Who knows about infected/bleeding nipples?

[Aero]

Sorry to be a bit graphic but I'm again at my wit's end. Seem to have had bf problems from the word go. Umpteen blocked ducts (can mostly deal with those), mastitis once (never want again), and now my nipple seems infected again. What seems to happen is this....it goes in a kind of pattern. There is a tiny green speck right at the end of one nipple and it causes ever such a lot of pain (I live on ibuprofen). I am still feeding on this side, but it is verrrrry painful when I do and for a long time afterwards. In between feeds on this side I've been trying to get it healed by letting the air at it (please do not try to picture this in your minds), and it temporarily feels a little better, until the next feed, then the whole process starts again. I have tried to soften it and remove the green bit, but this only causes it to bleed. I do have a dr's appt in the morning (I practically live there), but for some reason I don't feel it'll be that helpful (I will retract that statement if it is!!). So any ideas (esp if anyone has had this problem) would be appreciated. My ds2 is almost 22 weeks now and it's been a constant struggle to keep bf - it's only my stubborn nature which refuses to give in. He's still only having bm btw. It just saddens me that I haven't really enjoyed bf him when I had no previous problems with ds1 and dd. Also, feeling unwell and tired all the time can makes me feel pretty low and become the wife/mummy from hell to live with.

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Good you are seeing the doc, aero. Ask the doc about pinpointing the infection and getting a specific antibiotic for that. Drying the nipple may not help - moist wound healing is the way to you, so the skin doesn't form a scab but heals (scabs come off and leave raw skin when the baby next feeds). There is info on this on these boards so a search will reveal quite a lot.

It's horrible to have these problems and no wonder you feel down.

Thanks tiktok - you wouldn't think something so small should cause such pain! I feel like picking at it though to prove it's really there. It's in the same place as it was when I had mastitis and she said it would go away then. It has caused problems on and off since, but has never totally disappeared. That's 4-5 weeks ago! Still - boldly marching on.......

Hi Aero
Had a similar problem to this during my (many!) bf battles - like you I'm pig headed and refused to give up. In my case it was a blocked milk duct (no one could tell me how it became blocked) and I had to do a combination of the following: immerse the whole breast in a bowl of HOT water before a feed for about 10 minutes, using flannels was not deemed effective enough (does require quite an amusing scene, woman bent over table with breast dangling.....my DH laughed a lot!), massaging towards the nipple whilst feeding. My midwife also gave me a tiny little razor blade (sounds scary I know) with which I had to pick off the top layer of skin (didn't hurt at all - in comparison to the searing pain I was already in). It was crucial that I fed/pumped immediately after doing this. When I pumped (because DD was sleeping) I used an electric pump on maximum setting - to really get good suction and empty the congieled milk. My midwife constantly told me that a baby is by far the best pump available, so you're doing the right thing by feeding on that breast as much as possible. Don't do what I did though - don't forget the other breast - as soon as infection in boob 1 had cleared up I got one in boob 2.
I know this sounds daft but I also gave my DD a little pep talk before each feed, something along the lines of "Now darling, you need to help Mummy clear this infection by sucking really well and having a really good feed. Don't come off and on too much as that really hurts Mummy. Good girl" - I know it sounds crazy but it seemed to work each time! I do think they understand more than we think!
Wishing you lots of luck and healing vibes...

Poor Aero!!
I bf but mostly expressed for only 3 weeks with both kiddies. I had that green bit too which looked so yukky with bleeding nipples and I had the lumps, engorgement and 3 weeks was quite enough. I removed the green bit too, but another one appeared so I just left it and it did go by using Jellnet or Jelonet (can't remember how it is spelt) which is a guaze that you cut to size and place it on the nipple before putting on the bra pad. It promotes healing and I used to put a fresh piece on after each bf/expressing session. For the lumps I would put on a hot water bottle or those pads you can buy and heat up and then I would comb the lumps with a comb (starting from the top working towards the nipple) and also with my fingers, gently. This did help. Had the extreme shivers a couple of times but knew that I had to have a hot bath straightaway to relieve myself of mastitis developing.
I never took antibiotics for the green bit or lumps, managed to work it out myself.
I was sad/felt extremely guilty when both babies went onto formula but I thought that I had given them a good start and my sanity/comfort was seriously going to be compromised if I didn't stop. My DH wanted me to bf for 6mths and didn't really understand how painful/uncomfortable I felt and I did feel not only was I a bad mother but also a bad wife. But I managed to talk some sense to myself and stopped. Oh! I am usually a 32C and I went up to a massive 32J! Yes! Unbearable!

