Thrush and breast feeding

[kamath]

Hi , was wondering if anyone could help. I have just had my second baby ( born 6 days ago) She is lovely and doing very well. I didn't manage to establish breast feeding with my son but my little girl seem to be taking to the breast really well.

The problem is that I had thrush during delivery and now suffering with feeding as I am experiencing pain inside my breast and from the back.

She doesn't seem to have any symptoms yet but maybe it is early days.

Just wondering if anyone else experienced the same and what magic cures there are. I really want to continue feeding her.

[Suzib]

Hi,

I had the same and you can still feed with Thrush. You need to go to the doctors though and they will give you some gel that you can use on her and yourself. Once I started applying the gel, the thrush went within two days and feeding was easier.

[kamath]

Thank you so much reassuring me. Did you have pain deep in your breast? wondering if the gel will get rid of that? Hoping to see a doctor first thing tomorrow. So painful at the mo !! :(

[anyjoy]

Hi, I had the same due to lots of antibiotics for complications at birth. The only way I can describe the thrush was like having bee stings on my breasts. Very unpleasant indeed. My little one had thrush on his mouth and on his bottom too which resulted in me getting it. For him they gave me cream for his bottom, drops for his mouth (was so obvious as his whole mouth was full of white stuff) and cream for me that I put on after feeds. After literally a day his mouth cleared up, three days and his bottom was much less angry in appearance and my nipples were no longer sore. It was uncomfy but we were able to feed through. Even though the doctor could not see me they prescribed all the creams etc over the phone straight away.

I hope it clears up soon and you are feeling better. Good luck

[Fuschia]

Are you feeling feverish? IS the breast hot or lumpy?

[Suzib]

Hi,

I did have some pain in my breast after I had fed, but it was more noticeable on my daughter as you could see the thrush in her mouth. Get the doctor to check both of you.

[Knomester]

If you do have thrush (and you need to see a doctor to check) then there is no reason why you can't continue breastfeeding. What you need to do is make sure that you are both checked. Y a doctor and both treated at the same time (as it passes between mum and baby). If you have deep pains in your breasts it is possible that thrush has made its way into your milk ducts which can be incredibly painful. I had this so I really feel for you... I managed to keep feeding my baby though so there's no reason why you shouldn't too!

If you need access to any information about treating / eradicating thrush (if that is what is diagnosed) there's some here on an old thread: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,570543,580290

Make sure you see the doctor first thing tomorrow to make sure you're diagnosed properly though.

[MrsMc]

Poor you! Sounds as though you will need to take fluconazole (tablets) as well as apply cream to your breasts and gel to your baby's mouth. Cream and gel alone will not deal with the problem if it's got into your breasts, which from the sound of it, it has unfortunately.

I had thrush with my first born and spent weeks going back and forth to the doctors until I took advice from Caroline at the breastfeeding cafe at Peckham Pulse, who recommended fluconazole. The doctor took some convincing at the time, but I've had the same thing with my second baby recently and the doctor I saw this time seemed much more clued up and prescribed fluconazole straight away.

Good luck, and hope you have it sorted v soon. It is so painful I know, but better to keep going with the feeding to avoid mastitis which is a new world of pain(!) and take heart that the treatment works very swiftly once prescribed.

[crystal7]

I started to experience the sort of pain you describe last week. Like you neither baby,nor I had any outward signs of thrush but had just finished a long course of antibiotics. Bizarrely it just seemed to stop after a few days so I cancelled my Dr appointment. I did however do some research and found a great leaflet,on the Breastfeeding Network website. I printed it to take to the Dr asit describes the reatment required. Knomester's thread is also reallyinformative. I wgbould also recommendy taking probiotic capsules daily to prevent thrush. You can buy them in Health eMatters on Lordship Lane. Good luck,

[kamath]

Thank you so much for all advice. It seems to be lots worst in the evening and just done a feed in tears. I really want to continue feeding but horrible at the mo even harder with a 2 year old about too. off to docs first thing and hope they will give me something to sort it out!! I have read somewhere that if you are a sufferer of Thrush generally then treatment might not work I am hoping that isn't right!!. Fingers crossed it does!!

Thank you again everyone .:)-D

[Knomester]

Hello again. If its worse now call Seldoc - don't wait until the morning. The sooner you. An get on the flucanazole the better. It is difficult to get rid of thrush (no idea if it is more so if you have suffered with it a lot previously) but after 3 rounds of treatment I did get rid of it comepletely and haven't have thrush at all since.

But whatever happens don't beat yourself up. You can only do what you can and with a toddler and baby to look after you will be a very busy mummy! Good luck for the breastfeeding and I hope you are better very soon.

[cmacnew]

I suffered a lot with this after my son was born, and after using antibiotics to get rid of the first and second bouts, I used homeopathic remedies to successfully get rid of the third bout when I spotted it early on (feeling like an expert!)

There is a homeopathic helpline which is very well known and regarded in such circles, 0906 534 3404. It's staffed by only a few people and they will chat through your symptoms and give you some advice on how you can treat it. You may have to give something to baby too. You can get most homeopathic remedies in Health Matters on LL.

Avoiding such things which are very yeasty and sugary etc. will help in the immediate term.

Good luck, hope you are feeling better soon!!