DD has Thrush and started taking medicine for it last night and I also put the medicine on my nipples so they will heal as well. Has anyone else ever had experience with this? My boobs (nipples)hurt sooooooo bad and her
poor little tonge is all white...poor little girl.

By My2cuties on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 01:04 pm:

Poor thing..I can't be of alot of help, because neither of my dd had this, it is common though (says the girls pediatricion) because most dk "mouth" everything, and it is also caused from antibiotics sometimes too. All I can think is to wash your breasts with soap and water before each nursing session, and make sure anything that goes in her mouth is clean. Pacifiers and bottles and toys always kept up and cleaned before going in her mouth, at least this is what we did to prevent it. Sorry you both are having to go through this. Good Luck and I am sure it will clear up soon.

By Emily7 on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 01:40 pm:

Make sure you boil anything that goes into her mouth.
Nystatin(sp) is good, but there is an over the counter medicine that you can use too. You only have to use it for 3 days wait a week and then repeat it for a day. You use it once a day, the only downside is that it turns things purple, so you want to put her in older clothing. It is called something Violet. I will try to find it at the store to get the correct name.

By Andi on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 01:59 pm:

She is on Nystatin and that is what I am using on my nipples as well. I put all her binkies in the dishwasher.

Do you think my breast milk will carry the Yeast Infection? If I pump is it safe to freeze it and give it to her at a later date without getting her sick again? I guess I should call my doctors office and ask them.

By Karen~moderator on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 03:43 pm:

I'd check Andi, but it seems like it could become contaminated.

By Andi on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 05:32 pm:

I called the doctor and they said the milk should be fine to store and give her at a later date. Seems weird that it's still safe since it's coming through my nipple that is infected. But they assured me that it is fine.

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 06:10 pm:

aww poor baby, I hope she feels better soon.

By Emily7 on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 06:52 pm:

Gentian Violet
It is a topical antiseptic. You can get it at Wal-Mart & just about any pharmacy. It only costs about $3.00 and lasts for quite sometime.

By Kaye on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 07:22 pm:

Andi I am the thrush queen..LOL. Some babies get over this very easily, some do not. This is a yeast infection in your babies mouth, it isn't preventable, but it is treatable. two of the my three kids had it. My middle son, it was no biggie, one nystatin treatment and he was all better. My youngest was a whole different story. This gets personal, I warn you now. Initially, boil all pacis and anything that comes near your babies mouth. If you pump, boil the pump, the milk won't carry the yeast, but the yeast can survive on the pump. Past that these are the other steps. This is a yeast infection in your body, it is much worse for you than they baby most of the time. Treating your nipples is a great start. If you are having sex with your hubby (i don't recall your baby's age) then you will probably need to treat him, you can use any otc antifungal. Also you might want to consider a monistat treatment for you. Then take all of your panties and bras, and wash them in the hottest water possible (the la leche people recomended boiling these, i did not). With bras you want to change them 4 times a day for the first few days, they will hold the yeast. I had 6 pacis and I traded out for new ones every hour and then boiled them and started over. In general you just need to think moisture breeds yeast, you want to cut down on all moisture things and anything that might have touched your nipples or your babies mouth needs to be treated, and not just once, but for several days until you do not see the thrush for at least 2 days. Good luck! As for your pain, try to air out as much as you can, also you can apply quite a few ointments on your nipples, just make sure you wash them off really well before you nurse and then wash those wash cloths!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 08:25 pm:

Gentian Violet is what I used on my oldest too also. You just take a q tip and swab the inside of the mouth. And you don't want to have anything good on the baby because it will turn everything including the mouth a nice shade of purple. It works great though. Cleared it up in just a couple of days. A suggestion. Pick up some Lotrimin AF Antifungal Cream or a generic form of it because the yeast is in the mouth now it will be on the bottom soon enough.. And your typical diaper rash medication will not touch a yeast on the tush.... I would suggest washing your breast too prior to feedings at least until you get things good and cleared up because you will just keep transferring it. Big hugs...

By Tink on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:22 pm:

One word of caution...if you wash your breasts that often (and you should), you will soon have a whole other reason for sore breasts. The skin can dry out very easily. As if you needed one more ointment to apply, but when we did this with my ds, my pediatrician suggested that I rub a bit of A&D ointment after each feeding to moisturize them. This little bit won't hurt the baby and will save you from more time with the pain. There is a form of nystatin ointment for yeast diaper rashes and it is in a vaseline type base. This will also work. {{{Hugs to both of you}}}

By Bobbie~moderatr on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 10:37 pm:

You can also buy a lanolin, like Lansinoh Lanolin for Breastfeeding Mothers or any other purified lanolin. That is what was suggested I used on my nipples to keep them from drying out and it really helped.

By Emdee on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 11:01 pm:

My dd has had thrush 5 different times now. She had most as a 4-5 month old, but her recent was at 15 months old (which I was suprised she got then). She ended up having to go on stronger meds as the Nystatin wouldn't work, so just keep a watch on it. I was also told that breastmilk is the best medicine to heal dry nipples--just squeeze some out after feeding and let air dry. I always thought I had the infection as well b/c feedings hurt soooo bad during her thrush, but after a visit to my dr, he said I didn't have it--maybe she was just eating wrong to compensate for the pain in her mouth? Who knows--all I know is that it is definitely a pain since everything has to be boiled. I was also told to just get rid of everything and get new paci's, etc, from a lactation lady, but that does get quite expensive. Good luck!!

By Marcia on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 11:08 am:

My oldest was born with thrush, and was on nystatin for quite some time. She also had a chronic runny nose, and a couple of ear infections. When she was close to a year, I went to a health food store and asked what I should do. They gave me acidophilus for her, and everything cleared up within a few days.
It's replacing the good bacteria that the yeast has wiped out.

By Andi on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 12:24 pm:

Wow, thank you all so much for the info. So far the thrush is just in DD mouth and on my nipples (well, we think because I'm in so much pain) it hasn't migrated to her butt or any where else on my body.(yet)

I have been throwing the Pacifiers in the dishwasher instead of boiling them...I hope that works. I also change my breast pads everytime I feed her and I put medicine on them everytime I feed her. She hasn't really wanted her pacifier since all this started she just wants to suck on my finger.

She has been on the Nistatin since Thursday night and it looks like it is starting to clear up a bit but my nipples still hurt so much. I am thinking about pumping and just giving her a bottle. Pumping doesn't hurt as much as her nursing does.

By Fionadeassis on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 03:04 pm:

Ouch Andi!! Kiko has thrush as well. We are on day 4 of it. Lucky for me, my boobs have been safe so far. I keep washing my nipples and applying the nystatin every time I breastfeed.

Does your baby seem fussy since she started the nystatin? Kiko is very fussy and gassy. I read that it can caause nausea,vomiting, stomach pain etc. I hope this all passes fast for both of us!

fiona

By Truestori on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 10:09 pm:

Andi,

I must have missed this post! I too suffered from this, the nystatin helps alot. My son refused to take a bottle so I didn't have the option of not nursing. It was so bad my nipples started to bleed. I actually found some silicone breast shields from playtex and those helped a tremendous amount. It may be worth a try so you don't disrupt her breastfeeding, and your breast are allowed to heal again. Hope you feel better soon.