Conventional treatment for thrush in breastfeeding moms and babies includes a topical antifungal cream for your nipples and an oral rinse for your child.
Continue treatment as directed by your doctor. Coupling topical and oral medications with practical changes to your day-to-day life may be a better treatment than medication alone. At-home steps for treating a yeast infection include:. If thrush persists beyond a month after treatment begins, speak to your doctor. 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.
Breast and nipple pain in breastfeeding women is sometimes caused by a thrush candida infection in the breast. Breastfed babies can also develop thrush in their mouths. Thrush infections sometimes happen when your nipples become cracked or damaged. This means the candida fungus that causes thrush can get into your nipple or breast. Thrush infections can also happen after you or your baby has had a course of antibiotics.
Antibiotics may reduce the number of helpful bacteria in the body and allow the candida fungus that causes thrush to flourish. If you suspect you or your baby has a thrush infection, see your health visitor or GP. They can arrange for swabs to be taken from your nipples and your baby's mouth to see if thrush is present.
It's important other causes of breast pain are ruled out before you start treatment for thrush. If no thrush is present, the pain may be caused by something else, such as poor positioning and attachment. It's important for your midwife, health visitor or a breastfeeding specialist to watch you do a full breastfeed and give advice if needed. Persistent nipple pain in the early weeks of breastfeeding, or nipple pain that appears after several weeks or months of pain-free nursing, may be caused by thrush, which is a yeast infection of the nipples.
Thrush is caused by a yeast fungus, usually Candida albicans. Additional symptoms can include:. When thrush occurs, the discomfort tends to be reported in the nipple region and almost always in both breasts as it is very contagious. You may be at higher risk for developing thrush if you or your baby has had a recent course of antibiotics, your nipples are cracked or damaged, or you are taking oral contraceptives or steroids such as for asthma.
In the past, nipple pain was often attributed to thrush, however current research suggests that it is not as prevalent as once believed. Be sure to examine other causes of nipple and breast pain. Positioning and latching problems are the most common causes of pain. Vasospasm of the nipple or a bacterial infection are often confused with thrush symptoms. Check out our post on Positioning and latch for more information. Thrush can be very difficult to treat for many reasons.
Yeast is so prevalent on our bodies so that some strains are not impacted by initial interventions. A baby may also have yeast rashes in the diaper area.
Any skin that touches other skin is especially vulnerable for the breastfeeding dyad: under arms or breasts, between fingers or toes, in the groin area, and even in the creases of the eyelid.
Yeast can spread to other family members as well, especially with shared bedding or eating utensils or cups. The ABM is a worldwide organization of medical doctors dedicated to the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding. They recommend:. Of course, different people react better to different medicines, so you may have to try more than one. Check with your health care professional about the medications listed and other options.
After treatment for thrush begins, the symptoms may not disappear quickly. 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.
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