We saw a 28 year-old G2P2 mother of a one-month-old at the clinic recently who
reported getting a "metallic taste" in her mouth when her baby latched on.  She
had nipple yeast and had had a crack at the base of the right nipple since day
one pp.  The metallic taste was associated with the pain of latching the baby on
the right breast.  A week after her first visit, there was no longer any
latch-on pain.  However, the metallic taste persisted for another week or so
until the crack was completely healed.  Interestingly, when she returned for
follow-up she reported that her sister had had a similar experience with a
metallic taste during breastfeeding when _her_ nipples were damaged while
nursing some time previously.

We have never encountered this before and I have not seen any reports of this in
the literature.  Have any of you heard reports of or had experience with a
metallic taste associated with nipple yeast, cracks, other pain, MER, or
anything else?

TIA,
Karen Grue R.N., B.Sc.N., I.B.C.L.C.
Clinical Nurse Specialist, The Edmonton Breastfeeding Clinic
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada