Can't clear mastitis - painful conundrum

[SundayMorningSun]

FTM, baby is 3 and a bit weeks.

She's doing great overall, but due to earlier problems with learning to latch my nipples are a bit wrecked still. That, plus a bit of an oversupply, plus her suddenly sleeping a five hour stretch, led to mastitis on Monday night.

GP suggested various self help measures Tuesday (fine), and I got great support at a breastfeeding drop-in on Wednesday morning. Some milk was still flowing, so fine.

Wednesday afternoon it started to get much worse. I felt like I had the worst flu ever, and all the massage I was doing seemed to move the blockage down to the front of the breast (where it still is). The whole areola and a couple of centimetres back were completely solid.

Baby could still latch on, amazingly, but she was getting so frustrated and cross, often pulling off after a few sucks. Sometimes she was refusing that side altogether. I was getting nothing from that side - not from hand expressing, no letdown in a warm shower, no letdown from feeding on the other side. Terrified that it's so blocked that the baby can't unblock it.

Got antibiotics Thursday. Thursday also pretty dire. She refused that side all night.

Friday morning I was in agony. Around lunchtime a combination of warm compresses and feeding a bit on each side finally got something flowing a little. Went back to breastfeeding drop-in where three lactation consultants gathered round to try to help. They were so supportive and just said to keep going with everything. But what happens if it's just not enough?

They also said I need to wake her up after 3 hours at night rather than let her sleep 5 - we obviously had a very unsettled baby on our hands tonight doing this. She's getting more and more unsettled in the day too, including during/after feeds, which is not like her. Also very infrequent pooing (one in last 48 hours). Starting to worry (though no HCP seems worried so far).

Things we've done

• hot flannels + massage
• hot baths and showers + massage
• dangling in a bowl of warm water
• hand expressing
• pumping (just for 10 mins or so, friend lent one this morning)
• letting her feed for ages (30 min each side, brutal)
• shorter more frequent feeds (at the suggestion of the consultants)
• silver nipple shells (again a suggestion - bit weird but does stop them getting rubbed by clothing)

And obviously paracetamol/ibruprofen and my antibiotics.

Any suggestions? Helpful stories of hope? Thanks.

The blockage might be in your nipple, whenever I've had one that I can't seem to clear it's because it's in the nipple. Do you have any white spots on your nipple, or if you squeeze your nipple a bit between your finger and thumb can you see any little white spots pop out? For a white dot that's already there, that's a milk blister - heat it with a hot flannel and then prick it with a pin. If you squeeze your nipple and a white dot raises up, keep squeezing like a spot and the blockage should squeeze out!

I was just about to come and make the same suggestion as Darceybussel! I've had mastitis three times (!) but the only time I've had a persistent block, it's been on the nipple itself. It looked almost like a grain of sand, it was tiny.

Other than that, I don't have anything to suggest that you aren't already doing. You have all my sympathy though, mastitis is the absolute worst. Make sure you're getting as much rest as you can, and hopefully you'll feel better soon.

You could try an electric toothbrush and work it wherever the blockage is pushing it towards your nipple.

Thanks everyone - I couldn't see any white spots yesterday but I will investigate when it's light.

I don't have an electric toothbrush but I do have a small vibrator.

Thankfully the antibiotics seem to have cleared up most of the flu symptoms so I feel a bit more able to tackle the blockage. You couldn't have paid me to wake the baby early the other night...

Honestly, the other day, if someone had said to me "never breastfeed again and this will all go away", I'd have done it instantly. We'd only just got things basically pain free and now this.

Oh man Mastitis sucks. I've had it 3 times in the 2 years I've been feeding DS.

Are you definitely sure there's a blockage? I've had it before with no blockage at all, everything flowing fine.

I did have a blockage once though and was expressing blood until it cleared red hot shower, stroking down my boob with a hairbrush and an electric toothbrush and lots of hand expressing!

I've got no suggestions I'm afraid but I just wanted to say I'm in the same boat! Mines been there for a week now and I've tried all the same things as you but nothing has budged it either. Mine doesn't have a head on it so I can't squeeze it, in fact I can't even see the hole that is supposedly blocked up.

If I find something that works I'll let you know, hope you feel better soon

Have the breastfeeding centre got an electric pump you can use? I found that was the only way to clear my mastitis.

One suggestion I received that I can't see on your list is combing the lump towards the nipple. Probably best done in combination with a hot bath or shower.

Take a look at Kelly Mom, see what they suggest.

You have to keep doing what you're doing though, and be very careful about your symptoms. Don't be afraid to go back for more medical help.

@paradiselaundry Urgh, commiserations. Sick of being told it clears up within 48 hours!

Thanks all, no white spots but I'll try a comb.

Kelly mom says all the same stuff really.

She's now shredding my other nipple because she's going back to her shallow latch ways in tiredness and frustration. AH WELL ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME.