What's going on with my nipples?!!

[Melfish]

Evening all
My 9 month DD is being BF'd and having 3 solid meals a day (after a fashion). I've managed to BF her through blocked ducts and leaky boobs but now, after 9 months, I've got cracked nipples!

It started on the left side- open red cracks on one side of the nipple where it joins the areolae- so I slapped on the lansinoh and changed pads whilst feeding exclusively on the right side as it was too painful to go on the left. I tried using nipple shields but DD refused to feed from them so I pumped an oz at each feed with the shield on. Now the right side's getting sore and cracked. Can't bottle feed as Ms Fussy refuses to take formula (even disguising it in different cups/bottles doesn't work). Both boobs are now v.sore! At the moment I just grit my teeth whilst I feed her.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on? Is it thrush (haven't seen any patches of white though)? Thought BFing would be plain sailing by now....

thanks

i was going to suggest thrush. canm you get a doctors appt?

Yes could be thrush. Would go to doctors asap. Here's a page on thrush symptoms. One other possibility is if DD has just got new teeth. When my DD got new teeth her latch seemed to go a bit skew-whiff for a week or so, and the teeth rubbed a bit and damaged the nipple. Be really careful with latch if this is the case. If it is thrush, make sure doc treats you and DD, as you could reinfect each other, even if she has no symptoms. Hope you're better soon!

thanks thisisyesterday and charchargabor- I'll try to get a doc's appt asap. No little teeth yet- can't see any- though she's been gnawing on anything she can get her hands on!

DD would change her latch when a new tooth was on it's way - I found it worse than the v start of bfing

Chack out the thrush just incase but you may find it settles in a day or two.