Getting mastitis! Help!

[Molehillmountain]

This is dc no three and I know the signs-sore patch, temp going up and generally feeling rubbish. But stupidly didn't call gp before end of day and emergency gp not answering. Can I just take paracetamol and leave til morning or should I get into it now? Of course dh out tonight!

I waited until fhe next day and got an emergency app in the morning. It cleared up quickly - I got DD to feed on the poorly boob (she was feeding every 2 hours) overnight.

Feed, feed, feed to get the milk moving and use massage to shift the blockage. Take paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain and temp and read this leaflet: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BFN_Mastitis.pdf Hope you feel better soon!

Thanks! Taken pills and going to bed. Got through to gp service and between us we decided to watch and wait but see gp tomorrow. Dd didn't feed well today - on and off rather than good feeds - or yesterday so I think that's what's set it off. Last times I got it when dc were taking more solids and less milk. Dd still pretty much ebf at nearly eight months-her problem is she's a nosey whatsit who would rather see what's going on than feed and we were out and about a lot this weekend. Hey ho! Useful leaflet btw

I had 3 bouts of mastitis in a six week period from just before Christmas. This is my DC no 2 so thought I knew what I was doing but apparently the recurrence is common and can be avoided... So, just in case you end up on this road..

With the watch and wait approach it may be worth having antibiotics to hand (if your GP will prescribe for the 'just in case'). As soon as you get to the fever point of being so cold you need 3 duvets and still aren't warm, start the antibiotics. Also make sure it isn't a half dose/weak dose and finish them if you start them.

Whether you take antibiotics or not the things I found helpful were: a feeding bra that wasn't too tight, massage on the area, hot water bottle there too on and off, several warm showers/baths in a day and always starting each feed from the infected side.

Hope you fend it off!

I found that having a very hot bath, massaging and expressing in the bath then feeding helped.

Doc prescribed antibiotics so I'm taking them-and doing all the massage and hot flannels too. Dd doing her bit - she fed all night . Would watch and wait but need to get better quickly for other dc. Can't rely on favours too much. Thanks for advice all