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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

anyone suffered with Thrush whilst BF?

32 replies

plantwoman · 10/06/2009 18:39

I posted this thread earlier today here as I had been suffering from severe stabbing pains in my breasts after feeding

I have since spoken to my HV who thinks i have probably got thrush. She is going to prescribe cream for my nipples and some oral drops to treat DD's mouth.
She told me on the phone that is it quite hard to treat.
I would like to know from anyone else that has had it, how they found the treatment, did it work, did they need anibiotics, did they give up BF as a result?
I am feeling pretty low about it at the moment .

OP posts:
elibumbum · 10/06/2009 19:11

I had it and you have my sympathy because it was ruddy painful. Mine wasn't diagnosed until I'd had it for over a month. GP went straight to the tablets as the pain was deep within my breasts (for at least an hour after each feed) and I had no symptoms on the outside. My GP said the cream can't get into the breast so would be useless. My baby had drops to prevent him reinfecting me although he didn't have any sign of it in his mouth.

I had to take the tablets for 2 weeks and by the end of the course the pain had gone. I'm now enjoying pain free breast feeding!

I hope you get some relief soon.

Original poster
plantwoman · 10/06/2009 19:21

It sounds the same as me to be honest. I have had this for over a month and have just ignored it, as you do.... until it got to a point where I couldn't ignore it anymore.

I can feel the pain for hours after feeding, i think it is quite deep...I also have no visible symptoms.
I am reluctant to take antibiotics, as when I have taken them in the past, with DS1 and also this time round with DD after she was born, i found they upset their tummy and made them quite distressed.
Thanks for the reply though...at least you have managed to carry on BF.

OP posts:
KiwiPanda · 10/06/2009 19:47

Plantwoman - The tablets you take wouldn't be antibiotics - that would be disastrous as they frequently are the cause of thrush not the solution! They are an anti-fungal medication called fluconzaole. You can read about them on the breastfeeding network sitehere

I fought thrush for 7 weeks and it's hellish so you have my sympathy, but I would say that it's the tablets (and a a no-sugar/caffeine/wheat diet and grapefruitseed extract) that beat it. Took two courses for me - but they had no side effects whatsoever.

If the cream/drops don't have any effect within a few days I would go to doctor and ask for fluconazole. Take a copy of the breastfeeding network leaflet because most GPs don't know the latest treatment for thrush. Fluconazole isn't technically licenced for breastfeeding mothers because the companies don't want to do the relevant tests but it's perfectly safe - the amount that gets through to the baby is less than if they were prescribed it directly (which they can be).

Sorry, bit knackered, hope that all makes sense!

SuperWasher · 10/06/2009 19:53

Ds and I had it. GP wouldn't give me tablets for ages though.

Once it cleared up we were both fine and it hasn't recurred.

IIRC you can take a canesten tablet if you can't get hold of fluconzaole...

Original poster
plantwoman · 10/06/2009 19:58

Thanks Kiwipanda - i didn't realise that.
I think I will need tablets to be honest, but will give the cream a try 1st, at least I can get that from my HV straight away without having to wait for an appointment at the doctors.
(my HV says she is not allowed to prescribe the tablets)

OP posts:
TheBreastmilksOnMe · 10/06/2009 20:04

I had it and it's horrible so you have my sympathies. Actually I had it several times in a row and had to take the nipple cream, the tablets and the drops for DS so here's some tips from an experieneced sufferer:

Make sure you rub the drops inside your DD's mouth so that it covers all the skin in her mouth.

Change your breast pads frequently.

Dont' do your washing at 30 degrees, do it as hot as possible because thrush thrives at low tempretures.

Wash your bedding several times a week on a hot wash whilst you are being treated.

Wash your hand regularly in hot water and with normal soap- not anti bacterial as this kills the beneficial bacteria we have on our skin and this is what you are lacking so it may also help to take an acidophillus supplement whcih you can get at most health food shops.

Good luck. HTH

KiwiPanda · 10/06/2009 20:07

Best of luck plantwoman - it really is a bugger. Still, I kicked it successfully and am still BF happily nearly 6 months on..

