6weeks, on/off breast and screaming, pain, help?

[notcitrus]

Dc2 is nearly 6weeks and this time bf has been going really well, unlike with ds where I had teriible prroblems with latch, arm issues, thrush, hyperlactaemia, etc...

Until this last week when she's had a bit of a cold so been feeding more, but last few days she'll latch for a few secs then pull off and scream then want more, pull off... I wasn't too worried but last couple days I've got shooting pains in my breasts and sore nipples betwen feeds and feeling terrible and worried I have thrush again but don't want to have to battle the system again to get treated if it isn't.

Tried expressing a bit but that just made the leaking and water cannon effect worse - I managed two feeds on that side with my breast two inches from her mouth just spraying it in!

Help? Can't get any reallife help for a couple days.

Bump?

Is your let down too forceful? Could you express a little then let her latch when your milk has slowed?

My other thoughts were DD might have earache.

Hi, I'm currently bf my 5week old. I thought dd had thrush, gp prescribed nystan but nothing for me.

Obviously I googled and wasn't sure if she really did have it, bf counsellor said she didn't and explained I would have the symptoms you describe. What stands out is trying to feed but pulling off, maybe because she finds it painful.

But you don't say if you noticed anything in dc mouth. Could you have eaten anything that's making dc refuse milk, I've heard garlic can do this but doesn't explain your pains, are you engorged and dc finding it difficult to latch coupled with fast let down?

Just a few ideas , sorry not much help, hope tiptoe along for you soon.

Is her nose blocked from cold?

If you have had hyperlactaemia (by that I assume you mean a milk supply that far out stripped baby's needs or ability to cope with the force of milk on let down) could it be that as baby has been feeding more frequently to ease the discomfort of the cold she has inadvertently triggered a surge in milk production?

What worked with the hyperlactaemia last time? Block nursing, nursing uphill, letting down into a cloth/cup, expressing before feeds (not really rec. as it can lead to more milk being made but if it works!). Have any of those worked this time?

There is a technique of last resort that can be used but it really should only be used under the supervision of a breastfeeding counsellor or ideally an IBCLC (highest level of bfing training - a Lactation Consultant) so there is another option if everything else doesn't work.

Do the shooting pains correspond with let downs or are they at other times? This might help.

many thanks for the responses.
The shooting pains were between feeds, not related to getting engorged which isn't really a problem for me atm - she's feeding before I get engorged and with milk faling out by itself, not so much of a problem.
Last night and today have been better so wondering if it was related to a bit of chafing from nipples never being totally dry, and abandoned bras for the day - seems to be helping, touch wood. But my nipples have always been sore when touched - during a feed they don't hurt at all though. Any suggestions for helping sore nipples given the local bfcs agree my latch is good and it's only when not feeding that they hurt?

I haven't changed diet at all, and dd's cold is much better than it was and she seems very happy most of the time. Only thing that changed was getting a new nusring bra which I think was badly fitted and too small - could that possibly be a factor?? My nipples have always adapted shape to bras.

truth - could well be a surge in milk production - I was told by a LC last time it was hyperlactaemia being the shedloads of milk just pouring out and the dull constant headache shesaid was related. She said there was a drug I could take if need be but by the time I'd fought GPs to get thrush meds she said I needed (ds and I were at different GPs which rally didn't help), I'd got used to changing a towel under me at each feed and changing sheets daily and when I stopped using the left breast, the problem went away. It's a bit more even and less bad this time but tbh the left nipple has still never recovered from ds chomping on it in his first few days - it's 5x the size of the other and looks like a raspberry.

Suspect latch is ok as she latches on fine and some feeds go well, but then seems to get a mouth full of milk and gags? Burping a baby and having her puke/posset/simply spill milk out the side of her mouth are all new to me as ds never did any of them even once - I could never understand people's obsessions with muslins as I never needed one!

Do your nipples ever change shape/colour post feed (i.e. do they look different after a feed to before)?

Are you sensitive to changes in temperature usually (pain in fingers/toes/extremities)? There is a condition called Raynaud's Phenomenon/vasospasm which can cause pain in between feeds and can be associated with oversupply if the baby clamps down on the nipple to stem the flow (it can occur independently of it too so you might have hyperlactaemia and Raynaud's!)

