Hi all.  I've got an odd case for your collective heads to ponder.  First
time mom called, nursing a toddler, and has had on and off nipple pain for
two days.  Describes it as "crampy" and "clenching" in the nipple itself.
She says its "like when you get out of the pool and catch a chill and your
nipple 'tightens' only more intense."  It has happened when nursing and
when not nursing.  Sometimes when nursing it feels like "the toddler is
trying to get lots of milk out of a hole that is just a bit too small."
This description sounded like how passing a blocked pore can feel, but
there has not been any visible blockages.  There is no soreness, redness or
itchiness on either nipple.  Neither pain is constant - some nursing one or
both happens, sometimes not.  Toddler was on antibiotic for last 10 days,
not now.  Mom is on antibiotic starting the day the toddler ended his
cycle.  She has an upper respiritory tract infection.  Baby did have a
diaper rash with his medicine and "does this with all medications."  She
alternated using a regular rash ointment and a miconozole (sp?) ointment
for yeast. The toddler didn't let her look in his mouth for long, but she
didn't see any white patches.

This pain has me stumped.  I've heard about thrush causing either deep
breast pain, itching and/or shooting pains.  This doesn't seem to fit any
of the above, yet the fact that it started when they were on the antibiotic
makes me wonder. Being a peer counselor, I told her to call an LC in the
morning if it is still going on.  But now I'm curious.  Could this be
thrush?  What do you all think?

Linda V.
Outside Philadelphia PA, Where they haven't yet turned on the heat in the
apartment complex, but we sure wish they had!