Breastfeeding hell- please help me not give up!!

[Ibizababyy]

DS is 7 weeks old tomorrow and EBF. We have had no end of problems starting with mastitis around week 3 then we got his tongue tie snipped at week 4. For the past 2 weeks we have been battling thrush. I didn’t realise that’s what it was initially so we were 5 days in before speaking to GP. That was a battle in itself to just get the daktarin cream for me and nystatin for DS and I got terrible advice from the GP about use but thankfully HV was able to correct this. It appeared to improve after 4 days but then went down hill again so last thursday I rang GP back- a different locum who was more understanding but still didn’t have a clue and prescribed a single flucanazole. This seemed to improve things for about 36 hours before it felt worse again. I bought flucanazole from the chemist yesterday and took another (I know i shouldn’t but GP useless and everything I’ve read says it should be a course!).

This has improved the deep breast pain somewhat but still getting lightening hot spikes through the nipple and surround area. The worst affected one is excruciating to touch/ feed off etc- skin to the Areola is bright pink and has almost gone papery/ thin and is peeling and the nipple has a crack that hasn’t healed for over a week . Baby has no more nyastatin left but seems much better- tongue was never massively white it was more him being unsettled when feeding that affected him.

I can barely hug my 4 year old and every minute of the day is filled with pain. I desperately want to continue feeding as baby is really thriving and when it works I actually enjoy it!

Have had loads of fantastic support from local peer supporter who will refer me to lactation consultant tomorrow (I believe she is a specially trained HV). What can I expect her to be able to do? I feel like I’ve tried everything and that breastfeeding will always be this hard. Any other pearls of wisdom or ideas?

Sorry, i don't have any advice, was going to suggest you speak to a lactation specialist - but you've already done that! Hope you can get some answers (and proper support) tomorrow.

If you have tried everything and you can't see the situation improving I would be inclined to start bottle feeding. You can always pump and use breast milk in a bottle. You have already done the important bit of breastfeeding so try no to worry. A happy mum is far more important

I would go back to the doctors incase it's some sort of infection! When mine became painful
I started to use nipple shields but obviously that won't help you at this point.

All I will say is that if it is affecting you so badly is it worth continuing if you can't get the help you need as freely as you normally would? These are exceptional circumstances where everything will be harder. It's obviously 100% your choice. I only
Fed for 6 months and with my second due in 2 weeks I will try again but keep it at the back of my mind that formula isn't the devils milk 🤷🏽‍♀️

I had mastitis twice and cracked nipples. The pain was so bad it made my toes curl. I used nipple shields to get me through.
A couple of weeks later it was the easiest thing I have ever done! I could feed up my jumper in a supermarket queue. If you can get through it it will be worth it but don't beat yourself up if you can't xx

Feel for you OP, It's obvious how hard you're trying. Is your little one gaining weight? If so you're doing a great job but you could try expressing to keep your supply up and to feed.

I know its said this can create nipple confusion but if it means happy mummy it might be a good compromise rather than go to formula.

Always remember though, fed is best xx

Best of luck to you.

When I had thrush, the only thing that helped was nystatin. Both me and baby were treated for over a week to ensure we weren’t passing it back and forth. Cover her tongue in the nystatin and painted it on both nips. Plus I cut out all sugar from my diet until it healed.

If you have actual cracks, burns plasters from the chemist are the best thing.

Try and spend lots of time with your top off to give everything some air.

Sorry it’s so sore but trust me it gets better

Nipple shields got me through the initial pain of breast feeding. Definitely try them.

You need to speak to trained breastfeeding professionals, like the lactation consultant you mentioned! GPs often have no personal experience and limited professional knowledge of this imo... You're no doubt in lots of pain, but are doing great, so you should be extremely proud of yourself Have you any local breastfeeding groups who have an online presence? Contact la leche league too. Also, what about the hospital you gave birth in... Reach out to their maternity unit for advice on who to approach if necessary. Breastfeeding can feel like such an isolating experience, but there is help out there. Hopefully tomorrows meeting with the lactation specialist will be useful, but personally I would also reach out to groups online who can help connect you with professionals and other BF mums.

Hold on for LC she will do her very best to give you a breastfeeding solution to a breastfeeding problem, if at all possible. In a week's time this could be history so just get to the next feed if you can. Have you lansinoh to lash on betweeh feeds? That will help with the papery skin. Warm flannel before a feed also very soothing. Sounds like you've had an incredibly difficult start but hopefully this is the start of the end of it for you. I hope the LC is good and things get better soon.

Hi OP, lactation consultant should sort you out - I haven't read all the posts but here is some info I found very helpful when I had thrush when BF some years ago
breastfeeding network

This sounds hellish. Do remember fed is best and you also need to look after your own well-being. I breast fed all my kids and I promise it does get better but I watched my friend with her newborn a while ago, she had formula fed from the start and everything seemed so much simpler and she seemed much more in control and happier than I ever was at the same point. Good luck with whatever you do.

PS huge sympathy as it is very painful! I managed to get past it by getting the meds recommended on that website and carry on BF and I hope it works out for you too

Are you using lasinoh at every feed and after showeing etc? Lifesaver stuff. Amazon prime should have it.

