Pain after breastfeeding

[Olivebranch5]

My baby boy is 5 weeks old and from day one gained weight and appeared to have no issues with breastfeeding. I had a bit of help early on with his latch as he made me sore but gradually that healed and things seemed to settle but for the last couple of weeks I've had a deep bruised/:burning sensation deep in the breast after breastfeeding that is so uncomfortable/bordering on painful and my nipples feel so bruised and tender that it's making it miserable. After a bit of Googling I contacted the gp thinking that it could be thrush but they didn't seem to be very aware of it and sent me off with some anti fungal cream which I'm not even convinced is comparable with breastfeeding!? It's made me apprehensive about going back to them and i don't really know who else I can contact. The only other thing I've read is such a thing called refill pain which might fit with it being after feeds?
I don't love breastfeeding but I'll still be disappointed if I end up stopping because of something that can be addressed so I'd be really grateful to hear from someone that may have some experience of this.
Thanks

I hadn't heard of refill pain but I suppose it makes sense. How long does the pain last?

I breastfed for 18 months and only recall pain when the feed first started (a sharp stinging pain for 1 few seconds) and when I hadn't fed for a while and was too full.

Have you tried the prescribed cream yet?

Do you have a breastfeeding support person? I had one visit in the early weeks, I didn't request the visit she just arrived at the house one day. I didn't need to see her again but this was the kind of thing she was keen to help with if it occurred.

That sounds painful OP, it is really hard when breastfeeding is painful. The Breastfeeding Network have specialist pharmacists who advise on medication and breastfeeding. There are thrush treatments compatible with breastfeeding. Here is the fact sheet on thrush www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/thrush-mothers/

I suggest ringing their helpline too: National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212. Trained supporters can talk through with you what is going on and also signpost you to accurate information to go back to the GP with if necessary. La Leche League also have a helpline with trained support 03451202918.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Just coming on to say contact the breastfeeding network but have been beaten to it.

Also ring your health visitor and google breastfeeding support in your area.

You can solve this and get support.

I'm no expert, just a mum who is currently breastfeeding.
I used to get that type of bruised pain when the latch wasn't quite right. It felt like a tender bruise inside my breast that DD was then chomping down on. It also left me with sharp sort of tugging pains too. I went round in circles trying to find help, as the GP wasn't sure what to suggest. I now know it was the latch being slightly off, but assumed at the time it must be some rare and awful condition.

Does your local maternity hospital have an Infant Feeding Team? If you ring them they should be able to help. My local maternity unit have a feeding team who can visit and provide support for any breastfeeding queries up until the baby is at least 4 months old, which I wish I'd known sooner! Sometimes a health visitor can provide some support, or you can pay for an IBCLC to help if you're really not getting anywhere with other sources of help.

I hope you get some relief soon. My pain gradually disappeared at around 3 months as DD began to open her mouth wider.

I had this and it was thrush in the ducts.

Argh this annoys me so much about GPs, if it is thrush they need to treat you and baby….otherwise you just pass it back and forth.

Ring your health visitor who can either help or get someone from a breastfeeding support group to visit. They tend to be much more knowledgeable

Thank you so much for all of the replies. I'm seeing my health visitor Monday so I'm going to hold on until then because I do want to keep breastfeeding for now.

@LapinR0se what treatment did you have and did it work?

@SearchingTheSkies i think I'll find out from my hv whether I can still get breastfeeding support, although I didn't have this pain for the first few weeks which makes me wonder whether it's not a latch issue ...?

Honestly @Olivebranch5 I can’t remember as it was 7 years ago. So sorry. It never fully went away though.

agree sounds like thrush to me - ask for the tablets don't let them fob you off with just creams. You may also need to treat your DS to prevent you just passing it back and forth between you.

If you aren't already, make sure you are putting on fresh disposable breast pads after every feed (I blame my washables and my habit of using same one until wet enough for me to notice it for the thrush I had).

…I mean it never went away while I was breastfeeding. I stopped BF at around 5 months and then the thrush went away too

[quote Olivebranch5]@SearchingTheSkies i think I'll find out from my hv whether I can still get breastfeeding support, although I didn't have this pain for the first few weeks which makes me wonder whether it's not a latch issue ...?[/quote]
Yes, hopefully your HV can point you in the right direction. If it is thrush, I think both you and baby need to be treated. Maybe the HV can tell you what would need to be prescribed, and then at least you can go back to the gp armed with up to date info.

Latch pain can definitely come and go as baby grows, so if it's not thrush, it might be something to consider.

I follow an IBCLC on Facebook called LMJ infant feeding support, and she posts lots of useful info on breastfeeding including thrush, so might be worth checking out her page and searching her posts.

Hope you can get it sorted soon!

Sounds like thrush, I had it with DS. You need cream for you and baby and you need to put it on after every feed. It can keep coming back unless both you and baby are treated. Baby may have white tongue / patches in their mouth or they may be symptomless (as mine was). The cream cleared it up and it didn't come back.

I had this too and it was thrush. Like PPs I needed cream for me and oral treatment for DD. I also had to be militant about changing bras, PJs, towels etc every day until it cleared up. Lots of washing!