[Sue MJ]

I have heard recently many people talking about how common Thrush is when breastfeeding.

I'm not sure if I have it or not, so wondered if anyone could help me out.

I do keep getting the odd shooting pains through my boobs through to my nipples - but not substantial.

I understand that there are white patches in the babies mouth if they are infected - but this is hard to tell as it's not easy looking in Iestyn's mouth and sometimes I think I see his tongue looks white and around the edges of his gums and then other times I think it's just where the lights caught on the saliva.

If I have got it and don't realise - what are the problems if it's not treated.

Sorry for my naievity - If I manage to get to the B/F group on Tuesday I will ask the midwives and health visitors there - but not sure I'll make it this week as Iestyn has his test for CF on Tuesday morning.

Love,

Sue xxxxxxxx

P.S.  Am I more like to have thrush in the breasts as I've just had thrush down below, following a course of antibiotics?

 

[Allie K]

Sue

Kistie had some white in her mouth when I was bf'ing. The Dr had a look but said it was not thrush prob just a bit of milk reflux. He said that if she had oral thrush her mouth would be sore and she would be having feeding probs.....so if Iestyn is feeding OK then hopefully he doesn't have thrush.

Sorry can't advise on the mummy side of things - hope someone else on here or your HV can advise.

Good luck with the CF tests on Tuesday.

Allie

 

[Jayne]

Hi Sue

I've had thrush on my nipples with both Jack and Ben. I had to get a prescription on Christmas Day for it this year as my nipples were so painful.

In baby's mouth it is a thick layer of white coating the tongue that cannot be wiped away. A lot of babies have white tongues after a feed, but it can usually be wiped off.

My nipples became bright red, shiny and VERY, VERY painful, so painful that I if I just brushed something lightly against them it was agony! Feeding was literally toe curling. However, they started to get sore a few days before getting to this point and I just thought that for some reason Ben had stopped latching on properly and this was why they were sore. In fact Ben was latched on properly but was bobbing on and off as feeding was not easy for him as his tongue was sore from the thrush. It's very unusual to get sore nipples for no reason this far into breastfeeding.

You are more likely to get it after having had antibiotics and with Jack I'd had them in labour (orally) as I had a water infection, and with Ben I had them when I was readmitted with my uterus infection and had them intravenously and orally.

There's an oral suspension gel for babies called Daktarin that you can buy in the chemist, but you need the treatment for yourself from the doctor, and usually it's Nystatin ointment. Ben was also given the oral gel along with Nystatin drops for his mouth.

It improves with treatment in about 24-48 hours, and clears in a week, but you need to keep treating for up to a week after this as spores can remain and cause reinfection.

You also need to was bras, towels, etc. on a hot wash to kill the spores there.

Hope you're not getting the start of it, but if you are then I recommend treatment ASAP as it gets really painful. Iestyn's mouth will also become sore and feeding will get hard.

I often get those shooting pains through my boobs and into my nipples, but for me this is my let down reflex just occurring when Ben's not feeding.

When I had thrush the pain was literally located just on my nipples. The doc said it's superficial on the nipples and doesn't penetrate the breast. It's just a skin infection.

Hope this helps.

J xxx

 

[Sue MJ]

Thanks Allie and J,

Hopefully I'm just getting a bit paranoid as I said, having had thrush down below after my antibiotics - I'm just super aware of everything else - so will keep an eye on things.

Iestyn does do the bobbing on and off the breast and likes to litterally lick the milk from the ends of my nipples - but this is usually after he's fed for a while and seems to become lazy - but perhaps his mouth is sore. This isn't a recent thing though - he's had a tendancy to do this on and off ever since he was born - it's a real 'I can't be bothered' type of attitude to feeding!!!

Love,

Sue xxxxxxx

 

[Jayne]

Jack does that licking thing in the middle of a feed too. It's like he's saying 'well I've had enough, but maybe I want a bit more, I just can't be bothered going for it and latching on - not really bothered!'

Hopefully it's not thrush for either of you

J xxx

 

[Pilchardcat]

Dear Sue

Hoping you are being paranoid !! and its NOT thrush matey, it does not sound nice at all.

Glad he is feeling better today too, love Amanda x x x

 

[Sue MJ]

Spoke to the HV's yesterday in Clinic - they don't think either of us have Thrush, but said to keep an eye on things and if I'm still worried to see the GP!

Phew - just my paranoia again!

 

[angiew1]

I mentioned the white residue on Jessica's tongue two weeks ago to the HV but she said it was just from milk.

However, reading J's posts, I'm now not sure. Is it possible to just get thrush on one breast. The symptoms are the same as Sue described. My right nipple is soooo sore and has been for a couple of weeks I reakon. It isn't shiney but it is red. when Jessica first starts to feed it is really toe curling then it eases with the let down. She does really mess about on the right side, spitting it out or I listen and I can see her sucking but can't hear her swallowing. If I put her on the left side, she feeds just fine. If I had thrush, surely it would be on both nipples

Love Ange Wxxxxxx

 

[Jayne]

Ah, just replied that it may be thrus on the other thread, and then found you here

I don't know if you can get it on just one nipple or not I had it on both of mine both times, but maybe it just hasn't spread to the other one yet I never got pains inside my boobs when I had it though, just on the skin.

My nipples started off just being red and sore and then got really shiny and MEGA sore. I reckon the whole thing from feeling a bit sore until needing a doctor took about 7 days.

It might actually be good if it is thrush, as then you can get some treatment which works really quickly and the pain definitely settles within about 24-48 hours. If it's not thrush, you're left with some unexplained pain which is, well........... a pain really



J xxx