Anyone BFed again after breast abscess with previous DC?

[PatsyPlusOne]

We have DS and we are now TTC DC2.

I had a really hard time BFing DS, struggled to get latch right due to tongue tie, then got mastitis when he was about 4weeks, which was mismanaged by docs and I ended up in hospital on IV antibiotics etc. (It was so bad they took pics of my 'bad' boob for medical journals!)This resulted in a large breast abscess which was eventually operated on after many attempts to aspirate. I managed to feed DS from the 'good' breast for 4 more months but threw in the towel when mastitis reared its ugly head again(8th time). After being so ill for so long, I needed v strong antibiotics to knock it on the head and these had given DS bloody diarrheah the previous time I tried to take them.

My question is, has anyone been through somehting similar and BFed a subsequent DC? I feel I would need to try for DC's sake, but so worried it will all go wrong again that it's put me off TTC for a while as it is. I couldn't face all the tiem in hospital / being too ill to appreciate new baby's first few months again if it all went wrong. The thought of it worries me so much I am crying as I type.

Any advice most welcome.

Hi, I haven't been through such an awful time as you but I was admitted to hosp with severe mastitis and on IV antibiotics and I stopped BF at that time (a few weeks in) It was really traumatic and took a long time to get over it. Had breast scans etc but no abscess so I was lucky there.

Obviously I was really worried about trying to feed my subsequent baby but it was totally fine!!!! I found breast feeding SO much easier and I had no infections or any health problems and it was not really painful like it was the first time. I don't know why this was but other people who went through the mill the first time have also said it was easier the second time too! I hope it can be like this for you too, feeding DS was lovely adn I did it for a year. I never thought I'd be able to successfully BF but it was all ok!
Hope this helps and good luck with it all.

Thank you for replying Framey, that's really helpful to hear. Your experience does sound quite similar to mine.

Hi, I can't post a long message I'm afraid but my story was so similar to yours - tongue tie, flat nipples (me not him ), stubborn 'mastitis' that turned out to be an abscess so large the ultrasound lady assumed I had a breast implant and asked me twice to confirm I hadn't then phoned for the surgeon. Mine ruptured before my (emergency) surgery causing a fistula and I was on fairly strong antibiotics and painkillers until my DS was 4 1/2 months old. I managed just 5 days of exclusive breastfeeding and 3 weeks mixed. I feel your pain.

I was convinced I could not and would not bf DD (born just 18 months after DS with all the misery fresh in my mind). DD will be 2 in April and is still on the bloody boob!

The difference was part luck (no tongue tie) but mostly being better prepared and ready to shout loudly and demand all the help the NHS could throw at me.

I shall try to think of any useful tips etc but have to dash just now...

Ok, wheelie bin is out now

Just re read your post and you did so much better than me struggling on for so long. A few things occur to me - I don't know what state your abscessed boob was left in but I managed to use mine just fine with DD. It makes less milk but still enough for a perfectly good meal.

Also, I think it is important to realise that as brilliant as breastmilk is (and how bloody convenient it is too when everything goes well) formula milk provides perfectly adequate nutrition and your baby can thrive well on it if need be. Take the pressure off yourself.

Oh and shout, shout, SHOUT for help. And don't let time pressed staff pursuade you that a poor latch is acceptible. Good latch was everything for me. The few times I was just a tiny bit lazy with it (in the early weeks this is) my nipples let me know.

I absolutely hated bfing DS, and later the sound of that bloody pump and the paltry few drops I'd manage to harvest from it. I have very few happy memories of his early weeks and the following months are a drugged-up fog. Whilst I knew that I would try again I also knew that I would give DD a bottle before letting it get to that stage a second time. Giving myself that get out clause allowed me to relax and look forward to my new baby.

HTH

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences Neverquitesure. Your story of BFing DD is quite inspirational to me at the moment. I was lucky that my abcess was caught before it errupted, and they were able to operate from underneath my breast so the scarring is all pretty well hidden. It's still significantly smaller than the other side though and the nipple is flatter, so that is part of what concerns me.

I think you're right about giving yourself the get out clause of going on to bottles. When I finally put DS on bottles I partly wondered why I had battled on for so long as it felt a huge weight had been lifted. I just know I would feel so guilty if I didn't even TRY to BF a new baby, knowing that I made such an effort with DS.

Glad it helped

I managed to make 2 of our local LLL meetings whilst pregnant with DD and, if truth be told, had rather expected to find a group of scary sanctimonious Breast is Best supermums who would sadly shake their heads at the sight of me and my poor formula-fed DS. What I actually found was a room full of (mostly!) normal women HALF of which had been unable to successfully bf their first child but had gone on to happily feed subsequent children. I found that very inspirational.

I know that feeling of needing to make the same effort with DC2, but remember that making yourself ill is not the same as making an effort. Also you will have 2 children to look after this time and (depending on your age gap) you may not have the opportunity to catch up on rest during the day. Your health is very important.

All this said I did stress on and off throughout my second pregnancy but knowing that it was ok to switch to bottles before half killing myself did help a great deal.

Oh, and good luck with TTC

Breast feeding can be really hard. One of my friends also had a terrible time with her first DC and she refused to try it at all with her second DC, not even one feed. I thought it was sad but I also understood where she was coming from. My family were begging me to stop trying after a few weeks with DD as there were so many tears and problems. I found it agonisingly painful and I'd had my position checked by bf counsellors, midwives and all and sundry. It just didn't work. The hospital admission was the last straw.

When bottle feeding DD I was made to feel like a criminal by some other Mums (and Dads!!!! believe it or not ) I was quite traumatised by it all and really nervous about trying again but I knew I had to give it a go and I was surprised at how it was just completely different the second time.

Hi,

I had an abscess with DS1. A bit like your story; mismanaged mastitis for 2 months before finally having an operation when he was 12 weeks at which point I stopped the feeding. I was gutted that it had all gone so wrong and it took along time to get over it and I worried about what it would be like with a second child.

I'm now still feeding my 13 month DS2 and its been a completely different experience and I have no idea when I'll stop feeding him as its all so easy. No mastitis at all this time and not even a sore nipple. All down to getting the latch right and feeding on demand to keep the milk moving. It was nerve wracking at first, but has been absolutely fine.

Hope that helps and all the best of luck!

Nibsy

Hi ladies, have been away for the weekend, so only just able to check back in again. Thanks so much for your positive words of advice. Just hearing that your experiences were so different with different DCs has got me thinking my DC2 may also be a natural BFer, where perhaps DS and I were always going to struggle.

I wondered if it was partly me, as I had a lot of milk, was leaking constantly and boobs were engorged. I mentioned it to a friend who's a farmer's wife and she said that with cows it's always the best milkers that get mastitis!

It's making me feel much better about giving it another go second time around. And if it doesn't work out, I will try not to beat myself up about it and just be glad that I tried.

Thanks again.