DD nearly 6wks old but I'm still in so much pain - thinking about giving up bf

[pobletsmum]

Please help, I'm thinking about giving up breastfeeding and I'm devasteated about it. I successfully fed DS to 3 months with very few problems. DD is a different story. She is nearly 6 weeks old, and in that time, I've had 2 courses of antibiotics (1 for mastitis, 1 for stitches), DD has had oral thrush and I have had what is possibly nipple & breast thrush. I have been using Daktarin cream on my nipples & Daktarin oral gel for DD's mouth for what seems like forever, probably 3+ weeks, and have had fluconazole tablets (300mg loading dose, then 150mg/day) for 2 weeks. I had been having shooting pains deep in my breasts. These improved somewhat a few days into flucon treatment, so I have continued to take the tablets, but the shooting pains are back. Both breasts have a bruisy, tender feeling all the way round, but the shooting pains are only in my left breast heading in the direction of my chin IYSWIM. These pains come and go a bit, it's pretty much OK while I'm feeding, but get worse within a few minutes of the feed ending and come and go a bit. I also have a sore nipple on the left side. I have seen a BF counsellor and am happy with the latch now for most feeds. This nipple is always quite dark pink/red and is much more sticky-outy than my right (they have always looked the same in the past).

I spoke to my GP this morning and all she can suggest is finishing the next 10 days of flucon, plus she's prescribed me diclofenac & paracetamol. I'm starting to think that DD would be better off having formula than all these medications. I will be absolutely devastated if I have to give up, but the near constant pain is wearing me down. DH and mum are saying enough's enough. I have thought about nothing other than bf for the last few weeks and it's causing me I just don't know what to do. Things just don't seem to be getting any better.

So, please lovely mumsnetters, tell me what to do. What other causes could there be for the pain I'm having? Might it all just go away by itself? Will the pain stop if I stop bf? I just want to bf without pain and I know it CAN be done.

[Miggsie]

...the shooting pains are liley "let down" pains, I had them REALLY badly but persevered. No one ever warned me they could be that painful!
I went on to breastfeed with no trouble until DD was 2.6!
The shooting pain will subside, if you are prepared to live through it, do, it will go suddenly one day.
Paracetemol worked with me, I also used to have a warm bath and use a warmed flannel on the painful breast to encourage smooth milk flow. I expressed milk and did expressed milk from a bottle for night feeds to get the feed over quickly.
If my breast was inflamed I used soaked sanitary towels that had been placed in the freezer as wrap around coolers. This calms down the nerve endings. Heat and cool on the affected tissues stimulates healing.
And I found once DD was eating a bit of solids and the milk requirement dropped the pain disappeared.

[pobletsmum]

Wouldn't let down pains be worse during a feed not better?

[barnstaple]

Oh you poor thing! I got nipple thrush and dd had oral thrush. It really was awful - DH had to latch her for me on while I clenched my fists and screamed! DD was losing weight hand over fist; I ended up with two midwives sitting on the end of the bed saying "That's not normal pain" to each other . By 9 days the mw had to tell me quite firmly to give up trying and go to bottles as dd was way below birth weight (and she's only been 6.2 to start).

I was heartbroken. I felt useless, worthless (could't even feed my baby) and guilty as hell.

DD is now 8, extremely bright, charming and thoroughly wonderful. If you do have to stop bf, don't feel bad. You have tried your best and no one can ask more than that. Your baby will be fine.

[pobletsmum]

Sorry to hear about the trouble you had banstaple. I feel very fortunate that DD is gaining weight steadily.

[jkklpu]

Poor you. I didn't have all the infections you've suffered, but had really bad pains and cracked nipples with ds1, using nipple shields some of the time, which we both hated. But it suddenly just clicked. And ds2 is a completely story - was sore for only a couple of weeks as he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. So much so, that he still feeds about every 2 hours at 5.5 months ....

