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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Scabby painful nipple

6 replies

Tgilaura · 13/12/2022 07:16

Hi all.
Looking for any advice or experience.
I feed my 17 month old, but only from one side as the other has stopped producing milk.
She really feeds at night now unless she is ill.

Last week I noticed my nipple had gotten quite scabby and it was painful when I fed - like a burning sensation. I went to the doctors and they gave me an antibiotic cream which unfortunately doesn’t seem to be making any difference.

i think it maybe her teeth? Or the time she is latched on? At night it can be a while as we cosleep and I think she does it for comfort.

My question is do I need to accept that it’s a sign I need to stop breastfeeding? Has anyone had anything similar and it’s got better?
Not to drip feed I continued feeding for so long because my daughter was and still is awful at drinking during the day and I worry about dehydration. She’s already had issues with constipation, so any advice around that would also be appreciated.

Thanks everyone

OP posts:
PritiPatelsMaker · 13/12/2022 07:56

You don't have to explain why you're BFing a 17 month old @Tgilaura. It's perfectly normal and most people will be offering a BF or a bottle at this age Wink

By all means stop if you or she is ready but you don't have to if you don't want to.

Have a read of this on healing nipples

I'd also call one of the BFing Helplines. They'll be able to talk you through stopping, if that's what you want to do and they'll also be able to talk to you about healing your nipple. The lady thing you want is to stop too quickly and risk ending up with mastitis too Flowers

Wrongsideofpennines · 13/12/2022 08:04

If your GP didn't do a swab then ask for that so they are treating the right infection. It may well be fungal.

Also try that Kellymom link. I used the saline rinse (after my GP couldn't be arsed treating my infected nipples anymore). It really helped and I was able to carry on feeding. You could also try silver cups. They're antimicrobial and helped heal cracks for me. They also stop your bra catching on any scabs. I also started to teach my LO about a good latch at that age, and took her off until she did a big wide mouth for me. May he more difficult at night though.

If you or your little one want to stop then that's ok. But don't feel like you have to. Natural weaning age is 2-7 years but our society would tell you otherwise.

Original poster
Tgilaura · 13/12/2022 08:05

PritiPatelsMaker · 13/12/2022 07:56

You don't have to explain why you're BFing a 17 month old @Tgilaura. It's perfectly normal and most people will be offering a BF or a bottle at this age Wink

By all means stop if you or she is ready but you don't have to if you don't want to.

Have a read of this on healing nipples

I'd also call one of the BFing Helplines. They'll be able to talk you through stopping, if that's what you want to do and they'll also be able to talk to you about healing your nipple. The lady thing you want is to stop too quickly and risk ending up with mastitis too Flowers

Thank you so much for your lovely message. I didn’t realise how defensive I felt about still feeding her until you said that.
I don’t really want to stop just yet, it just seems to be suggested to me repeatedly that I should have stopped by now.
Thanks for the resources - I ll have a read 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
Tgilaura · 13/12/2022 08:08

Wrongsideofpennines · 13/12/2022 08:04

If your GP didn't do a swab then ask for that so they are treating the right infection. It may well be fungal.

Also try that Kellymom link. I used the saline rinse (after my GP couldn't be arsed treating my infected nipples anymore). It really helped and I was able to carry on feeding. You could also try silver cups. They're antimicrobial and helped heal cracks for me. They also stop your bra catching on any scabs. I also started to teach my LO about a good latch at that age, and took her off until she did a big wide mouth for me. May he more difficult at night though.

If you or your little one want to stop then that's ok. But don't feel like you have to. Natural weaning age is 2-7 years but our society would tell you otherwise.

Hi, they didn’t. They just asked for a photograph and prescribed a cream based on that.
I had wondered about thrush or similar because it coincided with me having a course of antibiotics but the doctor didn’t seem to think they were related.
Thank you for your advice, I will definitely try it and see if I can get another doctors appointment (although they re like gold dust, like everywhere I guess!)

OP posts:
Wrongsideofpennines · 13/12/2022 08:14

You could try asking for a swab from the practice nurse and then GP can just look at results and prescribed based on that. The nurses and more likely to have availability and are more experienced at getting a decent swab done.

PritiPatelsMaker · 13/12/2022 18:38

I don’t really want to stop just yet, it just seems to be suggested to me repeatedly that I should have stopped by now

Oh I remember those comments! You have to develop a thick skin when you're BFing! Flowers

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