possible to get fungal infection on nipples?

[halana75]

My 5th baby is almost 6 weeks old. I didn't stop nursing my now 22 month old, although my milk was almost nothing. However for the past 4 weeks or so my nipples have been red, irritated, hot, tender, and extremely painful. It doesn't seem to matter how I position the babies. My husband has even suggested that I stop nursing altogether because I'm in a lot of pain, but I'm very determined to continue. I have pretty much cut off the 22 month old cause the pain is just unbearable and she at very least can drink out of a cup. I recently started thinking that maybe it's more of an infection? Can you get a yeast or fungal type infection on just the nipples?

[KerryS]

Absolutely.

I would buy some OTC yeast infection cream (like Monistat) and apply it to your nipples after every feeding. If it feels better after a day or two, then you most likely have a yeast infection. You AND your baby both need to be treated.

[halana75]

How do you treat a baby for that sort of thing? He was just to the pediatrician last week and she didn't see any type of thrush or anything in his mouth but he did have a fungal diaper rash.

[KerryS]

Thrush can be asymptomatic in the mom or baby. However, if one of the breastfeeding pair has thrush, both always need to be treated.

The most common treatment used by peds is Nystatin suspension, but most yeast have become resistent.

If I were dealing with nipple yeast, I would probably treat myself and my baby with Gentian Violet 1%.