Thrush and reduction in milk supply

[octo]

After a hideously painful weekend have been diagnosed with thrush in right boob. I have been feeding through it despite feeling like may pass out - but feeds have been shorter for obvious reasons and ds3 (4 weeks) has been waking up for an extra feed. Now he doesn;t seem to be getting enough milk from that side and I offer him the other side too. I have tried expressing (not very well!) to increase supply - what else can I do? I am eatng and drinking lots more to get extra calories. Both sides feeling pretty empty and don't think he is gettign enough from either side in a feed now. He is a big chap and needs his milk - don't want to supplement really just out of plain laziness re sterilising! Will it just sort itself out?

Any ideas welcome

Are you getting treatment for both yourself and your ds? Have a look here for some info.

If you just keep feeding on demand you should get back to normal if the thrush resolves. More feeds = more stimulation = more milk!

Boobs feeling empty doesn't mean he's not getting enough, just that your supply and demand are settling down

Are you happy that your latch is fine? (only asking as I had thrush and it disguised a bad latch so now have injured nipple)

Yes - got some stuff today for both of us.

Latch is good and has been feeding really well for last 4 weeks.

Just don't understand why he is starving but not getting enough to satisfy him - like you say - thought it would adjust.

Growth spurt? Could just be coinciding with the thrush, not necessarily linked.

Hi octo,
I went through this with ds4 after sailing through (extended) breastfeeding with my other three. It was quite a shock.

It's very painful isn't it? For me it lasted weeks and I was miserable. I tried so many things. The link to the BF network shonaspurtle has given you is spot on. It was really helpful to me and I remember tearfully calling one of their counsellors who was also brilliant.

In the end I went to a good homeopath and after taking the remedy it cleared up in 24 hours. Amazing! It's not for everyone I know but this was a Godsend for me.

I hardly ever take painkillers for anything (not even birth!!) but for the thrush in my milk ducts I was just topping up on painkillers throughout because other wise I would have given up breastfeeding.

There are also some great threads on this subject with good advise if you want to do an archive search.

He's now 2.5 and still feeding btw.

Good luck.

The advice I've given you is about thrush IN the milk ducts btw. You may just have thrush on the nipple which is easier to deal with. If that's the case, I may well have alarmed you with my last post.

It took 3 people to decide it was thrush and they all had different views on it so just pleased that the cream is having some effect - I have deep shooting pains and nipple pain so does that mean it is in both nipple and breast tissue??? Will def consider homeopath though if get it again or doesn't go completely very soon!

Well ds3 woke up at 8pm, 9pm, 11.30pm, 1.30am, 3.30am and 5.30am - arrggghhhhhhh but my milk does seem to have picked up again Normally just does 7pm, 1am and 4am - so feeling bit sleep depreived!

Thanks for all your help - really appreciated

not breast tissue - meant milk ducts

Hi Octo - i had just the same symptoms and it was thrush - although the combined daktarin cream for nipples and gel for DS2 seemed to clear it up remarkably quickly (was expecting weeks of it tbh)

Am sleep deprived too - seem to have been feeding since aroun 1.30 this morning today.

Actually that shouldn't be a shocked emoticon - I need the "as usual" emoticon!!

I have been given canestan for me and nystan droplets for ds3 - he doesn't have it as yet so just precautionary.

Off to catch up with some sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz