cracked nipple

[Rachog]

Please help!

Ds and I are being treated for thrush, it has caused a big crack round the base of my right nipple and a small but deep crack on the base at the other side of the same nipple.

I am only feeding ds from the other breast as it is too painful but have been expressing to maintain supply.

I have been using the antifungal cream after each "feed" but have now noticed another crack.

Should I just leave that side alone to give it chance to heal? Should I alternate using anti fungal cream and lanisoh to help healing or any other ideas.

In my day (about 100 years ago I know!!) we were told to ensure that baby latched on to the nipple well (and it is further on than you think!) to avoid cracked nipples. You should not be able to see any of the surrounding aeriola (?) when the nipple is in babe's mouth. We were also advised to "harden up" our nipples during pregnancy by rolling them between thumb and finger as this would help us. I did have sore and cracked nipples early on but we got through it although it was very painful I remember. Also, we were advised to use Lanolin and slather it on if we got cracked nipples. I am sure the chemist will have a tub. Not sure what Thrush adds to the discomfort so this is only what I knew back in the day about cracked nipples due to new baby. We were lucky back then as our midwives and health visitors had time to really talk to us and give advice before these things happened (more about prevention than cure which was a luxury!).

Thank you for replying fosterangel. I have some lanisoh, great stuff, not sure if I can use that to treat the cracks or if I should concentrate on clearing the thrush with the antifungal first?

I will keep an eye on latch when I can bear to feed on that side again.

Thanks again!

Bump - anyone else please?

Try phoning the national breastfeeding helpline 03001000212 for advice? I've been told they're really good

And bump for you. Hope it gets better soon

Thanks mummysmellsodsick (LOVE that username btw) I feel like crying and giving up but will muddle through.

I will ring them in the morning and hopefully get some answers, just dont know what to do for the best!

I had cracked nipples when starting out feeding my dd and when I went to a local breast feeding cafe they told me that mine was thrush related so I went to the drs for the anti-fungal cream. If I remember right, the thrush causes inflamation and then cracks which won't heal without the cream. I used the cream but the breast feeding counsellor also recommended that I continue to keep the nipple moist at all times by using nipple cream as this would actually help the healing and stop it scabbing over and then the skin breaking again when you express/feed. I'd wash the nipple and put on the anti-fungal cream as recommended and rub it in but I'd then leave it a little while to absorb in before putting on loads of nipple cream.

Personally I didn't get on with the Lanisoh as I found it wasn't 'runny' enough and so hurt to rub on so prefered the Avent one. I also continued to express to keep my supply going and found that industrial amounts of cream where the only way to manage. For me, it became so much less painful after a couple of days of using the anti-fungal cream so I could feed without crying but it took a good couple of weeks before I was completely healed. Your nipples just won't look very pretty for a while and you will look mad for dipping your fingers down your top every 30 mins or so to put on more nipple cream!

I'm not sure how to do links but the breast feeding network have a leaflet on thrush and breastfeeding
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/leaflets-and-publications.html
which I was given which I found really useful

Oh, and make sure your lo is being treated for thrush as well. They might not have any symptoms but I was told that otherwise you might just end up getting it again later from them.

Thanks cakemonster, I will give that a go, I have been avoiding the lanisoh and.just applying antifungal cream but the one the.doctor.has pescribed is not the recommended one so I will go back to the chemist tomorrow.

The cracks are getting worse even though I haven't fed from that side, just expressed. If I just leave it alone for a day will my supply disappear and will I be able to get it back?

I had craacked nipples, i also vote for lanolin. Apply it generously, it clears up in a day or so.

Rachog Your supply will suffer if you leave it for a day, or worse, you could get blocked ducts/ mastitis. Phone the nbf or la leche league or see if you can go to a bf clinic, and in the meantime keep up the regular expressing. I'm sorry I can't offer more help but I always try & encourage people in this early stages because it is just so hard and exhausting and painful at first. You need a lot of patience and determination and endurance... But in a week or two it will all settle down and it is soooooooo worth it I promise you. In the meantime phone for advice, the national bf helpline and la leche league (google them for a phone number) have way more expertise than most GPs or HVs they will be able to help you get through this. I know it's tempting to give up but honestly it's such a wonderful thing to do, and so easy after the first month or so. Good luck...

