nipple twanging and shooting pains !

[itsababslife]

DD is 11wks and bfing going well. She does seem to favour the left side and feeds easily on that side, however I've noticed in the last couple of weeks a twanging sensation when she is feeding on the right. It doesn't hurt exactly - more like nails down a blackboard. Sometimes I can hear an audible thud and feeling about mid breast there is a clicking sensation. I'm also getting sharp shooting pains deep in the breast tissue that can occur at any time and a burning sensation in the nipple post feed that lasts for about 10-15 mins.

Have checked latch and I think its OK. I try and go through the 'good latch checklist' although at 4 in the morning I'm perhaps not as thorough as I should be.

She pulls off frequently on the right too, but this could be due to a strong let down (squirts across room when she lets go!) however have just read an article about thrush and although DD has no white patches and breasts look healthy these symptoms -pains, twanging, unlatching - seem to fit.

Does anyone have any advice, could it be something else ?? Don't want to waste GPs time

Thrush sounds possible. Got me at around 12 weeks, similar pain in breast and burning nipples. Also looked like I had sunburn around the nipple. After a few weeks of odd feeding behaviour, DD showed white patch in mouth.

Could also be a duct that is plugged slightly and clears with a good feed only to plug again. Strong let down can be felt really intensely in the breast and this can come and go as your milk production increases and stabilises again every few weeks.

Maybe your DD prefers to lie on one side rather than feed on one side, have you tried feeding her on right boob in a position where she lies the same way as the left boob?

Thanks for the post. Its possible. She does side flex to the right a lot and when she was smaller this seemed to be an advantage for her feeding on the right side. I've adapted how I hold her to feed on the left as she was burying herself into my waist, but I don't think she is particularly comfy in a cross body hold on the right. She is usually less wriggly at night lying down but still manages to twang.
The only position i've not tried is the rugby ball hold, but she's quite a long baby and I think this could be awkward.

My daughter is 98th percentile for height (both DH and I are tall) and I rugby ball feed her no problems. Just curl her body round you and tuck her legs right past your back.

All things are worth a try!

In my somewhat limited experience it seems that babies go through all possible permutations of feeding/sleeping/playing behaviours with no rhyme or reason to it at all. You will probably find all this sorts itself out by next week. Just keep an eye out for the signs of thrush and try sticking a finger in to detatch her before she pulls off your nipple, you don't want to get cracks at the base.