Breastfeeding with thrush. Help!

[AmberSweet]

So 5 week old Ds and I are both suffering with thrush. Mine is so bad that most of the time breast feeding is reducing me to tears.

Up until Saturday Ds had been ebf and as pathetic as it sounds I felt so proud of myself as with ds1 I couldn't cope and gave up after a month. This time round I have been really enjoying it and felt as though I could go the distance.

Because the pain is now so bad (like razor blades ripping through my breast and my nipple feels like it's being ripped off!) I've had to start giving Ds formula every second feed so I have time to compose myself and let the nipple swelling and pain go down a bit.

I feel awful and so guilty that I just keep bursting into tears and wanting to cuddle him. I've even been telling him how sorry I am every time we're alone

Please someone help me, I'm worried that my milk is going to dry up and that would just break my heart. We went to the dr yesterday and he prescribed cream for me and drops for Ds so I'm hoping they'll start to work soon. I've also tried a cold compress to numb my breasts but that was agony!

I feel like such a terrible mum

[NotQuiteCockney]

It sounds like the pain is worst while you are feeding? If so, this doesn't really sound like thrush, tbh.

Have you had any help with your latch?

[AmberSweet]

As far as I know my latch was fine up until saturdayish. I'd been observed by both my midwife and a health visitor (because Ds Initially lost weight in the first 2 weeks before putting it in again) No pain in the 4 weeks leading up to that when the thrush set in and my nipples started to become very irritated. Dr also confirmed it was thrush but didn't give any advice.

[Misty9]

You poor thing. And that's brilliant that you've fed him for this long and through pain too. Sounds like you've been given nystatin drops which often don't do the job too well. Daktarin gel is what you need for the baby with Daktarin cream for you.

Did the doctor do a swab test to confirm thrush? Are there white patches in your baby's mouth or your nips? Not sure thrush would lead to swollen and damaged nipple..

We've supposedly got thrush though no white patches, just white coating on tongue. But we also had tongue tie, which has just been snipped.

Check out the breastfeeding network information leaflet on thrush. It's on the Internet and I found it helpful to teach my doctor with

[TealHousewife]

I had thrush recently (DS2 was 6 months) and it was agony feeding because my nipples were cracked. The drops start working quickly ime. Try to get them on the affected parts of the baby's mouth and to give them as much contact time with the mouth as possible, ie don't use them just before a feed.

You need to use the cream regularly and keep using it when the symptoms have gone to clear the thrush from your breasts. Also try to get air to your nipples as much as possible. I found a lanolin nipple cream helped but that may have been because of the cracks, I didn't have swelling.

Can you see a breast feeding counsellor? Or ask one of the helplines for advice? Some positions may be better than others, I found it easier to feed lying down for some reason.

You are doing a great job, don't be hard on yourself, this is not your fault and you can get through it. Good luck.

[NannyQuestions]

Thrush can cause cracked nipples - can you see any cracks?

[hillyhilly]

I remember the agony so well (it was 9 years ago!).
Once I'd got treatment it did clear up within a day or two though i know that will feel like a long time.

[AmberSweet]

Thank you all so much for you replies!

Dr didn't do a swab but Ds had very obvious white patches in his mouth as well as a white coating on his tongue. My nipples didn't look any different at first but now have patches of white at the base of them (where the nipple is connected to the breast iyswim) which is where they are now cracked and sore. They almost look cut instead if cracked?

Dr prescribed me canesten and Ds nystan drops.

I'll go and get some lanolin tomorrow, hopefully that'll help with the pain. I wish I could 'air' them as it were but I just keep leaking! I've lost count of the amount of bras I've soaked through in the last few days and that's whilst wearing breast pads.

[Liveinthepresent]

Read this -
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/dibm/Thrush_and_Breastfeeding_Feb_2013.pdf

I needed fluconazole and then it improved quickly.

Still feeding at 11 months but remember the pain well .

[LilyBobtail]

It hurts so much I remember it well. It felt like my nipples were being sliced off with knives.

Have you tried nipple shields?

Good luck.

[AmberSweet]

I've read through the information on the link. Thank you

No I haven't tried nipple shields, I hadn't even thought of them to be honest!

[AmberSweet]

Just a quick update. I've just managed to give him a feed from one side and though not completely pain free it wasn't anywhere near as painful as earlier so I'm hoping the cream is starting to work. Next time I'll obviously try the other side (which tbh is the one which is cracked the most ) but I'm feeling a bit more confident that I can get trough this. Will post during the day with hopefully more good news. Thank you ladies for all the support

[mrsmugoo]

I recently had thrush and required fluconazole for a week - you have my sympathy it was excruciating.

[Lamu]

I had thrush with Dd1 and now with 6 week old Dd2 so you have my sympathies.

What I found really helpful is expressing when it was too painful to feed with cracked sore nips. You can either cup feed the milk or just bottle feed. If I remember correctly you're not meant to freeze the milk incase it's harbouring thrush.

Your latch also may be a little off if your little one is in pain whilst feeding. Dd2 has just started making clicking noises when feeding over the past few days but is gaining weight so not too worried.

Do go back to you're GP for a prescription of Fluconazole. And daktarin gel. You can buy both over the counter if you have a clueless Gp.

[Thumbwitch]

I had thrush for a long time while feeding DS2. I didn't know that was what it was because there was no whitish stuff, and DS2 never got it in his mouth - but the pain, OMG. And it stayed afterwards, deep throbbing pain! When I finally went to the doc with a few little niggles, I mentioned this - I was also getting cracks regularly, and a blockage (like a bleb) - she diagnosed thrush, gave me daktarin gel for boob, checked DS2 and said he was clear but the daktarin gel would make sure just in case - and within 3 days it was ALL FIXED! Well the cracks still had to heal but the difference was immense.

Daktarin gel isn't supposed to be used for babies under 6mo though, but you could always ask your GP abotu it if it continues.

DS2 (like DS1) had had a tongue tie but it was dealt with when he was 5wo; his latch improved afterwards, as did his reflux and colic - but I thought it was just that his latch hadn't been perfected. It wasn't - it was thrush and oh how I wish I'd known that weeks before! I'd have saved myself so much pain. :(

[NannyQuestions]

How are you this morning Amber?

My cracks looked like cuts too - it makes me wince just remembering how they looked!

In a day or two you are going to feel much better.

[Liveinthepresent]

I can also really recommend multi mam compresses for the cracks - very soothing - hard to find in pharmacy
I got them from amazon after seeing them recommended on here.

[AmberSweet]

Feeling much more positive this morning thank you

It's still very painful but at least I feel able to feed most of the time now. I'm so determined to get past this and continue breastfeeding.

I tried expressing last night thinking it would help relieve the fullness but it was just so painful I had to stop. I think it might be because of the cracks but this morning they don't look as raw either.