Are you using breast pads? I find they irritate the hell out of my nipples. I tuck them inside my nursing crop top as it has a sort of pocket. Otherwise just shove a muslin down my top. So if using pads bin them off and use a muslin washed at 60 or more (to kill yeast and bacteria) in surcare or other sensitive laundry products.

Good luck and hope it resolves. Bf is so easy once it settles down. Hang in there.

Oh I could have written this exact post a few weeks ago. I was so close to giving up (and did go to formula for 24 hours). We had weeks of treatment but couldn’t shift it. Ended up in A&E with a horrific infection and mastitis. My LO feeds on both sides every feed so I ended up pumping on the bad side until it healed and giving him the milk in a bottle. I also started taking probiotics, not sure if that helped but things cleared up soon after I started taking them. I also bought some milk catchers to wear in my bra between feeds and found things healed a lot quicker wearing them rather than having nips pressed against bra or pad. Hope things get better for you soon.

The dosage of Fluconazole capsules for thrush in the milk ducts is higher than you are been given and it needs to be taken as a course
400mgs, first dose then
200mgs daily for 14 days
Not many GPs are aware of this. Breastfeeding Network have information their website which you could show your GP.

Thankyou to all so evreally good and supportive comments there which is just what I needed. @Bray23 I have milk catcher thingys from the early weeks when it was just nipple pain from bad latch may give them another whirl. Did you manage to keep BF?

Have started probiotics. Have lasinoh but haven’t been using whilst on the daktarin but will restart. The nystatin suspension that baby is prescribed @IDontDrinkTea for painting on? And what are burns plasters?

Thing is despite all this misery I really want to keep going. With DS1 I felt I had to BF and managed 6 weeks with none of these complications although he was a poor feeder and I had fast let down which meant we both needed a full change of clothes every feed. I really tortured myself and eventually went onto FF feeling terrible. This time I was totally relaxed taking the ‘if it works so be it, if not no worries’ approach literally have all bottles, formula etc all ready to go as I was so sure I’d hate it again whereas I am actually liking it aside from the pain!! So would really like to get through it to the stage where it’s easy. I can’t be bothered with bottles- washing, sterilising, making up etc but obviously if things don’t improve I will.

Baby is gaining weight well and generally seems satisfied and is a chilled and happy little thing which is another reason I want to try and keep going. Can lactation consultants prescribe? I’m hoping they will be able to get me access to the correct treatment as my GP surgery really seems clueless!!

Are you sure it’s thrush? Has it been confirmed by swab? A deep unhealed crack and deep breast pain could also suggest staph aureus or it could be both! I’d definitely see a lactation consultant if possible.

No real gems of wisdom but I got what I thought was thrush with my first, massive rash all over my chest and that was five days before I was due to get married. GP prescribed, wait for it, a sugar solution by mistake....that's how crap they are at dealing with anything breastfeeding related. It's possible that the baby is getting too little of the hind milk and this would encourage thrush due to higher sugar content of the initial 5-10 mins of the feed. Do you let baby empty the breast before offering the other? At that age I had way more in one breast than he could drink so he usually just had one breast per feed. I used to get the shooting pains if the milk hadn't been drunk fully. Sorry if that's obvious. Fortunately whatever my rash was cleared up on its own!

For the cracks jelonet is a lifesaver might be worth getting some. No advice on the thrush though

Oh you poor thing. You've done so well to keep going.

The first thing that springs to mind here is are you sure that it's thrush? Have you been swabbed? A bacterial infection or a poor latch which is causing vasospasm can have similar symptoms. This is a great site ran by an IBCLC:
breastfeeding.support/thrush-on-nipples/

Compresses such as the multi mam breastfeeding ones or jelonet burns dressing can help.

Hopefully you will be seen by the counsellor but please consider giving the national breastfeeding helpline a call on 0300 100 0212 as they are very knowledgeable breastfeeding counsellors. I think they also do webchat now as well of you'd prefer that.

Honestly? No I’m not sure it’s thrush at all- GP only offering telephone consultation due to covid so no swabs. They didn’t even ask many questions only to check it wasn’t mastitis. I’ve been up for 1 hr 45 mins as baby screamed for the first hour refusing to feed from the most painful breast, I am so confused!!

Yup, I painted on exactly the same nystatin that baby was prescribed. And you can get burns plasters from the chemist. They’re literally plasters designed to help the skin heal quicker if you were to burn yourself... I found they also help the skin heal quicker if you have cracks / enormous blisters from breastfeeding (can you tell we’ve had every problem under the sun with breastfeeding?!)

Rooting for you OP today. Air out and treat those boobs and hopefully things will improve soon. Massive well done for getting this far.

If it’s definitely not mastitis I’d put money on thrush. You and baby can just pass it back and forth and it sounds very much like the pain associated with thrush. When I had it baby had nystatin and they gave me an oral tablet as they said that was much more effective at treating mum. Have you had that or just cream? Wash nipple cracks with soap and water, I’m not sure creams For sore nips are recommended anymore. I’d take paracetamol for the pain and hot compress until you can find out what’s going on. Does your local breastfeeding group have an online support/Facebook group? Most are running on Facebook.