Comments on: Breastfeeding and Yeast Infection – Taming the yeast beast

By: Robert Shumake

Robert Shumake — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:21:32 +0000

Your site was extremely interesting, especially since I was searching for thoughts on this subject last Thursday. -Robert Shumake Fifth Third

By: KELLY

KELLY — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:39:04 +0000

I HAVE BEEN THRU THIS TWICE, AND I AM CURRENTLY STILL FIGHTING YEAST INFECTION#2. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IS WAS W/ BABY #1, BUT MY LACTATION CONSULTANTS KNEW, AND HELPED ME RIGHT AWAY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I DIDN’T KNOW TO SEEK HELP AS SOON AS I SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE BEING A NEW MOM IN 2006, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS JUST EXPERIENCING SORE NIPPLES. I WENT THRU EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE READ HERE TODAY. YES, SOME WOMEN, AND EVEN DOCTORS DO NOT KNOW YOU CAN GET A YEAST INFECTION OF THE BREAST. YES, IT IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL, YES, IT IS LIKE BEING STUCK W/ ICE PICKS IN THE BACK AND IN THE CHEST, STERNUKM, AND BREASTS. AND YES, EVEN THE SHIRTS RUBBING ACROSS YOUR BREASTS HURT. THERE IS NO SENSE IN NOT FEEDING YOUR BABY, BECAUSE IT HURTS WHETHER THEY ARE FEEDING OR NOT, SO IF IT’S GOING TO HURT ANYWAY, I MIGHT AS WELL FEED. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE SAY TO QUIT NURSING. THE FIRST TIME AROUND, I DELIVERED 5 WEEKS EARLY, SO IT WAS PROBABLY BROUGHT ON BY THE ANTIBIOTIC THEY PUT ME ON, BECAUSE I DIDN’T MAKE IT FAR ENOUGH TO GET TESTED FOR GROUP-E Y STREP. I USED APNO-ALL PURPOSE NIPPLE OINTMENT RECOM. BY JOHN NEUMANN, AND UNTIL THE PHARMACY GOT THAT TOGETHER, I USED GENTION VIOLET, TOO. I WAS ALSO PUT ON A 28 DAY CYCLE OF DIFLUCAN. I WASHED ALL OF MY STUFF IN BLEACH, TRIED TO GET SUNLIGHT TO MY CLOTHES AND MY NIPPLES. THAT WAS HARD W/ A DEC. BABY. THIS IS NOW AN JULY BABY, SO IT WAS A LITTLE EASIER. NO ONE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT A WOMAN GOES THRU W/ THIS UNLESS THEY EXPERIENCE IT THEMSELVES. I DREADED THIS 2ND TIME, BECAUSE I WAS HAVING AN EMERGENCY C-SECTION BECAUSE OF A BREACH BABY SOAKED IN MECONIUM, AND AS THEY WERE GIVING ME THE ANTIBIOTICS IV, I KNEW I WAS DESTINED TO SUFFER W/ A YEAST INFECTION OF THE BREAST AGAIN, AND I AM, AND YES, IT GOES INTO THE DUCTS. SO AFTER 28 DAYS OF DIFLUCAN, AFTER CONVINCING THE DOCTOR OF THE DOSE AND DAYS,(BY THE WAY, IT IS 400 MG DAY1, AND THEN 200 MG FOR THE NEXT 27 DAYS),I ONLY HAD A FEW DAYS LEFT, AND I GOT CELLULITIS F THE RT.EAR FROM A SPIDER BITE, AND THE PCP WANTED TO PUT ME ON KEFLEX, AND I THOUGHT OH NO, AND ANTIBIOTIC, BUT I’M NOT DONE MY DIFLUCAN. 2 DAYS LEFT, AND DON’T YOU KNOW IT STARTED BACK AGAIN, W/ THE STABBING PAINS, AND I THOUGHT YOU HAVE GOT TO BE __C_ING KIDDING ME. SO , YES I GOT MY DOC TO GIVE ME ANOTHER 28 DAYS OF DIFLUCAN. I’M SCARED TO QUIT, I HAVE ONLY TOMORROW, AND I AM HOPEFULLY DONE, AND HEALED. I AM WORRIED, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP MY SWEETS, BUT I HAVE BEEN TAKING PRIMADOPHILUS, PER MY LACTATION CONSULTANTS RECOMMENDATION. I’M NOT SURE HOW THAT HELPS, BUT I HAVE BEEN TAKING IT. NEITHER OF MY BABIES HAVE EVER GOTTEN THRUSH. THE FIRST BABY USED A NIPPLE SHIELD FOR 4 MONTHS AND I NURSED HER FOR 14 MONTHS. THIS BABY IS 12 WEEKS OLD AND I HAVE ONLY BEEN RECENTLY NURSING W/O PAIN. IT IS SAD TO THINK OF ALL OF THOSE UNINFORMED MOTHERS AND TO THINK THAT THEY MAY HAVE STOPPED NURSING BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT IS HOW PAINFULLY NURSING IS SUPPOSED TO BE. THIS SEEMS TO BE OUT THERE ENOUGH, SO WHY DOES IT SEEM THAT OUR OB/GYNS ARE CLUELESS? KELLY

