think I might have mastisis (again)....possibly expressing too much?

[CMJ]

I have been exclusively expressing my 8 week old and other than an initial bout of mastisis in week 2 it has been going ok - I produce enough milk to feed him, no problems. My doctor gave me antibiotics which cleared it up fine. I dont mind the expressing and prefer it to actual breastfeeding which I found v uncomfortable despite lots of help from MW and HV.

However in the last 48 hours my boobs feel so full just 2 hours after I have expressed - normally I expressed every 4 hours (5 times a day). So to relieve this feeling I expressed more often and now my right had one especially feels hot and twingey. My bras fit fine. And now because I have increased the expressing I have upped the demand/supply its becoming really hard work.

I feel I need to reduce my milk (I have been freezing the excess so far) but feel I have to empty each boob to keep the potential mastisis at bay.

Any help gratefully received.

get yourself to the doctors for more antibiotics, I had mastisis symptoms and ignored it and then developed flu like symptoms which are due to the mastisis.

Definately mastisis do they feel full or just hard to touch, mine felt hard.

feel so sorry for you, if you can bear it get baby to breastfeed untill it clears as it clears any bloackages so much better than a pump.

thanks traceyn I am sitting here thinking its going to be worse tomorrow morning not better. I will get to the docs for 8am. What a pain (literally), at least the antiobiotics take effect quite quickly (no flu-like sypmtoms yet).

try putting hot flannels on them it may sooth then a little.

One of my HV's told my to put cabbage leaves in my bra, savoy is best, no I'm not joking !.

Try a hot bath and "combing" your breast from the outside towards the nipple with either your fingers or a wide tooth comb (best) if you have one. This can help clear a blockage and stop mastitis before it starts. You might be able to avoid the antibs this way.

Apparently the full feeling will tell your body not to produce so much. How about expressing off just a little to stop them being so hard and get yourself more comfy rather than emptying them at the times you wouldn't normally be expressing?