Weird nipples, feeding 8month old...can't work out why.

[missmakesstuff]

bit tmi, but area directly above both nipples has suddenly become dry, flaky, almost scaly looking, and red - sore when feeding, but no other pain, so not thrush as far as I can tell.

DD is nearly 9 months old, has been weird during feeding recently, pulling away, almost bobbing back and fourth, pinching my boobs and nipples, trying to do headstands....but not sure if she is teething top teeth and thus causing the soreness, or if her fussiness and messing about is a symptom of something else, along with the soreness I have?

It settles down if I feed her less (has formula during the day 4 days a week)and moisturise lots, but the skin has now started looking almost shiney, its very odd.

Any thoughts anyone? when I search on here, all I get is posts about being pregnant and nipple changes then, which is worrying!

It could be thrush, you don't necessarily need any other symptoms. Your daughter could be acting differently because thrush is making it sore for her too. She doesn't necessarily need to have any visible symptoms to have thrush. I would get it checked out by a breast feeding counsellor. You may need to be treated and your daughter too.

In fact I would say it is thrush.
Redness, soreness, shineyness, scaling, flaking, child pulling away. All thrush symptoms.

Thanks - I just assumed there would be more pain with thrush. I first noticed it well over a week ago, and it has settled down once I was at work and feeding less - first flared up when feeding all the bloody time lots at xmas. I did check her mouth too, nothing different there, and she is eating well and drinking from a bottle well. There isn't pain inbetween feeds.
Difficult to get to BF clinic, as I work on the days its on, might have to try GP then..problem is, they don't seem very clued up about BF, from previous experience.

right, thanks, will call GP first thing, make an appointment. What treatment could I expect? if it is? antibiotics, both for her and me? or cream, but have hear that cream will not clear it up enough?

If he doesn't think it is, should I push for something anyway, just in case? wouldn't want DD on anti-bs she doesn't need.

Thrush usually does get more painful but it can also come and go. Treatment will definately not involve antibiotics! That would make it 100 times worse! You will probably get some anti-fungal cream such as Daktarin for you to apply to your nipples and you should do this four times a day for a fortnight and some oral anti-fungal gel/drops for your daughter to be applied twice a day or after each feed for a fortnight. It would also help to keep anything that goes into her mouth sterile so dummies and teats etc. This is the advice given to me by my breast-feeding counsellor as I have had thrush several times. It is a nuisance to treat and a bugger to get rid of so yu have to be on top of sterilising and treatment. It helps to make sure that your bedding, towels and bras are laundered regularly in a very hot wash- above 90 degrees as this will kill all the thrush bugs.

I have emailed you a link to some info for you to print out and give to your GP regarding the treament of thrush. This was also given to me by my breastfeeding cousellor and it definately helps when it comes to clueless GP's! Good luck!

Right. What a pain in the bum. (or nipple!)think I was getting confused with mastitis with the anti b's. Remember now getting thrush the last time I was given anti b's actually.

Will go tomorrow, thanks ever so much for the advice - would have just left it other wise I think. Have just googled - she doesn't have any of the symptoms, but like you say, they describe most of mine.

Anything that goes into her mouth would be well....anything! she shoves everything she comes across in there, what fun that will be. (How do you go about disinfecting a cat?)

Thank you so much, thats wonderful, I was looking for something to take.

Your welcome . As for disinfecting the cat, how about dunking him in a bath of milton? Don't stress about everyday items, just the things like dummies and teats otherwise you'll go mad! Start worrying about all the other stuff if you still have thrush in a months time! There is a link with diet too if you wanted to take things further. Some people find cutting back on sugar and yeast helps but I think you would only want to look into that if you kept on getting it!