If your baby has white patches on the inside of his cheeks, he may have thrush. Thrush is a harmless and common type of yeast infection. It looks like cottage cheese and can appear on the sides and roof of the mouth. Sometimes, it can appear on a baby's tongue as well. Thrush is most common in newborns, but it can affect older babies as well.
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Yeast Imbalances Can Cause Thrush
When your body experiences an imbalance of the yeast in your system, infection may result. A baby can develop thrush when hormonal changes immediately following birth trigger too much yeast growth in her mouth.
The Effects of Antibiotics
If you breastfeed your baby and take antibiotics or if your baby takes antibiotics, the resulting yeast growth can cause thrush. Antibiotics often kill too many bacteria, including the ones that keep yeast in check.
Thrush and Breastfeeding
It is possible for babies and mothers to pass thrush back and forth. If you breastfeed, you may get thrush from your baby. This can result in a painful infection on your nipple. You will need to seek medical treatment for this condition. Otherwise, you and your baby will continue to pass the infection to each other.
Thrush and Bottle Feeding
It is possible that thrush occurs when a baby sucks too much on a bottle. It has been theorized that improperly cleaned bottle nipples are the cause. Be sure to clean the bottles carefully between each use and do not allow your baby to have the bottle in his crib all night.
Identifying Thrush
If you see a white coating on your baby's tongue that you can easily wipe off, it is probably just milk residue. Thrush is usually found on the sides of a baby's mouth and it is very difficult to wipe away. If you do manage to wipe it away, you will find a red, painful area underneath that may bleed.
