what is the treatment for mastitis?

[barbamama]

do they give you antibiotics and if so which ones?

Since Friday I have felt like crap - like having flu, PMT and a migraine all at the same time. Temp has been up to 40oC, freezing all the time even though am drenched in sweat and boobs suddennly engorged and sore again with a red hard patch on one of them. This is mastitis right?

lo is 12 weeks today. I never had mastistis last time with ds 1 but I use to dream feed him at 11pm. This time I didn't bother and ds2 has been sleeping from 7.30 - 7.30 from 9 weeks so I wondered if dropping the night feed might be why it has happenned? I don't really want to wake him up unless I have to. The other possibility is that i have been using a medela electric pump to express at 11ish since he has been sleeping through as I thought I'd take advantage of the milk still being there to build up a stock of frozen milk. I didn't use this pump last time and I noticed in the literature that they recomend getting the bigger funnels if your nipples touch the sides when you express which mine do and they were quite tender after expressing with this pump. Foolishly, I though my boobs were big and tough enough to handle it by now but perhaps I did some damage. Also I only ever feed in the standard across the lap position so there may be areas not getting drained properly (can't get the rugby one to work and can't think of any others). Last week I was too knackered and stopped doing the 11pm expressing for a few days and since then I have been engorged and I just can't seem to clear it even with as much feeding as I can get him to take.

The other stupid thing I have done is I have been dieting quite heavily since 7 weeks but last week eased off a bit after losing a stone so I am wondering whether the sudden extra calories have contributed to all the extra milk as well?

cabbage leaves
honestly
see

someone else told me that too - any particular type of cabbage? So I just peel it off and shove it in or do you have to heat them up?

now, I 'm not a doctor or a Wise Woman but I reckon any cabbage and just keep it in the fridge and then shove it down your bra as and when

hope this helps

Hi, Had mastitas 5 times in 6 months its horrid but the antibiotics really kicked in to help with the horrid flu feelings quite quickley. My midwife told me to take two straight away then the normal dose plus alternative paracetamal and ibruprofen so you can max out the dosage of both and feel much better. I also breast fed on all fours to help push out a nasty pea sized lump that wouldnt shift after antiobios. Another mumsnetter suggested it and it worked. Felt weird hanging over baby and massaging boob but then it 'popped' the lump type feeling. Had big bruise on boobie though!!! Good luck its horrid feeling but does pass. Also another mumsnetter said my bra size may have been wrong and I reckon the tumble dryier had shrink my favourite feeding bra and since changing not had any more mastitias despite starting to wean my 7month old baby. Also can take acidophilus tablets (from health food shop) to help lesson effect of antibios on baby as she had explosive pooh after i taken antibios. Good luck.

Savoy cabbage worked best, put one in frezzer for 2 mins then shove in bra, oh was lovely feeling ;-) just smells abit after a while if you forget to take them out like I did

you know I was going to say Savoy

I did wander around town wondering what the smell was then realised my cabbage leaf was wilting over my top, opps no smart points there ;-)))

i've had mastitis since weds. didn't seem to be getting better so started antibiotics yesterday. is now less inflamed and temp now down but don't know if it would have done anyway. hot showers while massaging helped, also bean bag thingy that you put in microwave was really nice.
ds is also 12 weeks today but now the real problem is my nipple. it looks more like chorizo as is so bloody. i've had cracks since beginning and have shown about 20 experts my latch. i think latch is now fine i just need to heal wound. anyone have any secret miracle cures for cracked nipples (have triend lansinoh, kamillosan)? i've been trying thrush treatment (daktarin oral on niplles and in his mouth) which helped mildly but not convinced its thrush. anyone know if pure cocoa butter might help? i'm getting pretty desperate - the mastitis blues plus the nipple pain is really getting me down and i don't think i can do another feed on the bad nipple.

Saw this and had "ouch" flashbacks - had bouts at one time or another with my three.
Midwives here (Germany) advised warmth (beany things or just hot/warm flannels as you feed) which helped loads.
Also if your nipple is unbearable, you could try a nipple shield - just till the worst is over. Do they have them in the UK?

yes you can get nipple shields here. worth trying a couple of different types to get a good fit. oh and you should steralise them as well.

feed, feed, feed from that side - try feeding whilst on all fours to allow gravity to do its work

Also, apply warm packs before feeding to open the ducts more. Then appy cool packs afterwards as this will help to soothe the breast and reduce swelling if any. Booby Tubes are great.. and can be used for headaches after breastfeeding too

Have you tried Silver Healing Pads for the Mastitis? i used this and didn't need the antibiotics. Thought it was fantastic.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

My ds is 11 weeks old and i've had mastitis 3 times already. If you've got to the stage of being so systemically unwell then i would for sure get antibiotics. If you leave it too long you can end up with an abscess which may need surgical drainage.
Its important to do all the other things as well, ie feeding in different positions to drain the breast completely, hand expressing in a warm bath to empty completely, massaging away the lump etc, as mentioned by others.
I also found that my mastitis seemed to be related to using an electrical pump, my nipple cracked, so causing a potential infection source and i became engorged, and very quickly developed a tender sore red area.
The first choice antibiotic is flucloxacillin. If your're penicillin allergic, as i am then erythromycin. Both are suitable when breastfeeding. You may get gastrointestinal side effects. I seem to have the constitution of a horse and tolerated a high dose of erythromycin without problems for me or ds.
The other important thing about antibiotics is to complete the course. You need 10 days. By being a bit forgetful, i think i contributed to my recurrent mastitis, which was in the same place.
I also visited my local breast feeding cafe which underlined all the important things to do to me.
Hope you feel better soon, its absolutely miserable, but antibiotics kick in very quickly.

thanks everyone for your very helpful suggestions. I can't believe how a problem in one small part of the body can make you feel so generally unwell, it's incredible. Today I have felt a bit better but feeling worse again now in the evening. Saying that, I tried the cabbage thing this afternoon and, I don't know if it is helping get rid of the infection but it definitely soothed it and made my boobs feel better. I have also been trying the different positions - feeding on all fours was good and I can see how that might help. I am going to go to the doctors tommorow to get some antibiotics if I have another bad night. thanks everyone and much sympathy to those also suffering! I never realised how bad mastitis can be.

ps was in morrissons this afternoon to get a cabbage - had no idea were so many types! Almost went for the Savoy as well before read all the posts but settled on green cabbage instead - oh well, will get a savoy tommorow. Felt a bit silly at the checkout buying just a cabbage.

thanks - still feeling crap and had a crap day BUT have managed to achieve getting some of the right antibiotics from the GP. Going to try and have an early night now and hope it will have gone away in the morning.