Symptoms of thrush in a nursing mother
Fungi affect the mucous membranes of the breast. As a result, a nursing mother may experience a number of symptoms indicating that she has thrush. The presence of an infection can be detected if:
- there was an itch of the nipples;
- develop painful sensations in the chest and nipples;
- nipples swell;
- manifestations of vaginal infection are aggravated.
These symptoms are very common in women who have given birth. After treatment, some girls encounter this disease again.
Causes of the disease
Some women do not understand why thrush appears. After all, in sterile conditions of keeping mother and baby, the manifestation of any ailments is unacceptable. However, there are many reasons for its occurrence:
Baby and thrush
If the mother has the listed symptomsIt is necessary to carefully monitor the child. After all, he can be infected, he can get thrush. Therefore, you need to urgently contact your doctor to diagnose the disease. Thrush provokes blockage of milk ducts in the breast. Against the background of the disease, mastitis develops. All these painful sensations contribute to the outflow and decrease in the level of milk production. However, this is not a reason to refuse feeding. After all, the lactation period is so important for physical and psychological contact between mother and child. The main signs of thrush in a baby:
- the appearance of white plaque in the mouth (on the tongue, cheeks, gums);
- refusal of the baby from the breast, as sucking causes him painful sensations;
- manifestation of the rash, mainly in the diaper area.
Treatment of the disease
When the first signs of thrush are detectedyou need to see a specialist. The attending physician will be able to select a set of necessary measures and medications. After all, many medications are prohibited during lactation. Therefore, it is difficult to get rid of this disease on your own. And improper treatment causes the risk of recurrence and worsening of the disease. First of all, when treating thrush, it is necessary to observe all hygiene measures. Proper self-care, frequent hand washing, regular rinsing of the chest and body, "air baths" for the chest - all these measures reduce the risk of occurrence and spread of the disease. If cracks appear on the chest that do not heal for a long time, you should temporarily express milk for feeding. With such damage, the lactation process causes painful sensations. Breast underwear should be made of natural materials. In stores and pharmacies, there is a large selection of special bras for feeding. As a rule, they are made of 100% cotton. Synthetic breast pads should not be used. Bedding should be changed often. It is better to have a separate towel or napkin for the chest to change them daily. In case of thrush, the doctor will discuss a special diet with the nursing woman. The diet should consist mainly of food rich in vitamins. It is not recommended to eat sweet, floury dishes. Carbonated drinks should be excluded from the diet. It is better to replace them with green tea. When the first symptoms of thrush appear, you need to wash the nipples with a soda solution. This procedure should be especially repeated before and after feeding. This solution can remove residual milk from the baby's mouth. It is recommended to sterilize all of the baby's household appliances. Nipples, pacifiers, spoons should be boiled daily. During lactation, you can use antifungal creams. They help eliminate the infection, heal the nipples faster. These ointments are recommended to be applied after feeding. If thrush appears in a child during breastfeeding, then the pediatrician or dermatologist will prescribe special drops, solutions to eliminate it. Very often, a yeast infection disappears forever with proper treatment. In any case, the appearance of thrush should not shorten the lactation period. After all, today there are many ways to combat this disease during breastfeeding. The main thing is to take preventive measures in time and treat this disease correctly. The appearance of the disease should not provoke a refusal to breastfeed. This disease is easily diagnosed and treated both in mother and baby.
