Could thrush be causing my nipple pain?
Although yeast is normal on all bodies, thrush is caused by too much of a certain type of yeast: Candida yeast. Thrush thrives in warm, moist environments, like baby’s mouth or diaper area and mom’s nipples.
There can be an increased risk for thrush after taking antibiotics, using birth control, or if a mom has diabetes.
Symptoms of thrush include:
- Shooting or burning pain
- Pain throughout the entire feeding that may spread to the back or shoulder
- Shiny, flaky skin on the nipples/areola
- White patches in baby’s mouth (not just the tongue)
- Diaper rash
If you suspect that you or your baby have thrush, contact your doctor. It is best for both mom and baby to be treated, so thrush is not passed back and forth. There are many different treatments that your doctor might prescribe, so work closely with your doctor, and let them know if a treatment is not working for you or baby.
If you or your baby is diagnosed with thrush, keep breastfeeding! It is recommended to wash bras and anything that touches the breasts or baby’s mouth in hot/soapy water and change breast pads frequently. Any milk pumped during the time of infection should be fed to baby while you’re still receiving treatment. It is not recommended to freeze the breast milk to offer later, as this can cause thrush to return.
There are other causes for sore nipples, and some symptoms of thrush overlap with vasospasm.
Great job continuing to breastfeed through nipple pain! Reach out to your peer counselor for support.
SOURCE: Mohrbacher, N. (2020). Breastfeeding Answers: A Guide for Helping Families (2nd Ed.)
Newman, J., Pitman, T. (2014) Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding (Revised Edition)
Additional Resources: https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/thrush/