A nurse friend of mine stopped by the house today and took a look at the kids while she visited. She weighed them and measured them both so I would have an idea of what to expect at next weeks 15 month and 2 month check-up. She said both kids look great, very healthy, but then she caught a sight of Emma's tongue and said that it might be thrush.

In an attempt to garner more information, I called my mother who gave a brief explanation - a yeast infection, easily treated, lots of babies get it, just mention it at the doctor's appointment next week. I tried calling my brother-in-law, who is a doctor in California, but he was unavailable so I left him a message. Then I called the kid's doctor's office and spoke with a nurse.

I explained the situation and she said it could possibly be thrush, to try taking a dry clothe to Em's tongue to see if it comes off. She said it could possibly just be milk, since I breastfeed and formula feed (mostly formula), but the more she talked to me, the more she seemed to think it needed to be checked out. I told her about Em's bottle strikes, how she'd take a bottle for a day then every time I offer her one or try and breast feed, she'd scream bloody murder; the tenderness in my nipples and the pain I sometimes feel in my breast; her general fussiness, rearing back while breastfeeding, etc.

The nurse went ahead and scheduled me for an early afternoon appointment and warned me to bring clothes that I won't mind getting stained purple in case it is thrush and they have to treat her in house. She said the least we could do is try and get us both comfortable. I guess my question, in my ignorance, is it really this crucial? We've been fighting this fight from the beginning. What's one more week?

What's your experience with thrush? Were you breastfeeding exclusively, formula feeding exclusively, or a mix of the two? How long did you try and wait it out until getting treatment? Did you notice it or did someone else (like your pediatrician) point it out to you?