Today we went to our 6-week postpartum visit with Midwife Peggy. Moses now weighs 14 lbs. 8 oz. Midwife Kim said that he is the heaviest baby she's ever seen at a 6-week postpartum visit (granted, Moses actually turned 7 weeks old today). When we got home, I checked out a percentile growth chart and found that our exclusively breastfed baby is the size of an average 4-month-old, and is off the charts for his actual age. Wow!
Now that Moses' skin has healed from his bout of baby acne, he is having some dry skin issues, for which Peggy recommended almond oil or calendula. To treat his white yeasty tongue, she recommended peroxide or probiotics sprinkled on his tongue, and suggested looking into getting him a prescription for liquid nystatin to speed up the process. Thankfully, the yeast on his tongue has not interfered with breastfeeding.
Caleb, Joshua, and I sure will miss our visits to Midwife Peggy's house. While homebirthing didn't work out for me and my big baby, there's no doubt in my mind that we received superior prenatal and postpartum care, and I still think that under normal circumstances, it's the ideal way for a woman to bring a new life into the world.
And to think the hospital doctors were nervous about his weight gain...shyeah.
ReplyDeleteYou guys probably already know this, but the yeast can be transmitted back and forth from mom's nipples to baby's mouth. So, if you treat Moses for thrush, you probably should treat your nipples for it, too, to prevent reinfection of his little mouth. A little nystatin applied according to doctor's intructions is how we treat our moms. Also, if he gets persistant diaper rash, it could be yeast that has decided to travel through to that area and grow - again treated with an antifungal cream from the doctor. Sorry - the nurse in me can't refrain from giving advice! ;-) He looks wonderfully healthy and happy, and you're doing a fabulous job! Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer! After talking to our doctor, he said to just treat Moses' tongue with probiotics for now, since it's been going on for a while now and I haven't had any of symptoms of thrush.
ReplyDeleteOn a related note, it has occurred to us that since probiotics work to fight yeast, Moses must have gotten his yeast in the first place because they pumped him full of antibiotics while he was in the NICU. *sigh*