How to deal with an ear infection behind the ear drum while breastfeeding

My daughter is up for the tubes possibly (we'll find out soon). Research suggests that they are very safe and they pretty much fall out. I think if it is a chronic problem you may want to go ahead with it. The relief will be quick and no antibiotics! Good luck!

C. find a chiroprator who does ear treatments. both of amy daughters 5 and 3 go to one about every other mth. Knock on wood we have not had an ear infec, in almost 2 yrs. Good Luck if you want more inf let me know.

This may seem like an obvious solution, but have you considered supplemental bottle feeding and continue pumping while you are on antibiotics? Most antibiotic series are only 10 days, and unless you are breastfeeding a newborn, most babies will take to a bottle fine after steady breastfeeding for a number of weeks. Then you can switch back to the breast. Seems like a tube is a more extensive solution to a temporary problem. Good luck!

My babies pediatrician does more holistic than medicine for me and she said something called coloidal silver would work on something like that. She told me to take it and I am still nursing. I bought it from Ellwood Thompson in Carytown. You could probably put it right in your ear. It is essentially an immune booster.
ReneeA

I have heard that "ear candling" and chiropractic works. If you go to an herbalist in your area they should explain the ear candles to you. I have had an ear infection that my chiropractor was able to adjust me and relieve the pressure in my ear and it drained right there in her office. Good luck to you!

By definition a middle ear infection is going to entail fluid behind the ear. There are tons of antibiotics out there many of which are safe to use while breastfeeding. If you contact La Leche League they can help with which ones are safe. Most doctors don't know enough about this and your dr. probably feels you have breastfed long enough. Fluid behind the ear in geeral is not a big deal. it will effect hearing to a minor degreee and will in time be reabsorbed by the body. This can take a couple of months sometimes. The trick is not having it get infected in the mean time. Propolis can be bought at natural stores and will work to treat some ear infections. You have lots of options don't let the dr. tell you otherwise. You may need a second opinion. This is not a reason to stop nursing.

get the tubes-pump prior to anesthesia- then waste the milk for 12 hrs to be sure it is out of your system- you'll never have to worry about ear inf. again

Hi C.! Try getting some sweet oil (from Walgreens, CVS, etc.) and putting a couple of drops in your ear. May help. Good luck.

ohhh, i'm so sorry! i burst an eardrum a few years ago....excruciating. and i didn't have a nursing baby to contend with.
hot compresses are helpful and so are some homeopathic remedies you can get, but the homeopathic stuff doesn't work quickly and you are not in a position to wait.
both my kids had repeated ear tubes, something i would not have done if i could go back. however, it may be a good option for you under the circumstances.
i'm delighted you're a homeschooler. my 'baby' is mostly in community college at this point but i can't NOT think of myself as a homeschooler after all these years!
khairete
S.

I had one a few months ago and used the Simalason ear drops. (not sure if that is how you spell it). But it helped to stop the pain. It bubbles it out or something. Hope you find a solution soon.

I would get ear infections all the time and the only thing that cleared them up was antibiotics,I would try to pump and use the playtex bag bottles or advent the nipples are the best,or you could look up natural cures:

http://herblore.com/service/index.php?pg=Article_Immune_S...

http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/?gclid=CJj6nof23JECFQ18...

http://www.alternativehealthsecrets.com/index.htm?ad=natu...#

Good Luck,
L.

I have a suggestion...Have you ever used Melaleuca oil mixed with olive oil? I'd have to look up the exact mixture but that does work well. You'll want to make sure you get the medicinal quality mela oil. Not just any kind. My husband has used it and it clears it right up and takes the pain away. Melaleuca oil is a natural disinfectant and is just a miracle. love it.

Tubes seem like kind of a last resort to me. I wouldn't rush into PE tubes if you haven't had fluid behind your ears for too long. It can take up to 3 months for fluid to clear up on its own. Often times sickness, allergies, sinus infections, smoking etc.. can contribute to the fluid if none of those are a factor then time will probably be the best bet. The only thing you can do for the pain is take Tylenol if you are breastfeeding (whatever pain meds your dr. says is ok) You could try a hot pad on your head or by your ears that may help a bit. If it is killing you go ahead with the tubes, but if you can stand the pain for a while it will probably just clear up if this isn't a common reoccurance. Good luck.

