Breastfeeding a baby with oral thrush - YIKES!

[Neecee]

I was having problems BF'ing Kai because of cracked and bleeding nipples and one of them being inverted, so I've been expressing milk for the past 3 weeks. Now my nipples are pretty much back to normal, I put him back on the breast last night and this morning and he latched on fine. Only thing now is my nipples are on FIRE!!!!!!! I called my mum (she's a Health Visitor) and she told me that it's because Kai has oral thrush. The doc has prescribed Nystatin for his thrush, but my nipples feel like they've been attacked with broken glass! Now I have to wait for his thrush to heal AND my nipples to heal yet again!

I'm so upset because it's taken ages for my nips to be back in use. Eventhough he's guzzling 4-5oz of EBM at a time, I still feel like I'm not being a proper mummy by not breastfeeding him when the milk is there. I know there's nothing I can do about it, but I just wanted to get that off my chest.

 

[sam's mum]

Please get some treatment for yourself too! Sam and I had it too when he was about 4 months and I know how awful it is! But you'll also have it in your milk ducts (which is why it's so painful to feed), so treating him won't clear up your thrush and shop you from being in pain - it's so important for you both to be treated or you'll just keep passing the infection backwards and forwards.

Can you ask your doctor about getting some fluconazole tablets? You can get topical creams too but they really don't work well at all. I had a big loading dose of fluconazole, then a course of tablets to take for 2 weeks. You're meant to take them for a week after you become pain-free, so you might need more than that (took me 2 courses to get rid of it).

I hope you're both better soon

And you're being a fantastic mummy!! x

 

[Neecee]

Please get some treatment for yourself too! Sam and I had it too when he was about 4 months and I know how awful it is! But you'll also have it in your milk ducts (which is why it's so painful to feed), so treating him won't clear up your thrush and shop you from being in pain - it's so important for you both to be treated or you'll just keep passing the infection backwards and forwards.

Can you ask your doctor about getting some fluconazole tablets? You can get topical creams too but they really don't work well at all. I had a big loading dose of fluconazole, then a course of tablets to take for 2 weeks. You're meant to take them for a week after you become pain-free, so you might need more than that (took me 2 courses to get rid of it).

I hope you're both better soon

And you're being a fantastic mummy!! x

Thanks for that info, I have a docs appt on friday so I'll ask about getting myself treated too.

 

[sam's mum]

It's also possible to use his oral suspension on your nipples until you can get treatment for yourself x

 

[codegirl]

I'm battling this right now too. The only difference is I have it and Edward doesn't (so far). we are both being treated, myself with oral medication and Edward with Oral suppension and bum cream (he had a bad rash because of the yeast).

I thought, for the longest time, that the pain was just "normal" breastfeeding pain and that I just had to bare it until I got use to breastfeeding. I ended up at a breastfeeding clinic and the nurse took one look at my very sore nipple and said "oh you have a yeast infection". It was so good to get an answer that we could fix, even if we still have to deal with pain until the meds take effect.

I'm having to rest one breast completely because it became so cracked so I'm pumping that one and feeding on the other side. I give Edward 2 oz of breastmilk (that I expressed the feeding before) and then latch him on the better side. Once all that it done I express the sore side. It takes FOREVER to be done a feeding but it seems to be working for now.

Hopefully we get back to full time bf soon so that I don't have to waste so much time washing bottle and stuff.

I was also told that anything that comes in contact with a) my boobs; b) Edward's mouth and c) Edward's bum needs to be washed after every use in the hotest water available. Heat is the only thing that kills the yeast in clothing and bottles etc.

 

[kirstyloo82]

weve had it to, we finished the medication last week, but i think its come back. my doctor only gave me a topical cream for my nipples, so have asked for fluconazole tabs as hv recommended it. hopefully that will work a bit better. when you get better from thrush and dont have that pain, you realise how bad it was before. we carried on bf during the treatment, which i was glald about, didnt want to stop as we had just seemed to be getting the hang of it.

hope it works out for you

 

[Fossey]

Please get some treatment for yourself too! Sam and I had it too when he was about 4 months and I know how awful it is! But you'll also have it in your milk ducts (which is why it's so painful to feed), so treating him won't clear up your thrush and shop you from being in pain - it's so important for you both to be treated or you'll just keep passing the infection backwards and forwards.

Can you ask your doctor about getting some fluconazole tablets? You can get topical creams too but they really don't work well at all. I had a big loading dose of fluconazole, then a course of tablets to take for 2 weeks. You're meant to take them for a week after you become pain-free, so you might need more than that (took me 2 courses to get rid of it).

I hope you're both better soon

And you're being a fantastic mummy!! x

Snap I am on the same and cream which soothes my nips.
My LO was on the nystatin too but she spat most out so now has a gell. it says not suitable for babies under 4 months but dr explained why it says that and showed me safe way to apply. she been on that jusxt over a day its supposed to be better than the yellow liquid. Hope you both get better soon.

 

[Freya]

crap-ola, think I may have started with thrush around nipples, LO not showing signs though thank god. Off to Docs tonight!

Does anyone know what causes it...?? I do have a lot of sweet things in my diet.... but I dont have cracked nipps, I dont wear breast pads (i dont leak) and coz my boobs are so small I dont wear a bra at home!

Arrrrrrggghhh x