Thrush, Mastitis, Nipple Shield, Scabs, UGH

[crystal_buffaloe]

Okay, so I have a 3wo who is gaining weight beautifully (10 ounces a week for the last two weeks! ), but I really am a hot mess.

The day after I came home from the hospital (I had a c-section) my milk came in, and THE NEXT DAY I got mastitis. I took 6 days of Clindamycin, then developed a horrible, itchy rash (the prescription was for 14 days). I called my doctor, and she said to just stop taking it. The mastitis was gone, I thought things were going pretty well.

A little over a week after stoping the antibiotic, we came down with thrush (on Thursday the 10th). I took one dose of Diflucan and have been applying Monostat to my nipples after almost every feeding (sometimes also applying a vineagar/water solution), and the little one has been taking Nistain 4 times a day.

Then the troubles really start up. On Saturday the 12th, I felt the mastitis coming back So I got back on a different antibiotic and started taking probiotics. (I've been eating yogurt every day, too.)

The problem is that I can't get her to latch on to the side with mastitis, and I haven't been able to get anything out while pumping since the mastitis symptoms got bad. So I started using a nipple shield on the mastitis side, but it's really painful when she's feeding anyway. I've had a persistant sore/scab on that side really since we came home from the hospital, and had used a shield on it before (but we weaned off of it, except for sometimes at night since it didn't help the sore after a week), so then I thought the thrush could be keeping the sore open. I just don't know what to do. My right side is perfectly fine, but my left side is seriously defective and has given me tons of problems since we got home. It hurts even to move my arm.

My questions are: Could the shield use be contributing to the mastitis? What should I do if she won't latch on and I can't pump? If I am able to pump something, do I then have to throw it away because of the thrush? Is it just ridiculous to contemplate simply shutting down my left side (after the mastitis is gone)? (I know that I'd be seriously lopsided, but after the first bout of mastitis, the cracked, scabbed, bleeding nipple, the thrush, and the second bout of mastitis, being lopsided seems like a small thing.)

Any help or advice at all would be appreciated. Today was the first time I contemplated switching to formula

[doulawoman]

I have totally btdt... just getting over 6 weeks of horrible thrush,. multiple bouts of mastitis and scabbed nipples. We also were sueing the shield, we also had a c-section (dd is 3.5 mo). What worked for us: homeopathic pytolacca at first sign of mastitis (antibiotics made thrush appear/get worse) workign with a great homkeopath...Jack newman's all purpose nipple ointment helps heal the nipples, you need an rx, yes, sterilize the shield as much as posisble. I used one as I had flat nipples... is that why you need it?

in terms of the plugged duct... massage in a hot shower, take tylenol first. I have heard amazing things about electric toothbrushes to clear blockages.

PM me with mroe questions, I feel for you. Don';t give up yet, it can/does get better. I titally understand the feeling.

[crystal_buffaloe]

I was given the shield at the hospital, as I have really flat nipples and she would not latch the first time feeding. Using the shield for a few days really drew them out, and then I was able to nurse most of the time without it. I put it back on to try to heal that persistant sore (I swear, I've had it the entire time), but it didn't work after about a week, so I took it back off again. What's weird is that the right side has gone back to being fairly flat, but she'll nurse from it just fine -- the left is really drawn out (and also really large? maybe that's the problem?), but she won't nurse from it -- I assume because my breast is so hard from the mastitis I'm going to take a hot shower and try again.

[doulawoman]

Oh, I feel for you mama! I had all these issues, see if you can't try some of my suggestions. I've had peiple swear by gentle pressure form electric toothbrushes to releaSE STUBBORN blocked ducts. We only just stopped using the shield about 95% of the time (at 3.5 mo) so good for you! do you have support from anyone like midwives, LLL leaders etc?

[doulawoman]

My questions are: Could the shield use be contributing to the mastitis?

Yes...I suppose, most likely the thrush as it can harbour bacteria and yeast how often do you sterilize it? Can you go to Jack Newman's website and look up about thrush, grapefruit seed extract works great.

What should I do if she won't latch on and I can't pump? If I am able to pump something, do I then have to throw it away because of the thrush?

Depends how soon you're planning to use it...I wouldn't store it long term but you can feed it to her that same day or next day... it's just the yeast will "keep"
Is it just ridiculous to contemplate simply shutting down my left side (after the mastitis is gone)? (I know that I'd be seriously lopsided, but after the first bout of mastitis, the cracked, scabbed, bleeding nipple, the thrush, and the second bout of mastitis, being lopsided seems like a small thing.)

no, some women do this, but not sure it is the best solution....I kind of muddled through this myself.I found taking homeopathic phytolacca at the first signs prevented it from happening, correcting her latch and getting help with this prevented mroe cracking/bleeding which IMO opens you up mroe easily to infection -aka mastitis- and the all purpose nipple ointment helps heal, as well as calendula ointment (which is also anti fungal) I've heard vinegar rinses on the nipples helps, and gentian violet which is availabelk iover the counter and is cheap but messy. It's important to treat you AND baby even fi they ahve no symptoms (for thrush)

Any help or advice at all would be appreciated. Today was the first time I contemplated switching to formula [/QUOTE]

[crystal_buffaloe]

Thank you all so much for your help. I didn't have an electric toothbrush, but the handle of my husband's electric shaver worked pretty well -- I'm working on it with a heating pad and massage, too. The mastitis is better, certainly, but it's still pink and tender and I can still feel a small lump My sister is going to pick up some Phytolacca for me today. I'm afraid it's not going to go away until I can get this sore healed up. I talked to a LC about renting a hospital-grade pump and only pumping on the bad side, and she thinks nothing's going to work until the sore heals, and she thinks the sore still hasn't healed because of thrush, which we didn't treat aggressively enough. So I just started taking a full two weeks of Flozinale (sp? I think it’s the generic of Diflucan), and the baby has 7 more days on Nistatin.

Oh, and we're off the nipple shield (I think!)

[Geigerin]

I'm sorry about your troubles. We've had a bumpy road, too. I only scanned the other responses, but I didn't see anyone mention lecithin. I battled clogged ducts and mastitis until I started taking lecithin daily. I haven't had either since. It was recommended by our doula and friends who've btdt. It's amazing!!!

Also, the nipple sheild was probably not helping with thrush. Now that you're off the sheild and taking a probiotic, that should help.

Hope things turn arou d quickly!!

[ewe+lamb]

[QUOTE=crystal_buffaloe;15514578 I assume because my breast is so hard from the mastitis I'm going to take a hot shower and try again.[/QUOTE]

For mastitis, try really hot compresses - really hot, not so much that you burn yourself but really as hot as you can stand, the heat from the compress - which, IMO is better than a hot shower, will melt the thicker milk which is blocking the breast, then you can massage, hand express or nurse your baby with baby's chin directed at the affected area - you may have to lie down and baby to be lying in the opposite direction from you, or get on all fours and hang your breast over the baby to get the chin working at the correct area, the breast should also be more molible due to the hot compress.

For the massage start with gentle but firm circular movements with the palm of your hand and work your way be down to the nipple, do not be alarmed if your milk comes out abit like thin spaghetti - this can happen with blocks. Take pain relief as mastitis REALLY hurts, if you want to that is.

Be careful with the pump in that it doesn't pump your breast too hard - some have much stronger suction than others and can do damage if things haven't cleared up enough.

Great that you managed to get off the nipple shields, remember positioning and be very tight on that so that the cracks etc don't come back again, this is an interesting site for you www.biologicalnurturing.com run by a LLL Leader and IBCLC.

Good luck.