I had the same thing and the tube did wonders!! It takes only a few minutes and no more ear infections/fluid. The only thing is you have to wear an ear plug when you go swimming and be careful when you wash your hair.

I've probably got the strangest solution but it does work. When my son was 1 year old, he kept getting ear infections and we began to worry about the frequency of antibiotics. My sister had a book of home remedies and this was in it. You cut a piece off a clove of garlic. Wrap it in gauze and microwave it for about 15 - 20 secs until it is warm (not too hot). Do this several times a day for a couple of days until all pain and pressure is gone. I did this for my son and itstunk but worked. My husband and I have both used it as well as on our other two children and several people that tried it once we suggested it. We found it effective. Apparently Garlic is a natural antibiotic and therefore safe to use during pregnancy and nursing. Also, since there is not a lot being taken into your system, it should not affect your milk.

It's worth a try anyway. Good luck!

You might try the swimmers ear drops they might help. Good Luck. H.

Ok....now you might not like what I say here....but looking at your description and ages of your baby....she is 15 months...........you could very well stop breastfeeding so that wouldnt be a worry at all.....your health is more important...if your ear drum breaks you can loose your hearing.

good luck

Can you pump during the antibiotic to keep up your supply and then throw the milk out, of course, and when your off the medicine, go back to breastfeeding? I weaned my little boy when he was 16 months old and I know, for a little while, I had to be careful not to say the "milk" word or to not undress in front of him because he would look at me like he still knew he was suppose to be doing something. :-) What I'm trying to say is he may be old enough to still remember what to do even after a 1-2 week break. Just a thought....

C.,

You have my sympathies! I too am nursing (a 5 month old) & I am just getting over an ear infection (although the fluid is still there). Here are my suggestions:
1st - for the pain (mine was horrid for the 1st 24 hours) a hot compress does wonders (I went to sleep with one the first night).
2nd - to clear up the infection - A Z-Pac is a safe, effective antibiotic to take while nursing (I just finished mine yesterday) and I am sure there are others out there. Ask your doctor and don't let them tell you that nothing is safe - it's just not true. Many doctors don't think nursing past 1 year is necessary, so they won't take the time to look for safe alternatives. This is not a reason to wean your child unless you are both ready!
3rd - the fluid may not drain right away, 2 years ago I had the same problem (also while nursing) and after 6 weeks of reduced hearing because of the fluid, I opted for the tube. It is done (for adults) in the DR's office with numbing drops in the ear. There is still a sharp pain with the initial incision, but once the tube is inserted, the relief is immediate. This time around, my ENT is saying if the fluid doesn't drain on it's own in the next 2 weeks, he will just lance and drain it and let it heal without the tube - again and in the office procedure.
Good-Luck! ~ B.

you def. want to cure the infection- not doing anything may cause damage in the long run, and severe pain during.. When my son was just 2 wks, i had to put ona n antibiotic as well and merely pumped and dumped the precious liquid gold, but after that week, he took to nursing just as well. It might be worth it- good luck

C.,
I'm so sorry to hear about the fluid behind your ear drum. I have sinus issues that are always affecting my ears, so I understand. I have 2 beautiful boys, 4 and 7, and when I was pregnant and had ear troubles taking Sudafed helped dry up the fluid. At bedtime, my doctor told me to take 3 instead of 2 (as the package says) to help dry up more fluid. The only side effects of the larger dose is going to sleep very easily, which was always welcome while I was pregnant. Hope you feel better soon!
K.

Ear candling is a great option, but I have found over the years that putting a hot wet washcloth over the ear and holding it until it's cool will pull out the moisture just as well and it's much cheaper, but you have to do it more often...at least 3 times a day. You will also want to use something like colloidal silver or garlic drops in the ear to fight the infection. Now may be a great time to find a practitioner of Chinese medicine in your area and make an appointment. My accupucturist treats my family now for all of our ailments instead of the medical doctor. He uses herbs and accupucture instead of invasive meds and has a much higher success rate than our MD. He's also way cheaper than a medical doctor. You may also have a store in your area that carries the homeopathic remedies you need to take care of your family at home and usually there are people on staff who are very knowledgeable about these things. Ask them what they would do! Good luck to you!

