Secret Weapon(s) against Thrush

 

There it is, my secret weapon against thrush, particularly thrush diaper rash. A spray bottle, some water, and some tea tree, or sometimes called melaleuca, essential oil.  Spray it on after wiping and let it soak in. It is naturally anti fungal and works wonders.  I use about 5 drops to 1 cup of filtered water.  This would also work for nipples infected with thrush, just spray it on after feeding and let air dry.  Reapply as needed.  

If only thrush really were combated with a spray bottle! Thrush is a fungus that doesn't seem to want to relocate once established.  It just wants to take up more and more space.  Thrush, or yeast, is often an under diagnosed reason for sore nipples. If you have sore nipples despite good milk transfer, and a comfortable latch, try looking at some of the remedies below, it just might cure those ouchy nipples!If your baby has a diaper rash that won't go away despite preventative measures, and looks more like red raised bumps than just redness, your baby could have a diaper rash caused by yeast.  Infants can get yeast in their mouth as well.  This is identified by white, plaque-like spots that don't go away when wiped off. If your baby is struggling with either of those, try the list below and see if it doesn't help. 

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• Dietary changes are the first line of defense, namely, cutting out all sugars and refined carbs.  When you are nursing it can be hard to eat good, wholesome food all of the time. Sometimes sugar seems like the quickest way to acquire energy to get the next thing done, but it never pays off.  Yeast thrives off of sugar and will continue to prosper in a body fed with sugar.  Sugar substitutes are often okay during the time you are killing off the yeast, also known as candida.  Maple syrup, honey, raw agave nectar, and coconut palm sugar can be okay for some women, but use your common sense and listen to your body. You will usually notice a flair up almost immediately if you are taking in too much sugar. Babies too, must cut out sugar in their diet while attempting to kill any yeast.  For them this would be no fruits or grains if they are on solids, if not, they will benefit from your new found sugar freedom!
• Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that crowd out the yeast in your system.  They can be taken in supplemental form, which if the situation is chronic, is warranted, or in food form.  Either way increase your intake. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, lactofermented vegetables, fermented pickles (see picture, yum!) and kombucha, all contain yeast fighting probiotic strains. Saccharomyces boulardii is a particular probiotic strain that excels at fighting yeast.  As a nursing mother battling with yeast, I highly recommend adding this to your regimen. If not a broader spectrum probiotic will do too.  Infants and babies can also benefit from probiotic supplements.
• Diluted grapefruit seed extract on your nipple, and/or baby's diaper rash, s is also a great way to beat thrush. Check out this article for more detailed information on how exactly to dilute the grapefruit seed extract, how to apply, and what type is most effective. 
• The homeopathic remedy Borax is another way to ward off yeast.  It can be given to both mother and baby.  The best way to take it is to dissolve a couple of pellets in a glass of water.  Sip on this water throughout the day.  It's also the easiest way to give it to babies. If they are young enough you can put it in an eyedropper for them.  
• Yin Care is a blend of Chinese herbs that are a powerhouse of antifungal, antimicrobial plants.  This can be used anywhere candida lurks. It also can heal sore nipples caused by bacteria as well.  Yin Care is excellent for tons of skin conditions from eczema to hives.  I highly recommend keeping a bottle in your house. A little bottle goes along way as it has to be diluted before use.  It can be applied with a spray bottle, a cotton ball, or a gauze pad. 
• Finally, thyme essential oil is a great anti-fungal.  Dilute a few drops in a teaspoon of oil and apply to nipples or diaper rash (just use one or two drops for the diaper rash as it is powerful stuff). 

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but a few effective measures you can take in your battle against yeast.  Arm yourself with a spray bottle, cut out sugar, and be firm, you will come out victorious!!

This post was featured in Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania.

Prenatal Qi (Chi)

Qi (pronounced CH-EE) is often translated as 'life force', a sort of subtle energy that penetrates and influences each person in myriad ways. Qi permeates the universe, it can be seen in the rising of the sun, the flowering of the bud, and in the buzz of bee's wings. There are different types of qi, but the one that fascinates me, is prenatal qi.

Inherited from our parents, prenatal qi is sort of like the Western concept of the genetics we inherit from our parents, this is what we nourish throughout our life. Similar to genetics, prenatal qi can thrive with a good quality diet, air, water, and without it it can wither, or flare and cause problems. Given a good dose of strong, healthy prenatal qi, babies and children thrive in their childhood and beyond.

Other types of qi, such as lung qi, spleen qi, etc... can be improved upon, but prenatal qi is like a seed that cannot be replaced, it can only be nourished. Mothers however, can improve the quality of their health, thereby improving the prenatal qi that they pass on to their children. Dr Randall Neustaedter, says in his book, The Holistic Baby Guide, " In Chinese terms, a deficiency of Prenatal Qi is one of the primary causes of immune-system weakness and susceptibility to external pathogens. A mother who seeks out the care of a Chinese herbalist before and during her pregnancy is more likely to have a robust and healthy baby." He says that according to Chinese Medicine, a Prenatal Qi deficiency is one of the leading causes of asthma in children.

