If it isn't thrush...

[thebluenoser]

... then what is it?

I've been having major problems breastfeeding - it's got to the point that DD won't feed at all. She'll latch on then a minute, or sometimes a few seconds later, she'll pull off, often crying. I also have shooting pains deep in my breast, all the way to my armpits, itchy patches and my nipples have a burning pain for a few hours after (trying to) feed. I've also had to go on antibiotics twice because of mastitis. The breastfeeding counsellor and health visitor have told me the only explanation is thrush (they checked my latch and it's fine), but my doctors (I've seen two different ones) have done swabs on DD and me and nothing has turned up. There was even blood on my DD's face last week which came out from her mouth whilst feeding - don't know if it came from me or her. So, something is definitely wrong, but because the swabs aren't turning anything up, I can't get a prescription from the doctor. I've been trying to make due with Dactarin oral gel on my nipples, which has helped a bit, but I don't think it will get rid of the thrush.

I REALLY want to breastfeed, especially as DD is only 8 weeks, but it's impossible at the moment. I'm expressing, but find it impossible to express for every feed, so I'm having to top her up with formula and as a result, my supply is dwindling. Any suggestions?

a candida anti body blood test should tell you for sure about the possibility of thrush, GP should have done one by now.
possibly a blocked milk duct causing the pain and itchiness.

is this your first baby?

have you been told your blood group and that of your daughter?

does she react in any other way when you give her the expressed milk?

whats her nappies like?

sorry, I am struggling a bit here, my ex, she was the more experienced in breast feeding probs except when it came to herself, so as much info as possible would be helpful?

First baby, I know my blood group is O positive, I think that may be DD's as well but I'm not entirely sure. I haven't heard of that blood test - I think I'll ask my doctor about it, though the doctors at my local surgery don't seem to be that open to suggestions.

I'm sure it's not a blocked duct causing the pain, because I've had that as well and it hurts in a different way - this is more of a burning pain.

She'll drink the expressed milk, though not as readily as formula - towards the end of the day she gets a bit fussy when drinking it.

Nappies are fine, lots of peeing and one rather enormous poo every day or sometimes every two days. In all other ways she is perfectly healthy! She does fart a lot, if that has any relevance.

farting a lot at that age is nothing unusual unless it is really smelly.
the candida anti body test just measures how many white blood cell anti bodies for candida there are, over a certain amount would highly suggest a candida infection is rife!

found this just a minute ago;

www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/problemsandsolutions/thrush/

www.br eastfeeding.com/helpme/answer_thrush_yeast.html

health.msn.com/kids-health/articlepage.asp x?cp-documentid=100151510

quickly reading these, your health visitor seems to be right but I would go for the blood test quickly or ask the health visitor to help you get the GP to do one as the longer you leave it the more chance of your oxytocin and prolactin levels dropping too much

thanks for those links - tho couldn't get the third to work. From talking to a midwife friend who's also gone through the same thing, I think it may be the kind of thrush that runs deep in the breast and therfore I need fluconasol (sp?). Going to try to convince my GP to prescribe.

In the meantime, I want to try to get her to used to breastfeeding again, instead of the bottle. Any suggestions?

a health visitor told my ex to eat plenty of sweet foods so the taste would pass through into the milk. she ate lots of fruit like stawberries and raspberries and I used to make her vanilla milk with a real vanilla pod. but then her problem was that she was not able to produce enough in the first place, but my son eats strawberries and raspberries till they come out of his ears now and like me has a craving for anything vanilla.
the health visitor also said to put sugar water around the nipple or run it down the breast into baby's mouth whilst feeding, never heard that before. we tried it but the accuracy of my aim was never that good and mostly the water ran down into her top well he was a fidgety baby too and cried a lot as he was starving. I can't be much more use on this I am afraid. I have had experience of dealing with many ''womens problems'' but apart from one woman getting her boob out to show me a lump and scar on her nipple, no-one came to me about breastfeeding so it is not something I am up on really. when I have finished these last 3 modules, I will have to have a read up.