Thrush & Mastitis

I had mastitis once, it was horrible. I called my local La Leche league leader and got some advice. Some of the recommendations are:

1. Nurse with that breast first, that is when the baby is sucking the hardest and it will help unclog the duct. She also said something about trying to direct the baby's nose toward the source of the pain.

2. Drink LOTS of liquids. Make some hot herbal tea and after you steep the tea, put the hot tea bags on the source of the pain.

3. She also told me to get in the tub (now this sounds awkward) and get on my knees and hold the infected breast under warm water.

4. Make sure that you REST, I know that it is hard to do when you have a baby, but it is essential to you getting better.

I would also check out your bras. Some women that I know developed clogged ducts because their bras weren't fitting right, then the clogged ducts turned into mastitis and so on...

I would also find your local La Leche League and contact the leaders (their numbers are usually on the website) as they can provide invaluable information and support.

As for the thrush, I saw that someone recommended Gentian Violet already. I have heard that works great for thrush, I have also heard that some diluted vinegar works, I am not sure on the strength though. I would also take some probiotics, they replace the good bacteria that antibiotics destroy, they are the same types that are found in yogurt.

Good luck!

I was in your shoes with my first born - and they are not fun shoes!!

If there is a painful lump again, you're probably right that the mastitis has returned. Take care of that right away (call your ob) or you could end up hospitalized from the fever - and away from your son. The fever spiked out of nowhere for me. I felt fine and then suddenly could not stop shaking, literally within minutes.

As for the thrush, you also need to treat yourself with a topical ointment, even if you're not showing any signs. (Again, call your ob for a prescription. Mine was willing to call in a prescription without seeing me simply because my baby had been diagnosed.) That is very hard to get rid of because it spreads so easy. If your son sucks his thumb, a pacifier, the occasional bottle, etc. he will reinfect himself if you're not vigilant about sterilizing those items until the thrush is gone.

H. -
At this point I am not sure what to tell you. But once you do get everything cleared up between the both of you, you may want to use white vinegar on your nipples. Just put it on a cotton round like you would peroxide or the toner you use on your face and wipe your nipples especially after showering and before and after nursing. Vinegar is a natural ph neutralizer and should keep the problem from redeveloping again - once the 2 of you are cleared up from this bout! It's sounds kind of yucky but your baby will get used to it and it should keep you from having to go through all of this. This was recommended to me by a lactation consultant while I was in the hospital with my second child. I never had a problem with mastitis or thrush with my second baby! Good luck this is a very unfun cycle!
Val

Hi H.. I had the same problem. I had to be on antibiotics, but then my daughter got thrush and yeast diaper rash and passed it into the deep tissues of my breasts. So, I was on diflucan for two weeks and my daughter was on Nystatin oral drops and Nystatin diaper rash cream. If you have to use Nystain cream, make sure you get the ointment, because the cream tends to rub right off and onto the diaper. :( Also, make sure you are washing everything (pacifiers, bottles, nipples, etc...) AND sterilizing! All those things can harbor the yeast. EVERY time EITHER of you are on antibiotics, YOU need to take acidophilis and should eat yogurt (if you like it). And watch for the patches of thrush in his mouth and the raised yeast rash on his butt area. Since the issue we had, I take the acidophilis and eat yogurt on a regular basis...We haven't had a problem since! :) Take care. A.

Hi H., I hope you are still breast feeding. Keep emptying the breast well, if you see a plugged duct, try to massage and gently squeeze the plug out, with washed hands of course. Pump well, to facilitate complete emptying. Try to direct the baby's nose just above the site where the problem is, and be sure the baby is latching properly, in order to encourage emptying the breast well. This should help alleviate the problem. Also, you can request a gentian violet solution, diluted, from a compounding pharmacy, like Walgreen's, to paint on the baby's tongue, and on your nipple, once or twice a day, for 3 days only. This will help clear the yeast. J. C.

Oh honey, I feel for you. Mastitis sucks - excuse my language.

If you feel the fever coming back, you need to immediately renew your presciption for antibiotics. Mine came back 5 days after I was done taking the first perscription...I renewed, took that, and then it was gone for good. Annabelle breast-fed the entire time. I don't know about the thrush....call the pediatritian. If they're not able to answer, get one who can. I go to Dr. Levy's office in Dearborn. They're great.
J.

For the thrush there is a suppliment out that is 16 strands of healthy bacteria that fight the bad bacteria in the body my family doctor recommended it and it worked for my sons thrush when he had it and with it constantly in his system he was having chronic ear infections this stuff stopped that also. this miracle is called iFlora ACIDOPHILUS CAPSULES. You can purchase it at healthfood stores. my dr recommends Iflora over the counter and nystatin thru prescription every time I get antiboitics.

Hi H.,

I'm sorry to hear your going through mastitis and thrush. I've been there and it's no fun.

I would recommend contacting your local La Leche League leader for help. Here's the link on how to find her: http://www.lalecheleague.org/leaderinfo.html

To treat the thrush, I had much more success with grapefruit seed extract: http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/thrush.asp
The genitian violet was so messy and it didn't do the trick for us.

Here's a link on recurrent mastitis: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/recurrent-mastiti...

I hope you and your little one are feeling better soon.

Kind regards,
J.

When I had this for the pain in the breast use cabbage leafs it will help tremondously. you just put a leaf on your breast and wear your bra- but only use it for a little while, once the pain is releaved, because they also help to dry you up. I did not have that problem because of course your still nursing.
As fas as the thrush my son didn't get that so sorry I can not help, the only thing is maybe pumping

Dear H., I am so sorry this is a cycle I went through. If you are running a feaver that means you probably still have an infection so I would go back to the dr. ASAP. I went through this with my second child. Warm compress can help too. As for the thrush my pediatrician told me about liquid violet. It is truley violet and I used it on my daughter and on my breast when I was taking antibiotics. Always check with your pediatrician. You can get it at health food stores or the pharmecy. It is so hard. Try showers too but really go back to the dr. so that the infection does not get out of control. Hang in there this will pass and before you know it he will be two. I know that it is so painful. Take care M.