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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Thrush...Mastitis and think I'm going to give up BFing

46 replies

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 13/04/2012 12:33

I have been back to the GP today as DD3 has horrific thrush.. I have thrush in the breast and have just been prescribed a two week course of fluconazole.... DD3 has been really ill as a result of the anti-biotics i was given for mastitis... GP has said that i shouldn't feed her whilst on fluconazole... am gutted but also slightly relieved as my breasts are so sore and i am so tired with expressing for 12 times a day.....

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 14:44

Just a thought Kirstie (and prob. a bit left field too!) but have you tried turning down the suction on your pump?

I used a Medela Lactina when DD1 was first re-admitted for jaundice which no one told me how to use it and it had been set to maximum suction - ouch doesn't begin to cover it (I used it for a whole pump session on both sides as I was terrified of not pumping every two hours and there was no one to help).

Since then I have found using a low suction to start with then adjusting up helps get more milk rather than sticking it up full at the beginning.

organiccarrotcake · 14/04/2012 15:19

With fluc treatment I'd expect to see a change in thrush pain in 1-3 days.

It may take the whole course to get rid of all pain - but - it should be manageable by that time.

You can take paracetamol and/or ibuprofen too if you need to :)

If you're not getting much better within 3-4 days then I'd review the thrush diagnosis :)

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 15:33

Am not sure if I have got the wrong end of the stick but has the GP prescribed 50mg not 150mg?? Why have they prescribed a dose 3 times smaller than needed? Espec. if you are pumping and dumping? They might as well give you the full whack and then be done with it than messing about with ineffective doses! Could you call the Drugs in BM helpline for clarification?

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 16:21

I think I might need some advice about this... I was given one 150mg of fluc and then a two week course of 50mg per day.

I also think that I might need to turn the pump down (although I have just got my smaller shield and I think it is making me more sensitive)... although by the end of the pumping it stops hurting... I didn't realise that you can change the setting through out the expressing..

It is also painful just after I have expressed and also just before and at the start of the expressing. I have taken ibuprofen today.

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Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 16:27

The advice I was given was that I should start with the pump at the point where I can just cope with the sensation and it will get better as the session carries on.... I am now wondering if that is correct...

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TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 16:30

Which pump have you got? Some have two types of pumping - let-down inducing (fast light 'sucks') then milk getting out phase (longer, more drawing 'sucks') and you can fiddle about with the settings (with the two phase ones I have a higher setting for letting down then much lower for getting milk out - with single phase pumps it's lower then higher but that works for me!).

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 16:35

Not at all! You start with what is comfortable and adjust from there!! If it hurts it's quite possibly damaging you (nipple trauma is no joke).

As I used the wrong shield size for 12 times a day for 8 weeks, plus loads of other pumpings I have permanently altered my nipples (the shield was too big so sucked areola into the funnel and this means my areolas are damaged too). This was 6y ago (DD1 is now 6y 1m), and 2 other babies later and they are still damaged .

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 16:44

I have a double Medela Freestyle. I winder if I need to turn it down a bit and then turn it up... I am tempted to try this as the beginning is always horrible - although MW told me that is good because it is like a normal let down....I am so tired of this pain and really want to solve it.... Also I have no problem with let down so I will try it on a lower setting .... I suppose that as long as you start the milk flowing I can then turn it up as I can deal with it... Although I wonder if it is meant to hurt?

I hope that I will start to feel some relief from the Thrush - so am wondering if I have two issues - don't know why..... I am so tired of this being so complicated to get right and dream that I will work it out.....

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 16:52

Pumping is not meant to hurt!! It should feel comfortable and if the setting you have it on hurts at all turn it down until it doesn't hurt any more.

You can experiment with turning it up a little after let down of later on in the pumping session. You might find you can use different setting through out the day too. Keeping a note of setting level, yield, time of day may help you see a pattern (there may not be one though so don't be too disappointed if there isn't).

A lower pain-free setting may also increase yield

Incapinka · 14/04/2012 18:24

Sorry back again - been watching racing and DS who has just learnt to crawl and is obsessed with practicing.

DS started on probiotics when he was about 5 weeks old. A friend is a nutritionist and recommended higher nature probiotic powder. This can be given to children and I used to give him 1/2 a teaspoon in his milk. This really helped him and we could give up with the daktarin. We got through so many tubes of the damn stuff and yes you do need to stick it on a clean finger and smear it all over the inside of their mouth. Nystatin was a right arse to put on in comparison.

Also have you been told to pump and dump or was that your choice?

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 21:22

i am chucking the milk as DD had horrific vomitting last time i took it.... and then i read the information about fluc and small ones so decided that i didn't want her to have it...

i have a question... last time i had thrush it was in both breasts... i am confused as this seems to be all in my right breast alone... is that normal?

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TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 21:34

Well as you are exc. expressing it would be difficult to infect the other side unless you just have the one pump shield and swap from side to side when pumping or aren't sterilising the pump shields between uses (which you should do if you have thrush - steam sterilising or boiling in saucepan for 5 mins - where as you only need to sterilise once in 24h if you don't).

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 21:37

I have just tried pumping with turning the suction low at the beginning and turn it up and it worked brilliantly for the left breast... my right breast is painful but not as painful as it has been.... However it was lovely to not feel any pain in my left breast for the entire session....

Thanks Truthsweet - it was a great suggestion.

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TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 21:41

Glad there was less pain - does the Freestyle have separate dials for each side? You might find that one side prefers one suction and one another!

Is the pain in the nipple or deep in the breast? Or both even!

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 21:48

The pump only has one dial - in fact I have wondered if they need different settings... as the right one has never let down in the same way as the left one and the left one always produces a significantly greater yield.

The pain starts in the nipple... But it is so painful that I can't figure if it comes just from the nipple or in the breast too.... it is a burning stinging sensation that feels like a thousand needles being shoved into my breast... Also it happens regardless of whether I am expressin or not.... it does seem dependent on suction to start...

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Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 21:51

Sorry - That last line meant to say "does not seem dependent on suction to start"

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Incapinka · 14/04/2012 21:52

The other thing I did was rinse my nipples after pumping/feeding with white vinegar diluted in water. Evidently thrush doesn't like vinegar. Clothes and everything coming into contact with milk needs to be washed at 60C and bottles etc all need to be sterilised. I also added vinegar to sterilise... I hated thrush. And blocked ducts.

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 21:57

Kirsty - I think you need specialist bfing help to tease out if it is thrush, or damage from being advised to use a far higher setting than comfortable on the pump or using an incorrect sized shield or even something else.

The bfing helplines are probably winding down for the night but the Drugs in BM helpline has an email facility so you could contact them now or call one of the helplines in the morning to discuss with a BFC what's going on.

Original poster

KirstyDaisyBBandFifi · 14/04/2012 21:59

Surely the vinegar is incredible painful based on the pain of thrush or am I imagining it? I think at the moment I am finding it a bit tiring and my pain threshold in waning......

If i am feeling brave I will try it....

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 14/04/2012 22:02

If your skin is intact it shouldn't hurt - it may do if you have fissures or open wounds on your nipples. Try dabbing some diluted vinegar on you forearm - does that hurt? It shouldn't!

Incapinka · 15/04/2012 10:23

The diluted vinegar wont hurt at all. I promise. I added a splash to a cup of cold water and used it throughout the day. I would use a cotton wool ball, dip it and wipe (& then throw the cotton wool out). It wont hurt but thrush doesnt like vinegar. Be brave! I then used to allow my nipples to dry before adding the cream.

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