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shingles / nursing / EP / formula question -- LONG

2010mommy!2010mommy! member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months

hello,

my son is 4.5 months old, and has been exclusively nursing since birth (well actually, he gets bottles of pumped milk while i'm at work). however, i just got shingles, and i see the rash starting to form on my right breast. i obviously don't want him to get chickenpox, so i'm pretty devastated that i have to stop nursing. i don't want to take any chances.

coincidentally, i have an appt with a lactation consultant today, bc my son wasn't latching properly and was thinking my breast was a bottle. now, i was planning to pump and dump my milk as long as i had the rash, but now i'm concerned that by the time the rash is gone, he will have completely forgotten how to nurse. anyone with this experience?

in the meantime, i will be giving him formula. i have nooo idea how much to feed him, and how often. can you share how much your 4.5 month old takes per feeding and how often he eats in a day?

and for you exclusive pumpers, how many times do you pump a day? i was nursing my son on demand, so anywhere from every 2 hours to every 4 hours, depending on his mood/nap/etc.

any help and support is appreciated. i'm really very upset about this all. i nursed my daughter until she was 9 months old and it was one of the most rewarding experiences i've ever had. i'm so sad right now.

thanks in advance.

 

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Re: shingles / nursing / EP / formula question -- LONG

  • dufferoodufferoo member
    Are you sure you have to pump n dump for shingles? I wouldn't think the virus would be transmitted through the milk.
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  • 2010mommy!2010mommy! member

    imagejociejones:
    Are you sure you have to pump n dump for shingles? I wouldn't think the virus would be transmitted through the milk.

     No, it's not transmitted thru the milk. It's more that the rash is on my breast, and I don't want any chance of the rash fluid getting in my pumped milk. 

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  • ohlordyohlordy member
    I EP and I aim for every 2 to 3 hours. I try to get 8 pumps in a 24hr period. 
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  • BigPoppa22BigPoppa22 member
    I am not going to touch the nursing/pumping issue, but very sorry to hear you got shingles.  I am sorry to say that the nursing issue may be the least of your worries and hope that your doctor got you on the meds to try to lessen the shingles already.  DW got shingles at 10 weeks pregnant and it is one of the most painful things she has ever experienced.  She was given the meds a week into it, which is really too late to be effective.  Now, 10 months later, the rash is llong gone but there are still patches of discoloration on the skin, and the site where the rash originated ("The Mother!") still itches and hurts under the skin.  Really awful, I pray you do not get it too bad.
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  • MSW_721MSW_721 member
    I had shingles when DS was 7 months old and was still able to nurse him. The shingles weren't on my breast though but was around my torso. I was told as long as he didn't touch the area, he wouldn't get it. I made sure to keep the area covered when I nursed him and he didn't get chicken pox. Can you nurse on the breast without shingles and then pump the other side to keep up your supply? Hope you feel better soon!

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