What the hell is wrong with my stupid boob!

[JeewizzJen]

Hi all,

DS is 20 months. For the first year we were lucky enough to be largely problem free when it came to breastfeeding, but at 13 months I got mastitis and have just got it again for the fifth bloody time in 7 months .

It's always been in the same side, and until this time roughly the same spot to begin with, but this time it's on the other side of the same boob. The past two times have come on so suddenly as well - the doctor last time told me I had actually left it a bit late to see a doc, but I swear I had no symptoms at all prior to 24 hours before going to the doctor. They nearly admitted me to hospital for IV antibiotics last time. Luckily I responded quickly to the higher dose flucloxicillin they prescribed so admission wasn't necessary.

It's so horrible, I just don't know how to help prevent it! Can anyone help with advice at all? Please!

Also if you lovely ladies could tell the people who keep saying "don't you think it's a sign you ought to give up now" to bog off that would be grand. That includes my own GP

Thanks so much for your reply, that is a very helpful article. I might even try to get to a LLL meeting if I can, I've heard they're especially good with supporting breastfeeding toddlers. I've not heard of lecithin - I shall do some research!

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Just wanted to say from what I've heard about mastitis that I think you are a fab mum for still feeding through all that pain, and 7 times, wow!!!!!

Ha, thank you!

Been to the docs this morning, more antibiotics :-( and more comments about giving up...

Much sympathy on the mastitis (and the annoying comments). There's probably a lot of overlap with the LLL page, but there are also some suggestions for recurrent mastitis on Kellymom .

I had recurrent mastitis 11 times in the first 10 months. No one could find a cause or offer any advice. It was always in the same side so after the 11rh time I just gradually stopped feeding from that side. DD is now 21 months old and I have no idea why I didn't stop feeding from the affected side sooner! I am now still happily breastfeeding from that one side while pregnant and we'll play it by war when this baby is born, but I don't think I can feed from the other side now anyway as the breast is too damaged/swollen and the skin too tight to enable a good latch.