grow older.

6. Breast fed babies have also shown to be healthier than formula fed babies. They have reduced rates of sickness, ear infections, allergies, and even hospital visits.

7. Breastfeeding also creates a sense of security and bonding with their mother. No bottle fed baby gets this added sense of security. A baby gets a sense of comfort, safety and joy by being nursed from their mother.

8. A breastfeeding mother gets an added plus by being able to lose the extra pre-birth weight and regain their pre-pregnancy size. It's also great for fighting off the postpartum depression that can easily strike a new mom.

9. Breast milk is free. You can save your money by not having to buy formula. And it is readily available.

10. When breastfeeding your newborn, colostrum is what your baby will first feed on. It gives your baby all the nutrients and vitamins an infant needs. In addition, colostrum has the necessary amounts of immunoglobulins which keeps your baby from getting bacterial and viral infections.

Only you can determine is breastfeeding is right for you. I encourage you to take the time to seriously consider it. Learn all that you can and make a well informed decision that is in the best interests of you and your baby.

Making Weight Loss a Successful New Year's Resolution

Weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions, but it can also be one of the hardest to achieve and maintain if not approached appropriately. It is true many people lose weight each year as part of their New Year's resolutions, but it is also true that many of those people later gain some or all of that weight back. To make weight loss a successful goal in the new year, weight loss should be seen as creating a lifestyle change, rather than a temporary race to shed pounds.

Whether you want to lose 10 pounds or 100 plus pounds, successful weight loss is about lifestyle modifications. The key is to start slow and set realistic goals for yourself. A good place to begin is to cut down on sugar. Excess sugar in the body that does not get burned ultimately turns into fat. Maybe you know you already consume too much sugar such as sodas, desserts and snacks, or maybe you don't realize how much sugar you are really consuming. Many products contain more sugar than you realize. Read the labels of all food and drinks you consume to see how much sugar is in your regular diet. Chances are you can cut out some sugar.

Eat regularly. One mistake people make when trying to lose weight is skipping meals. This is unfortunate because skipping meals only starves the body of the healthy nutrients that it needs to regulate itself and be sufficient in losing weight. If your schedule keeps you from eating meals at regular meal times, try to carry healthy snacks to space throughout the day. Healthy snacks every few hours such as a cup of yogurt, a quarter cup of almonds, a piece of fresh fruit, or other easy healthy snacks will help you keep your metabolism on target and keep you from crashing.

If you are unsure of how to begin your weight loss program or how to stay on track, you may want to try a medical weight loss program under the care of a Board Certified Bariatric Physician. A Bariatric physician is a medical doctor who is specially trained in weight loss management and in the treatment and management of related medical conditions.

A program under a doctor's care can help you fulfill all aspects of weight loss and take into account your age, genes, medical history, metabolism, and lifestyle choices, which all play a role in weight loss and weight management.

New Year's weight loss resolutions can be frustrating but they don't have to be. With the proper guidance and support you can change the way you look and feel for a lifetime.

10 Tips to Help You Get Pregnant Fast

Listed below are 10 easy tips to show you how to get pregnant. Chances are you are already doing a few of them but hopefully the list has some tips you have not thought of or tried before.

How to get pregnant tip #1: Use a fertility monitor. A device like the Clearblue Easy fertility monitor can be a big help in trying to get pregnant. It gives a very pinpoint idea of what day is the best day for intercourse. The drawback is cost. The Clearblue Easy can be expensive and the daily test sticks are not cheap either.

How to get pregnant tip #2: Make your man excited. Often time's couples turn the pregnancy pursuit into a scientific process rather than hot and steamy sex. If the man feels like its "work" his ejaculation will be far less than if he feels like he is superman. Ask him what his fantasies are, initiate sex, and seduce him. The more you can arouse him before sex the more he will ejaculate and the higher your chances are.

Tip #3: Exercise, The chances of conceiving are much higher if both of you are getting regular exercise. Even if it is just a daily walk do your best to get in shape. You will need the extra energy when the baby comes anyway.