It's definitely also worth considering the diet if you can face it - god it's grim but it did seem to work. Candida (i.e thrush) thrives on sugar so basically you cut out all sugar from your diet. No wheat, diary, very limited amounts of fruit, no caffeine.. oh the joy. Still, it did shift quite a few pounds effortlessly too!

Many also swear by the grapefruitseed extract. You can use it as a swab or take it as a supplement and you can buy it in healthfood shops. Tastes vile so if you are going to take it internally, buy the capsules not the liquid! Oh, and also worth taking super strength acidopholus tablets too, and mainlining natural yoghurt full of those friendly bacteria..!

I could do a degree in fighting thrush ;)

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 10/06/2009 20:16

I would second restricting your diet too. It's not forever and it's not as difficult as it sounds. Also cut out yeast from your diet.

Oh, and change breastpads often and wash your bra's frequently too.

It can be a bugger to get rid of, but you can overcome it and it won't mean having to stop bf'ing.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 10/06/2009 20:18

I'd just like to add that I didn't change my diet, it was never suggested to me and I did manage to get rid of it eventually- I'm still breastfeeding DS 9 mths on. My personal opinion is that doing the laundry on a higher temp managed to get rid of it.

HumphreyCobbler · 10/06/2009 20:30

do take a good probiotic - this will help

a capsule, not those useless drink ones

KiwiPanda · 10/06/2009 20:33

Frequent and hot laundry definitely good idea. I have heard - TheBreastMilksonme would you know? - that adding vinegar to the wash can help kill of the candida too. I forgot that I also washed my bras practically every day. Right faff and I had to buy some more as they were always drying but worth it!

Original poster
plantwoman · 10/06/2009 20:40

Thanks for all the advice - i do all my laundry (except sheets and towels) on 30 - so that will stop
I can have a go at the diet.....
I will definitely look into a supplement, I have bought acidophilus before from victoria health, so will probably do that.
Thanks so much, at least there are things that I can do to help myself as well as taking tablets.

OP posts:
elibumbum · 10/06/2009 21:03

I washed my bras at 60 and then steam ironed them.

chocolatefrog · 10/06/2009 21:16

plantwoman i am in exactly the same situation as you, and i'm worried that this could be the beginning of the end for breast feeding. I don't think i can face weeks of this especially as it seems to reoccur so easily.
I've been using the cream but it hasn't made any difference so the doctor prescribed fluconazole tablets today. I've read the leaflet from the breast feeding network on thrush and it states that 150-300mg is needed initially and then 50 - 100mg twice daily for 10 days. My doctor has given me 50mg once a day for 7 days. Does anybody know if this will work or should i be on a higher dose?
If you give up breast feeding do the symptoms go quickly or do you still have to persevere with the treatment?
Any advice welcome

jumblies · 10/06/2009 21:27

I've had it too. I was prescribed daktarin and it went away but I persisted using the medication for a at least a couple of weeks. It isn't nice but it didn't come back. I also took probiotics just in case. Hope it clears up soon.

elibumbum · 10/06/2009 21:37

Chocolatefrog - I think I took a double dose for the first day or 2 and then 200mg once a day for the rest of the 2 week course.

The pain started to ease after the first week and had gone by the end of the course.

I went armed with a leaflet on breastfeeding and thrush that my HV had given to me and my Dr went along with the treatment recommendations in there. I think my GP's thinking was to get rid of it properly. I guess if you aren't on a high enough dose the danger is that you won't kill it off properly and it will return.

I've heard that some GP's are a little wary of prescribing it because it isn't licensed for breastfeeding women and they have to take responsibility for prescribing it.

beckmo · 11/06/2009 14:05

I have had it twice (I have a 4 month old). Daktarin for me and nystatin for DD has been enough to clear it up.Both times needed to use it for 2 weeks. Pain went almost immediatley though and she stopped fussing at the breast really quickly too. Expecting it to reoccur so the advice here is really helpful. Certainly isn't the end of breatfeeding though. Good luck.

emmabemmasmom · 11/06/2009 14:17

I was also told today that I have it and so does DD in her mouth. I only noticed that something did not feel right and she has been feeding differently the last few days. I am hoping since it was caught early it will go away faster but who knows. I was also prescribed the pills, cream and drops for DD's mouth. Waiting for the HV to bring it all to me later so know what the pill dose is. I really just want DD to feel better so she can be more settled. I will be rooting for you too!

