When you find out you’re going to have a baby girl, your mind goes to all the cute little shoes and dresses you can give them, the games they’ll play, the hair you can braid. You don’t think about the diapers and the spit up and the boogers. And you ESPECIALLY don’t think about how they can get baby periods and yeast infections.
YES. YES. Baby girls (usually when they are fresh outta the oven) can have some period-like blood. But I don’t care about that. I care about the YEAST INFECTIONS. Because Annie…Annie had one.
So, as you may be aware, Annie had pneumonia a couple months back, and she was on antibiotics for weeeeeks. If you’re a woman reading this, you’re like, “oh girl, I been there! Preach!” But if you are my dad and the other dudes who read this site, you don’t know that sometimes antibiotics can cause yeast infections in women (maybe this is true in men, too, I don’t know, I’m only an Internet Lady Doctor). But when a baby gets a yeast infection, she gets a raaaaaaging case of diaper rash.
We tried everything – the different diaper rash creams, organic gunk, medicated powders, the works. Every time we tried something new, the rash went away. And then it would pop back up about five days later, looking meaner and even more pissed off. When Annie started crying during diaper changes (something she never does) we knew it was time to take her to Dr. Looove for some actual medical help.
Dr. Looove took one look at the diaper rash and diagnosed it as a yeast infection. And then she said, “to treat it, put Lamisil on the rash twice a day.”
I was like, “……….the…..athlete’s foot cream?” and then I realized that Lamisil isn’t just ANY athlete’s foot cream. It is the one with the disgusting animated nail infection spokes-creature:
I flashed back to when I lived with my friends Jackie! & Bella and they’d call me into the living room only to make me see the foul commercial where the monster crawls underneath the big toe in the background.
I was supposed to rub this cream…on my daughter’s vagina. And I’ll be damned if that stupid monster creature wasn’t on the box, smirking at me and whispering “tooooooe fuuuuuuuuunguuuuuuus.”
Mike was even less pleased by his daughter’s “athlete’s vagina,” and would go “ew ew ew ew ew” whenever he had to apply the cream.
After administering the cream twice a day for three freaking weeks (as directed), her rash went away. Dr. Looove is so smart, it’s like she’s been through years and years of schooling.
I am traumatized for life. No one told me this could happen!!! What other gross things do I need to be prepared for?!
Adventures In Babywearing says:
This is absolute news to me! As you know I’m on girl #1 after three boys. I feel so clueless about raising a girl on a daily basis. Which is so odd considering I am a girl.
Steph
Lynnette says:
Sorry to hear about poor Annie’s rashes. My youngest daughter has been on antibiotics for ear infections 4 times in her 12 months of life so far. After each round (we are on round 4 right now), we have had to use nystatin cream as her diaper rash cream because of yeast infections. You might be able to ask Dr. Looove for a different brand so you don’t have to look at that ugly little creature on the tube/box. We used a store brand and it worked just as well.
Penbleth says:
Oh yes, girls do get yeast infections an here’s the good news, so do boys. A light smear of the cream works wonders, once they are out of nappies it isn’t so bad as the cotton in their undies lets their skin breathe better. Buy some thrush cream and have it in your changing box or medical box and then at the first sign you can deal with it.
Poor Annie, it isn’t pleasant.
Karen says:
Oh boy. I don’t have kids of my own but I had a seasonal bout of tonsillitis every year for about 10 years of my childhood; I know yeast infections.
Still susceptible to them too, that’s the bad news. (And news nobody really wanted to hear, right?) Natural yoghurt is one of those ‘old wives’ type deals that seems to work. Not really the most amazing thing to be applying as an ointment, but…better than the itch! Also EATING yoghurt with Lactobacillus acidophilus is also good. “L. acidophilus is part of the normal vaginal flora. The acid produced by L. acidophilus in the vagina may help to control the growth of the fungus Candida albicans, thus helping to prevent vaginal yeast infections. ”
I know, right? Gross.
allie says:
YES! Acidophilous is a major, major life saver. I am on antibiotics all the time with sinus infections, and I just pop one every day until my prescription ends. Also, yogurt always seems to help with any tummy issues associated with antibiotics.
Jenn says:
My daughter had that problem as a newborn after my csection bceause of the antibotics they pumped in me. I was shocked when my dr said the same thing but works.
Heather says:
After our first hit of the ol yeast infection after Miss D’s first eat infection our naturopath and our GP recommending adding a little L.acidophilus (the brand specifically geared to infants and toddlers) into her juice/formula/expressed breastmilk.
