Thrush Breast feeding Why hurt?

This consultation ran strongly in my memory. And when they say "thrush" I always remember this event ...

Natasha has invited a consultant on breastfeeding in order to solve the problem of lack of weight gain of the child. During the 2nd month of life Sasha added only 250 grams

That opened my eyes? The boy lay quietly in his crib and ... sucking his hand, or rather all four fingers, except the thumb, was in his mouth.

- That you always like this? - I asked my mother.

- Yes, when the baby is awake, and even in a dream, he was always with his hand. Do not cry!

- So often it is necessary to give the breast, and that will then allow good.

- Yes, I give ... but only 5 times a day ... because I hurt - my mother said with tears in her eyes.

I expected to see in the cracks of the nipples tortured. But no, there was no injury. Gentle chest with pronounced nipples - to easily make a breast baby. I ask about how and when the chest pain. Mom told me that hurt the capture, then comes relief, but not for long. And the further feeding continues, the greater the growing feeling "like hot bundles pulls in the chest", it becomes impossible to feed. Between feedings skin on the nipple and areola itchy, my mother often does not know where to go ... smears emollient cream for the nipples. It helps for a few minutes, then again itching and burning ...

I have carefully examined the nipple and areola. The skin was like parchment: stretched, dryish. Areola and nipple were pinkish, slightly swollen.

After her mother described the condition and feelings, breast exams there was little doubt that this is a fungal infection, commonly called " thrush breast ".

Thrush - a disease caused by the fungus Candida albicans. Fungus loves milk and place of its generation. Infection can develop in the mouth of the child and on the nipples of nursing mothers. The nipples are pink, the skin on the nipple and areola foliated, itching, burning. The pain may be slightly reduced at applying child, taking showers, airing chest. Lubrication nipple and areola by conventional means from the teat injuries gives relief, but for a short time and does not eliminate the problem. A child can be a perfectly healthy, and also struck a fungal infection (oral cavity and / or the area of ​​the diaper).
Often the hallmark of such problems with the breast is completely painless during lactation (except when thrush occurs immediately after birth). Antibiotics and a history of a mother increases the chances of diabetes thrush nipple.

We try to attach the baby to the breast, no complaints about the correctness of applying I did not have. And the kid, of course, was ready to suck more ... but my mother took him from the chest in 10 minutes. It was unbearably painful.

Of course, in this situation, my mother tried as far as possible to delay the next feeding, and her son carefully in this "help" - sucking his hand.

I advised to consult a dermatologist for diagnosis and prescription of treatment. I support and encourage my mother, that her problem will be solved soon and then I will come to it again as soon as the improvement of the breast.

I showed how to express milk, and encouraged to finish feeding the baby expressed breast until the breast will take medical treatment. We discussed the pumping mode, the mode of feeding and amount of supplementary feeding, hygiene and family during infection of the fungus.

Treatment of breast thrush

Facilitate at the time of the state of mothers can simple home remedies - for example, wash the chest with a weak solution of vinegar. But you must immediately consult your doctor, who may prescribe an antifungal cream for moms, antifungal oral suspension for child medication by mouth, if the local media have no effect, or relapse. Medicaments as recommended creams and suspensions applied to the nipples after feeding.
If treatment is chosen correctly, the improvement should occur within 72 hours. Duration of treatment thrush breast typically about 2 weeks. In addition, it is necessary to restore the normal flora of the body, this will help live yogurt and acidophilus.
Attention! If fungal infection n Elzy freeze expressed milk. You can finish feeding immediately after pumping. By repeating the infection is useful to treat the whole family. It is important to protect the nipple from injury, carefully applying and weaning the baby. The skin of the nipple and areola with thrush is easily injured.

After 10 days, I again visited the family. My visit was more friendly, supportive.

I met a happy mom. Toddler rescued safely in its cradle - sweetly hands crossed on his chest. My mother fed him for a week almost exclusively breastfed every 2 hours. The child disappeared need to suck your hands, because now you can breastfeed without limit! The increase in 10 days was 400 g

Natasha said that the dermatologist has confirmed the diagnosis of fungal infection and appointed an antifungal cream. She was relieved for the second day and began to put the baby more often. Out of pumping and supplementation. We discussed this with my mother, when called up on the phone all the time Natalia was connected. Generally, treatment "thrush" lasts 2 weeks. Mother clearly followed the doctor's prescriptions and does not interrupt processing nipples. Ahead was a few days of treatment. But it does not bother Natalia, she was something to compare.

Preventing breast thrush

1. Proper use of disposable or reusable breast pads, if the milk is leaking.
2. The use of cotton underwear and basic hygiene.
3. Careful treatment of breast pumps and other accessories for komrleniya if Mom uses them.

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