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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

In agony - urgent advice please!

20 replies

meganandlucymummy · 20/03/2006 21:13

I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 4.5 month old. This is my second bf baby so although I wouldn't consider myself an expert I would say I have a fair bit of experience, including experience of mastitis, cracked nipples and all the usual. I have developed this excruciating pain in one breast that I can only describe as sharp, shooting, stabbing and agonising. It is painful to latch baby on, this soon settles as she starts feeding but the pain after feeding for a few hours is agonising.

As I type it is 5 am in Malaysia (where I am visiting dp's rels) and I haven't yet been able to go to bed as I am in agony. Pls help! - going to see a doctor isn't really an option here! Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:15

It sounds to me like thrush in the milk ducts. I'll try to find a link for you. I had it with my fourth baby and it's excrutiating. I'd never had any bf problems before so I didn't know what had hit me.

Hold on.

NotQuiteCockney · 20/03/2006 21:15

This sounds like it could maybe be thrush? I don't know enough about thrush.

Questions:

  • how does that nipple look? Any cracking?
  • is the pain in the nipple, or the breast?
  • what do you mean "after feeding for a few hours" - is your baby feeding for a few hours at a time? Or do you mean, a few hours after feeding?

As it's just on one side, it doesn't sound like let-down pain.

I'd recommend you take some painkillers. Can you see any sort of doctor there? This doesn't sound manageable, particularly if it's stopping you sleeping. When are you flying back home?

(Or is Malaysia one of those countries where you can buy antibs etc over the counter? You might be able to self-diagnose and buy what you need ...)

picnikel · 20/03/2006 21:16

Thrush perhaps? Take some painkillers but if it is thrush you'll ideally need ome fluconazole. I had thrush - it was a burning stabbing pain - got worse as the fed progressed and afterwards but affected both boobs.

spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:20

\link{http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/information/thrush.php\Here you go.}

It sounds to me like you have thrush in the ducts rather than just on the nipple. You need to treat it with the correct dosage of fluconazole if this is the case. I had to fight for the correct dosage. The doctors didn't believe it as yiou can't see it and they have very little experience of it I printed out the stuff in the Breastfeeding Network site and took it to them which helped a lot.

Good luck. x

spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:20

\link{http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/information/thrush.php\Here you go.}

It sounds to me like you have thrush in the ducts rather than just on the nipple. You need to treat it with the correct dosage of fluconazole if this is the case. I had to fight for the correct dosage. The doctors didn't believe it as yiou can't see it and they have very little experience of it I printed out the stuff in the Breastfeeding Network site and took it to them which helped a lot.

Good luck. x

Miaou · 20/03/2006 21:22

Agree, thrush I would guess, I had it with ds, my third, having never had it before. I had it over Christmas and didn't go to see the GP, but it did clear up by itself (lasted a couple of weeks IIRC).

Original poster
meganandlucymummy · 20/03/2006 21:25

Thanks all.
No external signs of Thrush.
Sorry!- no she doesn't feed for a few hours - the pain lasts for a few hours!
I will be here for another 3 weeks.
SIL is a pharmasist (?sp) so I will see her.

OP posts:
kiskidee · 20/03/2006 21:25

i don't understand why you cannot go to see a doctor in malaysia.

pupuce · 20/03/2006 21:26

Thrush......
No external signs of thrush on whom?

moondog · 20/03/2006 21:27

Ah spider's brilliant link.
I think I'm going to print a few of these out and keep them handy for friends. Smile
That fluconazole is brilliant.
I had thrush with dd and after faffing with creams for a week,the m/w got me this and 48 hrs later
I was fine.
Prior to this had endured probably the most miserable and painful 6 weeks of my life. Sad

Hope you get it sorted malm.

spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:28

Whatever you do DON'T take anti-biotics because they can cause thrush or make it worse. It sounds like it's inside the ducts. (Sharp shooting pains deep inside and under the armpit? Like broken glass? Worse after feeds but pretty bad during?) You need a large loading dose of fluconazole followed by a course, you need to treat the baby too with drops like Nystatin, and you need to cut out all sugar and yeast (bread, wine etc) for the time being because thrush thrives on this.

I had this for about three weeks when my baby was very young and it was agony. I took painkillers, used nipply shields, expressed ... basically did everything I could and only just managed to carry on breastfeeding. Sorry to be so up front but if it is thrush, and it sounds like it, you really need to wage war on it. Defintiely NO ABs!

spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:30

The problem is there won't always be external signs, which is why it's so hard to diagnose when it's inside. Check baby for a white coating or white spots in the mouth, but even these may not be present.

NotQuiteCockney · 20/03/2006 21:38

I didn't mean to suggest antibs were what she needed! Just was wondering if Malaysia was one of those countries where you can just go buy drugs that would require a prescription here. In which case, if she could self-diagnose with thrush, she could presumably source the drugs she needed, without dealing with a doctor.

LucyJu · 20/03/2006 21:45

My sympathies to you. It does sound like thrush - I've had it and it was agony! Much, much worse than mastitis.

I found that iboprofen was the best form of pain relief and it is safe to take whilst breastfeeding.

Good luck.

spidermama · 20/03/2006 21:47

Agree about Ibuprofen. I virtually never take pain 'killers' but I interspersed Nurofen and Paracetamol to get me through that period of time.

Original poster
meganandlucymummy · 21/03/2006 09:32

Thanks all.
Have kept topped up with paracetamol and brufen today and is more bearable (?sp) now. I also have been and bought some acidopholysis and will ensure I aviod all yeasty foods for the mo.
Spidamama - your website is fab.
Many thanks all.

OP posts:
Original poster
meganandlucymummy · 21/03/2006 09:42

BTW - have got the fluconazole and miconazole from SIL x

OP posts:
moondog · 21/03/2006 11:32

Good stuff.
Update in a day or so please! Smile

spidermama · 23/03/2006 20:48

How are you doing meganandlucymummy?
I hope you're coping. I know it can be a long haul.

Original poster
meganandlucymummy · 26/03/2006 05:05

Hello. Sorry for delayed update. We are in the oil palm plantations so internet access limited. I'm getting better! Thanks for all your advice! x

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