She’s been on antibiotics many times since then… she never gets enough ear infections to warrant tubes, but just enough that we run to the ER when they come on hard and fast. Thankfully we’ve never had a repeat of the yeastbeast!
MelissaG says:
Yup…. my first two boys almost always got a yeast rash w/ an antibiotic. It was on their bottom. I would sometimes put the athlete’s cream on preemptively so they wouldn’t get it. If it was a yeast rash it would clear up almost immediately. For sure overnight it looked better, that’s how I would know. My third son I had to actually use Maalox on his diaper area! He had some sort of diaper allergies for a while, we had to use seventh generation and Maalox….funny. It worked though! I try to give them yogurt and some sort of pro-biotic now.
Kim says:
Heather-
I thought I was the only one who got freaked out by that fungus going under the big toe in that commercial!! That always made my skin crawl, too’
AmazingGreis says:
I hate those commercials!!!
Leigh Elliott says:
been there too! My baby girl had the baby “period” a couple of days after being born I was so scared. Thankfully we were still in the hospital and I could page a nurse to come down and talk us through the horror of seeing blood on my baby girls diaper. I had never heard of it, and none of my friends that had had baby girls had it happen to them. I was so freaked out.
Then about 7 months into her life, she got a bad yeast infection. We tried everything as well. Our doctor gave us a script for a cream to apply called Nystatin. That did it. Another thing that helped was using a blow dryer on her post-bath on the cool setting, just to make sure everything was dry. As we know, rubbing with a towel is not pleasant with a yeast infection…..
I’d of been so freaked about that little monster dude too! Glad Annie’s feeling better!
Lindsay from Boston says:
Oh, I’ve got a fun one. The same strep bacteria that causes that raging sore throat … did you know that can also infect skin? And did you know it can also masquerade as a yeast infection, but won’t go away until someone – after five months of misdiagnoses – correctly diagnoses it and puts you on antibiotics rather than giving you creams?
Yeah, fifth grade was a very uncomfortable year.
TamaraL says:
Poor thing…both of you! I remember thinking my dr was nuts when he wanted me to put foot cream on my baby’s bottom (ummm, 14+ years ago!) but it worked!
Carrie says:
Haha…I’m pretty sure we could take up stock in Lamisil. But we use it because my oldest son gets ringworm REALLY bad on his legs every spring. So yes, we’re rubbing toe fungus cream on his legs. Haha.
Elizabeth says:
I do give both my boys and girls some probiotics with the antibiotics, to avoid yeast and also the terrible runs they can get. Here’s my “top that” story – chicken pox on the you-know-where. My oldest girl got terrible chicken pox All Over – including eyelids, throat, and little girl parts. Itching and pain. She was miserable and it even hurt to cry. We weren’t allowed to bring her in to the Dr. office as she was contagious, and on the phone the nurse felt like a little oatmeal bath should make everyone happy. It was a miserable week, and then about 2 months later they came out with the vaccine for chicken pox. Urgh!
alicia says:
my daughter is 7 and gets yeast ALL THE TIME. she’s not in diapers anymore (um, obviously, because that would be nasty), but she constantly has a case of athlete’s vagina. we’ve been told to use lamisil too. it never really goes away, though, just gets better for a minute. (and, of course, we’re still the ones to apply it, as she’s not terribly responsible or good at the application yet at age 7.) UGH.
lacey says:
Um… this is embarrassing, but… me too. Not since I was seven, but since I was seventeen, at least. I pretty much take acidophilus daily (larger amounts after antibiotics, sugar, or physical intimacy) and that keeps it down to a dull roar, then I resort to a Monistat every several months or so when things get really itchy. Doctors have never really had help for me—they just offer the yeast infection pill, which I’m hesitant to take too often. Holistic-type health care people suggest sugar-free, bread-free, alcohol-free diets, and lots of water and lots of organic plain yogurt—both eaten and, ahem, applied to the area when the area is mildly itchy. This is all well and good, but sometimes restrictive (AAAAA NO BREAD) and sometimes smelly (yogurt underwear: bad) and sometimes just not strong enough to do the job.
So anyway. I would ramp up the acidophilus/yogurt and water for your kiddo, if you haven’t already. Besides that, I guess I have no real advice for you and am just commiserating. Misery, company, yes.
