Big red breast ??

[suis]

I woke up this morning with my left breast feeling very full and leaking a bit, which doesn't happen very often these days (DS is 5.5 mths and fully bfed). There seemed to be red mottling on the skin in a strip from the top to my nipple. I tried to express to relieve the soreness of it being so full but got very little out even after 20mins and all sorts of warming & massaging. I have given DS most of his feeds from that side and it has taken away the fullness but it's still all red down the same strip and round my nipple. It's a wee bit tender but not terribly sore.

Is this something I should worry about ? Is it mastitis coming on ? Or will is it just left over from earlier that will go away ? I've not had somethign like this before so I'm not sure what if anything I should do about it ?

[BetaMummy]

I don't want to alarm you but it could be the start of mastitis or at least a blocked duct. I had this with ds1 and didn't act quickly enough, ending up with an abcess (not nice!) and have been scared of it happening again with ds2 (4.5 mths). I seem to have one dodgy breast that is prone to blocking and have had a few near-misses where I've had the start of a blockage (symptoms pretty much as you describe). The thing that has worked for me this time is to take some ibuprofen, have a hot shower immediately before a feed giving the affected breast a good pummelling with the shower head (well, the water but you know what I mean), and applying heat whilst feeding (I use a wheat bag). I had a full sore breast yesterday and after doing all of these things it seems OK again today.

HTH

[suis]

yikes ! I'll get going on the hot stuff.

[milfAKAmonkeymonkeymoomoo]

Also feed on all fours (looks so dignified!) the gravity helps to clear the ducts. Second the hot and cold compresses, also massage the area whilst your DD is feeding.

[suis]

bump

[bookthief]

I've found that the redness does hang about for quite a bit, even when I've fixed the problem so you could well be out of the woods.

Good plan to continue being careful and making sure you've not got any blockages/keep things flowing nicely the way you've been doing though.

[BetaMummy]

How's your breast today suis?

[suis]

Left side is much better thank you BetaMummy. I spent a lot of yesterday attaching DS to it and keeping it warmed with the shower etc. Now the tenderness and the redness are both pretty much gone... however, I've now woken up today with a lumpy bit on the right side. So I suppose it's the same procedure again today.

[daisyandbabybootoo]

I've been told that if you try to make sure your LO is positioned with their chin closest to the duct so if its on the top of your breast you can lie down with LOs tummy to your face ISWIM.If you have any fever symptoms you probably need antibiotics.

I hope things improve soon

[milfAKAmonkeymonkeymoomoo]

Feeding in with the baby in different positions helps to clear different areas of the breast e.g. rugby hold, feed lying down, across the tummy etc.

[soremummy]

I have maistitis and am taking antibiotics but I am still really sore and feel full despite feeding and trying to express. I have also used hot and cold to try to free the blockage but still nothing does it normally take long to get the blockage moving or will the antibiotics help to break it down? Or is it the feeding and expressing that makes it break down. At the moment I am feeding through gritted teeth and tears

[milfAKAmonkeymonkeymoomoo]

You need to feed/express frequently to break it down - if you can bear it! Is your latch ok? How old is your LO?

[soremummy]

11 weeks tomorrow and latch on has been ok so far. Was wondering if getting an electric pump would work better I'm willing to try anything

[milfAKAmonkeymonkeymoomoo]

I had this when my Lo was tiny and found the feeding in different positions really helped. Not sure about the electric pump being better, they say that the most efficient sucker is the baby itself

[soremummy]

Thanks. I'm willing to stand on my head if thats what it takes. Does it normally clear the blockage in a few days? or can it last longer

[milfAKAmonkeymonkeymoomoo]

Should clear in a few days, how long have you been on ABs?

Don't forget you can take an ibruprofen to reduce the inflammation. Sending much sympathy as I remember how painful mastitis is

Keep going with the massage (remember to massage the breast when feeding too to help clear the blockage), showers twice a day using the shower head to massage and hot/cold flannels after feeding.

Some people swear by cold cabbage leaves in your bra!!

Also lots of TLC from DH/DP

[soremummy]

Day 2 of antibiotics. Got some gel things and am using a hot one before feed/expressing and a cold one after. Will keep on doing all this and try all other things as well thankyou for your help and sympathy.Will start taking ibruprofen NOW!

[AnybodyHomeMcFly]

When i had mastitis i found a long, hot bath (as long and hot as you can manage!) and lots of massage and expressing underwater really worked. I have had mastitis once and blocked duct 2-3 times and i also found that if i got a white "blister" on my boob I had to pop it before things got better. Used my eyebrow tweezers and savlon wound wash to make it nice and clean. Last time I got a blocked duct, doing that in the bath and then expressing cleared it very fast. But I would also take ABs for mastitis (as you are doing) because abcess = not nice!