Thrush - how do I avoid it if taking antibiotics?

[firstimemum]

Hi Mumsnetters

I have started a course of antibiotics today to treat an infection in my perineal stitches. Breastfeeding of my week old DD is going quite well (subject to cracked and painful nipples, but I am as fair-skinned and red-haired as you can possibly be and this means I am prone to soreness apparently. DD's latch is spot on according to 2 midwives.), so I am very worried that I am going to get thrush and that this will jeopardise the b/f. I got it with my DS 2 years ago and it was dreadful. Surely it is not inevitable that I would get thrush if taking antibiotics?? Is there anything I can do to avoid getting it? The doctor mentioned eating live yoghurt and being scrupulously clean. Is there anything else I can do??

Many thanks
first time (now second time) Mum

You could take grapefruit seed extract - it cleared mine up in a flash

Go to a good health food shop and buy some acidophilus - it will be kept in the fridge. This is a probiotic and will help protect/restore the good bacteria in your gut and therefore help stop the candida getting out of control.

Eating live yoghurt will also help.

Avoid sugar as much as you can - and don't resort to Yakult/Actimel because they contain sugar as well.

Don't wear jeans or tight trousers - skirts are better.

I'm really prone to thrush and at the hint of antibiotics I go onto an anti-candida diet. This involves no sugar at all (though I do eat LOADS of fruit which the hard-core don't!!), no yeast products and no alcohol. It has worked for me but can take a bit of getting used to as EVERYTHING has sugar in it. Once I'd cracked snacking (nuts and seeds are a Godsend ) I was OK.

Might be too much with a newborn though as it involves cooking from scratch mainly and I make my own soda bread as I couldn't cope without bread.

FWIW I got oral thrush with DD when I had to take ABs for mastitas, didn't stop me feeding her.