As a side note, I LOVE the book “More More More Said the Baby” and read it to our kiddo all the time, and am about to go read your blog post…
Lacey
Jennifer says:
I use that cream all the time. I was quite disturbed by it until I realized that A – It was sold in the yeast infection section and 2 – the container does actually say “antifungal cream”. However, seeing “athlete’s foot” written on there, BIGGER than “antifungal” is still weird.
nicole says:
Whenever anyone takes antibiotics – they need to follow up with 6 weeks of probiotics. There are kids’ probiotics that are gummi bears – even if you treat the yeast infection, Annie’s still going to have too much yeast in her system until you restore the good bacteria to her gut. Probiotics are an excellent way. You can also use Kefir.
it’s also essential that she not ingest too much sugar right now.
suzanne says:
Weeeeel, since you asked….cellulitis. No, not cellulite, not cellulose, cellulitis — a nasty skin infection that starts out as a bug bite or cut that just won’t heal. And then, it gets red and angry. And then it starts swelling and feeling tingly, along with your whole appendage (in my case, my arm). And then an ominous-looking red streak starts spreading from the wound site up your arm, and you realize you are running a fever and take yourself to the ER. And for once, your hypochondriac tendencies turn out to be somewhat prescient, because the ER doc tells you if you hadn’t come in, your fairly serious skin infection would have become VERY serious the weekend. He gives you a painful antibiotic shot in the badonkus. By the way, he is a young, goodlooking ER doc and you are deeply mortified.
Hopefully none of this will ever happen to you or Annie, especially not the part about mortification in front of a hot ER doc. To this day, I am obsessive about cleaning my daughter’s cuts, scrapes and bug bites, and watching them very carefully.
Anna Marie says:
Poor Annie! There is also a prescription that is a combo of zinc oxide and anti-fungal called something like Truvox or luvox or something – works on both kinds of diaper rashes and it’s a miracle! Smells good too. I’ll google it and email you with the name.
Lisa @ Boondocks says:
Have a boy and then make your husband come over 10 times a day while you say “Does this look normal? Is that what they look like? They are supposed to look like that right?!”
Then find out Hubby didn’t know crap and it wasn’t supposed to look like that but is infected.
See….it could be, well, just as bad on a different level.
Brandy says:
Baby yeast infections SUCK! Livi has had numerous yeast infections, some brought on by antibiotics and some not, I think she’s just prone to them. We tried all the baby creams before I consulted Dr. Google and our doctor and they all said go with the basic – Monistat cream. Oh and I’m cheap so we got the old Wal-Mart generic Miconazole. It worked WONDERS and is the only thing we use when she has one flare up. Oh and Gabe hates it too. Hates it with a PASSION.
Melissa says:
JUST had to the same thing, but no idea where it came from since she hasn’t been sick or anything. Maybe another allergy?! Feel for you! I couldn’t find it at the pharmacy since I was looking in the baby med section for the pharmalogical name (clotrimazole) and the pharmacist had to help me find it. I had the same reaction when she took me to the foot aisle! Crazy, but…it worked! Poor Annie! XO
Brandy says:
Oh and I definitely second any type of probiotics. Totally worth it, whether you get active cultures in yogurt or chewable probiotics. Livi has had tons of issues with diarrhea and keeping her regularly ingesting probiotics made a huge difference. Good luck!
Lee2525 says:
Girl,
I am laughing because I can see a 14 year old Annie reading your blog, getting to this post and DEMANDING you remove it immediately, lest her classmates/boyfriend see it.
Karo says:
I was thinking the same thing!!
Anna says:
I love your blog! So sorry for Annie. Oh yeah, sorry for Mike too. We have been there too. Our little one had terrible diaper rashes – with yeast at one point. The best OTC diaper cream we found was Sensi-Care (the #3 protective barrier type). When we got to the screaming diaper changes with bloody spots (after every other cream known to man, plus blowing hot air on her little bottom with a hair dryer) with every single member of our family crying (including parents), we found Sensi-Care. Best. Move. Ever. We have to get it at the pharmacy but it is totally TOTALLY worth it. Good luck!
Gertie says:
Boy babies get them too. Bad bad bad diaper rash. My youngest son is prone to them. : )
Melissa says:
I have a son near Annie’s age and he has a yeast infection too! (I didn’t know boys could get them, but indeed they can) He had a rash and then EVERYTHING was swollen and we went to the drs about it. Unfortunately they gave us a script first that didn’t work and now we are on the anti-fungal cream. I’m glad there is light at the end of the tunnel, his poor area looks SO sad:(
Missy says:
That commercial is THE WORST. Ugh.
