I hope this works!

~Roo'sMama~ wrote: I went to an obgyn at my clinic today who is also a lactation consultant because I've been having really bad pain in one of my nipples both when I'm nursing and when I'm not. She said it's not a latch on problem, and gave me an antibiotic. She said it might be a bacterial infection - but that Andrew doesn't have thrush. (that makes sense since it's only one side that hurts.) If the antibiotic hasn't made a big difference by friday I'm supposed to call and talk to her again because she said it might also be Raynaud's phenomenon, but she wanted to rule out an infection before treating me for that. I really hope something works because I have been miserable!

5littleladies replied: Phenomenon-Do do do do do!! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

I really hope the antibiotics do the trick for you Sara! I know how frustrated you've been. When I was on antibiotics when breastfeeding I had to put this sticky stuff on my nipples to keep the baby from getting thrush. Do you have to do that?

luvbug00 replied:


too funny! I hope they find out what's up soon! I wanted to breatfeed Mya but I didn't produce enough for her to eat. I Hope that they find somthing that will work soon!!

A&A'smommy replied: Oh goodness that sounds awful I hope it heals quickly!!!

~Roo'sMama~ replied:
Lol Now I have that song in my head again... and I had just finally gotten rid of it!

She didn't give me anything to put on my nipples - she didn't even say anything about it. Oh great I hope Roo doesn't end up with thrush! That wouldn't exactly help matters.

jacobsmama replied: Hopefully the antibiotics take care of it they usually do. Good luck to you.

5littleladies replied:
Sorry!

Don't worry-I'm sure she would have said something if there was any risk. Maybe the antibiotic I had was different than the one you have.

coasterqueen replied: Oooh Sara, I hope, hope you are taking something with that antibiotic. Antibiotics can definitely give a person thrush and pass that on to the baby. If you haven't taken anything please get some yogurt in to your system or get to a health food store and get acidophilus.

Here's some more info on it: Preventing Thrush

Hopefully you don't get it, some are truly lucky . Even if you've already been taking the antibiotic I'd still eat lots of yogurt or go get acidophilus and start taking it asap.

I can't BELIEVE a LC didn't say anything to you about it. Is she board certified?

If you can explain your pain a bit more to me in detail and what antibiotic she gave you (and truly for what did she say it was for) maybe I can help out. Let me know.

~Roo'sMama~ replied:
Hmm, thanks for the info! The antibiotic I'm on is Keflex - 500mg a capsule. She said it's a really mild dose - either that or that it's a really mild antibiotic, I don't remember. She gave it to me because she thinks I have a bacterial infection in my nipple.
I'm planning on taking dh to work today so I can get out of the house so I'll try to find some acidophilus or something at the health food store. It would be easier to just eat yogurt but I don't like plain yogurt and the website you gave me a link to said not to eat the kind with sugar since sugar feeds bacteria. The website also said that the baby should get some too... would you recommend that or should I just take it myself??
As far as the pain goes, it's actually starting to get better already but usually it's REALLY painful when he first latches on, then it gets better but it is still sore the whole time he's eating. Then in between feedings it just sometimes feels sore, and I get shooting pains through my nipple sometimes. I do have a deep crack that I've had since the first couple weeks that hasn't been healing up like the other side did. The LC noticed that and I got the impression that she thought that it might not be healing because of the infection. It is getting better though - it still hurts but not as bad. It was so bad I'd cry or bite my lip so hard it bled.

coasterqueen replied: Sara,

You can purchase baby acidophilus, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to get him to take it at this age. You could mix it with water and put it in a syringe in his mouth if you want. I did it with Kylie but I think she was a bit older. BUT if I thought Megan or I had it I'd probably go this route as well as take it myself. I dealt with thrush too many times with Kylie.