Thanks mummyintexas - am v glad to know that I'm not the only one who's had this problem - also no-one can tell me how it's becoming constantly blocked - it's not as if the 'goods' haven't been used before! I will try the hanging over a bowl of hot water thing - dh will find this hilarious - though he'd better not laugh in front of me or he could end up wearing the bowl complete with water! Have tried the flannel thing and to no avail. Am fairly well endowed and I guess third time round I have a little further to lift them before feeding ds2!
Thanks for the healing vibes.

Chickpea - thanks for that. My dh would like me to stop - I'm sure he's fed up with me moaning about it and he doesn't like to see me struggle - I guess it makes him feel helpless. I am pig-headed though and am desperate to continue for as long as I can. My other two were bf for 15months and 11months, and I want the same for ds2. Also he suffers more from colic and wind pains than the other two and is still only on bm as his tummy isn't ready for anything more just yet (we did try!). Thanks again though - the green bit is bothering me and I'm glad it's not so much to worry about.

ps - will look out for jelonet.

32J ChicPea - that's incredible indeed! I thought I was massive (32C to 32F), but you definitely beat me! Combing - yes I forgot to mention that one (mentioned it on a thread last week I think)- it does help. ChicPea - don't feel bad about stopping bf'ing - it is VERY hard work and I firmly believe that if mummy isn't happy then baby isn't happy - so you did the right thing. Men simply cannot understand what you're going through - it can be very painful in a way you can't explain. My DH was great, thankfully, I couldn't have continued BF with out him - he encouraged me to go just 24 hours longer, and he was always right - I was doing better 24 hours later. He used to get up with me in the middle of the night and cuddle me whilst DD latched on - the first 30 seconds were the hardest whenever I had an infection.
Aero - there is very little research on breastfeeding, more is happening now, but of course there is no money in it, so no one will fund it. Why do they become blocked - who knows! It might be the positioning of baby on breast, it might be the sucking is not even enough - it might be because the mum is run down and tired (might?? almost certainly a factor I think!). When I had Mastitis the second time my midwife told me that with each infection the breast tissue, which is very delicate, can get damaged and scarred, so you're more likely to get another infection in the same place again. She also told me to be very gentle (but firm) when combing or massaging the breast, to prevent damaging the tissue. Worth bearing in mind?

Oh, also - a word of encouragement - DD is now 6 months (this week - gosh it's gone quickly!) and we haven't had an infection for about 3 months - it's been plain sailing - so fingers crossed you'll get over this blip and all will go well!

Thanks people - it's amazing how encouraging these words can be when you feel a little low. Also Chickpea - you did the right thing for you and your baby and no-one can say otherwise - I also agree with the happy mummy=happy baby thing. I do know though that I personally wouldn't be happy if I felt forced to stop. I just know I'd have more negative feelings than positive ones so this soldier will march on despite problems and just try to see the very faint and dim light at the end of the tunnel!!

OOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhh poo poo poo! It's mastitis again! Despite best efforts, it seems the green bit has led to infection. The good news is though that it's caught earlier this time so even though I need anti-biotics, its only half the dose I had to have last time!

Uh Oh - you poor thing. Much sympathy accross the Atlantic and hope you feel better soon.

I had a million problems with bf, cracked bleeding nipples, mastitis, breast abcesses etc. I bf for a week and a half, cried at every feed, and in the end it got so bad i didn't want my dd anywhwere near me in case she woke up and wanted feeding!
I decided to express, and then began running out of milk, in the end with the abcess i had to stop as it was sooo painful, there was pus in the milk, and by the time the antibiotics kicked in my milk had just about run dry. I felt (and still feel to some degree) absolutly dreadful and cried the whole time I fed her formula fro the first time when she was 4 weeks old.
Anyway I have learned some useful advice, such as: when you get mastitis using damp warm cloths can help both with the pain and also to unblock the milk duct, feeding (or expressing) as often as possible helps clear it as well, i found leaving my nipples exposed to the air didn't really help and am a big fan of moist wound healing also. Jelonet and/or just plain vasaline is a godsend.
Best of luck, hope you feel better soon.
x

Thanks all -am at my parents now in N Ireland so hopeto convalesce(sp?) for a week or two!! Will hijack their PC from time to time to check inand keep you posted! Feeling a bit better today though.