My ds (born 2-15-00) and I struggled with yeast several times while he was just a few weeks old. We boiled everything, tried nystatin, he had a reaction (I can't remember exactly what it was, what a bad mommy, I think it was a rash?), stopped nystatin. I took Diflucan, used Monistat on my nipples (which really freaked me out!), tossed the disposable breast pads (what a joke they are) etc. Our symptoms at that time were white patches in his mouth, white flaky patches on my mipples (though those were never that noticeable), pink nipples (they're usually brown), a wicked diaper rash, and PAIN! I had the "icepick" variety of pain between feedings and in the first few minutes of feeding.
I never felt like I really licked the yeast - and always wondered about it. Continued to have itchy or sore nipples on and off since then but I've put it off to bras that rub.
Now, fast forward to October, when I've been struggling with what everyone says is a plugged duct. Lump in the breast, gets softer with compresses and focused nursing for a couple days, very sore, but the lump never completely goes away. I first noticed this as a weird spot like a pimple on my nipple, right at one of the nipple openings. NO milk was coming out in that spot. Went to my OB, she said it's not a breast infection, the breast is not red and hot, check with the LC. I trot downstairs to talk to the LC ("Hi. Would you look at my boob?")
I tell her about how it's been like this for two months now (I finally went to her around the beg. of Dec.) and that it's not like the plugged duct that my friend described (she said hers was like a plug of fat that eventually came out the end of her nipple). Mine is like this - after my little ritual of soaking in warm water, massage, then pumping, milk does come out of the nipple opening in question, but the edges of the opening are white and puffy. LC says yes it's a plugged duct, but of course I can't show her how it looks after I pump...I've also noticed a drastic reduction in the milk that I can pump from this breast (like cut in half!).
This is what I've tried - adjusting my seatbelt, pitching any uncomfortable bras, soaking and ginger and warm water compresses before pumping and nursing, lecithin (recommended by the LC to break up the fat), hot showers before and cold compresses after nursing (recommended by my LLLL). Also fenugreek and drinking lots of water to try to combat the decrease in supply - thinking that I could flush it out...
This is my question - since my nipple doesn't look like what I've heard described as a plugged duct, and hasn't changed drastically in over three months with treatment, is it possible that I've actually got a deep yeast infection? How would I know? There's no "icepick" pain, but there are some very serious twinges randomly through the day. My nipples are still very pink and always sore. HELP!
I never felt like I really licked the yeast - and always wondered about it. Continued to have itchy or sore nipples on and off since then but I've put it off to bras that rub.
Now, fast forward to October, when I've been struggling with what everyone says is a plugged duct. Lump in the breast, gets softer with compresses and focused nursing for a couple days, very sore, but the lump never completely goes away. I first noticed this as a weird spot like a pimple on my nipple, right at one of the nipple openings. NO milk was coming out in that spot. Went to my OB, she said it's not a breast infection, the breast is not red and hot, check with the LC. I trot downstairs to talk to the LC ("Hi. Would you look at my boob?")
I tell her about how it's been like this for two months now (I finally went to her around the beg. of Dec.) and that it's not like the plugged duct that my friend described (she said hers was like a plug of fat that eventually came out the end of her nipple). Mine is like this - after my little ritual of soaking in warm water, massage, then pumping, milk does come out of the nipple opening in question, but the edges of the opening are white and puffy. LC says yes it's a plugged duct, but of course I can't show her how it looks after I pump...I've also noticed a drastic reduction in the milk that I can pump from this breast (like cut in half!).This is what I've tried - adjusting my seatbelt, pitching any uncomfortable bras, soaking and ginger and warm water compresses before pumping and nursing, lecithin (recommended by the LC to break up the fat), hot showers before and cold compresses after nursing (recommended by my LLLL). Also fenugreek and drinking lots of water to try to combat the decrease in supply - thinking that I could flush it out...
This is my question - since my nipple doesn't look like what I've heard described as a plugged duct, and hasn't changed drastically in over three months with treatment, is it possible that I've actually got a deep yeast infection? How would I know? There's no "icepick" pain, but there are some very serious twinges randomly through the day. My nipples are still very pink and always sore. HELP!
