Can someone explain probiotics to me like I'm dumb?

MelissaSue81

K.. so Eve has got an ear infection so she's on amoxicillan.. The pedi said in order to ward off possible thrush and possibly help counteract the diarrhea from the antibiotic to give her cereal with probiotics.. So I got that too.

I know when *I* am on antibiotics.. I've been told to eat yogurt to ward off yeast...but its the kind with "Live and active cultures".. right? Is that the same as probiotics? Does kids/baby yogurt have these? I don't see it on any of the packages.. Will any yogurt help?

And what the heck IS a probiotic? I assume it helps the bodies natural bacteria digest things... but what does that have to do with yeast?

MelissaSue81

I consulted my friend Dr. Google (I prefer Dr. Nest..) and it seems that yes.. all yogurt DOES contain probiotics.. but Yobaby claims to have more than the other brands..

jnk062602

I just picked up a bottle of probiotics a couple days ago because I had to start antibiotics and didn't want Elizabeth to get thrush and deal with that with nursing!

Basically everyone has bacteria in their body.  But when you are sick and need an antibiotic, the antibiotic can kill both the "good" (really just the normal bacteria that is in your body) and the "bad" (the bacteria that is causing your sickness) bacteria.  Probiotics are just helping to maintain your normal or "good" bacteria in your body.  So taking probiotics while on and after taking antibiotics help to prevent side effects like diarrhea.  Also, when the bacteria is all killed away, fungus can start to grow more.  So taking probiotics helps to also prevent Thrush and Yeast Infections.

Yogurt has probiotics in it.  You can also get probiotics in a pill form.  Basically taking a whole bunch of the goodness of yogurt minus having to eat it and putting it in a pill.

ArcticFox

pp said pretty much what I was thinking...

Antibiotics kill both the bad and the good, so the probiotics help preserve the good.  Keeps you regular, feeling healthier.