How to get pregnant tip #4: Eat right. It goes without saying a good diet tells your body that life is good and it should reproduce.

How to get pregnant tip #5: Then man should avoid excessive drinking. Alcohol reduces the body ability to create sperm.

How to get pregnant tip #6: Get a preconception check up from your doctor. Both of you! I recommend that the man get a semen analysis as early as possible. Low sperm count is easy to fix and you might as well catch it early and address the issue if there is one.

Tip #7: Give it a rest. If you try too often you are just going to use up his ability to fertilize you. Give it a little time in between try's, maybe every other day and make sure you get him as excited as you can before hand.

How to get pregnant tip #8: Don't pick a position. The key is to enjoy yourself so don't commit to a certain position that you think will work best, just have fun.

How to get pregnant tip #9: Lay flat after sex. The woman should lay flat and relax for a few minutes after sex.

How to get pregnant tip #10: De-Stress if you are stressed you body will put the breaks on, so relax have fun and de-stress whatever way you can.

IVF Implantation - Three Foods That Can Help

Most people who are attempting In Vitro Fertilization have already tried many less thorough methods that have failed them. And while couples should carefully follow the procedures and advice provided by their doctors, many have asked what else they can do, safely and simply, to help their chances. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve your success with the all important step of IVF implantation. For instance, certain foods can help a woman's uterine lining grow more receptive to a fertilized egg. Consider snacking on these three super foods to improve your odds for a successful implantation.

Nuts

A fatty acid called prostaglandin is essential for successful implantation, which explains why women are encouraged to eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids if they want to get pregnant. Omega-3 contributes to the levels of prostaglandins in the human body but fish, the primary source of this fat, is not the safest food to eat when you're trying to conceive. Larger fish like salmon and tuna tend to have higher concentrations of toxic substances like lead and mercury. Not only do they lower your chances of conceiving successfully, but they linger in the body and can trigger learning disorders and developmental disorders in the baby.

Instead of turning to fish to obtain your daily dose of omega-3 fats, why eat more walnuts? Walnuts contain the omega-3 parent alpha linolenic acid, or ALA. Once it enters the digestive tract, the body converts ALA to omega-3 fatty acids needed for conception. A healthy amount of walnuts will provide omega-3 fats that help to increase your prostaglandin levels.

Pineapple

Believe it or not, this tart tropical fruit can help implantation because of its bromelain content. Bromelain is an enzyme that dissolves proteins which prevent healthy implantation, and a pineapple's core contains the highest concentrations of this enzyme. While scientific studies have yet to examine these claims, many mothers who conceived through IVF believe that eating pineapple improved their chances immensely. For IVF, divide one pineapple into five portions. Eat one portion every day, starting on the day of your embryo transfer. It's important that you start during the embryo transfer itself; otherwise, the pineapple can interfere with the PH levels of your vaginal and cervical mucus, turning them acidic.

Green leafy vegetables

Make dark green leafy vegetables and other folate-rich foods an important part of your diet. Folate or folic acid is a type of B vitamin that aids in the production of new cells and helps them survive. This is essential for embryos, whose cells are rapidly dividing in the womb. A number of studies have also shown that folic acid produce healthier eggs, which are more likely to implant successfully. While you can certainly take a folate supplement for this, you might risk consuming too much of this nutrient, which increases the chances of twin births. Twins are a blessing to have, but carrying them comes with a few health risks your body may not be able to handle. Instead, stick to a salad of dark leafy greens and add folate-rich foods like whole wheat bread and lentils.

Taking An Online Health Insurance Quote

Medical bills are exorbitant and paying them without insurance is next to impossible for most people. Health insurance is a necessity in today's time providing you health and financial security. Shopping for a good health insurance can be tiring and cumbersome if you look around physically. However, as you become aware of the costs, you might be discouraged. If you are looking for a comprehensive insurance cover within your budget, the best first step would be to take an online health insurance quote.

