Mastitis / blocked ducts agony

[AmyHelen1985]

I had what I thought was mastitis last week, very tender, red wedge on my breast and after 24 hours started going really shivery and could hardly sleep. My mum who's a GP sorted me out some antibiotics as I was up for the day and 48 hours after starting them I felt back to normal. Then in the space of an hour or so on the third evening after starting the antibiotics I am in absolute agony and can feel a lump on the opposite side of the same breast (no lump before). I've tried massaging it, heat pack and have been really careful to make sure my daughter is properly latched on. Managed a few hours sleep but feels even worse now and in too much pain to get comfy now. She's 9 weeks old and I breastfed my other daughter for 7 months and have never had such intense pain before (this is the first time I've had mastitis as well). Help

[AmyHelen1985]

And also, I'm worried that if I always start on the affected side, it will become engorged because of that (and maybe that's why this has happened) and my production will stop on the other side. I was still alternating before but my sore side is now feeling fuller than the other side and it's the other sides "turn"!

[Erroroccurred]

You need to express / feed as much as possible on your sore side. Tomorrow you should go to tge breast clinic and get an ultrasound to check for an abcsess. Take lecithin, squeeze out any blocked pores round tge nipple and see a BFc to check latching and tongue tie etc

[redcaryellowcar]

I believe the treatment for mastitis is heat rest express (and antibiotics) someone suggested sitting in warm bath take a couple of flannels to soak in warm water and pop over your breasts and express off just enough to stop boobs being hard. Have also heard its good to get baby feeding with chin near the lump/ blockage, think some people have laid baby on towel / change mat on a table and leant over them to allow them to feed from the right angle to achieve this!? I think its important to keep feeding from both sides.
So sorry you are not well and do hope you are feeling better soon.

[SucksFake]

Oh, you poor thing. I've had this too, when bf DD a number of years ago. I was admitted for 48 hours IV antibiotics as I was septic. Also had an ultrasound scan to make sure I didn't have an abscess (had my scan after my
Mum had brought me in cabbage leaves, except it was kale; you can imagine the radiologist's face when he saw the pattern indented on my swollen boob!).

It definitely sounds as if you need to checked out for an abscess. Take regular pain relief (Paracetamol & Ibuprofen), and as error says, feed/express as much as possible on the affected side. It's the only way to relieve it.

I had mild mastitis when bf DS3 about a year ago; my friend gave me a really good tip to position his nose along the line of the blockage if that makes sense. I had been just about to go to OOH GP when I tried it. Could actually feel the release of pressure and DS gasping as he got a sudden flow of milk. If you can bear it, your DD will probably be more effective than the pump if you can get the position right.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[mammmamia]

I had a blocked duct and what eventually relived it was feeding and expressing from that side and a lot of massage and warm flannels - only lasted a few hours for me though so sounds like you need to get checked tomorrow, good luck and sorry you are not well.

[AmyHelen1985]

Thanks, will get it checked out tomorrow. Thought I'd try feeding using a different position but this is obviously going to be a good night for sleep for my baby, typical when I'm wishing that she would wake up!! Expressing seemed to be what caused me the problems in the first place so I'm reluctant to do that to empty it (that was the only time I ever got mild blocked ducts with my first).