Pain while nursing now?

[@llli*lovebug0411]

A few weeks ago, I battled a plugged duct. Thanks to the help of you all, I got rid of that (twice), but now I'm having pain on that side while nursing. To be honest, I think the pain while nursing actually started while I had the plugged duct, but the duct seemed like the more immediate problem, and the pain was only on occasion. Now the duct is clear again, but the pain is more constant. When my 12 month old isn't nursing, it's just a mild stinging. When he latches on, though, it actually hurts. On a scale of 1-10, the pain is only maybe a 5, but I don't like that it hurts at all.

For the past few days, I've seen what looks like a white dot on my nipple. Upon closer inspection, it looked more like...well, do you know what a dead taste bud looks like? It looked kind of like that. Now that seems to be gone, but where it was, it looks like a faint trace of dried blood. Might I have a cut that is burning when he nurses? I've never had a cut there before.

As usual, any suggestions? I cringe at the thought of him nursing on that side, which is unfortunate, because that's always been the easy side to nurse him on. Sigh. This breastfeeding thing is so much more complicated than anyone ever lead me to believe...

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Sounds like a bleb, or a plug coming out, and yep, they hurt. Try a different postion to nurse off that side for now.

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

Sounds like a bleb, hopefully one that has already popped and is on its way to going away? Hopefully it will heal up soon and you'll be feeling better! Have you tried putting antibiotic ointment on it after nursing to hopefully help it heal up a bit faster?

[@llli*lovebug0411]

I haven't tried any antibiotic ointment. What should I try? Can I avoid this in the future? It seems to be whiter/more apparent just after nursing and then pretty much goes away after a little while. Does that still sound like a bleb? I have been trying to nurse with him sitting next to me, but he seems to find this amusing and doesn't nurse very well.

[@llli*mommal]

Bleb. They often become more apparent right after baby nurses.

Try a combination of 1% hydrocortisone cream and Bacitracin antibiotic ointment. Use pea-sized amount, mixed and applied using a clean finger. Does nit need to be washed off before nursing. Even without treatment, blebs usually heal within a week.

[@llli*lovebug0411]

It's been a week, and I'm still struggling with this. The pain is actually worse now than when I posted a week ago. Sometimes, it's like the pain I had when I first started nursing: it starts out mild and then gradually subsides as he nurses. Other times, it's all I can do not to jump through the roof when he latches onto that side. I find myself looking away from him when he nurses on that side because I don't want him to see how much it hurts me. I've got to get this fixed. Any other suggestions?

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

Could it be thrush? Or (heaven forbid) another bleb forming?

[@llli*esthervegan]

dear lovebug0411,
from the new symptoms you are describing I think this pain might be thrush.

[@llli*lovebug0411]

I don't know. I don't see any other signs of thrush. What should I be looking for? I haven't noticed white spots in his mouth. One site I just looked at suggested that clicking when he nurses could be a sign of thrush. I don't know how this is a sign of thrush, but I do think he's been clicking some recently. How do I go about getting this diagnosed? A general practitioner? My OBGYN? Man, I really thought it'd be a cake walk after we hit a year. Guess I was wrong!

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

I got thrush when Joe was like, 18 months old. LAME! For a long time, I thought it must be something else, but I had it looked at several times, and everyone's best guess was thrush (the nipple was red but also kind of flaking white?).

Thrush usually causes a burning/itching pain (rather than shooting pains, although it can vary some), makes the nipple pink or red (less visible if you have darker skin), gives the skin a slightly flaky appearance, and may or may not be associated with white spots in the baby's mouth. After a year, you're more likely to have a mild case with an asymptomatic child.

You can try using an OTC antifungal cream on it (clotraminazole is what I used), take probiotics, and keep the area dry. If you go to a doctor, they may prescribe dlflucan, but my own experience was that doctors were skeptical that I could have thrush with such an old baby, so I might try the OTC methods first, just to see if anything improves. You don't have to wipe off the antifungal if it's fully absorbed before the next feeding. Because your LO may have it and be asymptomatic, dose him with probiotics as well as yourself. These remedies are relatively harmless, so worst case, they don't work, no harm done.