Depending on how much support you have around you,you might be able to carry on. Try lansinoh cream, which you don't need to wipe off - I used to have a tube in nearly every room in the house. Also, try switch feeding, ie 10 mins on one side then switch and switch again after another 10 mins, until full feed done. It means not such long sessions of relentless sucking and is good milk stimulus. could you also try to express a feed or two a day? Again, less painful, gets your baby used to a bottle, which someone else could give, but doesn't compromise your milk supply.

If there's a breast-feeding support group nearby, go along a couple of times for the solidarity of other who've had a hard time, too. And the real incentive to persevere, I found, was the thought of spending all that time sterilising and preparing bottles, especially in the middle of the night.

Best of luck.

[moondog]

Oh bloody hell.I've been there.It's hell.
Have you thoguht of trying Silverette? A lot of people swear by them.

Also have a look at this MNers blog for inspiration.
How breastfeeding works

[fleacircus]

Has anyone checked for tongue tie? I had very similar problems, mastitis then thrush, shooting pains which continued, sore nipple which didn't heal. DD was finally diagnosed with tongue-tie at 9wks, had procedure to divide it two weeks ago and finally everything else fell into place. I had a terrible terrible time, I know how awful you must be feeling, I took paracetamol every 6hrs and nurofen every 8hrs throughout which did take the edge off the pain.

[pobletsmum]

OK, I'll try to respond to everyone's useful suggestions one by one.

jkklpu - length of feed not a problem - all done in 1 or 2 sessions (once we've got latch right, which can take a few attempts), totalling 15mins including winding! Don't want to try switch feeding as I have a plentiful supply, probably oversupply, and having had mastitis, I'm trying to make sure each side is drained properly. DD only usually wants one side (I still offer both most times), apart from in the evenings, cluster feeding. I have been to 3 different bf groups this week!!!!!!! I've been there mainly to see the bf supporters/HVs etc....but I'm finding the whole bf thing so emotionally draining at the moment, I'm in tears a lot which is difficult in a room full of people. Completely agree about sterilising - PITA to be avoided if at all poss .

Moondog - do you think silverette would help even though my nipples aren't actually cracked/bleeding? The sore one is very sore but there's not much to actually see, other than redness and 'pertness' (what on earth is that all about??????). I will have a proper look at the links once DS goes to bed tonight, thanks.

fleacircus - definitely no tongue tie. I'm glad things are falling into place for you .

[moondog]

I'm not sure tbh.
Just brainstorming.
Never used them myself.
How long have you been on the medication?
Your symptoms sound just like mine at this stage and a whacking dose of fluconazole finally put me right.Took a day or two though.

Hope it gets better.

[peanutbear]

I used nipple shield with my first baby they weren't cracked but I was in a lot of pain it worked for me but I know they are not necessarily encouraged

[peanutbear]

sorry already been suggested

they did work for me though and I have fed 2 subsequent children with no problems

[pobletsmum]

Hello, I just thought I'd update this thread. Things have really turned a corner. I'm no longer in tears all the time for a start. I have finished my 3+ week course of Fluconazole, and as of monday, DD hasn't been having her treatment either. I still have tender boobs, with the odd deep pain, and a sore left nipple, but it's definitely bearable. Now that I don't have to use Daktarin cream at each feed, I can use Lansinoh, which helps. I'm down to just paracetamol for pain relif. I'm so happy that I haven't had to resort to formula - it feels such a huge achievement .

[moondog]

Oh Poblet,that is wonderful news.
You must be thrilled to bits.

God i so remember that turning a corner feeling. One minute your world is just the time you wait in dread from each feed to the next and then suddenly it is as if the sun comes out and the birds start to sing.

So pleased for yuo.

[Clydesdaleclopper]

I suffered in a similar fashion. I needed two courses of Fluconazole and that finally cleared it up. Keep going it will get better

[pobletsmum]

Thanks ladies!

You're right moondog, it really does feel like that. It's not that everything is perfect YET, but I am able to get on with 'normal' things now, and to feed out & about, and not spend my whole time thinking about feeds. Aaaaahhhhh!

(Definitely NOT doing all this again - twice is enough!!!!!!)