Breast aching and shooting pains

[Lenl]

I fed DC1 for 18 months no issues. Now feeding 8 week old DC2. My left breast particularly has started aching and occasionally I get quite sickening shooting pains. However I can feel no lumps, I'm not especially engorged and continue to feed regularly from that breast. No red or warm patches. I don't feel ill. No nipple pain or pain when feeding. Shooting pains seem to be random cam be close to a feed or a while after.

DC2 was suspected to possibly have thrush and he was given treatment but I wasn't. I didn't have any issues at the time but don't think I have thrush symptoms from what I've read. I did feed in bed last night but with DC1 in with us too, so rather than moving DC2 to switch sides I kind if laid almost in my front to allow him to feed from my left breast while he laid on my right side (in order to keep myself between him and the toddler who is 2. So I could have squished it a bit?!

Should have called docs today but thought it would ease. Not sure what they'd do anyway.

Pressed post too soon. Meant to add a finishing sentence asking if anyone has any ideas what the problem might be?

I had shooting pains feeding dc1 went to gp who was clueless, never did figure it out but it stopped.

I had thrush and had similar pains although not all the typical symptoms of thrush, so it may be a good idea to get treatment for yourself. I was prescribed a thrush medication taken orally, just one tablet. I was also told to look up vasospasm... worth considering incase there are other issues at play which could get worse. kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipple-blanching/

(In the end my DD was diagnosed with lip and tongue tie, and I developed a load of issues because of this, cracked nipples, thrush, vasospasm, mastitis...)

He has a poor latch, clicks and squeaks and very shallow, no matter how I position him. He has had a tongue tie division though the doc said it was a very small posterior tie and he wasn't sure how much a division would help, though he was happy to do it. It hasn't really helped.

I asked the pharmacist about an oral thrush treatment to take when I picked up DCs prescription and she said it was only for vaginal thrush... I was in a bit of a hurry so didn't really question it but that doesn't really make any sense?! Surely it'll help if you have thrush no matter where the thrush is? I'll check out the Kellymom link, thank you.

What's hard is he's gaining weight like a champ (currently weighs at 8 weeks what my first son weighed at 18 weeks, despite only being a 6oz difference in birth weight) so these little things that I know are problems aren't seen as very problematic by a hcp

Im sorry to hear ur struggling to get help! The GP gave me cream for the thrush initially but a very supportive community midwife who had been helping me breastfeed telephoned to make sure they gave me the oral treatment, saying that was the only thing that would work! I can't remember the name of it I'm afraid! But it did work, and so I would suggest going back to request it.

I'm sorry the TT release hasn't helped that's so frustrating. Could it have reattached perhaps? Unfortunately my DD TT and lip tie were missed despite being checked by various HCP's (including a private lactation consultant) and by 3 weeks all of the issues caused by it made breastfeeding excruciating and so I had to give up. We only discovered the TT/LT last week as I couldn't get rid of the hunch I had that something had been missed. I took her to a dental surgeon who diagnosed both most immediately.

DD was also gaining weight incredibly well despite all our troubles. She stayed on the 91st percentile since birth, barely lost an oz in her first week. Every midwife/HV/GP/lactation consultant I complained to, looked at the growth chart and looked at our latch and said both were great and to carry on. But I was in agony and suffering so badly. It was so frustrating, I'm sorry ur going thru it.

I'm not sure what else to suggest if you have had the TT release and it's not helped much. But do go back for the oral thrush medication, hopefully that will help. Good luck OP, I hope you get to the bottom of it and feel better soon! X

Thanks Lucinda, I'll definitely ask for oral thrush treatment. Won't do any harm!

I'm so sorry you had an awful, painful time with issues missed. It's so sad when bf ends due to something like that. I've no idea why no one seems to care about pain etc as long as baby is gaining weight!

I was lucky that he doctor I saw said that even if DS1 is gaining weight it's about how I feel too. He was lovely but rare it seems x

DS*
My phone has a mind if it's own