What does mastitis feel like?

[MamaTT]

What does mastitis feel like? I'm not sure if I have it. My right boob has been hurting all day. Not just the nipple but the whole actual boob. I feel like shit - cold, achy, tired. And I'm feeling worse by the minute. My actual bones hurt.
DD is 3 weeks old. I'm not particularly careful about remembering which boob we did last and as my boobs don't get particularly full, it can be hard to tell.

[WreckTangled]

Sounds like it to me. When I had it it was so painful to feed I vomited. I also had a massive red patch on my boob. If I had got it again I would have called OOH but I never thought about it at the time.

[Wheredidthebackboobscomefrom]

Very painful, I had a small marble sized lump which developed rapidly into a golf ball sized lump over one weekend. I expressed as much as I could at doctors recommendation and managed to get rid of it without antibiotics!

In hindsight I should have just taken the antibiotics because it hurtttt!

[FlavaFlav]

I had the same fluey symptoms them the next morning boob was bright red and swollen. Stabbing pains going through it. Was not pleasant. Get yourself to the GP tomorrow if it's not better OP.

[MamaTT]

Yes! Stabbing pains and lumpiness. Feeding off the boob is so painful too. I feel so shit I could cry. Should I call out of hours or try and wait it out until tomorrow?

[WreckTangled]

It's really up to you. I myself am usually one to wait it out but being in pain feeding a new born in the middle of the night is horrendous and if you can feel yourself deteriorating then it's best to get seen I think.

[Wheredidthebackboobscomefrom]

I would call OOH, the pain only got worse for me. And similarly to you I was in tears!

Hope it gets better soon for you OP!

[EllaMenoPea]

You need to try and unblock the build up. Do you feel able to have a warm shower and massage the breast? My sympathies...mastitis is awful

[EwanWhosearmy]

I would call ooh. Mastitis can get really nasty really fast, so the quicker you can start fighting it the better.

I do feel for you. My youngest is 10 but I remember it well.

[DidyouseeEthel]

Mine felt like stabbing pains and they were very hard and red. I could feel the heat from them if I held the palm of my hand about two inches away. It was 25 years ago and I was advised to put cold wet cabbage leaves over them by my MIL (who was a nurse), and bizarrely it helped ease the pain. Sympathies op, hope it doesn't last long.

[badg3r]

Yes, hot hard red bit in boob and stabbing pains when feeding. I have breastfed on and off for 2.5years and have had it maybe six times. I learned the hard way to get it checked asap before it gets going badly! Good luck OP, hope you get well soon.

[totorosfluffytummy]

Best to keep feeding (or expressing) otherwise an abscess can form.

Massage the area and use a warm flannel & painkillers xx

[totorosfluffytummy]

That's Warm flannel to help milk flow but cold for pain relief in between x

[Cakescakescakes]

Call out of hours. Mastitis can get serious very quickly so it's imperative to see someone as soon as possible.

Sending sympathy - I had it twice and it's the most ill I've ever felt. Could barely lift my head in bed. Hope you feel better soon.

Pa I used to wear a hair elastic round my wrist and swap it at each feed so I'd know which side to start on next time.

[Ktown]

Hot bath and hot flannel
Lots of feeding and massaging and some paracetamol to get through until morning
It is horrible!!!