Gestating, delivering and nursing a child depletes the prenatal qi that the mother has available to pass on to the next child. Practitioners of Chinese Medicine believe that the different qualities and quantities of Prenatal Qi passed from mother to child account for the sometimes vast differences of energy and health between siblings. In order to avoid passing on any deficiencies to her baby, between and during subsequent pregnancies, it would behoove mothers to nourish and replenish these spent stores. Here are some great ways to do that:

• See an acupuncturist. Regularly. This is an excellent way to nourish yourself as a mother. Often they prescribe herbs that also replenish and build qi stores. If the cost of acupuncture is prohibitive, look for local clinics that provide these services in a group setting at a reduced rate. Such as this. If you are local, here's my beloved acupuncturist.
  
• Eat a whole foods diet. Eat real food. Broths, fermented foods, grass fed meats, organic fruits and veggies, and unpasteurized dairy, heal and nourish a body better than most things. Nutrient dense food is also great for mothers who often have no time to eat, or if pregnant, can't eat much at one sitting. Make each bite pack a nutritive punch.
• Eat lots of fish, or bump up your Omega 3's through supplements. This essential nutrient becomes especially depleted through nursing children.
  
• Drink herbs. Nettle, red raspberry leaf, oatstraw, lavender, chamomile. Drinking an herbal cup of tea each day is also a calming, relaxing way to nurture oneself.
  
• Exercise. Get some fresh air, swim, hike, yoga and strength building exercises can all be important in regaining vitality and building health. As a busy woman who doesn't have time for a yoga studio, I love Yogaglo for home practice.
• Take time for yourself. Don't let motherhood deplete you. Let it be your path to nurturing and health, for you and your family.
  

Good Bacteria

This article came out a few months back, but time has not diminished my amazement! Of the myriad species specific qualities that breastmilk possesses, one of the more fascinating is the 'probiotic' qualities. A newborn, born with a very sterile gut, lands in a world full of bacteria, good and bad. The probiotic qualities of breastmilk, or the good bacteria in breastmilk, sufficiently protect newborns from a host of sometimes lethal gastrointestinal diseases. The recently discovered, bifidobacterium longus, passes through breastmilk to the infant, and on its way out, coats the babies intestine with a protective coating, thereby serving the role of stomach acid, a substance babies don't yet possess much of. This coating acts as a decoy to potential bacteria and viruses, coaxing it to bypass the baby's gut.

Dr. E. Stephen Buescher, a pediatrician and scholar of breastmilk's many anti-infective and ant-inflammatory qualities, has an interesting theory as to why this protective coating not only benefits the gut, but also may contribute to the dramatic reduction in ear infections in breastfed infants. He had an exclusively breastfed son who spit up, a lot. After watching a plethora of spit up episodes, ones that sometimes exited the nasal orifices, he reasoned that the breastmilk when spit up was coating the upper respiratory tract with all of it's soothing and protective qualities, just like it coats the intestine. Embrace the spit up. It's better than an ear infection!

Scientists are beginning to understanding that breastmilk can serve as a lesson plan for how to nourish and protect the human body against pathogens, not just in babies. It is after all a food, specifically designed for humans, and the most vulnerable, swiftest growing of humans. The researchers aren't sure what happens, or where these bifidobacterium bacteria hide out in adults. But probiotic supplementation in America is a booming business, sales of it tripled between 1994 and 2003. Perhaps we could save our children some money in their future, by breastfeeding them now. As one of the researchers so eloquently summed it up, "It’s all there for a purpose, though we’re still figuring out what that purpose is,” Dr. Mills said. “So for God’s sake, please breast-feed.”

Latching On

In follow up to my post about the dismal US breastfeeding statistics reported in the Washington Post, there is a new documentary film out titled, 'Latching On'. I haven't seen it yet, but it is a brilliant idea. She discusses her sister's experience as a breastfeeding mother, beginning in Germany where she delivered her baby and where women breastfeed anywhere and everywhere, and ending in New York City, where spotting a breastfeeding mother is as rare as spotting a unicorn.




I'm always proud of my Muslim sisters who overcome sometimes great odds to breastfeed their children. When I travel to the Muslim world, I am also surprised at how openly women in these modest cultures breastfeed their children. Even in the stricter countries, where gender segregation is imposed in public, breastfeeding is still the norm. This study from Australia compared breastfeeding rates amongst Australian, Vietnamese, and Turkish women in Australia. Turkish women had the highest rates of breastfeeding initiation. I pray that this is a legacy we can leave the world with, that breastfeeding children, is a norm and a divine duty of the mother, and that it does not have to be difficult or even hidden.

Breastfeeding the Early Days

Moeder en kroost by Inferis

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: Salamah, the wetnurse of Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet, peace of and blessings of Allah upon him, said, "O Messenger of Allah. You give tidings of all the good to the men and you don't give tidings to the women." He said, "Did your female companions induce you to [ask] this?" She said, "Yes." He said, "Will one of you not be pleased that when she is pregnant from her husband and he is pleased with her that she has a reward like the reward of the one who fasts and prays in the way of Allah? Then when she is in labor, none of the people of the heavens or the earth know what is hidden for her of [pleasures,] soothing to her eyes. And when she delivers, no mouthful of milk flows from her nor a [child's] suck except that she has a reward with every mouthful and with every suck. And if [her child] keeps her awake during the night, she has a reward similar to the reward of freeing seventy slaves for the sake of Allah."