This has lots of self-help tips that you could try to see what helps you and DD?

Hi truth - have been watching nipples...
Since your post things got suddenly a lot better for a couple days - and nipples looking the same after feeds - then last night back to the screaming and playing silly buggers, and if I didn't manage to stop her sliding off or sneaking back on improperly then I ended up with squashed/pulled about nipples which not surprisingly are rather sore.

So despite soreness am feeling much better because I know it's not thrush so don't have to try to get that treated or be told I must have poor hygiene, or get dd treated. It sounds exactly like what the OP complains of in this thread.

I was feeding uphill already but will try different positions and chat to the bf helpers tomorrow, and then maybe some of the other tips from that Kellymom site you linked to - many thanks.

Any advice on helping sore nipples recover faster - is it better to let them air and be dry, or smother in lanolin but they end up permanently moist?

Are they 'just' sore or is are they cracked? (by cracked I mean any open wounds, raw flesh with no top layer of skin, scabbed/weeping areas, deep fissures or openings in the nipple skin)

If they are sore then a light application of your own breastmilk following feeding and air drying can help as can feeding with both bra flaps down, checking bras don't have any seams over the nipple that may chaff, if you have a less sore nipple then feeding from that side first so baby will be less vigorous on the most tender side, and if you need to express consider hand expressing as it's more gentle on nipples than a pump.

Don't use any harsh soaps, rub dry your nipples with a towel, scrub them with a flannel/bath puff while washing or dry them with a hairdryer as they can all make sore nipples even worse!

If you have cracks/wounds then 'moist wound healing' is the best bet as this promotes healing without scab formation (scabs get sucked off during feeds and this can leave a larger wound, if this larger wound scabs over and the scab gets sucked off, then you just end up with bigger and bigger wounds).

You can buy special dressings (one brand name is Jelonet but I expect there is other brands/pharmacy own brands on the market) to aid moist wound healing or you can use a medical grade lanolin (like lansinoh) and apply thickly (tip - keep the lanolin somewhere warm like the airing cupboard or your trouser pocket so it is easier to apply). You can then put on a breast pad or folded up clean fabric hanky - if using a breast pad make sure it isn't plastic backed so your skin can breathe - to keep your bras from getting greasy and change at each feeding (if using hankies you can use the other side to gently wipe off the excess lanolin before feeding - I wouldn't use the other side of a pad though as they are quite scratchy!

I know it's the de rigeur question to ask on MN these days but has your DD been assessed for tongue tie by an appropriately qualified individual (by assessed I don't mean a quick squizz in DD's mouth and a 'well she can stick her tongue out' 'assessment' but a proper look at the oral cavity and even a fingers in mouth feel or suck assessment). Some babies can behave at the breast as though there is over supply (and there can be over supply at the same time in some mothers to complicate matters) when they have TT. Just a suggestion to get checked out not a definitive diagnosis of course

Truth - the right is just raw/reddened, the left looks like a raspberry with deep grooves between the bobbly bits, but that has done for 3 1/2 years since ds chomped on it - so suspect neither count as cracked? Or do they?

Am using Lansinoh cream about 3 times a day (yes, I keep it on the radiator - wish I'd thought of that when ds was tiny) and 5-6 pairs of lansinoh breast pads a day. should get shares in them! They're certainly better than any other pads...

Will try the breastmilk - I've been going topless around the house and then using soft cotton sheet to stop the fountain from the other breast when feeding. Shame I don't have enough arms to collect the milk rather than just generate shedloads of laundry. I'm not doing any of the things you say not to - I'm wincing just reading that!!
Can you use both lanolin and airing out breasts or will one counteract the other?

The paediatrician check the day after birth included looking in dd's mouth and ticking the 'no' box next to 'tongue tie' - but will ask the bfcs this afternoon. Have had some good feeds today. Thank you for all the tips.

I'd suggest treating them as 'cracked' until you see the bfcs (though you may already be there!) as you won't harm your nipples with lots of lanolin (unless you are allergic to it!) but air drying can help scabs form which you don't want!

You could try gently removing any leaked milk (dab rather than rub) then applying the lanolin thickly before putting pad on/doing up bra.