How to get "good" bacteria in vaginal area?

[BakingMama]

I thought this would be a good place for my question since you mamas know about probiotics, good bacteria etc...
Some background to my question:
I've been battling food allergies (dairy, wheat, rice, peanuts, apples, eggs, chicken, citrus...and some fruits...) since figuring out my ds had them for well over a year now. I've been on an elmination diet since then as well. We've been soy free too. I know that I, myself, have had a history of mild digestive issues & environmental allergies but not food allergies.
My midwife first found that I did not have any "good" bacteria in my vagina at my 6 wk f/u after ds was born through a swab test. I found out recently from my OB-GYN, through a swab test I requested, that I still do not have any "good" bacteria in my vagina: . Thankfully I still don't have any "bad" bacteria. My Dr. said not to worry about it : and my midwife said eat yogurt: ........of course I worry about it and want some good bacteria . Both ds and myself take probiotics.
So here's the question............I'm trying to find out how to establish "good" bacteria in my vagina. I've never had a vaginal yeast infection but I know people use cream to get rid of it so would the opposite be true to get "good" bacteria- as in insert probiotics to get some "good" bacteria colonies going? Anything else to do in addition? Just wanted to see if anyone else had this issue and how you treated it.

Thanks!!!

[mamatojackn]

hi elizabeth-
yes, you guessed right. you could use yogurt and/or acidophillus suppositories vaginally. you could soak tampons in yougurt and insert one nightly for a week- wear old underwear and use an old sheet on your bed- it could get messy! you could also find acidophillus suppositories at your local health food store and do the same thing- not at the same time as the yogurt- that might be overkill.
good luck!
jen

[BakingMama]

thanks for the reply. anyone else have other things i could do in addition?

[wytchywoman]

Originally Posted by mamatojackn

hi elizabeth-
yes, you guessed right. you could use yogurt and/or acidophillus suppositories vaginally. you could soak tampons in yougurt and insert one nightly for a week- wear old underwear and use an old sheet on your bed- it could get messy! you could also find acidophillus suppositories at your local health food store and do the same thing- not at the same time as the yogurt- that might be overkill.
good luck!
jen

I second this. I have battled yeast infections in the past and the one sure fire way I found that works is to take a syringe type medicine injector and fill it full of plain, nonsweetened yogurt and use that vaginally. It is extremely cold and messy, but let me tell ya it works when nothing else does.

[k9sarchik]

Sounds like with all of your allergies and digestive issues you probably don't have much of it in your digestive tract either.
You should take probiotics and eat yogurt or kefir as well.
Also avoid antibiotics as much as possible. If you have to take them at any point definitely take more probiotics.

[BakingMama]

Thanks for the replies!! I don't have a yeast infection (never had thankfully: ), just looking for ways to get "good bacteria" into my vagina.

As a side note, yep, I know I have digestive issues. I don't take antibiotics. As I mentioned in my first post, I can't eat dairy and I do take probiotics, but thanks for the suggestion. I would like to try to make water keifer and sauerkraut as I've read this is a much better source of probiotics than a pill form anyway.

Thanks everyone.