Feeling feverish when due to feed

[Lavinia321]

I’m having a few breast feeding problems, baby is 9 days old and I feel really feverish every three hours when I’m due to feed him and the feeling subsides (but does not disappear altogether) once I have fed. This is the third child I’m breastfeeding so I’m not exactly new to the whole thing.

I have had very badly cracked nipples (tongue tied baby) and so I’m on antibiotics for the infections introduced through those cracks. I’be been taking the antibiotics for three days so far but not noticed any reduction in the pain or feverishness. The cracks and cuts have almost healed on one side but there is still a bit of healing needed on the other side. I’m managing to feed almost comfortably.

Is this feverishness normal in the first few weeks and when should I expect it to go? I’m confused as to why I get much more feverish when I’m due to feed the baby. Anyone know why this might be?

I felt feverish when my breasts were full early on too.

When you say you're 'due' to feed him, are you feeding on a 3 hourly schedule? The advice is that you feed babies on demand, which might be a lot more often than 3 hourly. That also may help stop your breasts from becoming too full.

Feeling feverish is pretty normal in the early days while your supply is being stimulated, before it all becomes more settled (always wise to rule out other causes too of course). I have heard that if your breasts are engorged with milk (very common at your stage), that tiny amounts of milk can leak out of the breast tissue, into the blood stream, causing the body to become slightly feverish as it is seen as a 'foreign invasion'. I certainly felt this way in the early weeks with 2 out of my 4 children. Also, sometimes during growth spurts. It will settle down as your supply regulates.

P. S. Is your baby's tongue tie manageable? Is he managing to properly drain your breast during a feed?

Thanks. I’m expressing three hourly on one side because my cuts are too bad to feed on that side so I need to let them heal. Other than that I’m feeding on demand or waking him at 3 hours if he hasn’t woken because his weight gain isn’t good enough. I’m pretty sure I have an over supply so perhaps I just need to wait for things to regulate. Meanwhile it’s really rough feeling so terrible!

The baby’s tongue tie has been snipped now. But the damage done was pretty bad so it’s taking time to heal.

The first few weeks are horrible. I used to find taking 2 paracetamol, going for a bath then a lie down helped x

Have you heard of D-MER?
It’s when you get a really funny wobbly feeling when you feed, due to a huge dopermine crash in your brain from the letdown reflex?
It’s more as you’re about to latch rather than when feeding time is coming up, but it can feel horrible.

It’s thought to be caused by a magnesium deficiency so get some H&B magnesium tablets and if it is that, it should get better after a few days

Good the tongue tie has been dealt with OP. It's definitely worth knowing that after a TT snip, it's usual to take between 2 and 4 weeks before you notice significant improvement. The baby has to relearn how to use their tongue properly etc. So don't feel disheartened if things take a little while.