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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

How willing are GPs to treat thrush?

18 replies

Swaliswan · 06/01/2011 22:59

I think that I have thrush in my breasts/nipples and DS appears to have it too (white patches in mouth, fussing at breast a bit, nappy rash, very windy). Just wondering if I'm likely to have some difficulty getting treatment or if GPs are pretty good at treating it? I can go and see a breastfeeding counsellor at the hospital tomorrow if it will help at all or I can go straight to my GP.

OP posts:

TheButterflyEffect · 07/01/2011 18:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lilmamma · 07/01/2011 18:52

our gp has just prescribed medicine for the babys thrush,the baby is 8 days and he prescribed nysatin.

islandbaby · 07/01/2011 19:05

Lilmamma, did the gp give you treatment too? All the advice I read says that you need to both be treated even if one is not showing symptoms.

Hope it clears up for you soon.

belgo · 07/01/2011 19:06

It does depend on your GP. My GP bf three babies of her own so knew what medication to prescribe.

moonstorm · 07/01/2011 19:07

Google Breastfeeding Network and Thrush. They have a great leafket - I took it along to the drs with me as they were quite difficult...

SirBoobAlot · 07/01/2011 19:10

Just don't let them tell you to put canesten on your nipples and wash it off. Its an entirely seperate treatment you need.

Thrush info.

MoonUnitAlpha · 07/01/2011 20:18

I second printing out the Breastfeeding Network leaflet and taking it with you - just make sure you get treatment for both of you, and not nystatin, it's rubbish.

What's wrong with canestan for nipple thrush SirBoobAlot? Though if you have pain in your breasts too I think you need a course of fluconazole.

Original poster

Swaliswan · 07/01/2011 21:13

I have been prescribed canesten and told to wash it off. DS has been given nystatin drops. I'm hoping that this isn't going to be a nightmare to treat. The BF counsellors were lovely when I saw them this morning. I hadn't had much sleep and was on the brink of crying. Ah well, tomorrow will be better.

OP posts:

islandbaby · 07/01/2011 21:21

Sorry to hijack yiur threadm but for those of you who had thrush - how long did it take for the treatment to kick in and things to clear up?

MoonUnitAlpha · 07/01/2011 21:25

I'd go back and ask for daktarin oral gel for your ds (or you could get it over the counter). If you have pain in your breasts, I don't think canestan will touch it - it's only good for treating the skin. You need a course of the fluconazole.

It took ages for me to get rid of thrush, but that's because I had to go back a couple of times for the right treatment.

This is the Breastfeeding Network leaflet www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/thrush-and-breastfeeding.html

Original poster

Swaliswan · 07/01/2011 21:25

I'd like to know that as well.

OP posts:

Original poster

Swaliswan · 07/01/2011 21:30

The daktarin gel is supposed to only be used in infants over the age of four months apparently. DS is three weeks today (and it's his due date today so I think that we should have a cake with no candles on!) so I'd be a bit wary about giving it to him. Why it's OK at four months and not now seems a bit strange to me.

OP posts:

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/01/2011 21:35

I needed 2 weeks of fluconazole alongside antibiotics to clear mine, but I had dreadfully cracked nipples due to bad latch, recurrent mastitis and was generally in a mess.

DS had Nystatin.

My GP was fab, I went in with the BfN leaflet expecting a fight and she gave me exactly what I asked for.
One of the problems was that fluconazole wasn't licensed for use while BFing, although use for infants was licensed which didn't make much sense. I think that new guidance was issued around the time when I was treated which was about 2 years ago now.

But do take that BfN leaflet because it has the best info and GPs do view it as credible.

MoonUnitAlpha · 07/01/2011 21:46

The reason they say 4 months is because there's a choking risk if you put a glob of gel in their mouths. My ds was prescribed the gel at 11 days - doctor just said to be careful to just smear a little of the gel round his mouth with a clean finger, not squirt a load in!

MoonUnitAlpha · 07/01/2011 21:48

And the gel took about 3 days to clear ds's mouth btw - took weeks to clear the thrush completely though as I had to go back a couple of times for the right treatment for me, and then ds got a thrush nappy rash so had to go back a couple more times for the right treatment for that.

islandbaby · 07/01/2011 22:05

ok, thanks. And did you follow the advice to change your bra every day (I only have two nursing bras!) and wash them on boil wash, and clean your nipples with warm water after every feed (am not very good at this level of diligence!)?

MoonUnitAlpha · 07/01/2011 22:13

Changed breastpads very frequently (switched from washables to disposables), boil washed ds's nappies, then switched to disposables with them too until it cleared, sterilised dummies every day - didn't wash my nipples though as I was putting cream on them after every feed.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 07/01/2011 22:24

Don't wash your nipples - it just dries them out and enables cracks which will very possibly make the thrush etc worse.

But yes to changing breastpads, and boil washing nursing bras. I put all the parts of my breast pump and dummies through the dishwasher every day because that gets them clean and sterile.

Are you wearing a bra to bed at night? If not then I would, otherwise you will be constantly washing bedding also which is a major PITA.
But I would hot wash all your bedding and towels every few days until you and your baby are clear.

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