As far as your symptoms...cracks can cause thrush. To me it sounds like you do have thrush, but sometimes the symtpoms can be other things as well. It could very well be JUST that the crack you have is causing all the pain. Here is a page from Kelly's site that talks about taking care of cracks and getting them healed: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplehealing.html

Nonetheless ANY antibiotic that you or Andrew takes can cause thrush so I'd do the acidophilus for sure. Without being there it's hard for me to tell but the crack could have just gotten infected like she said causing more pain. Here's another article on thrush and as you can see the sypmtoms you are experiencing could be thrush as well. It's hard to tell. http://breastfeeding.hypermart.net/thrush.html

Honestly you could just go ahead and treat yourself for thrush but it's kinda a pain in the wahzoo. It's up to you.

Let me know if I can be of any more assistance. Hang in there!

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Hmm well I just read the info on thrush and it does sound a lot like what I have now. neither of us have any visable symtoms (except for my nipple cracks) but the other symtoms sound familiar, and Andrew does pull off my breast a lot. I thought it was because he has gas or because my letdown is too strong but maybe his mouth is sore. Now I don't know what to do. Allthough, I usually burp him after he pulls off a couple times, and after a few times of doing that he'll usually finish nursing without pulling off anymore so maybe that is just because of my letdown. Argh!

coasterqueen replied:
Sara,

He still could be pulling off because of gas. Breastfeeding can be so darn confusing it's a wonder how any of us try it. Or for that matter succeed.

It is entirely possible for you not to have physical *seeing* symtpoms, although a tell tale sign is very bright pink nipples (more colored than normal). Also almost every time I had thrush Kylie NEVER showed symptoms. But it's important to treat both of you even if one doesn't have symptoms. The only thing Kylie ever got was a yeasty diaper rash on occassion.

Unless he has white on his tongue that you can scrape off and it seems to hurt him...he doesn't have it in his mouth. If he has an odd looking diaper rash, that could be a yeast rash.

Like I said before your pain could just be the cracked nipple and his fussiness just be gas. Unless the pain is unbearable I think I'd stay on the antibiotic and do the acido. Give it a few days after the antib is gone and if it's still there I'd say treat for thrush. YOu can do some of the treatment stuff while you wait (the ones that aren't so much a PIA).

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I got some acidophilus but I forgot to look for baby acidophilus. I didn't see any right next to the stuff I got though so maybe they didn't have any anyways. I guess I'll start taking it - the only thing I'm wondering is, kellymom says to take it between my antibiotic doses - I have to take 4 a day - and the acido bottle says to take 1-2 a day. Does it matter if I take more than that? And should I give it to Andrew at the same time or should I give it to him between his feedings? Thanks Karen you've been a big help. I feel bad asking you all these questions when I know you're going through I rough time!

coasterqueen replied:
Don't feel bad at all . I love helping others for a good cause .

Hmmm, I'm trying to think when I took mine. I took one in the morning and one in late afternoon. I don't think I even thought or knew about taking in between antibiotic doses. I guess I'd take it two hours after 1st antibiotic dose of the day and maybe two hours before your 3 or 4th dose of the day.

You can give Andrew's to him whenever. Since you can put it in a bottle of breastmilk you can give it to him them or right before/after you nurse him

PLEASE ask me any questions at ANY time . I love to help others and it makes me feel like I'm kinda *paying it forward* because of all the help I received when I was nursing Kylie. I don't always know everything though

Tamatha replied: Just thought I'd let you all know that this info has been VERY helpful to me, too. I have noticed in the last few days that one nipple has a LOT of pain when Trey nurses and it continues to throb periodically after he's done. He has been REALLY gassy lately, too... I'm going to a group tomorrow for nursing moms, and I think I'll ask about it there. (I think an LC will be there, but it is my first time, so I'm not sure... if not, I'll try to get an appt and ask.) Hope you get feeling better soon!

coasterqueen replied:
Tamatha,

I'm glad the info helped. Please do ask the ladies in your group. And my bet is there WILL be a LC there. During maternity leave I frequented a BF group at the hospital and they always had a LC and/or a l&d nurse there to help. It was fun to go and nice to get out and talk to other moms! Let us know how it goes.