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03-5-2009 - WARNING: THRUSH!

My mood while writing this blog: I want some pancakes, but I am lazy to make them!

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(I am still struggling with this infection.. I am trying Nystatin on my nipples and gentian Violet in her mouth. Before I just treated my nipples with Gentian violet and let her breastfeed and get the medicine this way but it didn't help. My nipples are still sore, pink and have some red spots around them. Today is the first day I started to use Nystatin on my nipples and I think I already feel a lot better!)

During breast-feeding, a yeast infection (called thrush when it occurs in the mouth) can be passed back and forth between the mother''s breasts and the infant''s mouth. The nipple of an infected breast becomes red or very pink and sore. If the infection extends into the milk ducts, it may cause pain throughout the breast and a sharp, burning pain in the breast while breast-feeding or between feedings.

An infant can be infected with yeast during delivery if the mother has a vaginal yeast infection, or the infection may develop later. The infant may then pass the infection to the mother during breast-feeding. Yeast infections of the breast may also occur when the mother is taking or has recently taken antibiotics. Cuts, scrapes, and other injuries to the nipple increase the risk of a yeast infection. Thrush appears as white patches in the infant''s mouth and a rash in the diaper area (one type of diaper rash). ===================================================================
BOTH THE MOTHER AND INFANT MUST BE TREATED FOR A YEAST INFECTION TO PREVENT REINFECTION.
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(more alternative treatment info here: http://drjaygordon.com/development/bf/thrush.asp and here: http://forums.llli.org/showthread.php?t=5492 After reding all this, you will not have anymore questions about thrush and how to treat it!) )

Treatment:
Eat probiotic (acidophilus) yogurts and take acidophilus capsules (best is in refrigerated section at store like WHole Foods: Jarro-dophilus)
For baby's mouth:
apply up to 3 drops of a 0.5% Gentian violet solution on her tongue once daily FOR 3 DAYS (be warned that this stuff stains the tongue and nipples purple) or
Mycostatin (oral), Nilstat (oral), Nystex

For your nipples:
over-the-counter clotrimazole apply twice daily (wash nipples before breastfeeding) or
apply the Gentian violet twice daily to the nipples for 3 days (ok to breastfeed without washing the nipples) or
Nystatin prescription cream for diaper rash and also can be used on your nipples to treat yeast (must wash nipples before breastfeeding).
The nystantin can take a month or more to fully take care of the problem (some say this is the normal life of thrush). If it doesn't get any better after that speak to your Ped. and OB about both of you taking Diflucan. It will nip it in the bud for both of you. They use this as a last resort.

This can help also: washing your nipples before and after breastfeeding, changing bra at least once a day, boiling bra, pacifiers; using nursing pads like Lansinoh or Medela and changing them often.

It can be hard to fight this infection and if one medicine doesn't help, don't give up and try another one.

Comments from other websites:
" Nystatin did not seem to help us either. I started swabbing my nipples with straight white vinegar on a cotton ball after every feeding, letting them dry well before covering up. Swab the baby's mouth with 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar on a qtip after every feeding. It is a small amount so it should not disturb the baby too much. Soak all your bras, cloth nursing pads and anything that comes in contact with your skin or the baby's mouth (pacifiers, bottle nipples, etc) in vinegar and then wash in really hot water. Diligence with this routine should clear it up in less than a week."

" We were both on the Nystatin but still couldn't break the cycle of giving it back and forth to each other. So I found an anti-fungal that I could use on myself that worked. Grapefruit Seed Extract comes in a liquid concentrate found at the health food stores. I use it for everthing, cleaning pesticides off fruits and veggies, mouth rinse, skin cleaner, ringworm and as a general house cleaner. I am not affiliated with the company, but here is the website for more info:

http://nutriteam.com/servlet/the-2/Grapefruit-Seed-Ex..."

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1 Comments on WARNING: THRUSH!


mom of 7 and 1 on the way - Sunday, 3 May
Thanks for sharing. I have never had a baby actually get thrush while nursing only when bottle feeding. Hope everything is ok.