It seems the world is against us!

[anne74]

On top of all the other problems we're having with breastfeeding, it seems we now have thrush. It has been in the background for a while as a possibility but neither of us really had definitive symptoms. However, DS now has a white tongue and my nipples are constantly burning so I'm quite sure we now have thrush.

I have made an appointment to see the GP tomorrow morning to get the treatment but I was hoping for advice on what else I need to do for us both to get rid of it.

Am I ok still using a cold water steriliser? Do I need to throw away all the teats? etc, etc, etc, What else apart from the medical treatment must we do to clear this thing?

Thanks x

Oh Anne, I literally and figuratively, feel your pain!!

I stated a very similar thread a matter of days ago and have received the following great advice from the ladies here - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/1141158-Thrush-and-breastfeeding

Good luck - it's nasty, and exhausting when it comes at the tail end of other breastfeeding challenges!

Let us know how you get on...

Hi anne74,
blimey- you're really having a tough time aren't you.

here are some good articles about thrush.

Also useful is this from the bfn. It sets out the treatment.

Lots of mnetters will give you advice about what works and what doesn't medicine wise as well as other things to try.

Hope you feel better soon.

Take the Brestfeeding Network leaflet to the drs with you. It will help you get the correct treatment.

Good luck. I've been there and felt too that everything was against us! But we're out the other side and bfing is mostly lovely now.

Water and vinegar to wipe boobs clean helped me. And probiotics. Plus switching disposable breast pads alot. Onn top of 2 weeks of meds and gel.

You'll see all the advice on that other thread, but I really hope you sort it out anne74.

Thanks for all your advice.

Can I continue to use a cold water steriliser or do I need to use a microwave one?

In terms of hygiene, DS constantly has his hands in his mouth. Do I need to be constantly wiping them clean?

I think you have to boil things rather than cold sterilizing. I just continued to use my microwave sterilizer, but then I wasn't really using many things to sterilize. But I am sure I did the same with DS1 and I was using a lot of bottles then. I didn't boil wash my bras either (surely would ruin them??), but I did change my pads constantly and wash nipples with vinegar after every feed.

I did wash their hands more than I probably would have done.

For me, I honestly think it was the probiotics that did it. I also took garlic capsules (natural anti-fungal/anti-bacterial) and the grapefruit seed stuff.

Milton kills thrush - it specifically says it kills Candida.

I'd keep using the gel as directed for your LO and just make sure their hands get washed at least once a day.

I've just come back from the GP and he didn't feel it was thrush. He said DS tongue wasn't white and my nipples looked fine. I did describe the other symptoms - burning nipples, DS dribbling much more and much more gassy - but he didn't think there was anything wrong. All the symptoms are listed in various places as thrush. I don't have a printer at the mo so couldn't print off the leaflet but he told me that he's just done a paeds job at kings college hospital so I figured he should know what he's talking about. I guess we'll see how we get on over the next few days and I'll go back if I still think it's thrush. I'll be extra good about hygiene over the next few days and see if that makes a difference along with improved feeding technique

Try probiotics as well. Grapefruit seed extract helped me when I had really bad Candida overgrowth in the past and I've seen other MNetters mention it re breast thrush.

I had thrush recently and DDs tongue was only a bit white and I had no white bits on my nipples, although they did go a bit pink and smooth.