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Infant feeding

One painful breast only???

9 replies

soapyprincess · 04/06/2005 22:08

I have one painful breast. The pain is there after a feed and is unbearable. There is nipple pain during a feed but this is bearable.

I have been to the local breastfeeding clinic and stumped the lactation consultant, all she could come up with was poor positioning and we tried a better position. SHe also said that i was unlikely to be thrush as it would more be more than lkely on both sides.i am currently feeding on one side and have had to express once oor twice in order not to get engorged.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them? It all happened since my baby (3 1/2 months) fell on her mouth (with help from her older sister) and hurt the inside of her top lip. I think I must have posisitioned her wrong after that.

Any help greatly received.

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beansprout · 04/06/2005 22:10

How long has it been painful? Is it painful in one place or all over?

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soapyprincess · 04/06/2005 22:35

It is painful deep inside the breast tissue moving away fromt the nipple backwards.

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mears · 04/06/2005 22:39

If your baby has not been able to latch on properly, it may be that she is ineffectively emptying the breast which can lead to mastitis, especially since you say that the nipple is sore too. For the moment try sliding her across from the good breast and feed her facing the same way as the other breast. Let her feed on the painless side first so that she does not suck so vigorously. Massage the breast towards the nipple as you are feeding to encourage the milk to drain better. Try some Brufen as a painkiller until it settles down - the packet may say you cannot take it whilst breastfeeding but you can. Keep an eye open for signs of flushed/red areas or blocked ducts. Hopefully it will right itself soon if properly emptied. The temptation is not to feed on a sore breast and that will make it worse.

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soapyprincess · 04/06/2005 23:01

Don't you normally feel unwell with Mastitis? I have not felt unwell at all. I only have really bad pain after feeding and this cannot be relieved by Brufen. After feeding anything touching my nipple hurts and it's excrutiating.

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WigWamBam · 04/06/2005 23:08

I have to say that it sounds like thrush to me, despite what the lactation counsellor said. That feeling of the pain being deep inside the breast tissue moving backwards from the nipple sounds just like I felt with thrush after my dd, and I only had it in the one breast, too.

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mears · 04/06/2005 23:13

Does the nipple look OK after a feed or it it white? Blanched nipple due to poor latch can be very painful. Here is a link

Could be the start of thrush, especially if it starts on the other side. With masitis you can have pain prior to feeling unwell if you have a blocked duct that then leads onto mastitis.

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soapyprincess · 05/06/2005 08:06

thanks for that mears have looked at link. very helpful still unsure as to wheteher thrush or poor latch but I will try the suggestions from link. It's just so annoying as I have never had any problems after initial two weeks (this is my third baby you see) it is all experience though I suppose for my BFC training but something I could do without.

Thanks also to wigwambam I am going to speak to a BFC friend and my tutor tomorrow and visit the doctors to rule out thrush. Do you think taking thrush medication is wise just in case it is thrush or should I wait?

thanks everyone I am glad I am back online this is so helpful!

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hermykne · 05/06/2005 08:22

soapyprincess
i have had this for over 3 wks now and i too thughtit was thrush but my ds is a terrible "latcher on" too. i went to the doc on fri and he gave me augmentin, but my thread on this had a few tips for feeding this
the very hard lump has gone but the pain is still there this morn. i didnt get all "flu ey" like for mastitus.

plus i have tried to get ds to latch better - bit tricky at 10mths

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soapyprincess · 08/06/2005 18:21

saw the doctor yesterday and she felt my breast and found no mass only the normal lumpyness. so she has ruled out a blocked duct, mastitis and thrush.

So I am left with only poor latch.

She suggested ibuprofen and paracetamol taken at regular intervals and thinks thats I should feed on that side as much as the other and this sort itself out. of course i have to make sure that the positioning is correct everytime.

I thought i would post this so anyone else going through this will know the solution - i hope.

I will post in a few days to let you know if the pain is any better- here's hoping!

thanks to everyone who posted links these have been especially helpful and i have added them to my favourites for my future training