Yeast Infection Makes Breastfeeding Painful! Help!

My gynecologist was able to prescribe a cream for it over the phone (she had earlier put me on antibiotics for mastitis, which caused the yeast infection). The yeast infection on my breast went away after only using it a handful of times. While waiting for it, I used a home remedy of crushed probiotics mixed into a paste.

You and baby could both have thrush, so he could have reinfected you. You can have your ped check and prescribe treatment for BOTH of you (otherwise you will just pass it back and forth--you must both be treated until the thrush is gone). You can get a liquid called gentian violet without a prescription at the pharmacy. You basically paint the baby's mouth and your nipples with it, and the thrush usually goes away quickly. We were taking the prescription stuff, which wasn't working, but with the gentian violet we were better w/in 24 hrs. However, the liquid is dark purple and stains everything it comes in contact with. If you google it, you'll find instructions.

My twins and I suffered with yeast problems for a few months. I was on antibiotics for a while after they were born, which definitely encouraged yeast growth. I used coconut oil on my nipples. I would make sure my nipples air dried after every feeding, then I'd put a bit of the oil on them. It's anti-fungal, edible, non-staining and the babies never had a problem with the taste. I also used it on their bottoms to combat yeasty diaper rash.

Personally, I was very reluctant to try a pill. That's what got the yeast started, so I didn't want things to go the other way and wind up with bacteria problems.

Good luck! I know how painful thrush can be!

I agree with Alina on the Dr. JackNewman stuff. There is an ointment that I got a prescription for from my ob/gyn, although a lactation consultant recommened it first. It is called "All Purpose Nipple Ointment". The small problem was getting a place to fill it because they didn't know that that is the actual name. My dr had to give them the "recipe" but I believe that was available on the website. (She literally googled it, while I sat there with her!)
Anyway, it helped immensely!! It was probably one day before mine stopped being so tender! They had also been cracking before that and healed in about two days! Very good stuff!
Good luck and hang in there!

call your dr and tell them about it... Its probibly thrush... which is basicly a yeast infection on the breast and babys mouth... My munchkins never got the patches in their mouth but did have the white tounge... There is a liquid you can give the baby and also put on your breasts to clear it up...

Dear mom, you may both have thrush and unfortunately, if your baby has no signs of it, your pediatrician may be reluctant to prescribe you and/or your baby anything. I struggled with it for months and how I got any medication was thanks to the female nurse practitioner at my ob/gyn's office as my male ob/gyn had no clue what to do and she had experienced it herself. My pediatrician refused to prescribe us something until I called it after the nurse practitioner had prescribed me something and I basically lied on the phone and told my pediatrician's assistance that by then my baby had white patches in his mouth (which he didn't then but they showed up days later) and pediatrician called in prescription for baby. However, the prescribed treatment didn't help, so my lactation consultant suggested I tried the different remedies on the www.drjacknewman.com website, a Canadian physician and an expert in breastfeeding (lactation consultants and la leche league love him) and that is what worked for us. I tried everything but the gentian violet as we were clear of it and that was my last resort ( I didn't want to mess with the purple stains!). Go to the website and in one of the links, it may be the help or questions link, don't remember, but once you get to the right page on the website, click on the link that is called Candida Protocol or something like that. It tells you exactly what to do. Good luck and kuddos for not giving up on breastfeeding, I know how much the nipples can hurt!

I second the Gentian Violet. It does stain, but it works.

It sounds like you may have the beginning signs of mastitis in your breasts as well. Watch for red streaking. Check out www.kellymom.com, it's a GREAT resource for thrush etc. I had mastitis twice with my daughter with in the first couple of months she was born and it's very painful and sucks. Keep pumping or nursing though because that is key. And yes, both of you should get on probiotics. At Sprouts they sell a liquid probiotic that you can give your son. I think we gave Katelynn a tablespoon a day. I'm not sure though, it was over 3 years ago. Good luck. I know your pain!

Okay, for you, you definitely need the 5 or 10 day yeast medication, and he should probably get a dose too, they usually treat mom and baby together. The yeast has gone to your nipple too. The medicine should help, but there is also a MotherLove Diaper Cream and Thrush that you can get at Whole Foods or a co-op that you can put on after feeding, that can help soothe it. I would keep applying it till you are sure it is totally gone. If either of you are on antibiotics, make sure you get a probiotic too to help keep the yeast away! Otherwise it is a vicious cycle.

Oh do I feel for you! This site has such a great article on this:

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/05/treating-and-preventing-th...

I hope you find something that works for you. For me, I finally had to cut out sugar, milk, and soy products. And I took a probiotic. This was the only thing that worked. I reintroduced sugar and milk and soy after there were no signs of yeast for a while. My doc had given up on me--she just said she was so sorry, and didn't know what else to do. I finally found my own solution. I kept breastfeeding (made it another year and a half!) but it was tough until the yeast went away. I had to forego the whole doctor thing and pills and creams and starve the yeast, and feed the good bacteria.

A good probiotic is a yogurt called Bio-K (in the fridge section of the health food store) which is very expensive but super-high quality. A good pill is Lactobacillus (or something like that). You can paint your boob with it too, and give some to your baby. He certainly has a yeast overgrowth, and you certainly have one too. It's systemic, and you have to treat yourself and then take away the yeast's food. Have you been craving sugar? The yeast eats it all up and makes you want more, so you feed it more and it just gets worse. Nasty stuff.

Best of luck to you. You can take care of it pretty quickly with natural stuff. I bet you'll be feeling better soon!