I am trying my best to breastfeed my second son as I only lasted 2 weeks with my first due to issues.
Up to 6 weeks I have nailed it.
However he has had thrush in his mouth which doctor put him on oral drops for.
It would seem I now have nipple thrush too! It is EXTREMELY painful and on top of that he has been feeding hourly at night. I now have cracks and am in agony.
I have now resorted to pumping all feeds for him which is killing me. All I want to do is breastfeed my child.
I need help.
How do I fix it? How do I get rid of the cracks and the nipple thrush? Help me please :(
Every time I give him the bottle, even though it's breast milk, it kills me that he is not at the breast.. Feel like I have lost that bonding.
Am also worried this is now going to effect my milk supply.
Thanks mums.
From a mum who feels like she is failing...
5 Replies
Ring the Australian Breastfeeding Association :)
Definitely ring the ABA.
But in the meantime - there's a gel you can buy from the chemist (Dak-something, I used it with my baby too) that's safe for baby and will treat the nipple thrush. Keep your added sugar intake low. Give your boobies lots of bra-free time. Wash bras in Canesten wash. If you use breast pads, change them often. Thrush thrives in damp, warm environments.
For the cracks, you can use Lasinoh (also safe for baby so you don't have to wipe it off pre-feed). Again, bra-free time will help. Has baby got attachment issues? Is this causing the cracks? It might be worth calling a lactation consultant too, get some one-on-one help.
Big hugs mama, you are not failing. You are feeding your baby. Keep it up.
I had pretty much the exact same thing with my 2nd... Nipple shields saved me! They created a barrier between bubs mouth & my nipple, thus stopping us from continually giving each other thrush, I used the oral drops for bubs & was vigilant in keeping my nipples as clean as possible, and used lansenol (I think that's what it was called) to relieve the cracking
Good luck mumma! I truely feel your pain!!! ?
Good on you for persisting, you're doing great. Nipple shields are fantastic for helping your nipples heal, just ensure you only use them for a few days at a time as bub can become reliant on them. Lansinoh or coconut oil for healing and daktarin gel for the thrush are great too.
The quickest and most effective way to resolve feeding issues is usually to pay to see a private lactation consultant. It can cost a few hundred dollars but they spend a lot of time with you and do a really thorough assessment. They can also check for things like a tongue or lip tie which can cause all of the problems you describe. If your child does have either it is a simple procedure to fix both, and the earlier it is done the better.
Great facebook groups for support are Feeding Babies Australian Support Group and there is a Tongue and Lip Tie page as well who have a great list of lactation consultants they recommend in each state.
Oh mummy your not failing! I just want to give you a big hug. Remember in the end the most important thing is that you and baby are healthy regardless of where they get their food from. I totally understand the feeling of not being able to feed so know what your feeling is normal.
To help with your nipples you can get a special cream from the chemist plus I also used wool fat on them. I got the best relief from it and I just wiped it off before a feed. Try keeping your breasts clean and dry as much as you can. Walk around without a shirt on if you can. Doesn't matter if your picking bubs up because it's good skin to skin anyway. Change breast pads often when your out. If you don't normally wear them than start doing it just while the thrush is there. Avoid scents and soaps on your nipples.
Good luck mummy.