Someone make me feel better about this yeast infection in my breasts!!

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately your pump may be contaminated with thrush. I'd rent a hospital grade one to use while you finish your treatment and either keep it and replace the parts or buy a new pump in style.

My friend had chronic thrush and she ultimately had to do this. She was also an exclusive pumper. The Pumps from the store don't have a protected motor so sometimes this can happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP don't forget to stay topless as much asyou can and get some sun on your boobs. Ditch the pads and change your bra at least 3x a day. Wear only cotton bras and wash in the hottest setting between uses. Dry them in the sun.

Wipe your nipples with vinegar before and after every feed and between applications of topical meds. And after your daily shower. always let it air dry. Don't blow in it!

Sterilize EVERYTHING that touches your breast, milk or your child's mouth every night. Be super serious about it. Thrush is like a weed and you must be very very careful.

where can I get a cotton bra?? I can't find one! My baby does not have thrush and it might be b/c I pump exclusively. I pump 6 times a day and I have sterlized my pump parts once a day. Do I need to sterlize after each use?

What kind of pump are you using? I EPd too and had thrush but at that time, I was using a hospital rental where supposedly milk doesn't get into the motor.

[Anonymous]

I had recurrent thrush (5 times in the first five months) Diflucan helped me but I took it for most of the months and my DD took it too. I asked my OB and pediatrician what was best- formula and breastmilk with diflucan and everybody voted for breastmilk with diflucan. I also did the grapefruit seed extract, the ANPO (make sure to go to a compounding pharmacy), probiotics, sterlizing everything, etc. Kathy McCue, a lactation consultant and nurse practitioner was the person who really helped me sort everything out. Highly recommend a visit with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had recurrent thrush (5 times in the first five months) Diflucan helped me but I took it for most of the months and my DD took it too. I asked my OB and pediatrician what was best- formula and breastmilk with diflucan and everybody voted for breastmilk with diflucan. I also did the grapefruit seed extract, the ANPO (make sure to go to a compounding pharmacy), probiotics, sterlizing everything, etc. Kathy McCue, a lactation consultant and nurse practitioner was the person who really helped me sort everything out. Highly recommend a visit with her.

I second Kathy! She is so experienced. She helped me and a friend of mine with really bad cases.

[Anonymous]

PP 15:40. I forgot to add that I broke open capsules of probiotics and mixed w water to form a paste and put on my nipples and let dry. That seemed to help a bit. No need to wash off, since the probiotics are good for the baby, as well.

Just reading this thread reminds me of how there is no end of stuff to do for thrush and it's very hard to tell what works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had recurrent thrush (5 times in the first five months) Diflucan helped me but I took it for most of the months and my DD took it too. I asked my OB and pediatrician what was best- formula and breastmilk with diflucan and everybody voted for breastmilk with diflucan. I also did the grapefruit seed extract, the ANPO (make sure to go to a compounding pharmacy), probiotics, sterlizing everything, etc. Kathy McCue, a lactation consultant and nurse practitioner was the person who really helped me sort everything out. Highly recommend a visit with her.

I second Kathy! She is so experienced. She helped me and a friend of mine with really bad cases.

Just another opinion. I had a pretty bad experience with Kathy McCue.

I did use Nancy Clark, who diagnosed and helped my thrush. Unfortunately I had it 3 (!!) times, pretty bad. But, OP, I was able to nurse up to a year (since you asked for that).

You've got some great advise from PPs. I agree with the cotton bras. You can do cotton nursing tanks, instead if you can't find nursing bras. And, the vinegar soaks seemed to help, or at least help my breasts feel cooler/less sore.

Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP don't forget to stay topless as much asyou can and get some sun on your boobs. Ditch the pads and change your bra at least 3x a day. Wear only cotton bras and wash in the hottest setting between uses. Dry them in the sun.

Wipe your nipples with vinegar before and after every feed and between applications of topical meds. And after your daily shower. always let it air dry. Don't blow in it!

Sterilize EVERYTHING that touches your breast, milk or your child's mouth every night. Be super serious about it. Thrush is like a weed and you must be very very careful.

where can I get a cotton bra?? I can't find one! My baby does not have thrush and it might be b/c I pump exclusively. I pump 6 times a day and I have sterlized my pump parts once a day. Do I need to sterlize after each use?

What kind of pump are you using? I EPd too and had thrush but at that time, I was using a hospital rental where supposedly milk doesn't get into the motor.

I am using the Ameda Elite Hospital Grade pump. the motor is covered. the only thing that touches the milk is the flanges, the diaphram and the valves. It's considered a "closed pump".

[Anonymous]

PP, that's the one I used too. I don't think you have to sterilize after each use but you could if you wanted. I don't think I did, and I never passed my thrush to my baby. One of the benefits of EPing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had recurrent thrush (5 times in the first five months) Diflucan helped me but I took it for most of the months and my DD took it too. I asked my OB and pediatrician what was best- formula and breastmilk with diflucan and everybody voted for breastmilk with diflucan. I also did the grapefruit seed extract, the ANPO (make sure to go to a compounding pharmacy), probiotics, sterlizing everything, etc. Kathy McCue, a lactation consultant and nurse practitioner was the person who really helped me sort everything out. Highly recommend a visit with her.

I was wondering about that -- if i have to take diflucan over and over again, is that ok for the DD? I hate formula and do not want to give it to her, so it's good to hear that your daughter was ok getting diflucan for 5 months through the breast milk. DId she have any problems or side effects?