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Symptoms:
Your infant may or may not display the white patches of
yeast on the tongue, cheeks or lips. Your nipples may appear
pink or red but most likely appear normal. A severe pain
(burning, shooting) that lasts during and after the breastfeeding
session is the most common symptom. You may have recently
completed an antibiotic course. Your infant may have a diaper
rash (yeast) or you may have a vaginal yeast infection.
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Treatment (medication):
Yeast is a tough organism to control. You and your infant may
both need to be treated. First, contact your physician.
Initially, you will receive topical medication for your nipple
area. This antifungal (yeast) cream will soak into the breast
tissue and does not need to be removed before breastfeeding.
You may feel relieve after 48 hours of topical treatment but
continue the cream for the full 14 days as the yeast will easily
overgrow again. The infant's mouth will be treated with a liquid
several times a day. Occasionally, an oral tablet medication is
required for treatment of yeast.
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Treatment (other than medication):
Good hand washing is needed to reduce the spread of yeast. A
clean bra each day and new pads each feeding if the pads are
damp is required. Breast shells can be worn inside the bra to
keep clothing off sore nipples and to allow air to circulate.
The infant's hands should be washed frequently. Pacifiers,
breast shells, and breast pumping equipment needs to be washed
with each use and boiled for 20 minutes daily to kill any yeast.
Towels and clothing should be washed in the hottest water
possible. Remember that yeast takes two weeks to control and
treatment is required throughout that period.
Recurrent yeast, for some infants, is common. This is due to their
immature immune system which they will outgrow.
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Patient Teaching: Yeast & Breastfeeding