I wanted to share my experience with regards to mastisis, perhaps it’ll help another new mum.
If you’ve already got fever and extreme pain, you may need to go to GP to get antibiotics but this is a short term fix and it’ll also upset the baby’s tommy.. having to take care of a newborn whilst mum is in pain is the worst thing ever! So alternatively,
- Get up to feed baby or pump regularly. You have to get the milk out otherwise you’ll end up with mastisis.
- In the morning, before you know it’s time to feed baby, take a warm shower and in the shower try to squeeze the milk out with your hands. Then feed baby.
- Any other time, grab a size 3 or bigger nappy, pour hot water on it, let it cool down a bit (1 min or so) and get someone else to massage the area, they have to press quite hard to open the knots..it’s painful that’s why I think somebody else should do it for u. Then feed the baby or pump to get the milk out.
- The cold cabbage thing didn’t work so well for me. I actually felt better when I kept my breast warm.
- After feeds, keep your breast warm, perhaps put a robe on, or a cardigan.
- Don’t pump too often. Don’t buy any fancy products you don’t need it!
- If the pain persists after a week go to GP and ask for a scan of your breast to ensure it’s not something more serious.
My experience: first baby I didn’t even know I had mastisis for two weeks. I woke up one day (baby was 4 weeks old) having fever and feeling extreme pain on my breast. I finally went to GP crying and I kept taking antibiotics and didn’t help much. It also made the babys tommy so upset.
Finally it went away after 6 weeks after doing above steps. I used to set myself a 4am alarm to ensure I pump as my baby loved to sleep during the night.
My second baby, I had pain breastfeeding for 3 weeks but I did the above and kept feeding her. I also stick to breastfeeding and finally the pain went away.
I breastfed both baby’s for 1 year. So don’t give up, there is a solution to this problem!