Natural Treatment for Thrush

Candida albicans is a type of yeast that is present in our bodies at all times, in small amounts. Circumstances can arise in which the yeast builds up and causes the malady known as thrush. Thrush affects babies and can also affect their breastfeeding mothers. If a baby gets thrush and breastfeeds, she will pass the yeast on to her mother's nipples and they will share it back and forth. There are many suggested home remedies for thrush; almost any ingredient that is known to be antifungal is suggested. Suggestions aren't harmful, but always check with your doctor first.

Symptoms

• If your baby's tongue is coated white and/or has pockets of yeast in the cheeks that cannot be easily wiped away, there is an infection. The white patches will look like curdled milk. Insides of mouths may also look redder than normal. Diaper rashes can occur, too, if the yeast is in the baby's stool. The baby may develop a poor-seeming appetite. If the mother also has thrush, breastfeeding can become painful with shooting pains occurring at feeding time. The nipples can become sore and red.

Remedies

• Changing your diet can help. Eating plain yogurt and other naturally cultured foods can help to kill the yeast. Acidophilus tablets can increase the helpful bacteria in your system. Yeast feeds on sugar, so cutting as much of it out of your diet as possible is also recommended. Also use plain yogurt as a topical ointment. Most suggested home remedies are to be taken in this form--applied to and in the babies' mouths and also on the mother's nipples. Make sure you wash your nipples thoroughly after treatment, before your next breastfeeding.

  Soak plantain seeds in water and leave them overnight to swell. They will form a gellike substance that can be applied to nipples and babies' thrush patches. The thrush can clear up in days, but it's recommended that you continue the treatment for a few weeks to prevent reoccurrence.

  Acdiophilius tablets can not only be effective taken orally, but they can be broken and the dust rubbed on patches of thrush.

  Finally, calendula tincture, which comes from the flower of the same name, can be diluted in water and other liquids to be taken orally; it is known to clear up various skin problems and be antibacterial.