I have phoned the nbf helpline this morning and they advised me to hand express rather than use the pump as the pump is damaging the nipple more and to try to get ds back to the breast asap.

They also said that the medication we have is not quite right so have asked for a doctors appointment to get a new pescripton hopefuly.

They are also trying to find someone who can sit with me for a feed and check our latch.

Thanks so much for replying, it helps that there is support out there.

Oh good! I do hope it gets better soon. I never tried hand expressing. Good if they can get someone to see you. Hope you get the right medication soon

Daktarin oral gel for baby, and daktarin cream for your nips.

I used nipple shields for a while on one nipple, but could only feed rugby hold style. As I was using it on one side, she was ok without on the other side. I used to boil the shield, as this would kill off the thrush.

Also, took acidophilus herbal capsules from h&b.

I still have the scar though as my nipple trauma was terrible :(

Thanks ladies :)

Long distance, I have been and got the oral gel and the daktatin cream but it says its for athelets foot? It is micozanole nitrate, is that right?

Your so brave to carry on, i have considered giving up but just getting through a day at a time.

There is one for athletes foot, but don't think that's the one you need. I'm going back 3 years.
Have you tried the bf network? Loads of info on there about thrush.
Also, have you been to your local surestart centre? A lot of them have bf 'feeding' clinics, where you can get advice (and meet other mums for a gossip). Good place to vent too.

I always reply to ladies who have thrush bf as I had such a hard time, and would like other mums to know what I know now.

I think the Daktarin is more clotrimozole (sp) blah, but is a white tube with green writing.

I take that back, miconazole.

I have got some now, It's the one recommend on the bfn website called daktacort and the doctor wouldn't pescribe any more fluconazole so I have bought some. £10.99 a pop so a dear do but it will be worth it.

Cheaper than ffing though

I hadn't thought of that, you just put a big smile on my face for the first time in days!

we have made it through another day anyway, go us wehay!

Yay well done you! It will be worth it once you're through this bit I promise you!

I hope so, thanks for your support, it really helps

I'm currently experiencing the same issues (again!!) as you and have a 6 week old little one. Feeling completely down about it too. Getting rid of thrush is a slow and boring process but it will go. I had the same thing with my first baby two years ago and remember trying lots of different things. The best advice is in the leaflet mentioned earlier from the breastfeeding association. Take this with you to the doctors. It as really clear guidance. Also treat you and your bub with the cream/gel after every feed and not just 4 times a day. I was really concerned that I was going to overdose my baby but a lovely lactation consultant (angel) assured me that you are putting such a small amount in their mouth each time that over the day you will be giving the recommended dose. There are also horror stories about babies choking on the gel which terrified me but just make sure you put a small amount on your finger.
Finally lanisoh is fabulous for cracks but horrendous for thrush. Thrush thrives in wet warm places. Milky nipples slathered in cream are ideal. So stop using it until the thrush has truly gone. Slap on the fungal cream, keep your nipples out as much as possible and keep changing your breast pads.

I'm on my second course of thrush treatment now. It had cleared up but the hell of mastitis and the antibiotics meant it came back again. Arrghh. I've been crying in the doctors weekly since week one. I keep telling myself I will stop tomorrow (it never comes...) as it makes me feel like I've some control.

By the way, I EBF my first baby for over a year so feeling even more pussed off about the issues I'm having now. Of course I had big problems at the beginning with him but the pain of that has faded. It all feels very real now though.

Good luck you are not alone! And it will be worth it...

thanks ecat it helps to know others are going through it, not that i would wish it on anyone but you know what i mean.

The doctor wouldnt perscribe me the correct dose of fluconazole so i went and bough some over the counter, one a day at 10.99 each!!

The lactation consultant who came to see us said that lanisoh was fine even with thrush, i will leave that off now and stick with the antifungal. I had to buy those over the counter too as the doctor would only pescribe clomitzarole not miconazole.

After all that we have been the out of hours today with ... mastitis... it never ends, i didnt express enough from the sore side it seems and ds decided to start sleeping through the night so milk just built up. its one problem after another.
I hope things start looking up for you soon!