Thrush and Mastitis are two things that, if you are going to get them, it's usually within the first couple of months after giving birth.  I lucked out; I didn't get either.  Until recently.  

I got mastitis when Hudson was eight months old (see prior post - "My Tornado of Pain") and Hudson got thrush when he was eight months old.  Thrush is a yeast infection of the mucous membrane in a baby's mouth.  Yep, it's as bad as it sounds.  Actually, Hudson had a very mild case of thrush so all things considered it wasn't too bad.  Or too gross.  I first noticed it on his lip - I thought it was just gunk from having a dry lip and I tried to wash it off.  It didn't come off, which is one of the most obvious symptoms of thrush.  Then I peeked inside of his mouth (not the easiest thing to do with an infant unless you tip them upside down to get them to giggle) and I saw some white spots on his cheeks and the roof of his mouth.  

Most babies with thrush refuse to eat because thrush can be painful.  I don't know if Hudson's wasn't painful or if he just never refuses to eat - ever. Either way, he didn't have the classic symptoms in terms of crankiness or refusal to eat.  

Thrush is caused by an overgrowth of candida (yeast) in their little bodies.  Hudson previously had a yeast infection in his diaper area (that actually still comes and goes, very difficult to get to go away!) and I suspect that is where it started.  Their little immune systems aren't quite strong enough to fight off the candida and it's fairly common to grow in different areas of their body, including their mouth.  

Candida is usually caused by too much sugar in your diet.  Yes, "your" - breast feeding momma's diet.  Cutting out sugar and taking probiotics (you and baby) will help prevent a yeast infection and it will help eliminate one.  Yeast is a pain in the rear to get rid of.  Literally - it thrives in moist areas, (i.e. baby's diapers area!) so if you use cloth diapers, it's best to boil them for thirty minutes to kill off any thriving yeast.  And boil your pacifiers, bottles, pumping gear, toys that go in the baby's mouth (isn't that everything?!) and make sure you wash your bras and reusable nursing pads in very hot water.  Oh ya, and you have to keep the diaper area dry - no problem, right?!

Thrush will actually go away on its own, but after trying to let it run its course for several days I decided to use the standard treatment of nystatin.  It's a yellow-ish liquid that you have to rub on the inside of their cheeks, gums, and the roof of their mouth.  Again, another really easy task with an infant.  I started out by putting some on a q-tip and swabbing the various areas, but Hudson wasn't digging that too much, so I just put it on my finger.  He actually liked the taste and sometimes cried when I took my finger out of his mouth.  

The really crappy part about thrush for a nursing mom is that it's often passed back-and-forth between the baby's mouth and your nipples when you nurse.  Thankfully I didn't get to experience thrush on my nipples, but I've heard that it feels like sharp razors cutting through your nipples when you nurse.  I love breast feeding, but seriously - nipples and razors, that's just wrong!  

To avoid the razors, a nursing mom who has a baby with thrush should put the nystatin on her nipples to fight off any potential yeast.