Ok, I'm not sure if you tried this, but it's safe to take Sudafed while pregnant. So, why don't you try that? It has to hurt...or, pump a lot of milk, take the antibiotics and get back to breast feeding....you have to take care of you as well. It's hard to focus on the babies when we are in horrible pain. I hope you are ok!
E.

There are several antibiotics that are safe while breastfeeding. Can't you be put on one of them? If not, do the ear tubes. I believe for adults, you do it in the office, right? SO that should be safe. I breastfed all 3 of my children, well into their third year. I also had ear infections and even pnuemonia. My docs were always helpful in working with me.

Is it safe to use antibiotic ear drops while nursing? Not sure, but it's worth asking. My daughter has tubes and she often gets drops to clear up the infections.
The only homeopathic remedy I can think of is hydrogen peroxide.
I wish you luck. I know it's maddening!

Deja vu. The same thing happend to me when I was nursing. I actually went to the emergency room (I UNDERSTAND how painful it is), they told me to use Afrin. But it was too late, my eardrum burst. Which was wonderful (pressure gone) and horrible (leaking ear) all at the same time. The good news is your hearing (drum will heal) will return after a few weeks. I now use nasal washes. NeilMed Sinus Rinse. I hope it's not too late, but you can find them at Walgreen's etc. You warm distilled water and put a saline solution in and rinse eash nostril. It clears the congestion that's causing your ear to not drain itself. Try it! I used to get sinus infections at least twice a year...change of seasons and haven't had one in 2 years since using the Sinus Rinse. It's like the thing Dr. Oz talked about on Oprah if you watch that. Needless to say I haven't had any ear congestion either...if I feel it coming I start rinsing. I hope you are able to clear that passage...especially with a rinse that is super natural and no drugs to harm your baby while nursing. If your ear drum does burst, God bless you and remember "this too shall pass".

i used to work for an ent. if the pain is that bad the eardrum will probably rupture anyway so a tube is esentially doing the same thing- making a hole in the eardrum and suctioning out the fluid.

Since your youngest is 15 months, my best advice would be stop breastfeeding for the duration of the antibiotic and pump if you want to return to breastfeeding afterwards; this happened to me when one of mine was 4 months old, used a bottle for the 11 days(one extra day to clear my system) and went right back with no problem. There are antibiotics now that are only 5 days. At 15 months, surely your daughter is not getting her only nutrition from breastfeeding, is able to use a sippy cup and eat table food, so maybe it's an opportunity to wean. It's foolish to take the chance of a burst eardrum and deafness for the sake of breastfeeding a toddler; it would be different if she were still an infant.

That sounds awful! I would recommend calling your pediatrician and asking if they can recommend something safe for you to take. I am not trying to be nosey but your bio says your youngest is 15 months old. You certainly don't need to breastfeed anymore as a one year old can be weaned on whole milk exclusively. This could be the opportunity to wean and take care of your health.

Your youngest is 15months so if I was you and in pain with an ear infection, I would stop breastfeading your toddler and take the antibotic. Both of my children stopped drinking from a bottle @ a year and by 15 months had teeth. Why in world would you suffer with fluid in your ear to breastfeed a 15 month old? A newborn I can see, but a toddler?

Garlic & mullein oil or myhr oil is an effective and safe herbal remedy you can try. Garlin is a natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral so it can help with infection. The warmed oil just is quite soothing to the ear. Do an online search for natural remedies to ear pain. You always want to apply the remedy to BOTH ears, no matter if pain is only felt in one. Warm compresses can also help with drainage. There is also a remedy using an onion poultice. You can google this as well. You can also get echinacea & goldenseal in tincture (liquid) form and take that to stimulate your immune system. Echinacea is antiviral and the goldenseal is antibacterial.

Cut out dairy as much as possible and limit your sugars. Both are mucus producing and counteract what you're trying to attempt naturally! For the pain, if it's unmanageable do take some Tylenol or something. You need to be somewhat comfortable in order to care for your kids!

Good luck!

If you can do warm heated wash clothes. We did that with my daughter, but also please think about seeing a specialist for your ears if it's becoming an issue for you. My daughter had 7 infections in one year so we final did the tubes. IF you do the tubes it might help you over all. Also maybe some ear drops call the pharmacist and ask him what a breast feeeding mother can take to help it or a Health food store might also help you out. Good Luck!

I had a Z-pac the last time I had an ear infection. That's safe for breastfeeding. There has to be other options.