Urgent advice please.

[toobreathless]

Hi,

I really need some advice. DD is 18 weeks & breastfed. I noticed a pink area surrounding both my nipples, about the size of a £2 coin a couple of weeks ago. I also developed rather nasty cracked nipples at the same time.

I have been liberally applying Lansinoh & the cracks have healed well. However, today the shiny pink areas have broken down & are weeping yellowish fliud. I can see this on the areas & on breast pads. It also smells a bit (sorry if TMI!) I'm not sure if this has happrned due to them being kept very moist?

At present I am using shields & continuing to feed. I will make a GP appt as well for tomorrow. I am also planning on getting along to a breastfeeding clinic or group to get latch checked.

Is there anything else i coukd do to help healing?

Many thanks.

Sorry I don't have any answers for you but in the early bf days of cracked nipples et al I was told to put some of the breast milk on the nipples due to antibiotic qualities. The cracks and infection did heal not sure how much the milk contributed but nothing lost in trying. Good luck at the docs.

Have you or your dd had anti-biotics recently? Both times my ds has had them we have got thrush, and it makes my nipples shiny and pink round the base and the skin peels - I guess they would probably crack eventually and thrush can cause cracks which won't heal. My ds also gets white patches in his mouth, though you don't necessarily both show symptoms.

Express a little after each feed and rub into your nipples then let it dry. Keep your boobs out in the open air for a while so they get a chance to dry out a bit. Def see a doc today.

Thanks for all the help.

GP was very helpful & called it the worst case of nipple thrush she'd ever seen. We now both have treatment for it. She seemed to think could all be due to thrush but will hopefully get along to clinic to have latch checked after bank holiday.