SOLOisMeredithGrey · 11/06/2009 21:33

Hello OP. I have now had deep breast thrush 11 times with Dd, I am an extended breast feeder.
The first time I got it I was told to apply thrush cream to my nipples and Dd had Nyastin drops by the GP. The cream alone didn't help and the drops made Dd's face covered in tiny pimples, so I phoned La Leche League and a lovely lady went through a few possibilities with me. The one I chose and used was to use vinegar solution on my nipples after each feed, followed by the thrush cream. For Dd, I used a very weak solution of bi carb applied to the spots in her mouth with a cotton bud about 3 or 4 times a day. I used to soak some cotton wool pads in the vinegar and put them into a ziplok bag so I could take them with me anywhere I went, discarding then after use. I have used this method each time I've had thrush. It's cheap, natural and not risky and generally available from your kitchen cupboard.

Original poster
plantwoman · 12/06/2009 11:57

Thanks everyone.
My HV came round yesterday and she was fairly helpful. She said it was pointless giving me the cream as it would have no effect now it is in my milk ducts.
She gave me the number for the breastfeeding network, as she felt they maybe better qualified to advise me, she also said that if I felt it did need to see a doctor, which doctor at the surgery would be most helpful and open to the advise I was given by BFN.
After speaking to a lovely lady at BFN, she seemed to think it was thrush so I have called the surgery this morning and am waiting for the doctor to give me a call back.
I fed DD this morning at about 4.30am, the pain afterwards was unbearable, by 5.30am I had got out of bed and gone downstairs to get some nurofen. I can't continue like this so I am just hoping I ill get the fluconozole.
I have also got some probiotics now as well to take and have also restricted my diet as of yesterday.

OP posts:
SOLOisMeredithGrey · 12/06/2009 13:30

Plantwoman, the cream absolutely does help. I also questioned this with my GP and was reassured it would and I do believe it did help along with the other things I mentioned.

Original poster
plantwoman · 12/06/2009 15:04

I have spoken to my doctor and she has prescribed fluconozole.
She was very helpful and took on board the advice from BFN.
Feel much better about it now.
Thanks
for the advice everyone

OP posts:
SOLOisMeredithGrey · 13/06/2009 00:55

Feel better soon.

charx · 13/06/2009 23:03

OMG, just reading your posts. I think I have thrush too. Deep burning sensation and super sore nipples/breasts. So much so that just drying myself with a towel makes me almost hit the ceiling. Don't think DD has been infected as I have been expressing due to chronic cracked nipples from 4 days of not knowing what the hell I was doing when b/feeding!
Thank god, I thought that this is what b/feeding felt like. Maybe once this is resolved I might enjoying instead of wincing and counting through the pain.
I'm So onto the doc first thing Mon (why do these things always happen on a weekend?)

Bicnod · 14/06/2009 21:52

I would suggest using daktarin gel in your baby's mouth - the nystatin drops are rubbish (and full of sugar - which the candida feeds on - why do they do that?!). I've got thrush at the moment - have had it for about 5 weeks (DS is 7 weeks today) and it has definitely improved a lot since using daktarin gel and daktarin cream. I've been on the fluconazole tablets (200mg per day after initial 400mg loading dose) and using daktarin cream on nipples after every feed. Echo what others have said - wash bras etc at high temperature and line dry in sun whenever possible (sun apparently kills candida), change breast pads regularly, rub a little of the daktarin gel round baby's tongue and cheeks after every feed (just a really teeny amount). I really hope it clears up soon... my nipples were absolutely excrutiating for weeks but I now feed without crying so that is progess