Thrush = OUCH!!!!!

I have nipple thrush. Feels like a million pins being stabbed into my nipple when DS feeds. I've got daktarin gel but any other advice? Is it safe to still feed from that side? It hurts so much!

Nilstat!

Sorry, didn't mean to press return, on my phone. You need to use nilstat on the baby's mouth

Do I get that from a chemist? Should I be taking diflucan or something as well?

Yes definitely go to the chemist. I used nilstat on my nipples and ds's mouth.

It's best to use the same one on nipples and baby. I have heard from a GP that daktarin usually works better than nilstat but I think different mums find different ones work for them. Sometimes chemists say not to use daktarin on a baby's mouth but it is ok if you only use a small amount on your finger. It used to come with a spoon and one time a mum used a big blob that her baby choked on, so it's fine if you smear a small amount on and not put a blog in their mouth.

Often using a cream/ointment that is antibiotic as well as anti-fungal can work best, as infection and thrush often go together.

It is certainly safe to feed from that side, and in fact you will need to keep draining the breast so you don't end up with mastitis as well. If feeding is too uncomfortable, feeding from the other side first might help and then hand-expressing under a warm shower if baby isn't emptying the breast.

It must be very painful for you and you are doing really well to keep feeding. Hopefully the anti-fungals will work quickly for you :hug:

Thanks ladies.

I went to the pharmacy an they gave me diflucan (or the generic brand of same) and said to stick with the daktarin. Well this morning I literally could not feed off that side due to the pain but tonight there is almost no pain at all - win! So now to vinegar wash all our clothes and feed cloths and hopefully never get it again!
Thanks so much x

Are there natural treatments that work for nipple thrush? for mum and baby

Could this be making baby unsettled?

We just had this ended up with mastitis. My gp gave me nilstat capsules for me & daktarin for us both. Bubs was very very unsettled feedng for hrs, squirming, crying, throwing her head side to side on the boob & not sleeping. I vinegar & disinfectant washed everything & sterilised anything shed had in her mouth & the pump etc by boiling on the stove then steam sterilising it took over a week to clear & really didnt til i got abs which is supposed to be bad for it but has helped me & dd is still having mouth issues im using the daktarin still on her

HotI yes, you can use vinegar diluted in water to wash your nipples, and eat lots of probiotic and yogurt and take zinc supplements with magnesium. Also cut out sugar and alcohol and reduce all grains (quinoa and spelt are better because they are lower gi).

I have been battling thrush on and off for 14 months now. I still haven't found a miracle cure, but I am starting to think I need to get antibiotics just in case it's actually some other kind of bacteria.

I would go and get swabbed, which is what I am going to do this week and wish I had done a year ago. I kept asking the gp and they were like...if antifungals work, then that indicates it's thrush. Urgh...sorry to hijack. Nipple thrush is the pits and I have fed through the most excruciating pain, bleeding cracks, and itchy rashes....urgh!

I never noticed ds being overly fussy with it, but he has never had symptoms in his mouth. I have treated him many times, but no change.

The best advice is on the royal women's hospital website, just look up thrush in lactation. The advice is written by Dr Lisa Amir who did her PhD in nipple thrush in lactation. She advises Nilstat tablets taken orally plus three diflucan tablets taken every second day. She also says to use daktarin on your nipples and oral gel for baby. She said some women need multiple courses of this (one woman had twelve!). I am anti medication and would only do it once, but now I wish I'd just stayed on the meds, because I just can't eliminate it.

Maybe I should do it all over again...

What is your diet like? Sugars, processed wheats, caffeine etc? Drinking much water? Id get onto agood, strong probiotic from a naturopath too.