We had several cases when Bella (now 3) was a baby. Nystatin cleared it up overnight every time. Will have to ask Dr. about Lamisil for the future! (as long as i can put a princess sticker over the fungus creature)
Amy says:
My daughter got yeast infections all the time when she was a baby, she’s 5 now. Our doctor recommended a concoction of over the counter products that worked wonderfully. You’ll need diaper rash cream (we use Butt Paste), Monistat cream (generic is ok), and Mylanta liquid (yes, the heartburn med). Mix all together, you just have to play with the amounts of each so its not too thin. I’d make a batch and keep it at the ready in a sealed container. Also since it is never as thick as regular diaper rash cream, after I applied it, I’d shake a little baby powder on it so it wouldn’t just wipe off on the diaper. It’s a little odd but believe me, it works!
Lamb says:
I hope you won’t hate me for what I’m about to say…this post made me laugh so hard! Really, I do feel terrible for poor Annie (and her poor, fungus-fighting parents) but that toe monster did me in. I had no idea babies could have that problem. I guess it does make sense, but still. *Tip* That itchy foot cream can also treat Ringworm!
lilcg says:
my daughter, who is almost 2 had a horrible diaper rash recently (hers was also antibiotic related). it of course erupted on a friday evening. I called our pediatrician’s nurse line and they suggested foot fungus stuff as well. it did not help at all. by the time the weekend was over she wouldn’t sit down she was in so much pain, she just kept leaning against things and sobbing quietly (she was too worn out to really wail).
first thing monday morning, I got in touch with the doctor and she recommended vaseline. the diaper rash cleared up within two days!
Amy says:
Nystatin is better, works in days.
Jen says:
My daughter had a couple yeast rashes when she was a baby. The prescription stuff they gave (I think it was Nystatin?) did nothing for it. What worked the BEST was grapefruit seed extract. You add 10-15 drops to one ounce of distilled water. I put it in a spray bottle and I would spray her bum with it and then wipe it off with a cloth wipe. It’s great to use even when there isn’t a rash, to help prevent one….especially if she is on antibiotics :-). She would have some relief within 2 diaper changes.
Elizabeth says:
I think right now I’m in more shock that baby girls can get a period like thing happening.
Glad Annie is feeling better and her infection has cleared up!!
Karissa says:
My daughter had yeast infections quite often from antibiotics….Monistat worked the best for us.
Steph says:
ummm. . . head lice. it was 9 months of treatment off and on. Apparently, some parents didn’t treat properly. It was four years ago and I’m still not over it.
Holli (B's Mom) says:
Wait ’til she starts her period for real. Mike will want to die and you will want to cry.
Jen says:
We’ve had that (you can use monistat too), but what worked best for us was the Nystatin cream, and then once the rash cleared up, using the Nystatin powder (Nystop) during each diaper change to fully get rid of it.
Heather says:
Hey Heather & Mike,
My little one had pneumonia at the same time Annie did. Then she followed it up with a double ear infection and tonsilitis. Fun times! Anyhow, she was on antibiotics for a couple of weeks. You have to give them yogurt like crazy when they’re on antibiotics. The medicine they have to take kills all of the bacteria in their systems, even the good kind. Yogurt reintroduces the good kind of bacteria to them again so that the balance remains good. My little one loves those Danimals Smoothies. I just poke an itty bitty hole in the foil on top and poke a bendy straw through it. I let her have as many as she wanted, and we never had a problem.
Just a thought so you don’t have to deal with the nail fungus monster again. Gag.
Hope all is well!
H
Bethany says:
My son had one every time he took antibiotics as a baby. Keep a watch for Thrush too. He always got it in his mouth with a yeast infection – white sores in the mouth that make it painful for them to eat. There’s a special drop to put in their mouth that turned his tounge purple but it helped! Good luck!
TracyKM says:
I am shocked that you didn’t read the patient handout with the meds, or that the pharmacist never mentioned it, or even the doctor. This is SO common. My doctor even prescribes probiotics along with any antibiotic treatment. It’s not a given that it will happen, esp. if you do other things to avoid it….no white bread, pasta, flour, high sugar fruit, or juice. If she does get a yeast infection, then throw all her toys, toothbrushes, etc, in the wash or dishwasher and make sure her diet is anti-yeast and pump up the yoghurt and probiotics. And make sure to keep treating even after the spots are gone as they can easily return. We had a nasty yeast rash with my middle child, but if you get on it early (or prevent it to start) then it’s not too bad.