You can save a huge amount if you purchase or take an online quote from the health insurance providers, with their service portals that are always ready. Underinsured and uninsured medical care can not only be financially taxing but can also spell disaster in a family. With online health insurance quotes that are available you can look for a scheme that is affordable and fulfills your requirements. Online health insurance quote may be the best way to find the cheapest rates available while getting them fast and easily online. The major advantage about online health insurance quote is that they are free and you can avail them for as many companies that you want. No one can foresee an illness and sudden medical emergencies can be aptly handled by health insurance.

Medical care costs are rising each day and handling such health care emergencies without insurance can be financially destabilizing. Many people who did not take insurance for a rainy day have landed in debt due to improper health care management. Prescription drugs, hospital bills, maternity care and all these quickly add up to a huge amount of money that paying without insurance becomes impossible. Online health insurance quote is just a click away and will be able to save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

You can find the best and cheapest health insurance in minutes through online quotes. They provide you with information on the latest insurance coverage that is available with the maximum discount that can be provided. Do not think that health insurance is out of your reach as there are many schemes out there that might seem tailor made for you. So, log on and click to safe guard your family from sudden medical emergencies for life.

Six Tips to Help You Overcome Post-Partum Depression

Post-partum depression is incomprehensible, but it is natural since the mother understands that she has completely lost her freedom. Maternity is a big responsibility that frightens any woman who analyzes this matter, especially if she is inexperienced or afraid of repeating bad experiences she experienced or learned about through someone else.

Before the baby's arrival, the mother is only worried about its health, about how it will be born, the preparations for the new life, etc. She has many illusions and dreams. However, when the child is born and she suddenly understands that she is completely responsible for this new life, only then does she understand her real responsibility...

The baby is crying. She has to see what is happening and calm it down. The baby cries again. She has to do the same as before, no matter how tired she may be, and this is only the beginning. She cannot go anywhere: who will take care of the baby? It is too little, she cannot leave it with anyone and it cannot go to school and leave her alone for a while. The baby is totally dependent on her for everything.

She is young and wants to live her life. She wants to be a mother, not a slave. However, she starts feeling like a slave with everything she has to do for the baby.

When she thinks about the future, she imagines herself slaving like this for many years, only taking care of the kid...

This is how post-partum depression begins. It can turn into a neurosis and lead the affected mother even to commit suicide, which is a common event in our society.

What happens in this case is that the anti-conscience (wild conscience) starts influencing her thoughts and frightening her.

If you are a future mother or a young depressed mother, here are my tips to help you overcome your depression and continue triumphant in your journey of life:

1. Don't think that only you are the only one who has to raise your kid. Others will help you a lot in this mission and with gratitude because you'll give them this pleasure, since they'll love your kid as much as you do. Let the baby's grandmother and grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends help; in particular, let the baby's father... Let everyone help you raise your kid and stop imagining that only you will be the absolute person responsible for its life: you are not alone.

2. If for any reason you are alone and you don't have anyone's support, things are really difficult for you. However, you should not lose hope because if you are right and love your child, enduring all the suffering in the beginning, God will help you and you will find many ways to raise your child, receiving help from people that you never imagined would ever care for you and your baby. You only have to believe in God and try to be a good mother, waiting for the support that will surely come.

3. If you don't believe in God, start believing because many scientific proofs of His existence have been found through dream interpretation, biology, astronomy, physics and many other fields of research. You need faith, especially in this period of your life.

4. The beginning is always difficult, but with time you will feel comfortable in your new role as a mother and you'll immensely love your baby. The satisfaction you will receive when admiring your child will be the best reward you could ever ask for in life, even though you may be tired and you cannot feel anything past your depression when you look at the baby and you think about your life being responsible for everything in the baby's life.

5. You'll learn many important lessons as a mother! First of all, you'll go back in time and remember your own childhood. You'll learn again the meaning of life through your baby.

6. Some day your child will make you proud, help you in many ways and will be the most precious person in this world for you! Now you cannot see its personality, he or she is not yet a grown-up person. The baby is only a sapling. Later, you'll discover the continuation of yourself in this kid and this feeling will give you peace and satisfaction!