Stabbing Breastfeeding breast pain one side After Feeding

[izzysmommy]

Hi there, if anyone can help me here, i'd be so unbelieveable grateful.  Its been a long time since I posted, our dd is now 6 1/2 and we've just had a ds who is 6 weeks today.  I'm breastfeeding him and have been having no probs until recently.  WHen i feed him on my left side about 10-15 mins after he has finished i get excruciating stabbing pain in my breast, just like someone is sticking a knife in. It ranges all round my breast and nipple.  I have no white discharge, so thought it was'nt thrush, or a blocked milk duct.  I am feeding regularly and am not engorged so also ruled out mastis, but of course I'm no expert.  The only thing i could come up with was nipple blanching or vasospasm.  I've been taking paracetomel, but it does'nt really do much, i really need to take an ibruprofen but of course i don't think you're supposed to take that whilst breast feeding.  The pain last for any things up to 3 hours and is truly crippling and i dread the next feed from that side if the pain has not gone.  Has anyone else experienced this at all and got any ideas please.  I really look forward to hearing from you with the hope I can resolve this, otherwise i'm going to have to give up feeding and go onto formular.  I had none of this pain with our daughter. Big thanks, Sarah x

[~Faye~]

I've had something similar. Does your nipple go white and really hard? It does sound like it is Raynaud's phenomonon.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipple-blanching.html

Have a look at this

 

[izzysmommy]

Hi and thanks for your reply, my nipple is extremely painful and sensitive to the touch and does not go entirely white, there are tiny white bits on the tip but if it touch it/tweek it so to speak i have a shooting pain through the nipple.  It is a tad hard but not alot more than the other one. Have had a look at the link you kindly sent me and it could well be this.  Strange it only started about 2 weeks ago though and only on one side.  I just wish thepain would go away.  I'm so scared to feed from that side as I know that it could well hurt.  Yet sometimes i feed from that side and it does not hurt.  And it only seems, so far, to happen during the early hours feeding.  I wondered if i am just so tired that i am not latching him on properly that side and so he's traumatisting my boob/nipple?  Help

[izzysmommy]

Hi again Faye, just noticed you are in Devon too whereabouts are you?  We're in Honiton near Exeter.  ALso what did you do to remedy your breast pain you mention?

[Shiv52]

I used to get a real stabbing pain in my left breast when bfing.  It turned out I had thrush although for the first few weeks the pain was the only symptom I had and then I ended up with cracked and very sore nipples.  I only realised when I noticed white patches in my baby's mouth. 

The doctor advised me to take ibuprofen to help with the pain.  you can't take it in the last two trimesters of pregnancy but its safe in bfing so long as you are taking recommended doses.  It really helped as I didn't find paracetamol any use at all but you can always just quickly check with your GP if you're not sure.

Here's a link to nhs about it:

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2461.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=129

HTH xx

[harekrishnamama]

It could be thrush.
Go and see your doc. They will give you some nasty chemical medicine which u may or may not like to use. Many testify citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) works better. Please follow instructions, its very strong but natural.

http://www.candida-cure-recipes.com/grapefruit-seed-extract-thrush.html
http://www.pureliquidgold.com/BabyCare.htm

[~Faye~]

That's when I had it most too. I found that a lazy latch in the wee hours really didn't help, but I was too knackered to care

I only had it on my right side and it didn't start right away. It wasn't anything else like thrush at all, I'm pretty sure it was just this. But I always got that shooting/stabbing pain too if I touched my nipple. I found that changing the feeding position helped, doing the rugby ball for that side so it was the same position she was in to feed ok. And then when she came off I would put my hand over my nipple to try to keep it warm and get the blood back to it. It didn't stop it but did help. When it was really bad I would actually get a hot water bottle That helped quite a bit. But I did find it hurt each time and it got to the point that I was really sore and lumpy too, but just that side. I did take iboprofen and co codamol at times when it was really bad. But I didn't really find anything to help that much I'm afraid.

One other thing, does your ds open his mouth wide when he feeds?

We are in Exmouth so just up the road. How weird is that. I'm sure I remeber you from when you used to post too.

 

[izzysmommy]

OMG, I remember you too how strange is that, what a small world.  How are you doing and your little ones?  Thanks for your replies it sounds very very similiar the pain i have and you had and the wee hours latching thing is totally me, i'm so tired taking the time to actually latch properly and keep him that way more importantly is not top of my priorities at 2am , so I am my own worst enemy i guess, but you know how it is, i can just about keep my eyes open.  He does open his mouth wide sometimes, but i've tried him with a big open mouthful which hurts the aerola then and a smaller one which then hurst my nipple.  I know this sounds strnage but i am right handed and find it easier on the right side, just seems more natural.  I'm due to feed him on the 'dodgy' side when he wakes soon, so i'm going to try the rugby ball position you mention and if that does not work i'm gonna have to take an ibruprofen.

I have been using a hand heat pack, one of the ones you crack a small coin inside and it heats up on my boob after, but it only dulls the pain from time to time sadly.  Did your pain clear up eventually then i guess?

Thanks again for your all help and please keep in touch,  Sarah

[~Faye~]

Let me know how the different position does. It did eventually go, but even if I'd known that at the time I'm not sure it would have helped! But I found persevering with the latch helped. Darcy couldn't open her mouth overly wide til I saw an osteopath and that helped. But i'd forgotten that when she did have the full amount of boob in her mouth that it would hurt as much too til I read your reply. O'll have a good think about what else I used to try.

When you feed in the night do you sit or lay down?

 

[izzysmommy]

I'm sat up at night, propped up with pillows etc, and i put a cushion under my arm as I'm cradling him on that side.

I thought giving birth was painful enough but this is something else truly
 

[~Faye~]

Better than I ever was as I'd lay down and fall asleep again Think that didn't help either. It is awful isn't it Gentle {{hugs}}