HAS ANYONE HEARD OF USING GENTIAN VIOLET TO GET RID OF ORAL THRUSH

[GEM33]

DD is 8wks. She is suffering sore throat and mouth from oral thrush. We are on treatments from gp. gel for her and cream and fluconazole for me. I have cut out extra sugar in my diet and taking acidophilus tablets and yakult/live yoghurt etc.vinegar washes after feed. My boobs are getting less sore but DD cant feed properly due to sore mouth. I have read on internet that gentian violet, tiny amount on the nipple area fed to baby will kill the yeast infection. No chemists have gentian violet any more. I wonder if anyone else has experience/knowledge of this and if it works and if there are risks to the baby if I use it. She is really sore and our latch used to be good but now she clicks and compresses the nipple.

THRUSH IS REALLY DEPRESSING AND I FEEL LIKE ITS MY FAULT I GAVE HER THIS (my history of thrush). FEELING GUILTY AND REALLY SORRY FOR BABY.

WISH IT WOULD GO AWAY SOON ;-(

Apparently my mum used it on me (40 cough) years ago after I came out of hospital with it!

I haven't tried it but have heard of it. It was recommended to me by breastfeeding counsellors when living in the States. Respected BF site www.kellymom.com also has info on it.

It's not your fault! Just the joys of breastfeeding :)

I love the user name cervix!! thanx so much for that. I have ordered some so I am going to try it because I cant bear seeing dd suffer. I have come this far bfeeding and I am not giving up!! People keep telling me it will get easier and better eventually................

PS. MY DD is absolutely gorgeous (dont want to sound negative all the time so focusing on the good stuff!!)

GV for thrush stopped being recommended in the UK many years ago - I am not sure why (before my time). It would make sense to speak to a pharmacist about this before using it....this is a young baby and it is going to go in her mouth, so not a good thing to do without medical support, IMO.

In the US they medicate like crazy - not always wisely, many would say.

Can you see someone in RL to observe you feed?

Thrush is miserable - hope you get help.

Gem33, if Nystan drops and Daktarin oral gel haven't cleared your lo's oral thrush, and she is finding it painful to feed it may be worth discussing with your GP whether they can prescribe fluconazole for her. It is available in a form (oral suspension) that can be given to babies - see the information on the BfN website which it would be a good idea to show to your doctor when asking for a prescription.

Here is the GV information I saw previously. I'm not advocating the use of this or any other kind of treatment but would say that the reason I was aware of this in the US was doctors reluctance to recognize and treat oral thrush, rather than overzealous use of medication.

Thanks, I am going back to the HV and seeing a specialist next week. I have kind of lost the plot a little today. !!!!
DD really not feeding well , just dribs and drabs and keeps falling asleep at the breast and on one side she just sucks right at the end of the nipple (painful!) and I can not for the life of me get her to open her mouth properly to get a proper latch and on the other side she just squishes it so the crack that is already there keeps opening up again. Ive gone past the pain now, they kind of feel numb (used to hurt really bad).
I want a bit of life back, I expected babies to be demanding but all day every day is about walking round with my boobs out either to feed or vinegar wash and air dry and cream then wash that off before feeding. I havent brushed my hair today.
My gina ford book reckons I should be in a routine by now and going up to 6 hours between feeds. We are going backwards not forwards.
V DOWN TODAY ;-(

Seriously GEM33- throw the book away! If having thrush was not enough, you are trying to keep up with unattainable routines. I'm pretty sure even GF would not advocate 6 hours between feeds.

You may find that grapefruit seed extract is helpful although I've never used it myself.

Hope you manage to find a way through this and feel happier soon.

I would recommend throwing the book away too, I didn't find Gina Ford very compatible with breastfeeding.

I would suggest seeing a breastfeeding counsellor as soon as possible. BF can be really hard sometimes but you shouldn't have to be in this much pain.

I found seeing a pediatric naturopathic doctor really helpful too but don't know how easy that is here.

Oh please see a bf counsellor for help with your latch. Sounds v painful.

Gentian violet stopped being recommended because of a link with oral cancer, I think. It was a small study as far as I recall. A bf counsellor can help with advising you on thrush too.

Good luck

Dr Jack Newman has loadsof infor about Thrush.

Grapefruit seed extract is very good (as a wash or in tablet form)

tHANKS GUYS. I am going to see lactation consultant next week. I have bought Grape seed extract and been swabbing it on but not making nuch difference. Googled rebecca howath natural 3 day thrush cure and bought her book, read it and ordered probiotics. feeding is getting harder and latch is getting worse. every feed time is a struggle and I am in so mch pain. Really down about it. I have watched dvds about latching on and bought a book with breast feeding positions etc but I cant get dd to open her mouth wide enough to take more breast, she is a nipple feeder. even if i get more boob in her mouth she slides her bottom lip up. . . . roll on next week consultation. still thrushy.....