002_mo_FAQ.html

DOES MY BREAST-FED BABY NEED ANY ADDITIONAL VITAMINS?
The breast-fed infant does not need additional vitamins until 6 months of age and only then if being exclusively breast-fed.

WHAT ABOUT PACIFIERS AND/OR THUMB-SUCKING?
Thumbsucking and/or pacifier usage are normal for infants until age 18 to 24 months and should not be discouraged. Pacifiers should be commercially made and not home-made for safety reasons. If you are breast feeding, do not allow your baby to use you as a pacifier - limit feedings to no more than 15 minutes on each breast.

HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD BABIES HAVE BOWEL MOVEMENTS?
Bowel movements usually occur every 1 to 2 days for breast-fed babies and every 2 to 3 days for bottlefed babies.

WHAT ABOUT FEVERS?
Any fever (defined as a body temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above) in an infant under two months of age should be investigated by the physician as babies of this age may have severe infections and not show the usual signs and/or symptoms of illness.

WHEN SHOULD I CALL THE DOCTOR?
Any time you are not comfortable with any problem or concern you have about your baby, the child's doctor should be called during regular office hours. After hours, any time your child is hurt, bleeding, having trouble breathing, or is non-responsive, he should be taken to the nearest medical care facility as soon as possible.

WHAT IS THRUSH AND WHAT CAN I DO FOR IT?
Thrush or Oral Candidiasis is a yeast infection of the mouth which is very common in newborn infants over the first two to three months of life. It appears as white plaque-like lesions or spots in the baby's mouth usually inside the cheeks, on the tongue, and on the palate. As opposed to formula or breastmilk, the thrush lesions cannot be scraped off. The health professional will often prescribe an antifungal medication to treat the thrush. Cleaning all pacifiers, nipples, and your breasts (if you are breastfeeding) before and after application of medications will allow the thrush to clear sooner, as this will prevent recontamination with the yeast.

WHEN DOES MY CHILD RETURN FOR HIS NEXT HEALTH SUPERVISION VISIT?
At 4 months of age your child should have his next health supervision visit.