F***ing THRUSH.

[Picante]

ARGH. Second bout of it only 2 or 3 weeks after the first - obviously hadn't quite got rid of it.

My nipples aren't too bad as I recognised the symptoms straight away, it's dd that's got it really bad. Tbh I think she's had it since birth - I had antibiotics for GBS.

She's not got any signs in her mouth, apart from a slightly white tongue. But she's so restless when she feeds, obviously in discomfort. V smelly and frequent poos, waking lots at night, won't settle easily etc.

She's having the gel, but if the thrush is in her guts how is that going to help?

I know most of the things I should be doing, I just wondered if there was any miracle solution, or if anyone was going through the same thing.

Poor you. Thrush is really rubbish.

I had recurring bouts of thrush and in the end I just bought some double strength canesten from the chemists, slathered it on and left it overnight (as overnight as you get with a baby) with some breastpads and a bra on. It did actually work.

Of course this is not the professional advice and you must wash it off before feeding your DD. I tried it because I was at the end of my tether and about to give up bf!

Maybe try taking a really strong probiotic as well? I took an acidophilus plus one by Healthaid when I had antibiotics for retained products, and avoided thrush. I'm sure I read somewhere that you can split the capsule and dab a teeny bit onto baby's tongue to help, but I can't find a link just now.

this is making our lives hell. 5 rounds of nystatin or daktarin later and still DD2 has white tongue. i have no symtoms but her tongue is deffo thrush and not milk. v.smelly farts and lots of wind and lots of fussy feeds. she is 9 weeks old.

what do i do now? back on nystatin. but fear her thrush must be resitant! tempted to use gentian violet but scared since not licensed!???

Yes I have heard that about acidophilus. You open up a capsule, wet your finger and cover in the granules, then let the baby lick/suck it off your finger, before every feed.

I really sympathise - I've been battling thrush for four months now - the only way I keep it at bay is by applying miconozole cream (not gel) (brand name Dakatrin cream) to my nipples after EVERY feed. I've given up trying to treat DD2 - her tongue is still white but I know from personal experience, from what I've read and from my doctor that thrush does develop resistance to treatments. It is thought that Nystatin is almost completely ineffective now because thrush has developed a resistance against it. I stopped putting miconozol gel in her mouth after a month because it wasn't working so ...what's the point filling her with chemicals? Sorry I can't help - didn't mean to bring anyone down - I too really struggle with the constant thrush. Have posted elsewhere about DD2 constantly pulling off when feeding. It frickin kills when she does that. I have startted taking probiotics every day - can't do any harm - I was told to take four capsules a day as opposed to two but I never get round to it.

Thanks guys.. I've got some super duper (i.e. very expensive) probiotics and I've read too that you can give it to the baby so I've been doing that.

Lots of natural live yogurts as well!

Good luck everyone - maybe we should start a support group!

hi picante, sorry to hear about your troubles. i too have a 9-wk old and it seems that bf-ing is a constant battle - ducts getting blocked, near miss with mastitis and what seems to be nipple blebs but wondering if i have thrush too (i've had 2 lots of different antibiotics sine giving birth)

you said this was yr second bout and u recognised the symptoms straight away. what were thry exactly? my baby doesnt have the white tongue but my nipples are pretty tender and i get some stabbing pains ...

You poor things, thrush is horrible. Got it when DS was put on AB at 9mo. Did a lot of reading up at the time, I remember the Breastfeeding Network had good info about it. I also rang the LLL helpline 0845 120 2918 in floods of tears because I was really struggling to cope with it. They were great, had some good practical tips too.
I'm sure I also read that avoiding sugar and alcohol can help with recurring bouts of thrush.
I really don't know how you ladies that get it so early on manage to carry on, I think you're incredible.
Hope you all get sorted v soon