I am in need of some new ideas on a sore topic. I have been speaking
with a mother of 2 who has had "late onset" sore nipples with her two
childern. With the first child the soreness occurred at 7 mos. She was
treated with a hydrocortisone cream with good results. Now with the
second baby, she started with soreness at 8 mos. again a nystatin and
sterod cream was used with good results, initally, but then the soreness
reoccurred after a couple of months and has persisted for the past ten
months. Weaning is not an option for this mother and baby, and she will
nurse through whatever, but is seeking some comfort solution.

She describes the sensation as a pinch.which becomes sore after the
first 3-5 minutes of nursing. Baby (20 months) nurses 4x at night, no
day time nursing.She stopped to see me, and her nipples looked yeasty to
me. She has been treated with gentian violet x2, diflucan x2 and says
her nipples cleared up (scaly skin) but soreness persists. Has tried
herbal treatments with no improvement. A dermatologist and and
immunologist have both told he it was contact dermatitis ...contact with
teeth, saliva, bacteria were given as the culprits and the solution was
to wean. Baby had several ear infection in the past, treated with
antibiotics (hence the yeast, IMHO) but has not had any in the past 3
mos. Mother is 33yo,  healthy, on no medications.

Does anyone have a thought about allergy here? or might she be sensitive
to her childrens saliva? the mother wonders if the saliva has an odd pH
that causes the problem. If so can the pH be changed? Is contact
dermatitis a possibility? What would you suggest?Any and all comments
would be welcomed.

She is currently keeping a diet   history for herself and her son. She
is so motivated! Thanks,

Anne Andrianos, MS,RN,IBCLC
Breastfeeding Resources
4340 Young Road, Syracuse, NY 13215
(315)492-6437 or 492-9131
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