Does a white tongue automatically mean thrush?

EarthMama · Mar 7th, 2012, 17:36 PM

My 12 day old newborn has a white tongue and me MIL said it's probably thrush

But is a white tongue always thrush?

mrs_park · Mar 7th, 2012, 17:40 PM

From my understanding, a lot of babies have a white tongue from drinking milk all day. My LO never had thrush but I thought it showed as white spots in the mouth?

EarthMama · Mar 7th, 2012, 17:56 PM

My MIL doesn't know anything, she told me it's thrush and thats why he's feeding so much at 12 days old!!!!

mrs_park · Mar 7th, 2012, 18:00 PM

At 12 days old I would expect LO to feed a lot. One of the best pieces of advise I received was if you think you are nursing too often, you're probably doing it right

Hopefully some other ladies can confirm thrush symptoms for you.

cutie4evr01 · Mar 7th, 2012, 19:18 PM

No! My LO's tongue is white and has been since birth but we've never had thrush. I thought it was just from milk. It's totally normal to feed all day, especially at only 12 days old! My DD1 fed all the time until she was about 3 months old! I think this is longer than most, but certainly the first month or so nearly all BF babies feed very often. He has to feed a lot to ensure you have a good supply of milk.

EarthMama · Mar 7th, 2012, 19:25 PM

She is REALLY against me feeding him so frequently...she is visiting for a week, it's day 2 and I am already miserable with her here!!!

booda · Mar 7th, 2012, 19:29 PM

Tell her to bugger off, she doesn't know what she's talking about. My LO STILL has a white tongue for a while after feeds and he's 6 months old! As long as thers no patches that look raw when you rub them, or pain in your breast then it's unlikely to be thrush.
Check out LLL's info, it's always really good:
http://www.llli.org/faq/thrush.html

And it's eprfectly normal for newborns to feed pretty much constantly for a while, you're doing amazing

EarthMama · Mar 7th, 2012, 19:35 PM

I'm in a power struggle for the proper day to care for my own son and it's HELL!!!

booda · Mar 7th, 2012, 20:23 PM

He's your little boy, not the MIL's! We don't see apes and chimps timing feeds or flinging their young off after 15 minutes, baby and your body are in sync, baby has been used to a constant influx of calories and nutrients when in your womb, he's not used to this 'eat then stop' stuff, takes time

. You have every right to ask the mil to leave, or just nod and smile then ignore her. Let her know you have access to proper advice, LLL offer a great support service too, and trust your body and your baby

booda · Mar 7th, 2012, 20:24 PM

OH and by the way, you profile pic photo is absolutely gorgeous!

Mar 7th, 2012, 17:36 PM	#1
EarthMama Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Kapoho, Hawaii Posts: 1,699	Does a white tongue automatically mean thrush? My 12 day old newborn has a white tongue and me MIL said it's probably thrush But is a white tongue always thrush?

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Mar 7th, 2012, 17:40 PM	#2
mrs_park Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 4,582	From my understanding, a lot of babies have a white tongue from drinking milk all day. My LO never had thrush but I thought it showed as white spots in the mouth?

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Mar 7th, 2012, 17:56 PM	#3
EarthMama Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Kapoho, Hawaii Posts: 1,699	My MIL doesn't know anything, she told me it's thrush and thats why he's feeding so much at 12 days old!!!!

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Mar 7th, 2012, 18:00 PM	#4
mrs_park Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 4,582	At 12 days old I would expect LO to feed a lot. One of the best pieces of advise I received was if you think you are nursing too often, you're probably doing it right Hopefully some other ladies can confirm thrush symptoms for you.

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Mar 7th, 2012, 19:18 PM	#5
cutie4evr01 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,775	No! My LO's tongue is white and has been since birth but we've never had thrush. I thought it was just from milk. It's totally normal to feed all day, especially at only 12 days old! My DD1 fed all the time until she was about 3 months old! I think this is longer than most, but certainly the first month or so nearly all BF babies feed very often. He has to feed a lot to ensure you have a good supply of milk.

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2012, 19:25 PM	#6
EarthMama Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Kapoho, Hawaii Posts: 1,699	She is REALLY against me feeding him so frequently...she is visiting for a week, it's day 2 and I am already miserable with her here!!!

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2012, 19:29 PM	#7
booda Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Not here. Posts: 1,444	Tell her to bugger off, she doesn't know what she's talking about. My LO STILL has a white tongue for a while after feeds and he's 6 months old! As long as thers no patches that look raw when you rub them, or pain in your breast then it's unlikely to be thrush. Check out LLL's info, it's always really good: http://www.llli.org/faq/thrush.html And it's eprfectly normal for newborns to feed pretty much constantly for a while, you're doing amazing

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Mar 7th, 2012, 19:35 PM	#8
EarthMama Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Kapoho, Hawaii Posts: 1,699	I'm in a power struggle for the proper day to care for my own son and it's HELL!!!

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2012, 20:23 PM	#9
booda Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Not here. Posts: 1,444	He's your little boy, not the MIL's! We don't see apes and chimps timing feeds or flinging their young off after 15 minutes, baby and your body are in sync, baby has been used to a constant influx of calories and nutrients when in your womb, he's not used to this 'eat then stop' stuff, takes time . You have every right to ask the mil to leave, or just nod and smile then ignore her. Let her know you have access to proper advice, LLL offer a great support service too, and trust your body and your baby

Status: Offline

Mar 7th, 2012, 20:24 PM	#10
booda Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Not here. Posts: 1,444	OH and by the way, you profile pic photo is absolutely gorgeous!

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