how to heal an infected nipple?

[helloitsme]

hi
my baby bit my left nipple last week and now it's become infected. I have been to the dr and he gave me antibiotics and told me to feed my daughter only on the right breast for one week. I started this but she's crying for more milk. I have expressed using a hand pump but the cut turned dark red . I also found expressing really diffiult and my daughter really wants the breast not cup or bottle.
I would appreciate any advice, but these are my two main questions:

1. Is it better to express or feed on the infected nipple?
2. How can i help the nipple heal more quickly?

Thanks! Any advice appreciated!

The doctor is wrong as not draining that breast will just give you mastitis as well as an infected nipple. I had a thrush infection in my nipple at 12 weeks and I can't take fluconazole so had to try other things. After every feed I soaked the nipple is saline then covered it with dr jack newman's recipe all purpose nipple ointment and then jelonet to encourage wet healing. Worked but not fun and still bf now at 25 weeks.

Have you got some Lansinoh cream? It should help to keep applying this as much as possible as well as taking the abx.

It's probably better to feed on the infected side rather than expressing - and as mollycuddles says you need to feed normally on it as much as possible to avoid mastitis!

If it's really painful then nipple shields could be an option until it starts to heal a bit.

thanks for the advice. I specifically asked the doctor whether not feeding would lead to mastitis, and he said it wouldn't! But it's not been nice having an over-full breast today, and much more worrying, my daughter seems hungry! To be honest, i've been wanting to feed her as expressing has been quite difficult, but the doc said the cut would not get better that way, and i should not feed for a week on that side!
What's the diff between dr jack newman cream and lansinoh? I've got lansinoh, but not sure if it's helping.
Thanks so much for the advice, i was feeling quite alone!

where do i get jelonet?

Lansinoh is a lanolin cream and is fabulous for soothing and encouraging wet healing. Apno is an antibacterial, antifungal, anti inflammatory concoction which is amazing for healing but needs to be prescribed and that might be a problem with your GP. :(. Sorry your GP is rubbish (that's my day job too but I'm here as a bf mum and I learned what I know about bf from doing it and researching it. Never had any teaching or training at medical school or beyond)

Jelonet is a dressing which is a net covered in petroleum jelly which keeps a wound moist and works with both lansinoh or apno. I bought some in boots - ask the pharmacist. It comes in different sizes. I use the 5cm approx stuff. It can be prescribed as well.

You definitely need to drain the breast. See if a different position eg lying down or rugby hold might put less pressure on the wound. I found I could only stand feeding on the sore side so long and finished the feeds on the good side but managed to avoid mastitis.

Hth.

thanks molly. There is puss coming out of the cut. Should i still feed my daughter on it? I've been soaking in saline, drying, putting lasinoh, but the puss keeps on coming...is there a way i can clean it before feeds?
I am so reassured to read your posts, thank you.

Saline before feeds and then rinse to remove the salt and maybe nipple shields to protect the cut. If it's easier for you to express than feed from that side then do that but don't leave it engorged. No problem with baby and feeding from that side. The milk will contain antibodies against the infection. What antibiotics have you got as after 48 hours I'd expect it to be getting better? Poor you.

thanks molly. I can't remember antibiotic name, will check. But actually, it is getting much better. But since there is still puss, and i'm starting to feed on that side, i wanted to check if it was ok. I want the cut to fully heal before the antibiotics are over, so it doesn't get infected again.
Anyway, it really is improving a lot, and i'm much less worried than before.

i just wanted to let you know that it's finally healed, thanks to your advice. the jelonets really made the difference...so a big thank you!

:) that's great.