Pain breastfeeding 10 month old

nicolejoy

nicolejoy

Registered User
I have a nearly 11 month old and I've been exclusively breastfeeding since she was born (obviously now she has solids and water/juice as well, but no formula). Over the past 2 months, I've been having a lot of pain on one side. It's quite intense pain - and generally happens when the breast is quite empty (at the end of the day, or if she has a big feed from that side). I had some little sores on the nipple but now it looks normal. There's no lumps or anything visible, just the pain. An ice pack tends to help with the pain.

I thought it sounded like thrush so I went to the doctor and got some antifungal cream. I applied it for a week but it didn't make a difference at all, so I stopped using it. My baby has no signs of thrush - she's had it before so I know what it looks like in her mouth.

I went back to the doctor again today and she said that there's nothing wrong that she can see - no lumps or redness or anything like that. So she said that the pain is probably caused because my supply has decreased, so when the baby feeds it puts more strain on the breast and therefore causes the pain after the feeding.

Is this normal? And is my doctor probably right? Or could it still be something treatable? My doctor said that probably I should just always feed her on the good side first and then offer the other side when she's half full.

I don't know if this is relevant or not - but all these problems started right when I suffered a miscarriage - could it be related??

I was aiming to breastfeed for at least a year - and I don't feel like my baby's ready to be weaned yet... but I really can't cope much longer with the pain either...

Anyone got any advice? Or has anyone been there done that?
 
A half half solution may be to 'top up'with formula after a feed, before you experience pain. You both still get the benefit of breastfeeding and she has the extra milk.
 
I called LLL and they said it sounds like thrush and they don't really think that decreased supply leads to pain like that - I'm gonna try the thrush medication they recommended for a week or two, and if it doesn't help I might have to wean (or start weaning) earlier than I intended... (although she's so close to a year old now I guess I shouldn't be feeling too badly about it!!)
 
You have done an amazing job getting to 11 months, so don't feel bad at all!!! I hope the medication works for you.
 
Well after walking around with bub for a while, going to a few pharmacies and then calling around, and apparently this particular medication isn't available in Hong Kong. It's called "Daktarin Oral Gel" - the active ingredient is miconazole. Hope I can find something to help soon!!
 
Hey Nicole,

I managed to find a really "rare" prescription for Timmy when he had oral thrush too. It was from a large pharmacy in Mong Kok. I'll be there tomorrow, I can have a look for you!
 
Dear Nicole,

There is a home made solution for thrush in the Third Edition of the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which you can try and see if it helps. If it helps it is a good indication that it is thrush and if it makes no difference then it is usually a diffrent problem. Remember when treating thrush it is very important to treat both the mother and baby together even if the baby has no symptoms (or the baby will pass the problem back to the mother).

Solution from the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - Third Edition, page 242 (This is no longer in the lasted edition - I'm not sure why)

Dissolve a level teaspoon of baking soda in a full cup of water. Using a fresh cotton swab, thoroughly wipe the baby's mouth, especially the tongue, insides of cheeks, and gums, with this solution after every nursing. Be sure to use a clean swab each time and make a fresh glass of solution daily. Stir it before applying.

At the same time, bathe your nipples after nursing with a vinegar solution - one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of water.

Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, as this will help keep thrush from spreading. You must be persistent about treating thrush. Continue to nurse and use the soda and vinegar solutions diligently. If there is no improvement after a few days, consult your doctor.

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
'At the same time, bathe your nipples after nursing with a vinegar solution - one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of water."

i did that faithfully with my baby when she had thrush at 2months old, oh I still remembered the intense pain and feel for you! this treatment worked for me and the pain eventually went away after a few days, good luck!
 
I just wanted to update this thread...

I followed the LLL advice to use the cream for thrush as it wouldn't harm, even if it wasn't thrush. (I had to improvise - I used a miconazole cream that isn't for the mouth so I had to clean it off before feeds, and I gave my bub nystatin too). The first time that I used the cream, I just used it until it felt better but this time I was told to continue to use it for a week after the symptoms went away. So I used the cream, only saw an improvement after about 3 or 4 days. Then another couple of days and I was completely pain free!!

I had been dealing with the pain for about 2 months, but really the treatment was SO simple. So I just wanted to update this thread just in case anyone is in a similar situation to me. I wish that I'd really known how to deal with it when it FIRST happened, then I wouldn't have had to have gone through all that pain. But thankfully it's behind us now and we know better now :)
 
Also to add, I have daktarin oral gel but got it at my Ped's office after he diagnosed thrush (the baby had little white spots around his mouth - I had nothing but identical pain to Nicolejoy). It worked super fast to clear up both the pain and the baby's spots.

Sorry Nicolejoy, didnt see your original post looking for the oral gel. My ped is at Veritas Medical Centre if anyone else is looking for it.
 
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