Mastitis help!

[Sallymads]

3rd baby arrived Sunday, milk came in Tuesday midday and I got massively engorged. Baby wasn’t interested in feeding much during Tuesday so I had to buy a pump to express in between (never been able to hand express). The left is totally fine now, however the right... my god I feel like I’ve been shot. My whole areola is swollen and so sore :( trying to get baby to feed off it as much as possible but it’s toe curling and not much milk is coming out! Have just been given antibiotics by gp so is there anything else I can try to speed up the healing process? Have been applying warm compresses also. I’m desperate for relief! X

kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/

This website is the gold standard for all things breastfeeding related!

Savoy cabbage. Wierd, but works.

Oh my god the pain, I remember it so vividly.

You poor thing. Dangle feeding worked for me. Weird as it sounds. Place baby on their back in the bed and hover above letting your breast dangle into their mouth. Lots of lasinoh nipple balm and hot/cold mam compresses also help.

Also breast combing towards the nipple to help move thickened milk or blockages along (wide toothed comb, òr even just your fingers).

Ibuprophen for pain (as it's also anti-inflammatory).

Feeding or expressing in a warm bath can feel more comfortable.

Kellymom is an excellent source of advice.

Thank you so much for all the advice, it did unfortunately spread to the left side also but I gritted my teeth, combing them in hot showers and have been dangle feeding him through it. The right side is SO much better now, not sure if it’s the tips and tricks or the antibiotics kicking in but I’m very grateful either way!
My only problem now is, because I was so engorged, he didn’t have much to latch on to bless him and now I have cracked, sore nipples! hopefully they’ll pass just as quick. X

Hope you're on the mend OP. Have you got lasinoh nipple balm? I tried other brands but that one totally took the pain away!

Lanisoh was absolutely worth its weight in gold OP, get it slathered on. Fabulous stuff.

OP I had the exact same thing recently and my cracked sore nipples (which I’m some ways were worse than the mastitis!) were healed with a combination of Lansinoh and Multi Mam Compresses- they are amazing. Cut them in half to get the most from a pack.

Nipple shields may help! I used them to help latch when engorged. Medela do the best ones. Reduce pumping slowly over the next week. Pumping helps when engorged but also stimulates milk production. And drink lots of water!