Happy Mothers Day, LactNetters!  I don't read postings everyday, so I hope
I'm not repeating what others have said.  Re: thrush - I noted posts
suggesting a vinegar bath and to diligently clean bras, nightgowns, toys,
etc.  What I have found helpful in addition to making sure bras are washed
daily, is to suggest using disposable nursing pads and tossing them EACH
FEEDING.  I have suggested this many times, and followed this when my 3rd son
and I had thrush.  This prevented reintroducing the yeast to the bras.  Re:
nipples, pacifiers, teethers, etc. I suggest that its less expensive to
replace those, too, than to wonder if they have been cleaned thorougly enough
and spend more $$ at dr. or on more Rx.

Re: tubal ligations: when going through our decision, my investigation turned
up the fact that for women who have a history of PMS, it may be
contraindicated.  Research suggests that PMS worsens after tubals.  For some
nursing women, that may seem far off because of delayed menses, however I was
one of the small percentage of women who do NOT have delayed menses while
totally bfdg - even when tandem nursing a 21-mo-old and newborn, co-sleeping,
no bottles, etc. etc. my periods returned 6 weeks postpartum.  My husband (a
wonderful nursing father!) and I came up with a solution that involved no
gimmicks, hormones, pain & suffering or long surgical recovery for me, and
didn't interfere with breastfeeding in the least - he had a VASECTOMY!
 Funny, but when I first suggested it, it had never crossed his mind...he
just assumed that at some point I would have my tubes tied.  After pointing
out the months of vomitting, fatigue, labor AND subsequent c-sec. recoveries,
(two attempted v-bacs w/no success) etc. that I had more than fulfilled my
share of pain and suffering when it came to procreation matters w/in our
marriage.  He did see the sense of it!    It was minor surgery in a
urologists office, local anesthesia.  He kept an ice pack on his most tender
spot for a day, the next day he was moving around really well (albeit
slowly).  That was five years ago.  Now in many, many large cities and
probably any university hospital, they are performing "no cut, no blood"
vasectomies using lasers.   For this nursing couple, it was the absolute best
alternative.
WarmLLLy,  Ellen N. - Racine, WI - mom of Joel (9), Matthew(7) &
Joshua(4)/LLL Leader 5+ yrs