Kristy says:
My older daughter (now had a TERRIBLE yeast infection in her diaper area. We tried lamisil at our doctors orders, but that didn’t even treat it. We had to go to this pharmacy that mixes some of its own medicine. They had a special “butt cream” (their words) and we had to apply that. It finally went away. But her poor bum, by the time we got the special butt cream, was actually cracking open and bleeding. Her entire diaper area was red and inflamed and was sore for her to sit on even. It was terrible.
I’m so glad Annie is better. The pictures you post of her lately are awesome. She is such a character! I think she would get along with my crazy-climb-on-everything 20-month-old.
Janelle says:
It probably helped me that my first was a boy and he got “athlete’s butt” from taking antibiotics when he was 3 months old. By the time my daughter got it, I was used to the idea that athlete’s foot cream and monistat have the same active ingredient.
Mommy Boots says:
Thanks to the wisdom of one of my mom friends, athlete’s foot cream with diaper rash cream (Boudreauxs or Earth Mama Angel Baby works best for us) slathered on top of it has been our go-to diaper rash remedy since Nellie was teensy. I thought it was crazy when she told me to put athlete’s foot cream on her nay nay too but then I thought, a fungus is a fungus. So I did. And the damn thing went away like lightning. Go figure, right?
LizL says:
Boys get it too! Mostly in the summer. I did a mixture of lamisil, Aquaphor and Desitin. Cleared it right up.
Chris says:
My grand daughter had a terrible diaper rash, really raw, and we used the cream for nursing mothers. It worked wonders, I can’t remember the name, but it was the only thing that worked.
anni says:
WHAT?! I knew babies get yeast infections, I only have a boy, and he had one after birth from the anti-biotics I was given during labor, BUT what is this about baby girls having period like bleeding?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anna says:
Somebody may have mentioned this already – but my son (now 3) has had chronic ear infections since 8 wks old and has been on every kind of antibiotics under the sun, and would get a yeast rash like that every time. A friend told me about this and let me tell you – BEST thing ever. Mix equal parts Desitin (purple tube), A&D ointment, and Lamisil (or any of the OTC yeast creams). I mixed it in a little tupperware bowl and just kept it at my changing table. You can even use this as an every day diaper rash cream, or if she takes antibiotics, just use it then for sure. You won’t be disappointed!
Rebecca says:
When they fall off something pretty high into a dirt/gravel/sand pit and you have to dig all the crap out of their knees and hands.
AngieM. says:
i can totally picture mike grossing out..lol
i’m glad she’s all better
xoxo
Kenna says:
I remember our first go-round with yeast. Complained to a friend (with boys!) about the rash that wouldn’t go away, and she promptly described it exactly and told me to put athlete’s foot cream on it. Whaddaya know, worked like a charm!
Our ped always told us to feed yogurt though – said it would be the biggest help in preventing yeast.
My other go-to for rashes (although not for yeast!) is Lansinoh. Haven’t had anyone is diapers for over three years and we still keep it around for rubs, scrapes, etc. Heals things up lickety split!!
madison says:
FYI, Lamisil and Tinactin also work on dogs. So when they get a funky looking fungal infection on their skin, just try one of these. Ringworm in particular responds well to these.
It won’t help for the really well-established infections, or in cases where it’s inside the dog’s ear, but for minor fungal issues on your dog’s skin, whip out the Lamisil or Tinactin. It’ll do the trick.
I wouldn’t recommend this on cats, BTW. You need a lick-friendly medication for cats.
jeannine says:
hate to tell ya this, but i have a 5 year old and she has yeast infections constantly. It is better now that she is PTd. But i would say we go through a tube of antifungal cream every 2 months or so. Its constant. Sometimes its red dots, sometimes its redness, it varies. Some girls just get it more i guess. .. ..
I can only see the above post now – but yogurt is also a good thing – we feed her it constantly and it helps.
April says:
Yep, baby girls can have period like bleeding. And babies of both sexes (both of my sons had this – and it’s apparently uncommon. I guess we’re just odd?) can have neonatal milk – nicknamed “witch’s milk” after birth. Their breast tissue swells and produces milk due to the hormones transmitted from me during birth.
Imagine my horror at finding that my newborn son was dripping milk from his nipples… only to find out that yeah, it happens.
