It may be that a partner or another family member is reinfecting you or your baby with thrush and making it hard to get rid of. Taking antibiotics or having a lowered immune system can cause an environment in the body that makes it easier for yeast to grow and cause an infection. Other times, there is no initial cause or the cause is unclear. Since yeast grows in moist, warm environments, mouths and nipples are prime places for yeast to overgrow during breastfeeding.
Since yeast cells can be transferred by skin-to-skin contact, if your baby has oral thrush or another type of yeast infection, your baby can transmit thrush to your nipple while breastfeeding. In some instances, this becomes a cycle of infection where you transmit the yeast infection back and forth to each other. Wash and towel dry.
Rinsing your skin and drying the area around and under your breasts after sweating or after breastfeeding the baby may help reduce nipple thrush symptoms or prevent its return.
Air dry. After patting your chest with a clean towel, air dry your breasts. Some people use a hair dryer on a very low setting. Thrush on your nipples can be persistent and difficult to get rid of. You may need a combination of topical creams, home remedies, and a good dose of patience to treat nipple thrush effectively. If the pain continues, offer your baby short, frequent feedings, beginning on the least painful breast.
Some mothers use crushed ice to reduce pain before starting to nurse. Rinse your nipples with clean water and let them air dry after each feeding. If you find that applying cold to your nipples or air drying increases the pain, investigate whether the discomfort you are experiencing is related to nipple vasospasm.
Taking mild over-the-counter pain medication whatever you find effective for a headache can also be useful. Wash your hands with soap and water very frequently during the treatment period — especially after nursing, diaper changes, and handling your breasts. Dry with a clean towel, or even paper towels during the treatment period. Pumping your breasts and offering baby milk by a small cup may be another alternative, especially while you have cracked nipples.
Just make sure you are sterilizing pump parts and feeding utensils after each use. It is unclear whether the milk you pump during a thrush outbreak can be frozen and fed to your baby in the future as freezing does not kill yeast. Indicate on the bags whether they were pumped during thrush treatment and use if no alternatives are available or if you determine that you did not experience thrush in the first place.
Yeast infections take some time to treat and heal. There is a section on treatment for other causes of sore nipples in this post. Nonetheless, experience tells us that yeast infections on other parts of the body can often be addressed without these extra steps.
If you decide to try these home remedies, they should be in addition to the medication, not instead of it. Maybe you and your family have been dealing with suspected thrush for weeks or months.
Persistent pain can be exhausting, and you are to be commended for sticking it out so long through this challenge! If you find that all of these treatments for your yeast infection do not improve your situation, it is possible that you are experiencing a condition other than thrush.
Discomfort related to a shallow latch remains the most common cause of nipple pain. If you decide to make major changes to your diet, you may find it helpful to consult a dietician. Research has shown that bottle-fed babies are more likely to develop thrush. Formula, on the other hand, has high levels of added iron, which may encourage the growth of yeasts.
Thrush is more common in mothers who are run down or under stress. Sweetened and processed foods are low in nutrients. So try to eat a varied diet of vitamin and mineral rich foods instead. Although scientific evidence is lacking, some mothers decide to try the following alongside prescribed medication:. Altering the relative acidity pH of your nipple skin may reduce itching. Rinse your nipples with:. If your GP suspects thrush he will select an appropriate treatment option for you and your baby.
Even if symptoms improve earlier, certain medication needs to be used for a particular period of time to clear the infection. Follow the guidelines provided with the specific medication or ask your doctor or pharmacist for more detailed guidance. Thrush spreads easily, so both you and your baby need simultaneous treatment to avoid reinfecting one another — even if one of you is symptom free.
Research has shown that mothers often test positive for thrush before symptoms appear. When deciding whether to use medications you will want to weigh the potential benefit against the possible side effects. Treatment will depend on whether there is any inflammation or an associated bacterial infection. You can discuss this with your GP and health care team. You may find it helpful to share this page with your doctor. Doctors may prescribe one of the following creams or ointments when thrush is diagnosed.
See Applying creams or ointments for information on application and oral treatment. Always wash your hands before and after application. If applying using a finger, keep your fingernails short. The easiest way to apply this is to pour the correct dose onto a measuring spoon and apply with a dropper or swab.
Discard the swab after use. Some strains of thrush are becoming resistant to nystatin. Please note : Oral gel applied to your breast is unlikely to be effective; it has not been formulated for this use in this way, so will not have effective topical properties. Take care to wash your hands before and after application. Wipe away any excess cream or ointment before nursing your baby. A water-soluble cream is more likely to have been absorbed by the skin. An oily ointment is best avoided as it may need removing with warm water and mild soap.
Vigorous washing can cause further soreness. After nursing, rinse your nipples in a solution of 1 cup water mixed with 1 tbsp of white vinegar or baking soda.
Pat dry and apply antifungal cream. Instead of a topical cream your doctor may prescribe an oral antifungal medication such as Diflucan Fluconazole to be taken daily for 14 days. Wear wide-based, hard, Medela nipple shells to prevent your bra from sticking to your sore nipples; or use soft, disposable nursing pads changed at every feeding. Wash your hands frequently.
Use paper towels for drying Change bra daily. Reducing consumption of dairy products, heavily sweetened foods and processed carbohydrate foods can be helpful. Probiotics can build good bacteria in the digestive track and help clear the body of the overgrowth of yeast. A reliable brand is Healthy Trinity by Natren; take as directed or follow the directions on the bottle.
There are safe probiotics available for babies too. Another immune system booster is Echinacea. Buy a quality brand such as Nature's Way and take 3 to 4 capsules a day. Because freezing does not kill yeast, any milk frozen during the infection will need to be boiled before being given to the baby. It could also be used later when the baby's immune system is stronger. Milk pumped during the infection, but not frozen, can be fed to the baby within 24 hours of pumping.
All rights reserved. This article has not been prepared by a physician, is not intended as medical advice, and is not a substitute for regular medical care.
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