mastitis please god help me

[upsetandang]

I have a couple of lumps in my breast and it hurts when baby feeds literally to the point I'm yelping out in pain.
I have a fever and a headache
its so bad in crying my eyes out

this is day 2 only.
I'm going to be home alone with 3 young children and crawling baby tomorrow.
please has anyone got better and sorted it out themselves?
DH called 111 earlier and they have called back but because of a temperature (coronavirus) they have to go through hoops and whatnot to do anything so I'm still waiting for another call.

its gotten loads worse despite a baby and young toddler feeding on it pretty much constantly.
I've looked all over the Internet but I don't know what else to try?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

How are you OP?

[goldielockdown2]

OP can you update when you're feeling well enough? Please don't just rely on the tips or old wives tales given here as they worked for others, you need urgent medical care. You sound like me when I had sepsis. I'm lucky my midwife was very stern with me and didn't allow me to power through my mastitis.

[Zanina]

Just to clarify I didn't do the dangle feed because I didn't know of that technique, but because of where my blocked duct was, it meant I was doing the football cradle type position. Just baby head opposite side to the "normal" position. And I used my fingers to massage the duct whilst feeding. Not sure if it helped but changing position so the top of the baby's mouth is on the duct is the key.

You need to tell your husband to stay home, or get family round as it's too much to handle and high risk xxx

[Zanina]

But definitely please get seen to, you will need antibiotics and lots of rest x

[Buddytheelf85]

All the sympathy in the world. I had it three times with my son and although I would love another child, the thought of suffering through mastitis again honestly puts me off. It’s horrific. I have never felt so unwell.

I’m not saying anything new but:

• You must get antibiotics ASAP, they work really fast. Explain that you’re 100% sure it’s mastitis and not Covid (I had it in March and when I explained my GP was happy to see me in person and prescribed antibiotics).
  
• Ibuprofen helps.
  
• you cannot look after three small children and a baby by yourself with it. You just can’t. It isn’t safe. I couldn’t stand up. Is there no other option?
  
• Keep feeding and keep the milk moving. Different techniques work for different people. Pumping didn’t work for me, it made it worse. For me what worked was soaking my boob in warm water than bending over the loo and massaging the blockage from back to front. The milk would drip out gradually and that helped.
  

I really hope you’re ok. It is absolutely awful.

[UniversalHadIt]

Ah OP- you poor thing. I’ve had it twice and the first time it came on like a horrific flu. I was so unwell it was untrue. Had to go to hospital for ABs (clinician advice), and could barely walk through the door.

Yes heat, moist heat, dangle feeding, massage. If you can get your DH to massage with a big man thumb, I found that that worked very well, as he would push harder than I would myself- and I could stand it through gritted teeth ISWIM.

And feed feed feed. You may (as I did) feel the blockage shift - I literally felt like a dam had burst when it moved. It was amazing.

But you’re supposed to receive treatment within 24 hours of symptoms for mastitis- it is treated as an emergency- so don’t be afraid to kick up a stink!

[Bipolarbitch]

It's an oldie but works quickly, savoy cabbage leaves, the darker the better, store in fridge and cover breast, pop bra on top. Someone told me years ago the magnesium in the leaves that does the trick. Please give yourself a break and take anti inflammatories like brufen ASAP. You are doing a wonderful job, it will get better XX

[MsJudgemental]

Antibiotics sorted me out straightaway.

[Macadamia20]

Please make sure you get the medical attention you need. I had this 6 years ago, I couldn’t get out of bed with the fever and effects. I ended up in hospital with an abscess and sepsis. I hope you start to feel better soon.

[MalorieSnooty]

OP if you start shivering get yourself to A&E. I needed IV antibiotics for mastitis when DS2 was small, the level of infection was really high and oral antibiotics weren't touching it.

[WellQualifiedToRepresentTheLBC]

Op from your updates I think you might have an abscess already. If your unable to wear clothing due to your breast hurting too much, then that isnt a blockage I don't think. And a few days of fever already etc... it probably isn't a blockage anymore and trying to drain it will not clear it up, if it has already made an abscess then interfering with it will just make it worse, i think (not a hcp just had loads of mastitis).

I am not in the UK but I was sent to A&E, when I was a lot less bad than you currently sound tbh. Really hope you get medical attention today. I would present at a&e at this point tbh.

[Brefugee]

I was advised to put cabbage leaves in the fridge and then in my bra - and also to spread Quark (very soft ultra light cream cheese) on my breasts if they started to get red and warm.

But when it was really bad it was antibiotics and they worked very quickly.
I had to massage my breast while feeding, stroking towards the nipple - going all round the breast - to prevent it happening again

[everybodyknowsus]

Mastitis is fucking awful. I fainted on my health visitor.

Lots of good advice on this thread. Hope you're on the mend soon, OP

[bluebellscorner]

I’m so sorry to hear you are in pain, mastitis is terrible. I had it with all of mine and also once years after I had finished breastfeeding!

• antibiotics
  
• cabbage
  
• warm showers, baths, compresses
  
• keep breastfeeding! It really helps!
  
• I bought some sort of breastfeeding nipple compresses from boots, they really saved the day
  

Good luck!

[IronNeonClasp]

Savoy Cabbage !!! Dark green leaves AMAZING

[rainonarainyday]

Press hard with your finger tips on the outside edge of lump hard, when the pain lessens ( might take a few minutes) push toward the nipple. Press again on the edge of lump repeating the ideally once you down all of them feed. Will
Prob need to do a few times. It sounds like blocked ducts. This is the only way I got rid of mine after days of trying everything.

[PurpleH]

If you get time have a nice hot shower and get a flannel and gently massage the breast. This will offer some relief and might unblock too. Be sure to GENTLY massage or it will feel worse. Use a cold compress when not feeding (cold flannel tucked down your top to relieve pain). This might help while you wait hopefully for antibiotics from the doc

[PurpleH]

It may also pass very quickly (the blockage). Mine suddenly went after a couple of days and was soft again after a few rounds of hot showers and feeding

[Oooohbehave]

Antibiotics OP. Also just be aware that if you are on them whilst breastfeeding your baby might get thrush, mine did but it cleared almost overnight once I finished the course. for you it's horrible.

[Brefugee]

there are breastfeeding safe antibiotics.

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Hope you're ok today OP, a little worried about you as I know how quickly mastitis can turn

[upsetandang]

Thank you everyone, I tried the hot bath and toothbrush and dangle feed and eventually managed to get one of the blockages to shift,

hot water bottle when feeding aswell. I feel loads better today, still a bit ill but not a dead mass on the sofa unable to go to the toilet like the last few days t

I was offered an appointment at 9 ish last night but I was still so ill I had to refuse, there was no way I could get there on my own with baby (patients only) in the state I was in, I barely managed a bath after 3 days.

Definitely saving the link for future reference

I've had blocked ducts and ill feelings loads, but nothing that wiped me out this bad for days, maybe one or 2 days. very thankful over the worst of it now.

[LintonTravelTavern]

I would get to the G.P tomorrow OP, mine came back worse.

[Wishbub]

I was given some advice when I had painful blocked ducts (never got to the point of mastitis)... its to have a partner (or yourself, if you can) suck really hard to remove the blockage. It seems really weird, but it does work, and honestly you're in so much pain that you'll try anything. Hope you're all OK now OP.

[Thehollyandtheirony]

Glad you are feeling better.
If you are prone to getting blocked ducts, I really recommend Silverette cups. They are pricy but they work like magic. I had a recurring blocked duct for months and then started wearing the silver cup daily and it hasn’t bothered me since.