Babies Suck

It's thrush. Started hurting like mad last night. Found some cheesy white patches on the inside of Leo's mouth about two hours ago.

Sigh.

At least it's not a positioning problem--I felt like things were going so well, and then BAM. I spent all yesterday evening trying to figure out what the heck I was doing wrong. But I don't think anything is wrong--nothing has changed from my point of view. He does have the remnants of a cold, but you'd think if that were the culprit, it would have started hurting more gradually and/or last week. Nope. I have some tell-tale signs, he has some, too. So here we go.

With Sophia, I had systemic thrush. I won't go into details. Just to say that there's nothing that can make you more crazy, tired, and in pain like that. I had it for 6 weeks before it was diagnosed appropriately, and another 4 weeks before it was gone. With Maeve, I was paranoid, for good reason. I started taking grapefruit seed extract when she was born, and I had one or two days when I thought it was starting and increased my dosage and used it topically for a few days. That took care of it.

I've caught this early, so I'm hopeful that GSE will do the trick, but I've also put a call in to the OB/GYN and the pediatrician. They'll prescribe something daft, I'm sure, but maybe I'll get lucky and get the week's worth of diflucan. I'm not giving him nystatin in its sugar base.

So it explains a bit why I've been craving sweets like crazy (yeast needs to eat, after all). So here goes the thrush diet: no bread, no alcohol, no refined sugar, no milk. I can get more restrictive, but that plus the GSE should kick it in a few days.

And, like they say on G.I. Joe, knowing is half the battle. I am no longer filled with despair about the pain. I know what it is and how to make it go away.

It's just, couldn't we have picked a better week? I'm heading out here in 10 minutes to take Sophia to the first of 6 shows this week (Irish dance), Steve and Mary are getting married on Friday, the St. Pat's parade is Saturday. Yesterday was girl scouts, I have a baby shower to go to Sunday, another to help put together for a neighbor next week, two quilts to finish by deadlines...next week really would have been a better choice. Really. Then again, if I can take care of this perfect storm now, next week will be a walk in the park.

Oy.