low milk supply due to thrush

[esancen]

I have been battling thrush seens my baby was born. That would be 5 months now. It has been so hard on me and my baby. I have a total of 5 boys and always gave up on breastfeeding because i didn't realize how important it was to give your baby breast milk till now. This is my last baby and I really want to breastfeed him for at least a year. but life has played a cruel trick on me by getting thrush right off the bat. I have not enjoyed breastfeeding at all. Well all seems well for like 3 or 4 days and then i notice nipple pain and low milk and soon after the baby with white patches in his mouth. There are times when I'll feel good. but all of a sudden my milk goes down. I think its because of the thrush. It is so frustrating because my milk goes down and then i work it back up and then it nose dives and then i work it back up.  Like on sunday my milk is high and on monday my milk is down. It is so wierd on sunday he is happy after feeding and diapers are loaded but monday morning comes and i notice my breast are not full and very flimzy. He gets fussy and have to give him formula and then he is happy. My question is are there other mothers who have thrush with the same thing happening to them or am I just a rare case. Or can there  be something else going on there with me that is causing this to happpen. Now is there mothers out there that have quit breastfeeding because of thrush and everything got better. or is it the same thing the thrush is still there. I really don't want to quit but an urgent care doctor told me that i need to stop breastfeeding so my son could get better because i am the one that keeps getting him infected. I really want to know what you guys think about this. thanks

[tibeca]

What have you done for the thrush?

I wouldn't trust urgent care doctors to deal with thrush. This really is a family dr/pediatrician issue. Check out Kelly mom.com. You need to clear both of you of thrush, which will take 2-6 weeks. This is NOT a reason to wean. Do EVERYTHING she recommends, probiotics, grapefruit seed extract, nystatin, fluconazole, all purpose nipple ointment, anything and EVERYTHING your doctor will be willing to help you with. Thrush is frustrating, but the one thing the doctor is right about is that you both keep reinfecting each other. CLEAR IT ALL UP. I can't repeat that enough.

As for the dips in supply, that may be related only to your child's pain with the thrush and not actually to your supply. Thrush can be painful. Formula isn't going to make this situation better. And you pump is probably infected too. Sterilize, sterilize sterilize. Pacifiers, bottle nipples, pumps and EVERYTHING.

If I sound fanatical, it is because I am. I have had thrush repeatedly over the 2 1/2+ years I have been nursing. The best thing you can do is get rid of ALL of it, from every possible source. You'll both be happier for it.

[carrierwright]

I agree w/Tibeca. Treating BOTH of you at the same time aggressively is key. Treating just until the symptoms disappear isn't enough b/c it will come back repeatedly! Any bottles/nipples need to be boiled during treatment and thrown out once cleared up. Anything touching your nipples or baby's mouth needs to be boiled/sanitized or it will come back (think pumps, pacifiers, bras, etc) Check out the kellymom.com site and just type in thrush and absorb the info, call the dr, and start that treatment! (on BOTH of you!)

[esancen]

thanks for your replys. I do all of that, I sterlize everything. He is constantly on nyalstin and diflucan and gential violet. I have tried everything except for grape seed extract and the apno on me. There must be something i'm doing wrong somewhere.  But the bad thing is the low milk. I feel like i"m going threw all of this for a minimal amount of milk.  And I know i have low milk all the signs are there. The babies weight is low. Has it affected your milk too.