Infected bite?

[MommytoHHH]

I am nursing my DD1 and my DD2. DD1 is 2.5 and nurses about 6x/day. DD2 is 10 months and nurses whenever she wants - about 12-15x/day.

On Monday or Tuesday (can't remember) DD2 bit me on the nipple - hard. It's like a puncture wound. I didn't think much of it at the time. After a day or two it started to get sore. By yesterday it was excruciating. Every time one of the kids nurses on that side I have to grit my teeth and fight back tears. It is painful to the touch. I am guessing that it is infected? It doesn't look particularly red or swollen, but let me repeat that it REALLY hurts like you would not believe.

Today I called my Dr. at 8:30 to see if they could maybe call me in something like Jack Newman's nipple ointment or something. The nurse told me that she wanted to talk to the Dr. and that they would call me back or call me in something and that if I didn't hear from them to check with my pharmacy mid-afternoon. Well, they didn't call me back and they didn't call me in anything. : And of course it's the weekend now.

Does anyone have any suggestions? It hurts SO much to nurse on that side. And I don't want it to get even worse. I've been having DD1 nurse more on that side since she doesn't nurse for quite as long and is a little more "gentle" when she nurses. I tried a gel soothie last night but that didn't seem to help any... Any ideas are appreciated...

[PatioGardener]

You could make your own Jack Newman's cream to get you through the weekend - some polysporin for bacteria and maybe some canestin for thrush? It sounds like a bacterial infection though - you may actually need antibiotics. Hopefully some Mamas here will have some good ideas. Right now all I can think of is salt water soaks and garlic (eaten) for it's antibacterial properties.

[MommytoHHH]

I don't think there's any thrush right now. I was thinking of mixing some neosporin with lasinoh. I remember when my nipples were raw and bleeding after I had DD2 that my LC said to do that to keep them from getting infected. Maybe I'll put some on before I go to bed and hope DD2 doesn't need to nurse for a while so it can soak in.

[Summertime Mommy]

Have you tryed expressing a little milk and putting it on the wound? It sounds crazy, but it helps.

[MommytoHHH]

Yep. I do that every time they finish nursing. Doesn't seem to help...

[durafemina]

I feel for you mama - the same thing happened to me a few months ago.

I would second the antibiotic ointment, and actually veto the putting breastmilk on (I was, and then later found out that it's not reccomended any more for that sort of nipple wound).

What happened to me is that I had to stop nursing on that side for a few days and just hand express (I was pregnant at the time so had less supply and it wasn't uncomfortable).
Before I stopped nursing on that side, the infection got way worse and I ended up needing some oral abx my midwife prescribed (and I'd never taken any for like. . .15 years - so it was a really bad situation for me to agree to take some!).

anyway, gtg - dd destroying something - HTH!

[MommytoHHH]

I think I am going to go to our immediate care because there is pus coming out of the bite wound now. I am also filing a complaint against my OBs office. I am pissed off.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by MommytoHHH

I think I am going to go to our immediate care because there is pus coming out of the bite wound now.

OUCH!

I hope they fix you up. Remember you can take painkillers - you don't want to stop nursing on that side or you'll risk mastitis too.

And don't let them give you any medications that they say you will have you stop breastfeeding to take!

Good luck!

[MommytoHHH]

The Dr. at immediate care took one look at it and said "Yep! That's an infected human bite. I'll call you in an antibiotic right now." And walked out. That's all it took. Would it really have been so hard for my OBs office to have done something yesterday?

[PatioGardener]

I'm so glad to hear that you got it taken care of immediately! I hope you're feeling better soon.