By: manda

manda — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:47:31 +0000

LADIES-take some pain relievers! I have breast yeast & got permission from obgyn to take 4 ibeprofen every 6 hours. it realllly helps! try to schedule it for when u have the most pain, mine was worse in evening.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:58:05 +0000

I can only say – THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! It is so nice to find helpful ladies open to NATURAL remedies (yet not close-minded, so they also tried medical stuff). I plan on trying the ideas starting with least medical to most!
Thank you!

By: Vaginal Itch Yeast Infection Homemade Remedy

Vaginal Itch Yeast Infection Homemade Remedy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:04:38 +0000

[...] Breastfeeding and Yeast Infection [...]

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:22:23 +0000

I had yeast problems in my nipples as well. What cured if for me and him once and for all was baby jarro probiotic powder. A lady at the natural foods store told me about it. While the infection was bad I dabbed a little on each nipple for 3 feedings. Once it got better cut it down to two, and then finally for maintenance once a day. It worked like a charm. Nothing the doctor did helped. I had a few rounds of difflucan it would be better for a couple of days and then just come right back. Then they told me to put athletes foot cream on it basically and wipe it off before he ate, that didn’t work eather. The Jarro is it. I’m pregnant with #2 and I’m telling you I’m going to use that stuff from day one, that junk is miserable.

By: Eating to Survive Motherhood | Interview with Eating to Survive Motherhood author Christi Collins | Natural Moms Talk Radio

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:45:57 +0000

[...] the mom or the baby has thrush, then the mom needs to pay close attention to her diet and make sure she’s not consuming a lot of [...]

By: Best of NaturalMomsTalkRadio 2008 | Top blog posts on NaturalMomsTalkRadio for 2008 | Natural Moms Talk Radio

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:21:13 +0000

[...] Breastfeeding and yeast infection – A lot of moms must be suffering from this problem, because this page gets more traffic than any [...]

By: stacie

stacie — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:37:00 +0000

i have a 5 month old and have been fighting a yeast infection for about 3 months now. i didn’t know what was wrong at first. i breast fed fine with no problems for two months and then all of a sudden i was having this terrible pain like my baby had razor sharp teeth that were cutting into my skin every time he eats. i have taken about 11 dozes of diflucan, where you just take the one pill. my baby has had nystatin and i have had the nystatin cream. i just started using vinegar on my nipples as well. i have read some places baking soda helps and other places that it doesn’t. the pain is back and its terrible. it makes me want to cry at each feeding but i am determined to keep nursing. i don’t know what else to do though…

By: carrie

carrie — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:36:11 +0000

Hi Angie,

my advice would be to get to a naturopath or a forward thinking md to check for food allergy. The cracking has to resolve, that is how the yeast is getting a foot hold. an underlying food allergy could be contributing. sorry for your troubles!
I know what it’s like. Has your husband been treated also?

Carrie

By: Angie

Angie — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:53:43 +0000

I have been fighting a breast yeast infection for a few months now. My baby (4th one) is 9 months old and I am desperate to get rid of the infection. I never had a single problem with the other 3 kids. I didn’t know you could even get a breast yeast infection. I’ve got a very strong nurser this time around and cracks around both of my nipples (all the way around). It feels as if someone is cutting me with a knife when he first gets on. This baby has never taken a bottle. He will drink from a cup, but I can’t get much when I pump. He will not drink formula. I’ve been on 2 courses of diflucan and Nystatin for months. The baby was treated, but I’ve never seen thrush in his mouth. I haven’t tried the gentian violet yet (it’s on order at Walmart), but from what I’ve heard, I think my case is too far gone. Is there such a thing as the yeast infection becoming deep into the breast. Anyone have any NEW advice for a REALLY bad breast yeast infection?

By: Natracare Mom and Baby Products | Natural Moms Talk Radio

Natracare Mom and Baby Products | Natural Moms Talk Radio — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:58:50 +0000

[...] Plastic backed nursing pads are bad because they aren’t as breathable and therefore encourage breast yeast infection. Some of them also contain perfumes that can be irritating to [...]

By: carrie

carrie — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:21:48 +0000

Hi Tiffany,

I’m so sorry to hear of your trouble!