Tammy says:
Well, remember that you asked, ok?
Be prepared for your sweet little girl, when sitting in her car seat in the middle of the backseat, to say to you, “Here momma.” And then when you reach your hand back out of habit to take what she commands, you bring your hand back with a big ol’ booger sitting in your palm. Been there, done that, said “thank you, Honey”!
Ellie says:
In reply to “What other gross things do I need to be prepared for?!”
Two words: Baby Acne
I just about tossed my baby into the river, she looked so awful. (Glad we resisted that urge! LOL)
Just terrible. She definitely got the ugly baby award for a while there. (Plus, it was while she was a newborn, and newborns are never attractive. Newborn puffiness + acne = a very ugly baby. Hey, at least I can admit it.)
Cradle cap is disgusting too. My friend’s baby had it and it was just horrendous to look at. She had to keep a hat on her for weeks.
Terri says:
Next time with antibiotics, feed her yogurt or add probiotics to her bottle. That helps with the tummy issues (diarrea) and yeast infections.
Cris in OK says:
my SON had a yeast infection once. just as you described, we tried EVERY diaper rash cream. finally took him to the DR and after one look he sent me to wal mart for some lamisil. his dad was very upset that his SON had a yeast infection, lol.
Abigail says:
I’m 27 weeks pregnant with a girl and this is the first I’ve heard about this! Why didn’t anyone tell me?! Adding Lamisil to my baby-shopping list just seems….wrong, lol
Glad Annie’s doing better. Love your blog and all those photos of Annie just kill me. She’s so stinkin’ cute!
Emese says:
My daughter Kayti is now 7, when she was 4 she had a small circular rash on her shoulder. I happened to work at a doctor’s office and I brought her in with me. Doctor’s found out it was ring worm… yum… apparently my little tom-boy was playing in some yucky water?
He also prescribed Lamasil for her ring worm. Apparently Yeast infections, athlete’s foot and ring worm are all a fungal infection, and treated in the same way.
Tina says:
Boys get them too on their bum after taking antibiotics. Not fun and pretty uncomfortable for the little one.
Virginia says:
Ugh. I’m fighting a baby yeast infection right now on my son. The doc gave him Nyastin cause nothing else was helping. I never had to deal with this stuff with my daughter. It’s been a crazy crazy trip.
Oh and watch out for the whole eating foreign objects thing. My daughter ate a quarter once, it’s suuuuuuper fun so smush through your kids bowel movements to make sure it passes. Also crayons turn poop crazy colors…
Cristin says:
Does Annie like yogurt? It has the probiotics her little gut needs. I make sure to eat lots myself if I am on antibiotics. And it’s good and healthy anyway!
Trisha Vargas says:
Ditto on the yogurt and probiotic gummies. They can help prevent the yeast infections from the antibiotics and also keep her tummy healthy and hopefully help her to not get any stomach viruses that might be going around. I use Culterelle myself whenever I am on antibiotics and seems to stave of the yeast infections for me too.
Dannica, my 2 year old, had a stomach bug last July that was just horrible. After enduring that nastiness at all hours of the night and morning, I am now a probiotics believer. She also got a really bad diaper rash from the tummy bug and her doctor prescribed silvadene cream for burns. We tried all the butt creams out there and just letting it air out and it only got worse with each diaper change. We applied the prescription cream 2x a day and it cleared up her diaper reash in about 2 days.
So if she ever gets a fierce diaper rash that is not yeast related, see if the good doc will write you a script for silvadene cream.
Good Luck!
Ivy says:
As previous posters have noted, probiotics help! When I had to take antibiotics for mastitis a few months ago, baby #2 and I started taking probiotics. Thankfully, we managed to avoid getting thrush/the yeast beast. That made me a believer, and we’re still taking probiotics to this day.
Jen says:
The only thing I have to add is that I wouldn’t take advice from Britt on this one.
Kelly says:
When my oldest daughter was a baby, (she had the baby period, too!) she would get yeast infections ALL. THE. TIME. When she very first got them, Monistat wasn’t yet available over the counter. You still had to get a prescription. Good grief. Really. It’s for my infant!
