After 8 months of recurrent blocked ducts, thrush infections and constant low background pain I'm considering giving up BF........

[LardyMardyDaisy]

....and feeling really glum about it

I love feeding my DD, but in the last eight months have only had a period of about three weeks where I was completely pain free in my right boob before a course of ABs set me right back again. I've taken four courses of fluconazole, have cut out as much sugar as possible from my diet and take acidophilus tabs whilst treating nips and baby as well, but I just can't shake it. If it's not thrush, then it's blocked ducts and mastitis.

I'm not looking forward to making up bottles of formula, nor the pain of the inevitable engorgement when I stop, but I can't see what else to do.

Does anyone have any advice on the best way to cut down gradually?

You poor thing.

I gave up one feed per week over about a month or six weeks until I was down to one a day and then I just stopped. It was fine. No pain.

I didn't find formula too much of a drag by then as I'd given up sterilising and never heated bottles anyway so it was a tap water, powder and shake operation. Baby pretty much lost interest by one year as she loves her food too much to bother a great deal about milk.

8 months is great btw. I'm sure you could find someone to help you carry on if that's what you'd really like but 8 months is a great achievement in itself.

thanks

she loves her food too and basically just has a quick power BF a couple of times in the day. Those ones will be easiest to give up I suppose, but I will miss her last feed of the day as that is the best one, just the two of us after I've put her older brother to bed.

Daisy, you've done brilliantly. If you think its time for you, then do it and don't look back. You might find that bottles are actually a good thing as the feeding process will be a whole lot quicker. And you can both get on with things! [smilel]

Could you do it in two stages? Drop the day feeds and just keep the night? If its the closeness at the end of the day you'll miss, how about changing the last feed for a bath together?

Of course, you can persevere and keep going - I thought 2 months ago I was ready to give up, but worked through it and now I'm thinking I'll do it until a year.

Give yourself a bit of time if you aren't sure, tell yourself "another week, and then we'll see" but you've done so well, despite all the problems of blocked ducts and the rest. Be proud of yourself!

thanks!

felling really teary about it all, but am premenstrual so....

I've made an appointment to see the good GP at our practice who is clued about about fluconazole, and will give myself one last chance at clearing the thrush. My nipple looks a bit odd on the right side and I think a badly healed crack early on has left a bit of a biggish duct and that's where the thrush is getting in. It's only ever my right boob that is affected.

and Hi foxy ....thanks for the card last week, it was lovely to receive so many well wishes from my thread buddies!

you were in my thoughts ....

anyway, did you try that stuff Annobal recommended? From Neals yard?

sorry foxy....lunchtime; hungry baby waits for no-one!

i got some green bush flower essence, and take that three times a day too!

tis a pain; i never got thrush of any kind before now