My experience (both personal, and as a breastfeeding counsellor) is that what I
see as the distinctive pain of thrush is often present before anything is
obvious in the baby's mouth.  By which I mean the tingly, stingy pain that
doesn't go away between feeds, where even the thought of a t-shirt touching your
nipples makes you cringe...

Here 'Daktarin' is supposed to be best.  As a self-help measure, I would suggest
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a pint of water (please note -
all measurements are imperial)  used to swab down the painful area.  The relief
has to be experienced....  I have also heard of vinegar used in the same
proportions.

I once had a woman call me simply for this remedy...she said that she had cured
a previous bout with this alone, and wanted to check the quantities.

I wonder if the pain women experience is like an early warning system?  I
believe it is unusual to see breastfed babies mouths in the state that bottle
feeders can get into.  Also the plaques if present tend to be in a different
position - further back in a breastfed babies mouth.  I find it useful to warn
mothers that their health professional may not find evidence in the baby.

Mary Broadfoot