*RANT* doc just said: "you need to stop breastfeeding" (10wo EBF)

[helloelo]

Hello, I think I need a bit of a rant, please indulge me and forgive my OTTness. My 10wo DS is EBF (not in the UK).

Just seen my doctor. I have trush on my nipples and miconazole is still not helping after 10 days. He just said "you need to stop breastfeeding". I told him my baby is too young and it's not something he should say but that's it, his words are now in my head.

He reluctantly prescribed fluconazole, 100mg a day for 10 days. I know it's not the right dosage or length of time but I was too tearfull to say. I'll take 400mg today and 100mg a day after, it'll give me time to find someone who's not an arse.

Also he told me that the active substance goes in the milk and it's probably not good for my baby. Basically, I'm selfish to carry on breastfeeding, no benefit to DS, even probably risky, and in these conditions, I should not BF. I know the point of fluconazole is to treat the baby as well so I'm not worried about my safety, just my sanity :(

I have vasospasms too but I couldn't get him to prescribe anything for it. I didn't protest, I'm hopefull it'll get better once the trush is gone. I'm not sure I'll get anyone to prescribe nifedipine anyway, no one seems to know anything about BF here.

I'm very lightheaded at the moment, just tired I think, the classic mummy thing really, but he said that I could kill DS if I fell onto him. Grrrrrreat. Walking back home with DS in the sling, I had a mini lightheadedness episode, I sat on the pavement sobbing.

Don't even get me started on what's going to happen if / when I get back to work (international travel involved).

I love bf my DS, this morning, he latched, gulped a bit and unlatched to give me the greatest smile ever. DH also regularly thanks me for feeding DS and supports me a lot.

But I feel like I have to fight all the bloody time! It's not fair!

Your GP is a twat.
Are you in France?

Post in Breast and Bottle Feeding- you'll get some sensible advice there.

What shocking advice - so sorry you had to put up with that. Do you know about the Kellymom website? Great support for breastfeeding.

Worth looking at an anti-candida diet for eliminating the thrush - that's what worked for me when the drugs didn't (because I'd been prescribed the wrong amount at first!)

Good luck!

Yes, France of course, average BF length here is 3 weeks, the support is soooooo bad. I was told by MW to schedule feeds and DS was given a dummy at 2 days old on the maternity ward... I've been reading Kellymom and LLL religiously since. Thank god for MN too :)

OMG.....I would have guessed France, too :( :(

The support for bf sounds shocking there. They pay lip service to how great it is to bf, but the advice and information mothers get is about the level of here a generation ago, and they definitely don't think babies older than newborn benefit.

Glad you have support at home, and you have found your way to better sources of support.

OP, I had thrush in my breasts that wouldn't go, plus vasospasm. Except it wasn't thrush, it was an undiagnosed posterior tongue tie.

Could you get to see a specialist to rule this out? I saw an IBCLC (lactation consultant) who said it's very commonly misdiagnosed as thrush with breastfeeding.

I feel for you, it's utterly horrific, you're doing amazingly well to carry on feeding. I had my son's tongue tie snipped, did some oral exercises each day on him afterwards and within two weeks feeding was a dream again.

OP I really feel for you, I'm in the UK and DS is 17 weeks but we both had problems with thrush passing backwards and forwards between us I even ended up with oral thrush myself at one point. My GP was also an arse and said I should consider stopping BF

Keep going with the miconazole, I had to use it for 4 weeks before I was clear of thrush - are you using it after every feed? If not, start Is your baby being treated for oral thrush too? If not, there's a risk you will both keep passing it backwards and forwards between you. If you're using any bottles or dummies, start heat sterilising every time you use them, you need prolonged heat to kill thrush. The helpful GP that actually managed to get DS and I clear suggested the old fashioned way of sterilising - 20 mins in an open saucepan of boiling water.

Have a look on the Breastfeeding Network website for their helpsheet on thrush, in case there's anything on there that might help.

Thanks a lot everyone, I feel much better tonight after a talk with DH. I've put all muslins in a 90°C wash and dummies in a boiling pan. I've had a look at posterior tongue tie info, will check DS tomorrow.
... oh, and I had a bit of wine...