-Related by Tabarani in his Mu'jam al-Awsat

Isn't that an amazing hadith?! The reality for most women is that breastfeeding does come easily and continues without much of a hitch. However, it is not true for everyone, and for some mothers, this can be particularly devastating. One of the wisdoms which I gathered from the conference on lactation* is that birth practices do affect and impact breastfeeding and its longevity. I wish most of us would have home births, where for the most part, optimal birth practices are in place to promote breast feeding, but alas, I know that is not the case. Although most hospital staff are in support of breast feeding, much of what happens in the first few hours is dictated by hospital policies and procedures, rather than a drive towards successful lactation. It's time we started looking at breastfeeding as a part of the birth experience, not a separate component. The following is a brief, brief summary of what I learned at this past week's conference, which can optimize lactation, breast milk production and bonding for mother and child in those most invaluable early days. All of these things can be included in a birth plan and discussed with your midwife and/or doctor.

Skin to skin contact has been proven scientifically to increase, among many other things, rates of exclusive breastfeeding in mothers and infants. As long as the baby is stable at birth, this is easily accomplished and accommodated in any birth setting. Request that the baby be placed on your abdomen or chest immediately after birth. Skin to skin contact is dose dependent, the more skin to skin in the early days, the better adjusted your baby is to this earth, and the more successful breastfeeding becomes. Anyone can do skin to skin contact, the father, grandmother, auntie. It is ideal if it's the mother, but the self regulating mechanisms of skin to skin can be accomplished with other adults. The other benefits of skin to skin are that it begins to colonize the normal flora of a baby's many developing systems, it regulates temperature and respirations of a baby (particularly important for a preemie), and amazingly reduces pain in the baby. Skin to skin contact also increases levels of oxytocin in the mother's blood stream, a hormone essential for a mother to let down her milk supply to the baby.

Infants are born with an instinct to find the breast and self attach. This video eloquently demonstrates this. The areola, the darkened skin around the nipples acts as a point of focus for the baby. The scent of amniotic fluid reminds baby of his intrauterine home and as he journeys to the breast, he is smearing this scent from his hands over the mother's body. This is both calming and a guidance to the infant. As you'll see one of the remarkable things about this instinct, is that it is influenced by pain medications used in labor, if used the instinct is dulled and disorganized. Epidurals are not without their place in the birth world. However, they are not without their side effects either. A recent study found that women who used an epidural with Fentanyl (a narcotic analgesic) had lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks postpartum. Undisturbed, natural birth deserves more credit than it receives, it's benefits are subtle and vast, the self attachment of a newborn to its source of nourishment being but one.

Prolactin, the hormone required for breast milk production, rises with repeated stimulation of the breast. When babies are born, they are usually in a quiet, alert state. Priming the hormonal pump, by taking advantage of this state and initiating breastfeeding within an hour and half or so of birth, can help to increase and maintain milk supplies. The feeds should not be timed or scheduled in order for baby to continue stimulating the release of this important hormone in the first few days postpartum.This usually translates as: stay in bed with the baby and let the baby feed frequently!

Hand expression is another useful tool for a breastfeeding mom to learn. This is a video which beautifully explains how to do it. Hand expression after each feed in the early days, continues to stimulate your breast to make more milk, it also fully empties the breast when a newborn cannot, another important element in increasing milk supply. An empty breast signals the brain that it needs to make more milk. Hand expression accomplishes this beautifully and without a bulky pump. If done regularly after each feeding, it can also prevent engorgement of the breast. Save what you collect and feed to the baby with a spoon, small cup, or syringe.

This is just a small assortment of things to help you along in the first few days of your new child's life. Things like latch and positioning are immense and deserve much more time than a blog posting allots. As the above hadith states, with every mouthful and suck, a mother gets a reward. I hope that these tips increase your babies moutfuls and sucks and in turn your reward!

*I would like to thank the woman at Evergreen Perinatal for their dedication to breastfeeding and for an amazing conference. If any of you get the chance to attend on of their lectures, it is well worth it.

The Holistic Baby Guide

Dr. Randall Neustaedter's new book is now available! I'm so excited to read this book. I love that its focus is solely on babies. There are so many foundations being laid, emotional, spiritual, and physical, in that first year. This is why it's important to take care as to what we put into our babies rapidly developing systems, particularly the immune system. Antibiotics, steroids, even vaccines can all suppress a babies' immune system. Having gentle, yet effective alternatives to try before resorting to more powerful drugs is such a gift. For the past two years, I have taken the holistic pediatric seminars with Dr Neustaedter and his colleagues and have found them to be so useful both as a mother and a midwife. His level of confidence in these alternative therapies is contagious. If you are pregnant or a new parent, or know someone who is, you will benefit from this book.