Painful nursing newborn

QUESTION: I have been breast feeding since the recovery room after my c-section. At the time, the pain didn't seem bad, and only lasted a few seconds at the beginning of the session. However, I was on pain killers for the surgery.

For the last few days, the pain in my nipples has gotten much worse, and continues to hurt after the feeding is over. I feels like my nipples are on fire, and sometimes there is pain deeper in the breast during nursing. I talked with my doctors office, and they said to use monistat cream, applied to the nipple area. I am to rinse it off before nursing, and then apply again after nursing. They said to call the pediatrician so my son could be treated.

He doesn't have any white patches in his mouth, but he does have a red diaper rash, and red peeling rash in the folds of his thighs. They are prescribing a cream for the diaper area, but not anything for his mouth. From what I understand, won't he keep re-infecting me? Or, since he doesn't have any signs of thrush will just treating the rash work?

Katie,

We have learned that thrush is a very persistent infection and can be present in the baby's mouth even if not visible. It can then re-infect mom if they both aren't treated at the same time. One of the favorite treatments does not require a prescription, is Gentian Violet. You can read more about it in the Web pages of Dr. Jack Newmann: http://www.erols.com/cindyrn/drjack0.htm.

However, if possible your pediatrician can prescribe nystatin liquid for the baby and cream for your nipples. You then don't have to remove it from the nipples, which reduces the irritation. Have you found the monistat helpful? some Candida responds to monistat, other to nystatin, or to other medications. If after 3-4 days there is no relief, you need to try a different medicine. How is the baby's diaper area responding to the medication?

You need to boil anything that comes in contact with the baby's mouth every day, and throw away any pacifiers once the treatment is working as he could be re-infected by this, also. Rinse you nipples with clear water after nursing so the breast milk does not stay in the folds - nourishing the thrush.

The use of antibacterial soap and antibiotics has really caused a resurgence in thrush, which is normally in our skin but kept at bay by our own natural, healthy bacteria. When we kill them via soaps and antibiotics, the thrush can grow beyond our body's natural ability to keep it under control. what you want to do is get your body back in control. some moms use Lactobacillus acidophilus tablets whenever they need to take antibiotics to prevent this unbalance. Eating yogurt can also be helpful if it the one with the live cultures (Dannon is one brand).

Please let me know how things are going...

Jeanette Panchula, BA, RN, IBCLC
Vacaville, CA

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