Babe and I have thrush

[peaceful_mama]

UPDATE:  I need to know if thrush could possibly cause a nursing strike because we are having one.  I did not see the white in his mouth, but also did not get a very good look at his tongue.  The pain I was having before (see below) went away until after this strike started.  Now I can't tell if it was pain from trying to nurse through being engorged or if it might be thrush.  If I had to take a guess, I'd say it was engorgement, because I've nursed through that before and it feels like that.  But I'm also looking for a reason why he'd suddenly be having a strike.  He is refusing to feed on the right side and is nursing somewhat on the left.

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I'm sure of it.  4th baby.  He had abx after his surgery.  He did not appear to have it though until about a week ago maybe I noticed white in his mouth but could not get in to really see if I was just looking at milk on his tongue or thrush.

The pain for me started yesterday.  Joy.  So now I'm sure it is thrush.

Where do I get grapefruit seed extract and genetian violet?

Also will yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or regular vinegar do anything?  I have those 3 things in my house right now.  Also are there other food items that might help? 

Edited by peaceful_mama - 1/3/11 at 10:40am

[carrierwright]

Down the yogurt (assuming it's plain and not sweetened) and you can use the vinegar (about 1 tsp per cup of water) to rinse your nipples a few times per day (fungal spores just wash off easily) but gettting gentian violet or an rx soon is key. I can get gentian violet and GSE at all the health food stores here so if you have even a local healthfood store you should be able to pick it up! Remember to wash and santize any bras, etc that touch your nipples or baby's mouth in the meantime. How great that you figured out what it is so quickly! Hopefully you're saving yourself days of pain by acting so quickly! As far as diet limiting your sugar intake (which feeds yeast) and increasing probiotics can help.

[peaceful_mama]

Please see update above and if you know anything about one month olds and nursing strikes, I posted about that too.

[kaseyedwards]

I had thrush on and off for two months. It's so painful. I really feel for you. The things I did to get rid of it:

- take acidopholus

- cut out all sugar and yeast in my diet, that includes fruit and bread

- wash my bras, towels and bub's sheets in vinigar every day

- use Daktarin gel on my boobs and in bub's mouth

- use Daktarin cream on bub's bottom

Good luck with it.

x Kasey

www.kaseyedwards.com

[carrierwright]

Hmmm...well thrush could certainly contribute to a nursing strike. It feels like a numbing or burning sensation in the mouth making it uncomfortable to nurse so it's possible. I wonder if it Is possible that you developed a low-grade infection while engorged? That will cause the milk to taste salty on the affected side and some infants will react to that change negatively as well. If the pain is radiating throughout the breast and not simply on the nipple you may want to review the kellymom info on mastitis.  (That may be way off base though..it's so much easier talking about bfing in person!)  :) So many things can cause nursing strikes from oversupply to ear infections and everything in between. Stay persistent and keep investigating!