Procrastamom says:
My daughters are 19 & 14 and I have never heard about baby periods until today! It just occurred to me, though, that I never read even one baby book before having children and seeing as back then was equivalent to the Internet Stone Age, I didn’t get any of this relevant information. You have schooled me, Heather Spohr. I bow to your wisdom
Carrie says:
My son had a yeast infection when he was in diapers and a friend of mine turned me onto a concoction of 1) a layer of anti-fungal cream then, 2) a very thin layer of hydrocortisone for itching then, 3) some A & D to keep in all in place. After a day of this, rash was gone. Good luck!
monica says:
Yes, I’ll echo some other comments, I work at a Peds office
*baby girls can have very minimal bleeding shortly after birth and it is only related to the withdrawal of hormones from mom.
*antifungal creams do work on yeast infections, you can use lotrimin as well
*maalox/mylanta works wonders on a sore bottom! Put some on a cotton ball, dab on the skin, blow/fan dry and then slather on the diaper cream
*it is a great idea to take probiotics when on abx, I do it myself as well
rebecca says:
dude, let’s all be vigilant about the probiotics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps — can you say more about the “baby periods” WTF is that?
Jen L. says:
ZOIKS! My poor baby nephew had yeast infections after many, many rounds of antibiotics due to ear infections. He had to rub Lamisil on his doo-dads. Those commercials GROSS ME OUT.
Hope Annie heals up fast!
Tami says:
I knew babys could get yeast infections. I never had to worry about it since I had boys . But my boys always got it in the mouth.It so gross and so painful for them. Gald Annie is over it and feeling better!!
Sarah says:
“Athlete’s Vagina” is the funniest combination of words I have ever heard. Also, can’t wait to see the types of google hits you get from that – haha!
amanda says:
Yup. I have gone through the athlete’s foot cream on my daughter’s business a few times now. It’s gross – but it works!
Anna says:
BABY PERIOD?!?!?! I never knew!
Katie says:
Oh yes-not only can they get yeast infections, girls/women can also get a type of strep down there. Which leads to antibiotics, which leads to a yeast infection…We learned about that one the hard way!!!
Lisa says:
You are the best! My daughter has been on antibiotics since Wednesday for the first time (for an ear infection), and her diaper rash started looking awful yesterday and is making her cry. Our best guess was that the diarrhea the antibiotics caused was irritating her even though we change her pretty fast after she poos. Diaper rash cream hasn’t been helping much, but I do have lotrimin on hand! Anyway, a yeast infection had not occurred to me. Thanks.
Jess says:
Okay I’m now scared to even have kids if I have this stuff to look forward too. i thought the really scary omg freak out part was giving birth, walking, talking, headbutts to my face, and nasty tasting baby food. But yeast infections in babies? Baby periods? Wtf?! They do not tell you this stuff! And putting that scary fungus cream is not what I would’ve thought the answer was.
I do have some advice that people have said. When I take antibiotics I’m prone to the yeast infections so I eat at least 2 yogurts a day to counteract that effect. Works like a charm. Maybe do the baby yogurt or dannimals that people have suggested or see what Dr. looove suggests if Annie has to go on antibiotics again so she doesn’t have to be miserable. I can only imagine how uncomfortable that must be for a baby. And they can’t really say “hey mom, dad I’m not really comfy here”. Poor kids.
But seriously, wtf. We need a guidebook or something. “Things our parents really don’t tell us about babies”.
Barb in Michigan says:
I’m a former teacher who has been a Day Care Provider for over 27 years. Yes , many drs here in Michigan just tell the parents to get monistat over the counter for yeast infections.If it keeps re -ocurring , Annie or any of the other little ones could have thrush. Antibiotics can cause white spots in the little one’s mouth and throat. If thrush is present , no amount of monistat , yogurt , nasty fungus creams will get rid of the yeast infection on the bottom. Food and drink just wash the thrush right through their little bodies onto the bottom. Thrush can only be treated with , yes , another antibiotic that is very thick and coats every thing.
Over the years , I’ve found yeast infections are difficult for parents to diagnose. Just think Raging Red bottom , not the pinkish , dot looking heat rash type of rash , but bright , fire engine red rash that doesn’t respond to normal diaper rash cream. If the bottom gets bloody , it’s definitely a yeast infection.
I was surprised vaseline worked for someone . With many kiddos , vaseline seals in the body heat and just helps the yeast infection blossom.
Good luck..
Liz Sanders says:
To answer your question, yes boys can get it! My second boy got a horrible yeast infection diaper rash when he was around Annies age. I went through all the over the counter rash creams and nothing worked. Finally his Dr gave us some antibiotic cream with a steroid in it and it was cleared up in less than a week.
