Breast pain- mastitis?

[TheDudess]

Been breast feeding for 11 weeks and all going well except today my breasts feel quite sore with painful twinges every now and again. Nothing else is different.

Any ideas as to what it might be?

Unlikely to be mastitis, unless you're feeling generally crappy (shivery, feverish, aching) as well. You also get a pretty tell-tale red streak or wedge shape on the affected boob/s and the affected boob/s is/are agonisingly painful, constantly. Latching on with mastitis is particularly excruciating, and you really, really don't want anyone going near the affected boob (or boobs, but it's more common to just have it on one side).

Could it be thrush? That's more likely to happen bilaterally. It's more common if you've had nipple damage at any point during feeding and/or you or your baby has been on antibiotics at any point since the birth. Your baby will need oral thrush treatment at the same time as you need treatment if it is thrush.

Doesn't sound like thrush to me. It would tend to start in the nipple and then could potentially spread but if at that stage would be agony and not just a twinge. Also your nipples would be bright red and shiny. Plus baby's mouth would be white inside.

If none of that could be mastitis. I always got twinges the day or so before it really came on with the red streaks and shivers when it had truly got hold.

Keep an eye and good luck.

Thanks for the replies.

Don't think it's thrush as nipples are absolutely fine and baby hasn't been on antibiotics.

The pain is really deep of that makes sense? I feel fine otherwise so hopefully it's nothing and will pass. Mastitis sounds awful!

Could be a blocked duct? Can you feel any lumps? Just keep an eye on it and if you have any concerns go straight to your GP and don't let them fob you off. I had mastitis a few weeks ago and when I went back to query the swelling in my boob I was told it was normal and would go down after a while. It didn't and I ended up in A&E on Monday night with a burst abscess

frank that sounds awful! How are you feeling now?

Unfortunately it is mastitis :(

My boob feels horrific. Joy oh joy. At least it's been caught quickly!

I'm doing ok thanks, I've had it drained again today and it looks as if the antibiotics are working as they mostly drew off clear fluid rather than pus. I have to go back again next week to be checked over but it looks like I'm on the mend.

Sorry you've got mastitis, it's not nice. Make sure you go back to your GP if you don't see an improvement within a few days. I think my mistake was not realising I had mastitis for a good week which probably allowed the abscess to form.

Dudess As a veteran of seven bouts of mastitis (but never an abscess - Christ, Frankel ) I never once managed to shift it without antibiotics so I'd always say sod the conservative treatment route and go straight for the big guns if your GP hasn't already prescribed them. Your baby may get the runs and be on the lookout for oral thrush. Also, I also found expressing in a hot bath with a manual hand pump extremely useful, in combination with firm breast massage and sweeping a comb or a stiff brush over the red patch, all still in the bath and all at the same time if you can stand it. When using the hand pump, squeeze and hold to get a long steady spray of milk until it dwindles, then keep squeezing and holding again to really flush the ducts out, rather than the more rapid pumps you're advised to do if you're just expressing normally - combine this with a firm, continuous breast compression to really give it some welly. All of the above hurts like the BeJEsus, but it's well worth it - you do actually get some relief afterwards and there's a noticeable difference the following day. Take some ibuprofen about three hours in advance, then some paracetamol about an hour before and you should at least reduce some of the inflammation and pain beforehand.

frankel glad to hear you're feeling better. Sounds like you've really had it rough!

elphaba 7 times??? Fracking hell! That's some really useful advice there, thankyou. I hadn't thought of expressing in a hot bath bit I can defo see how it would help. I will give that a try!

I feel quite lucky really. If it hadn't been a bank holiday weekend then I would have probably left it a couple more days and stepped up the expressing to try and clear it. As it was I went to my GP who has given me some antibiotics so I think it has been caught earlier. It's such a deep throbbing pain!

Thankyou for your replies, it is appreciated!