Oversupply and thrush or blanching/vasospasms?

JulyMomma2U2

Yikes, I am so uncomfortable! Quick background.. DS is 2 1/2 weeks old, EBF so far.. Latched has been checked by LC at the hospital and 2x by my ped and every time I have been told all looks great. About 3 nights ago noticed a little bit of blood in DSs stool.. He had been having super watery, green stools, but it wasn't until I saw the blood that I googled and realized green stools aren't good either.. I think it's a hind milk/fore milk issue as DS can never seem to completely empty me (I can nurse for 30-40 minutes but still easily hand express when he's done).. So after googling and reading up on kellymom, I started block feeding.. It's helping.. Usually I feed 2-3 times on one side before switching.. DSs poo is back to yellow and no more blood, so that's good.. But, now I'm feeling super engorged all the time on both sides! On top of this.. Nips have been sore since the beginning.. First week or so I had milk and blood blisters, etc.. But everything cleared up and we had 4-5 days of great nursing.. Then, my nips started hurting again.. Burning/stinging.. This has gotten way worse since block feeding... Since m nursing n the same side 2-3x in a row, it just becomes so painful.. Burns throughout my breast as I'm nursing, and then once I am finished the burn continues.. I noticed discoloration in my nips, too.. When he comes off they are either white when I take my breast out, or within the firs few seconds of coming off, they'll then turn white... I googled, again, and read about blanching/vasospasms.. Makes sense, especially because I have a pretty fast let down (sometimes he gags on it, pulls off, twists all around, etc) so it could be him chomping down trying to slow my flow, but then I read in the LC booklet that burning pain in the breast could be thrush.. And signs in baby could be diaper rash.. DS had that, but I've been putting triple paste on him at every diaper to keep it away.. So, now m confused!! And, in burning pain still!! I just put a call in to my LC to see what they think... But, curious to see what you ladies think.. Sorry for the jumbled mess - posting from mobile!

aylafsu88

The engorgement should work itself out.  Since LO is only 2 1/2 weeks old and you have started block feeding your supply is still regulating. Your supply should even out to meet LOs demands and you will adjust to the block feeding soon.  I suffered from vasospasms in the beginning.  I never noticed any pain while nursing but when LO would unlatch my nipples would be white.  They hurt to the point were even having a t-shirt touching them was painful and they were extremely sensitive to the cold.  My LC had me take a magnesium/calcium supplement and use hand warmers in my bra.  The vasospams got better as LO aged and her mouth got larger.  They stopped being an issue somewhere between 12-16 weeks.  Just a thought but could the burning/stinging sensation you feel during nursing be your let down? I have never had thrush so I cannot comment of that.  Hopefully someone else can give you some advice.

hilsy85

I agree with the PP that taking magnesium/calcium supplements was KEY in helping my vasospasms go away. Does the pain feel like shards of broken glass? I think that's the most common description of thrush pain...my pain with vasospasms was like a throbbing that would come and go randomly throughout the day. Are your nipples red or pink and shiny? Those are other signs of thrush.

JulyMomma2U2

Def not my let down.. That's more of a tingly sensation.. This reminds me of when you have an IV put in and they first run the line.. It burns/stings through the vein.. It's that same burning/stinging sensation... According to my LC, the vasospasms often go hand in hand with thrush.. She said sounds like a combo of all 3 things.. Oversupply (which she said stick to block feeds), thrush (burning sensation during and after nursing) and then vasospasms which she suggested heat packs for.. She didn't mention anything about the magnesium..? I called the OB and Ped to be treated for thrush.. I've always been predisposed to vaginal YIs, so I guess I'm more likely to get thrush too.. I've been taking probiotics, but I take them normally, too, so she thinks that's why they didn't prevent it... If I take a 600mg Motrin ( what I was given for pain for my c/s), I don't feel the burning/stinging nearly as much... Idk! This is all so frustrating and exhausting =(

falen09

Definitely sounds like vasospasms and possibly thrush. Although vasospasms are commonly mistaken for thrush.

I have a lot more pain from vasospasms when I'm engorged so the block feeding probably isn't helping your pain. I'm surprised your LC has you block feeding at 2 1/2 weeks. I think it usually takes about 6 weeks for your milk supply to level out on its own.

For those using calcium/magnesium for vasospasms, how much do you take? I take it but I haven't noticed it helping at all. I've been taking it since he was born.

As for vasospasm relief the most effective thing I've found is to just keep them from getting cold. Don't air dry, pat dry. I also rub coconut oil on them. It is soothing and helps with a ton of other things as well (including thrush). My LO clamps as well when my flow is too strong and I gently pull on his chin or rub his cheeks and that usually gets him to let up. Or I lean back to slow the flow.

Brb13

I could've written this! I'm having the exact same issues. Mainly the pain is in my left breast LO has latching issues on this side and the left has yet to figure out how to regulate so I'm often engorged. My nipples go from red to white to blue/purple so I'm thinking I have raynauds. I started taking B6 to help w the raynauds. I'm curious to see how to take the calcium/magnesium. It's so uncomfortable. I'm hoping that things get easier at the magic 6 weeks!! What else have you tried??

JulyMomma2U2

@Brb13 -- YES! My left is a problem breast, too!  Though, the burning/stinging tends to be in both sides, but in general my left gives me a hard time.  I'm not sure if it's Raynauds, because sometimes my nip comes out white (but looks "pinched"), and other times it comes out pink, then turns white/purpley/back to normal.. I've not tried anything yet, just reached out to you ladies today and my LC..

My OB office called me in a prescription for diflucan, but I haven't gone to pick it up yet.. I'm still not 100% convinced it's thrush.. I'm hoping to go to an LC meeting tomorrow and talk to them in person and see what they think!

Brb13

I talked to an lc yesterday and from what I described she didn't think it was thrush and my LO doesn't have any symptoms. I've also been putting a hot compress on and that seems to help especially at night when the tingling sensation is worse.
Let me know what they tell you tomorrow.

hilsy85

falen09 said:

Definitely sounds like vasospasms and possibly thrush. Although vasospasms are commonly mistaken for thrush.

I have a lot more pain from vasospasms when I'm engorged so the block feeding probably isn't helping your pain. I'm surprised your LC has you block feeding at 2 1/2 weeks. I think it usually takes about 6 weeks for your milk supply to level out on its own.

For those using calcium/magnesium for vasospasms, how much do you take? I take it but I haven't noticed it helping at all. I've been taking it since he was born.

As for vasospasm relief the most effective thing I've found is to just keep them from getting cold. Don't air dry, pat dry. I also rub coconut oil on them. It is soothing and helps with a ton of other things as well (including thrush). My LO clamps as well when my flow is too strong and I gently pull on his chin or rub his cheeks and that usually gets him to let up. Or I lean back to slow the flow.

i think I took 500 mg of magnesium, and a separate calcium supplement. the pain was gone in about 1.5 weeks. I also worked on LO's latch, which was probably the most important thing (otherwise he would have kept clamping down and causing pain). He was tongue tied and once that was fixed things got easier/better as well. i was pain free at about 9 weeks.