White tongue

[lilylily]

My DD is 7 weeks old and hasn't been sleeping well since 1 week old and since 4 weeks old she had been fussy at breast during some feedings. Recently it is getting worse and she would nurse on one breast for 3 mins and then pulls off crying and will not latch on and I have to offer the other breast. Then she will cry after 3 mins and I have to offer her the other one. She had been having a white tongue since week 2 and I wonder if her fussiness to related to that. But I do not feel I have yeast infection- No sore nipples or itchy virgina.

As a side question, am I supposed to clean my breasts before feeding?

[carpentergirl]

Does the white look patchy, or is the whole thing white? Check here for symptoms of thrush
Also the fighting the breast can happen if your let down reflex is strong. Do you ever hear baby make clicking noises, or see a spray of milk shoot from your breast?
I would suggest you look up the nearest LLL meeting place and go to a meeting. A talk with your local LLL leader might help you figure out whats going on.

[lilylily]

part of the tongue is white in one patch, not spotty.... i know my let down is strong, i am employing different positions but sometimes she just refuses to latch on and it is very heartbreaking and frustrating for me..

[carpentergirl]

When she pulls off is she arching her back away from you, does it seem like it could be pain? Check here for acid reflux scroll down the list, but take a look at everything on the page ok?

[@llli*llllactojen]

A lot of newborns have a white tongue called "milk tongue" and it's completely harmless. Thrush looks more like cottage-cheesy patches, and sometimes the baby's saliva will have a "mother of pearl" sheen to it (like motor oil floating in water).

When your baby is having trouble latching, you could try some skin-to-skin. Take your shirt off and strip baby down to her diaper. This will stimulate many babies to latch. You can also try in a warm bath.

And no need to clean your nipples before feedings. The breastmilk itself keeps them pretty clean for your baby!

Hugs
Jen

[lilylily]

Yes she does arch back and also pushes me away with her hands and feet. Looking at me crying as if she is begging me not to 'harm' her. I am so heartbroken to see that. Feel so rejected too.

[@llli*pigpen777]

do you have oald? or, it could def be reflux......
have you spoken to your ped. about it? are there any other symptoms?

[missy-j]

I just had the same problem you had this past Friday! My right nipple was really itchy, and it appeared that my son was becoming more and more fussy while feeding. My husband asked if maybe I thought I had thrush??? I called the pediatrician's office and they said if you can wipe the white off your baby's tongue, then it is NOT thrush. So, take your fingernail and gently swipe across the tongue...if the white disappears, then not thrush. Also, as others have added, check for white spots on gums, cheek areas...

Good luck!

[april213]

Sounds like OALD, it took me till 6wks to learn to deal with that with one of my los. When you feel your milk let down, take her off the breast, catch the spray in a cloth, and put her back on when it has stopped gushing. If your milk lets down multiple times, pump for 5-8min before nursing then nurse immediately. It may take her a couple weeks to trust that you'll take care of it, but she'll get over her protests. Mine learned to take herself off. Remember, she's not rejecting you, your breast, or your milk, she just doesn't like being pummelled in the back of the throat. There were times when I had to hand a screaming baby over to DH and go and cry in the bathroom, but now she's a champion nurser and I'm really glad we stuck with it. You should also take steps to decrease your supply if you think oversupply is also a factor.

And not to say the tongue isn't thrush, the only time mine had a white tongue she had thrush, also spots on her gums, and we have been fighting it for months.

[lilylily]

I am not sure if it is OALD, but she does come off when it is too much and take a break and latch on again. The thing is sometimes she will look at the breast and cry, before she latches on. It might be a growth spurt as she hasn't been doing that for the past few days... and yes, I did also hand her to my DH and cry...

About the white tongue, I took her to a ped and confirmed it was just milk stain, I wonder why the milk stain is there for so long...