I”m so glad Annie’s rash is better. My Bella is about 2 months older than Annie, and is my 4th after 3 boys. I”m new to the whole diapers for girls and learn new stuff all the time!
I really should start commenting more since I’ve been following your blog for about 3 years now!
The Mommy Therapy says:
My little girl hasn’t had this problem yet., but my little boys actually have had yeast infections too. It’s nasty. We haven’t had one here in a few years though and I had forgotten. Now, I’m really not looking forward to those again.
I read a few of the comments and saw someone said that some doctors recomment Monistat for the frequent infections. Oh boy. That stuff is rough for even adults!
I am so glad your daughter is feeling better!
Mommy says:
Please take that picture of the fungus-eating monster off your blog! SO gross and disturbing. UGH. I might not be able to sleep tonight thanks to that mofo. He might replace the potato bug as the thing that grosses me out the most.
Warning: DO NOT google “potato bugs”. You will be scarred for life. They are inside-out aliens.
I need a glass of wine now.
Ragan says:
I keep a tube of Lotrimin AF on hand at all times. (buy the generic brand and you don’t have to look at the ugly creature). I am mom to 3 girls and this is a life saver! Now that my youngest is 9 she will grab the tube herself if she has any unfortunate run-ins with soap bubbles. It is the best stuff ever. Sorry poor Annie (and you and Mike) had to deal with this. Glad she is feeling better.
Annie says:
Yeast is horrid! Unfortunately, summer heat can bring infections on too:( As a NICU RN AND a momma I like to bring out all the tricks! The athlete’s foot cream is great when you see the beginning of the yeast, but if it gets bad you might ask for something a little stronger that doesn’t take 3 weeks to clear up! That is NO FUN! Nystatin is great! Yogurt on a regular basis may help keep yeast away too:) Use supplements and probiotics with CAUTION . And when it’s really hot or if Annie has to be on antibiotics again…AIR HER OUT!!! You might find little puddles of pee pee so be careful, but sometimes a girl just has to AIR OUT! Also, yeast usually looks prickly like dots so you can spot it earlier. If you use regular diaper ointment on it it will spread like WILD FIRE!! Because of course yeast loves a warm moist environment. She is SUCH a pretty girl!
Jennifer says:
My girls went throught that a few times EACH because of ear infections and antibiotics. It seems like someone told me this: if hot water soothes it, it’s diaper rash. If warm/hot water sets their butt on fire (aka: flame butt), it’s yeast. Oh so painful for little girls-I remember the wipes in general. I hope she stays yeast-free. Can she eat yogurt of something else with the good probiotics? Poor baby.
Jen says:
Noone told me about the whole “newborn” period thing and the mucus that can also sometimes go with it! I will never forget changing my daughter she had to have been only a few weeks, when I saw this huge booger like thing in her vagina! I freeked out and called a friend who told me it was normal! The things you deal with!
I have heard that babies even boys can get yeast infections! So gross! Hope she’s feeling better!! xo
Katie says:
We battled diaper yeast because I always battled thrush. The very best cure, my husband discovered, is Desenex — the athlete’s foot powder in the yellow container. It’s wonderful.
Joy says:
ask the Dr for some Nystatin (sp?) cream for the next time, Abby use to get yeast rash on her chest and neck when she was drooling alot, it always cleared it right up. The one thing I had a problem with when she was younger was bladder infections, when she first got potty trained she had the worst one I felt so bad for her, gotta teach good wiping habits.
try to get her some of those pro-biotic yogurt drinks or yogurt the next time she has to be on antibiotics.
Deborah says:
It’s official. I am never having children.
Jennifer says:
All 5 of my kids are sensitive to Candida, so I am well versed with this stuff… Unfortunately. Even my boys have had it. We have used Nystatin multiple times with the best results. For some reason dr’s are reluctant to prescribe it lately. I have actually had to go out and buy Monistat cream for my children. What a mess!
Kristi says:
My daughter got a yeast infection batteling mono when she was in the 2nd grade. Her dad went to pick her up from school because she was having trouble with fever in the afternoons. While she was regailing the ladies in the elementery school office with her dramatic story of her sickness, the turned to the assistant principal, in front of her dad and all of the office staff, and went for it. “I have an itchy rash in my vagina, have YOU ever had an itchy rash on YOUR vagina?” Needless to say, her dad nearly lost it. She’s 14 now and I still giggle when I hear about yeast infections.