Pus in breastmilk

[Lynzjam]

Following on from my recent thread about a breast abscess, I have another question.

I was pumping today at work when I noticed the milk coming out of the affected breast (with abscess) started to look stringy. So I continued to pump and the colour changed to a greenish colour so I'm thinking it was probably pus.

I think I should probably discard this milk and unfortunately I'll probably have to chuck the milk from the unaffected breast due to using the same funnel to collect the milk.

This is probably a stupid question but how will I know when all the pus is gone and I can breastfeed DD from it? I was still feeding DD from the affected breast until I saw the pus this morning!

This has been really odd for me. I've been breastfeeding DD for nearly 8 months now and I was always aware of mastitis (due to reading mumsnet alot) but this abscess just came out of no where!

I didn't have any symptoms of mastitis (the flu-like ones I mean), just a sore boob on the Monday night so I went to the docs the next day to be told I had an abscess.

I would be grateful to hear your thoughts and experiences regarding this gross situation.

Ta

[mumof4sons]

Breast infections, including breast abscess, though painful, are not reasons to stop breastfeeding. Indeed, the infection is likely to settle more quickly if the mother continues breastfeeding on the affected side.

Breast milk has sterilising affect and will help clear the infection.

[marzipananimal]

I have had pus in milk when i had mastitis and have been told that it's safe to feed baby (i wasn't expressing though)

[TruthSweet]

The stringy stuff was probably fat/ultra concentrated milk from a plugged duct and the fact it was followed by pus hopefully means that you have unblocked the duct that was causing you pain/the abscess.

I have read here that it's a possibility it might also have been a milk blister bursting.

You can still breastfeed from that side (and it wouldn't be a good idea to stop tbh) as if the string/pus happened during a feed not pumping you would have had no idea it had unplugged (nice thought I know). Just keep on bfing and doing what ever treatment has been prescribed/recommended by the Drs treating the abscess.

Hope it all gets better soon.

[Eachpeach80]

I have just reread your original thread Lnyzjam. You say that you were prescribed amoxicillin.

I have read somewhere that this is unlikely to be effective against mastitis so I would be concerned that it may not help your abscess. Did they do an aspiration and decide on the antibiotic after that?

The nhs database clinical knowledge advises flucloxacillin
www.cks.nhs.uk/mastitis_and_breast_abscess/management/scenario_mastitis#-417768

Also, how long is your course of ABs?

I think you need to go back and see them and find out why you have been given amoxicillin.

[Eachpeach80]

here

Note: Amoxicillin, plain penicillin, and some other antibiotics often prescribed for mastitis are usually useless for mastitis. If you need an antibiotic, it must be effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Effective for this bacterium are: cephalexin, cloxacillin, flucloxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulinic acid, clindamycin and ciprofloxacin. The last two are effective for mothers allergic to penicillin. You can and should continue breastfeeding while taking these medications.

from jack newman website

www.drjacknewman.com/help/Blocked%20Ducts%20&%20Mastitis.asp

[Lynzjam]

Hey

Thought I'd give you an update. Well after I finished the course of amoxicillin antibiotics I went back to the doctors who referred me to a breast clinic. I had the appointment today.

I've been feeling fine ever since, DD tended not to like feeding from my affected breast.

During the ultrasound, the abscess could be seen behind the nipple so I had it aspirated and given a course of flucloxicillin.

Eachpeach, I wonder if I had been given the correct antibiotic in the first place, would the abscess have gone away itself? It was about the size of a golf ball!

[sc2987]

Pus is just dead white blood cells anyway - sure, they aren't effective like the live ones, but they aren't harmful for your daughter since she'd be drinking them normally anyway!