I had to fight candida for a year with my first.

Has your husband or sexual partner been treated? My husband had to be treated because candida is transmitted sexually but often men have no symptoms. His doctor recommended he take Pau D’Arco capsules and he did.

Also, stay on the Diflucan. I think I was on it for a month. It is often prescribed for only a week or even less for vaginal yeast infection but if the problem is systemic, you might need to take it for a long time.

Is it possible you could have an underlying food allergy or other problem that is hampering your immune system? Have you tried going off wheat? I have a mild wheat allergy that was contributing to my problem so laying off wheat helped. Eating a high protein (lots of meat) diet with veggies and rice and limiting sugar, even in carbs and fruits, helps.

Eat lots of probiotic, live foods like kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut (homemade or buy Bubbie’s, it’s the only raw sauerkraut sold in grocery stores), take acidophilus.

Have you tried taking grapefruit seed extract capsules? You can also safely give the baby acidophilus. If he is 8 months old you can give him a little kefir or yogurt too. Both are easier to digest than milk, and provide important gut nutrients. Try to obtain homemade kefir or make it yourself. I have some extra kefir grains if you’re interested.

I hope that helps.

Carrie

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:16:44 +0000

I have been breastfeeding for the past eight monts and have been fighting thrush for the past seven months.I will take diflucan and it will clear up a little while then be back.They gave me a strong antibiotic because i went in labor @ 35 weeks and they said that it was because of a bladder infection and i also had penicillin during labor a few weeks later because i am strep b positive.Please can anyone help.I breastfed my last child for a whole year with no problem i just dont understand it and im ready to throw in the towel.

By: tberg

tberg — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:00:47 +0000

There is a post on here about breast shields possibly preventing yeast. Not so. The impatient nurse at the hospital gave me a shield when we had problems with latch. (Silly – I learned later that a few moments on a pump would draw out the nipple for the baby just fine.) I developed very painful yeast. It seemed like sore nipples but then got into the ducts – it was sore and hot during the whole feeding and then afterwards also. By the time I diagnosed myself with help from Dr. Mom’s guide, I had a serious yeast problem. The midwives made me try the Nystatin for three months before they gave me the Diflucan. (I had to have the lactation consultant tell the women that they have given the medicine to babies with yeast overgrowth.) In the meantime I tried everything, but I think the warm weather (summer baby) and the shield, as well as too small nursing bras made it worse. I did notice that when I cut any and all sugar in my diet and took garlic and ate plain yogurt every day – the yeast subsided. It never really left though – and then the moment I had a piece of pie it was back and very punishing. Be careful of the shield. I understand it helps a lot of folks, but I think that there are some nurses out there who give them to anyone who is having trouble, to make everyone stop crying, without really being educated. I don’t think a lactation consultant would have given me a shield. But I couldn’t deal with the shield issue and the yeast at the same time. And then once the yeast was gone, he was so use to the shield. It was very inconvenient. Although I did manage to breastfeed him for almost a year – and had a very positive experience nursing overall despite the early problems and the shield.

By: World Breastfeeding Week | Blog posts and articles on breastfeeding | Natural Moms Talk Radio

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:01:05 +0000

[...] Breastfeeding and yeast infection – taming the yeast beast [...]

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braless breast — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:59:15 +0000

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By: nystatin in breastmilk

nystatin in breastmilk — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:51:42 +0000

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By: Brittany

Brittany — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:25:29 +0000

I’m glad I read your article, because I’ve really neglected pregnancy and breast yeast infections in my own blog. I love those natural remedies ideas, especially the baking soda one, because I’ve never heard anything about banking soda as a yeast infection treatment before. Perhaps I’ll make breast yeast infections a topic of a future article.

I hope you don’t mind if I link this post on my blog.

Thanks for the great article,
Brittany

By: Erin Federico

Erin Federico — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:25:08 +0000

When i had my first child 5 1/2 years ago i had a lot of trouble with breastfeeding and it wound up that he also had feeding problems i eventually gave up and he wound up on Alimentum Formula (to make a long story short). When i became pregnant this time i was very determined that breastfeeding would work. I sought out for everything that could possible make breast feeding easier when i came across this product made by Advent there silicone nipple protectors that can be worn over you nipple if your having latching problems or sore nipples. My new baby is now 9weeks old and i’ll tell you in those first few weeks they were a great help. So while i haven’t yet had a problem with thrush i would imagine that they would work great to form a barrier so you both you and baby could heal and not continuously spread the thrush back and forth. (i’ve only seen this product in babies r us and baby depot.)

By: Nell Taliercio

Nell Taliercio — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:04:21 +0000

I’ve told mine a gazillion times before (with candida and the baby’s thrush), but I had to chime in and say that coconut oil is fabulous! We use it in our cooking every day. It’s tasty, seems to last a long time and you gotta love the health benefits of it. Great post about this issue, Carrie. If I get pregnant again I’ll know how to handle such issues should they arrise.

By: carrie

carrie — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:17:58 +0000

Wow ladies. Thanks to each of you for sharing your stories. Hopefully they’ll be helpful to a lot of other moms who find themselves in the same situation!

By: Malkie

Malkie — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:50:09 +0000

It’s amazing that most “doctors” out there don’t know that you can have yeast in your milk ducts. With my second son, I started having these shooting pains in the sides of my breasts and noone knew what was causing them. I researched all over the internet until I found Jack Newmans information and figured it out by myself. That time, I got anti-biotics because I didn’t know what else to do. With my next baby, it felt totally different. It started as sore nipples. It got so bad that I developed a hole in the skin on my nipple, that was excruciating every time my baby nursed. I finally had to stop nursing her for a few days to let it heal – that was one of the hardest things I’ve EVER had to do…………..I took a good probiotic (Nature’s Way), and cut out ALL sugars- even vegetabes with sugar (like beets). It was a great diet , I lost a couple pounds, but it was really hell to go through. Now I implore women that whenver they feel any discomfort they should talk to a profesional lactation consultant about it BEFORE it becomes really painful. Giving up the foods you like for a few weeks is nothing compared to a big hole in your nipple!!!

By: Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings

Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:38:22 +0000

I dealt with thrush with three of my seven children while nursing them. As soon as I started itching I knew what it was. I ended up having to get antibiotics for the baby and a cream for me because it would just go full blow overnight and be horrendous. I wish I had know of the more natural alternatives then. I discovered that it was the nursing pads I was using that was causing it. I shucked them after I identified the culprit. Of course, it wasn’t until the third round of nursing a baby that I figured it out. I wished I had discovered it a lot sooner.

By: Eleanor Irvington

Eleanor Irvington — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:37:47 +0000

Hi, great article! I had thrush while breastfeeding (it was many years ago), and I wish I had known more then.

I found a good site with information for pregnant or breastfeeding women. There is lots of information about what supplements to take, and also a page with information on yeast infections and what vitamins might help as well as other things.

Thanks again for the information and good luck to all of you!

-Eleanor

By: Jessica Oren

Jessica Oren — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:32:51 +0000

I am with child and an intolerance to yeast, gluten, lactose, vinegar and wheat has arose in this pregnancy. I have been studying candida, yeast allergies, and food allergies the past several months and have come to the determination that YEAST IS NOT GOOD FOR US. I have substituted with baking soda and baking powder (which really does improve your alkaline levels in your body). It’s even good to take baking soda with water or juice every day as a supplement to balance your alkaline (did you know that disease/viruses/bacteria cannot live in a body that is alkaline???!!!). Make sure the baking soda and powder you buy is NON GMO (Genet. Modified Organism)!!! Otherwise you will not receive it’s true benefits. Yeast is a fugus/mold. Other alkaline helpers are: pineapple and hydrogen peroxide (non gmo food grade) and probably much more. Other probiotics are: Aloe (juice or whole leaf is best taken orally), Grapefruit seed extract (orally), alive Acidophilus, oil of oregano (I take this every day 1-2 drops for pregnant women), Garlic (this helps with EVERYTHING) taken fresh and organic preferred, and so much more! I developed a rash in the beginning of my pregnancy due to YEAST overgrowth, as I changed my diet and began to use some probiotics I noticed the awful rash to disappear. I will keep with this diet when I nurse so that I don’t develop THRUSH. Have fun researching!

By: Christy Maddox

Christy Maddox — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:03:35 +0000

When my daughter was about 1 month old, she developed Thrush, and she’s a breastfed baby. However, I did not develop the symptoms of Thrush on my nipples, but I treated my daughter’s mouth as well as my nipples with Nystatin. The treatment was successful. The article here mentions probiotic, which I take daily, and I give it to my daughter one time per day as well. She was born via C-section, and I have recently learned that children born via C-section do not ingest the intestinal flora (vaginally delivered babies get this from their mother’s vaginal canal) that regulates healthy digestion, making them more suceptible to candida overgrowth (Alternatives, Volume 11, No. 19, Dr. David Williams). So, especially for you mom’s whose babies were brought into the world via C-section, get your children some probiotic. You can find it in health food stores. However, I use and recommend the Probiotic from Transformation Enzyme Corporation, which I obtain from a Naturopathic Doctor. Probiotic has also work wonders clearing up food allergies.