Thrush

Pumping... it doesn't have as much "joy" as breastfeeding.
It's not as convenient as breastfeeding.
It's much more challenging to motivate yourself to pump in the middle of the night.

But we still, yep, we STILL get the fun of thrush, mastitis, and sore nipples (sometimes chronically sore!)

Thrush is a yeast infection that can occur in your baby's mouth and in their diaper area. This happens because your baby has a weaker immune system and has not developed their gut flora to the extent that you (as a healthy adult) have. Sometimes people who have weakened immune systems also get thrush.

Thrush also spreads to your nipples. This can especially occur if you don't let your nipples air dry, if you don't change your nursing pads often enough,  or if your baby gets it and passes it to you. Then your nipples become red/shiny/flaky/PAINFUL and you still have to pump (which is not a comfortable experience in itself).

But! There is good news! You don't have to get Nystatin or Diflucan! There are some great natural remedies for both you and your baby!

Ready, go!
-Raw garlic! Garlic has antifungal, and antibacterial properties (it is a GREAT antibiotic because it doesn't create super bugs). Cut a few cloves into pill size pieces and swallow them whole so you don't get garlic breath. Do this once a day.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. these are things that worked in my experience and I'm not trying to cure any disease. Follow up with your OBGYN or midwife for other remedies)

-Coconut oil! This is the good stuff. Not only does it have wonderful fatty acids for your baby, but it also has antifungal, antiviral, and anti bacterial properties! Apply this topically after every time you pump, on your nipples.

-vinegar rinses: dilute vinegar in water (1T to 1c water) and soak a cotton ball in it. Then squeeze it out over your nipple and areola without touching. Let air dry. Do this after every pumping session.

-Give your breasts some sun and air. Letting your nipples have sunlight is one of the best killers. yeast thrives in moist and dark places, and sunlight and air will keep them dry. Strategically place yourself on the floor in front of the sunbeams coming through your window. Plus, this is a great time to have skin to skin time with your baby!

If all of these fail, it's important to remove refined sugars and large amounts of carbohydrates from your diet, and start consuming probiotics, through food (like kombucha!) or supplements. You may have to find a baby probiotic supplement to give your child to help balance their gut flora.

I found that I never gave my baby thrush, even though I had it. Pumping defeated the yeast!

One very important preventative for thrush is washing your pump parts often.

It is also important to boil your pump parts once a day for at least five minutes (some LCs will say 20 minutes. It's impossible to wait that long without worrying that your precious milk removing devices will get damaged) You have to stir them.

It is also said that if you truly have thrush, the milk that you pump that is extra should be thrown out, because you could continue to infect your baby. (my opinion is if the baby never showed symptoms, then you should be ok. I am not an MD). They also recommend replacing any artificial nipples, pacifiers, or toys that your child had in their mouth while having thrush. At least, boil them.


You can get rid of it! and you don't have to use prescription meds. They are expensive and hard on your liver. If you do end up having to take them, remember to use some dandelion root tea to help detox/strengthen your liver.

Nystatin does not work for everyone. I found that it was not very effective for me.